Can meningitis be the cause of CFS 9 years down the line?

[Geitje]

Hi, I'm hoping to find some answers to my current state of health. I contracted eosinophilic meningitis 9 years ago. I recovered from it with 2 treatments of parasitic drugs. I have had 3 healthy children since. 6 months ago I was sick for 4 weeks, flu like state without the fever, indigestion problems, dizziness, extreme fatigue and weakness, emotionally unstable etc. Last week the same thing happened. I had a bloodtest which came back fine. My doctor thinks I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome brought on by the brain damage the meningitis may have caused. Since the meningitis I am not as strong and my cognitive function has changed but I have never been sick and unable to function in daily life. It seems odd to me that I have not been this unwell in the 9 years since. I trust my doctor but this doesn't sit right with me.

[Tiga]

Hi Getije ,sorry to hear you have been so ill for so long.

sorry i know nothing about this, apart from the normal VM after affects indigestion problems, dizziness, extreme fatigue and weakness, emotionally unstable which seems to be a common thing with all M illness.

But hon i have found a forum, you may wish to look up or type in Google chronic fatigue syndrome forums and there are a few out there, hopeful this will give you answers,

forum.chronicfatiguesyndrom...

[sorba]

Having Meningitis probably contributed to your problems. See what things you can do to combat CFS and I hope your family are understanding, good luck Sorba

[daffodil]

Sorry to hear about your problems.I also have ME/CFS and then got Meningitis 5 years after. There is a lot of info on Cfs and some very good websites -check out action for M.E.There are still many theories as to the cause of ME but many cases start after a serious viral or bacterial( or parasitic) illness.CFS affects every system in your body,thus the wide ranging symptoms. The immune system is always affected -either it becomes over active or underactive.

When your body has to struggle so hard to do basic things,it does cause constant stress and runs down the adrenal glands. My Me ,which was very much better before Meningitis is now very much worsened due to the stress of 24/7 vertigo,memory and learning problems caused by Meningitis.Now I really don't know which is causing the symptoms,except the vertigo which is damage caused by Meningitis.

This is only my opinion but it sounds as if either you have had ME since the Meningitis,but in a reduced form and then the latest viral illness has just tipped you into a worse state or you have developed ME since this latest viral illness?

The important thing is that you get a proper diagnosis with all the tesst they can do -one blood test is not enough, as it is a diagnosis of exclusion. This is very dependent on where you are in the country -I had to pay privately to be diagnosed after 7 months being totally bedbound. In all that time I was signed off work with stress! Do insist on the necessary tests as the quicke r you have a diagnosis ,the better chance you have of getting suitable treatment( don't go near CBT or graded exercise when you are in the acute stage)

I am happy to privately chat,if you'd like some support.Just click on my user name and it will take you to my profile page,then click message.

[Sylkim]

Hi

I too suffer from CFS since meningitis and I contracted meningitis 18 mths ago.

I feel emotionally unstable and can be very depressed at times. My doctor told me this is common and can be for up to 2 years. I do hope this is true.

[rosiefacey]

Hey, I developed meningitis when I was 7 and by 9 I had been diagnosed with m.e/cfs, which I still have now i'm 16. Meninigitis also gave me kidney problems, and my doctor always said that it was caused by meningitis- my body had had enough in too short a time, so this could be similar to you but over a longer period of stress to your body? There is a big difference between Chronic Fatigue, Post viral fatigue and M.E/CFS though.

Anyway, my advice for people with m.e/cfs is keep your life as normal as possible, just with less in it. Listen to your body and rest when you need to otherwise you'll just make yourself poorlier, but don't give in to the illness. Graded exercise and CBT can help, but not cure so approach with caution as you really need an understanding physio/psych, but GET has helped me a lot recently now I feel I am on the path to recovery.

Hope everythings okay, good luck If you need a chat you know where I am.

[rosiefacey]

Oh, and it was Bacterial meningitis I had!