"Probably" Viral Meningitis
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi Guys,
I am pretty new to the forum and I would like to find out more about viral meningitis.
Firstly, it is my wife that has been ill now for around 2.5 months. After 7 visits to a GP in the early stages, she has "had" tonsillitis, bacteria infection, cellulitis, tinnitus, flu virus, a virus, severe headaches, swollen nymph nodes in neck and jaw plus more!
My wife was referred to A+E after 6 weeks of GP visits, spent 12 nights in hospital with suspected meningitis. After 2 lumbar punctures, chest x-ray, CT scan, MRI and been tested for umpteen different illnesses with blood tests, stool tests, mouth swabs and urine tests pus seeing so many different doctors including infectious disease specialists there found no illnesses which caused her "probably viral meningitis". BTW, she has been hammered with antibiotics, and a number different types plus viral type meningitis which was ruled out eventually and stopped.
I was told by the infectious disease consultant that meningitis is an infection and that something causes it most often bacterial or viral. Anyway, after been isolated during her stay in hospital (with full body armour to enter) and given the all clear for all their tests, she was told she could go home. When leaving the hospital she was told she had a very small lesion on her brain (from MRI) but not enough to cause concern but enough to be told to return in 1 year to have another MRI. The doctor (junior) also told my wife that she will be referred to the ENT outpatients for more testing but this was nearly 2 weeks ago and still waiting for an appointment. The doctor said they did not know what caused the "probably" viral meningitis which is why she is been referred to the ENT specialist which they do not have in local hospital.
My wife was much better when she left hospital then when she entered, sever headaches left and she could walk plus her blood inflammation levels had dropped back to near normal. However, she still has swollen nymph nodes and crazy tinnitus with noises of engines in her ears.
So, the reason I say "probably" viral meningitis is that I cheekily opened the letter from the hospital which I had to give to my wife's GP. And, inside the letter said she "probably" had viral meningitis. On our visit to the infectious diseases dpt, the consultant did say Lympocytic Meningitis was suspected but it was NEVER confirmed to me or my wife so I really do not know even now what kind of meningitis it was that at all!
Sorry for the long winded post but thought it is best to explain it all first.
Anyway, I would appreciate any advice. My wife and I was expecting this to clear up after leaving hospital and she was hoping to go back work within a month but from what I have read in this group, it is becoming worrying that she will not be able too. Also, my wife does not understand why she is not getting better and thinks the doctors should be doing more to find out what is wrong with her. We still worry that there is something else wrong with her and need to find out what it is, I have even booked dental examinations and eye tests to rule these out but it seems from what I read in the group, that her symptoms for post viral meningitis this maybe be normal? And, does anyone else suffer from the tinnitus so bad?
Again, sorry for long post, we are both so worried.
Thanks in advance.
0 likes, 3 replies
jeejaw Guest
Posted
Hi there. Just thought I'd drop you a reply even though it may not help a lot. My experience of meningitis was very different from that of your wife in that it struck me without warning, and as a result my memories of it have always been a bit sketchy/
?What I would say from what I've read and learned from others who have also been through it is that it seems to produce a very wide range of after effects and symptoms - to the point where it seems to me almost nothing can be ruled out.
?All I'd say to you and your wife is to be patient- full recovery may well be a slow and frustrating process but she will get better. Best wishes to the both of you.
Guest jeejaw
Posted
Thanks jeejaw,
Yes, from what I have been reading in some of the forums it seems that VM has different symptoms. I also just found out that possibly the reason why the doctors say "probably" rather than say it was definitely VM, is that the lumbar puncture came back negative but it could mean the infection had already left the system considering she already been sick for 6 weeks before having the puncture.
Now, I feel a lot less stressed then I was feeling
after doing more reading and hearing from people who have suffered from it like yourself. The doctors never explained that it would take a while for my wife to get better after leaving the hospital which left me thinking they missed something and I needed to find out what was really wrong with my wife. Now I know it takes time recover, it will makes things less stressful and help manage the healing process.
Thanks for your reply and best wishes. Good luck to you too, and I hope you are recovering well.
Tree49 Guest
Posted