Viral Meningitis - deadly serious (My Experience Of Meningitis)

Member Name: Divvyellen

Product:	My Experience Of Meningitis
Date:	07/01/03 (327 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Less awareness surrounding this type of meningitis

Viral meningitis seems to be far less publicised than bacterial meningitis yet can be as serious.

Symptoms
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When I was 20 I woke up one morning with a splitting headache. As I had been drinking fairly heavily the night before I put it down to that, went back to bed and slept most of the day. The following day I felt pretty washed out but basically OK. The next day I had a terrible headache again and was very photosensitive (sensitive to light) and I was pretty worried . I called my mum, who was also concerned, and she took me to the doctor.

The doctor diagnosed migraine, gave me an injections, told me to go and rest, but to come back if I was no better in 12 hours. Again, the following day I was pretty much OK, even managed to go to the supermarket but then during that night I woke up in agony again. As well as the awful headache & photosensitivity, I had blurred vision, my left leg and arm were numb and I was vomiting. I managed to crawl to the phone to contact my poor mother again. She took me back to the doctors first thing. I collapsed in the waiting room and the doc. called an ambulance.

It should be noted that at no time did I have any kind of rash.

Diagnosis
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At the hospital they didn’t know what was wrong. I spent most of the day drifting in and out of consciousness whilst they carried out tests. I remember the CAT scan and the lumber puncture (I managed to be fully conscious for that!). By early evening they had decided I had viral meningitis, I was administered loads of drugs and admitted.

After 24 hours I was feeling much better and after some tests to make sure no permanent damage had been done I was allowed home after 5 days.

Afterwards
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I am fortunate and have no long-term problems relating to this illness. I am however far more aware of meningitis generally and am always extra vigilant when someone in my family has a headache and s
ays they feel unwell.

Summary: