Just wondered if this is normal? V/M after effects.

[elthompson]

Hi. I had V.M and mild encephalitis in March this year. It was a tough to go through as im sure you all know. I am well aware symptoms can persist up to a year later as I did some fundraising helping raise awareness of V.M during V.M week in may ( while still really ill.) About end of June I suddenly felt tip top again. but the past few days I have been feeling deppresed, extreme fatigue, and that dull head ache that feels as though im hungover. and today i noticed I am photo sensitive again. Is this common to suddenly go down hill again a few months after 'recovering'? And any idea how long I will be like this for? im scared I will end up as bad as i was before, which isnt a option for me now. as a unseen effect that v.m had n me was the break down of my relationship with the father of my little boy. so now being a single mum, i dont have the option to be as ill as i was again. any advice given is greatly appreciated.

[Jonad724]

Hi, I had a very serious, near fatal, attack of VM 11 years ago and so I hope I can talk from experience here. The problem with VM is that there really isn't anything you could call normal and recovery patterns can be quite erratic but the good news is that there is a common thread. This is don't push yourself just because you're feeling better because as sure is eggs is eggs this will lead to you feeling tired and some of the symptoms returning. Recovery from VM is I'm afraid a slow process and you really do have to take each day as it comes and only do what you can do that day based on how you feel and whether you actually have to do it or not. Maybe when you were feeling 'tip top' you went back to how things were before and the slow process of recovery has been set back a bit but if you rest when your body says rest and be prepared to adjust what 'normal' means then you should be OK. If you're not sure whether that's true or not perhaps if I tell you I completed my second half ironman triathlon on Sunday 18th August (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13.1 mile run) then this might give you an insight to this illness not being a life sentence. So my advice would be rest as much as you can when you are feeling less than on par and don't push yourself too hard when you are otherwise you get into a cycle of up and down health wise and what you want is a steady improvement over time.

Please feel free to message me if I can help further and also you may want to have a look at my blogs on this site which describe my journey. A new one is shortly to follow once I've got the use of my legs back! Good luck. Jonathan

[kel80]

Hi I had first lot of vm April 2012 ... Then so ill end may ish time back in hospital diagnosed with another lot of vm took soooo long to recover .. Thought had recovered back to work in September second week back in hospital with another vm ... It's hard as the third time I was just experiencing what you have said and thought it was my body telling me I am pushing it to hard ..went doctors following day who sent me straight to hospital .. Ct scan and diagnosed again .. But thankfully I was only in the one night .. So was mild compared to April ... But now I have problems still .. Wondering if over paranoid .. But still need sunglasses constantly still can't have pressure on neck and ack of head tire easily muscle ache depression/mood swings . Magnified hearing..... All still there xx I do find though the dull headaches are due to lack of sleep and to much noise... Make sure you don't stress sleep well and drink plenty of water/juice I find it helps ... I am meant to take tramadol at these times but I find it increases the dull head pain etc ...I hope this has helped xx

[Canada3]

Hi, I feel for you because I kept thinking I was well again and behaving "normall" only to find I was right back down the tubes again.... is a slow process I am sorry to say to you, but you will get better its just as Jonad says, you cant just go hell for leather being "normal" when you feel better as its so fragile, this wellness. However it will get there eventually, just have to be kind to yourself and although you have a child to look after on your own, try to involve your friends and family as much as you can so that you can rest whenever your body demands it. Unfortuately if you dont listen you really do seem to take steps backwards I found. I went back to work too early as a busy physiotherapist in an acute care setting, which set me back a lot. Its a slower pace of life than I would like, but I am much more well now and more predictably so, noise sensitivity and the "hangover" without booze, is very very familiar to me. I used to say I felt like I had a hangover and jet lag combined. I do feel for you, please take care of yourself, sorry your relationship ended but maybe if you cannot rely on the one person in your life to be there for you in sickness,you are better off without them. I do hope there is someone there for you, for the moment enjoy and embrace yourf family and friends as much as possible. Thinking of you with kindness and wishig you courage for these dark days.