My daughter has a lingering headache from v... - Meningitis Now

Meningitis Now

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My daughter has a lingering headache from viral meningitis that she had. It started two weeks ago and has not had a fever since Thursday.

smswatzel profile image
19 Replies

She started with a headache two weeks ago, then came the fever, stiff neck, loss of appetite. She is getting better but her head hurts all the time. Her school district started on aug 26th and she has missed that first week of school, plus this week so far. Texas has a strict attendance policy and she needs to get to school within the next couple of days or I will have to go to court. She says her head hurts, ears hurt sometimes and she gets a little dizzy. No appetite still. She went from 120lbs to 109 in the last two weeks and she is 5'2". She will be 13 in December. Will this headache go away. It's like a bad migraine that won't go away. I have taken her back to the dr and they say its normal to still have a headache and to give her Motrin, Tylenol, and caffeine. She doesn't want to drink soda that has caffeine. She doesn't like coffee. I can't give her Excedrin because aspirin is bad in kids. What can I do to make this headache go away because Motrin and Tylenol aren't working. I gave her tea and she doesn't want that either. I'm a nurse but I am still at a loss of how to help her. If the headache could be gone, she would be back to normal.

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19 Replies
legless7397 profile image
legless7397

Unfortunately the after effects can last some time and can be quite debilitating, be as supportive as you can and listen to what your daughter is saying, plenty rest and time to get over this llness

Sandy2 profile image
Sandy2

I'm sorry for your daughter's pain. My experience with VM lasted a very long time-close to a year. However, I am 60 years old, and, we are all different. The headache continued for months. My doctor had me taking Morphine as well as Fioricet, which kept the pain under control. Beside the headache was extreme fatigue. I too, lost 20 pounds so my body had to recover too. My small motor movement and short-term memory were affected also. It was one year ago the 15th of this month that it all started for me.. I am all but back to normal now, but with a lot of patience and love from my family.

Hopefully your daughter has youth on her side. Surely your doctor will give you a medical excuse for school, and prescribe something better for her pain. If not, I'd see another doctor.

All the best to you. Take care.

Jonad724 profile image
Jonad724

Unfortunately as Legless says the after effects can last some time and although most medical professionals say that VM is a mild illness akin to flu it actually can be a whole lot more serious. Your daughter's brain has been under attack remember and it will take time, rest and patience to get over it, you can't rush recovery from VM (I had a near fatal attack of it 11 years ago) and sometimes you have to adpat to what 'normal' means. I'm sure the school district allows for illness if you explain it to them. Good luck and I hope she makes a full recovery.

NorthLeedsJohnny profile image
NorthLeedsJohnny in reply to Jonad724

In November it will be 2 years since my VM and I still don't feel anything like as alert and generally pain free as I did before. We're told it can take a long time and we just need to hold on to seeing that light at the end of the tunnel

Vespalover profile image
Vespalover

I had VM last May. Headaches lasted for 6 months. Was on Buatabarbitol for the headpain as needed. Memory affected, staimina affected, trouble tracking things with my eyes (eg. scrolling on a computer screen) and aversion to light. All OK now but 6-9 months terrible and last 6 months nearly back to normal.

I agree with Sandy 2. VM is a serious illness. Consult another Dr, get a Dr note for school and get her pain meds.

Good luck.

smswatzel profile image
smswatzel

I took her to the ER yesterday and they gave her fluids by iv and morphine and phenergan. That took the HA away for awhile and they prescribed her lortab. I can't give her excedrin because it has aspirin in it and apparently you can't give that to kids!! She can't stay on lortab during school. I think I will have to find her something to help. I need to find her something with Tylenol, caffeine and no aspirin.

shuggy profile image
shuggy

I have tried three times to post a reply and it won't go through. To make it short my whole family had it. Two young daughters. We used a lortab wrist rub from a compounding pharmacy and ibuprofen for the girls. If herpes caused her VM she may need an antiviral. Please take her to see a neurologist. They seem to be most knowledgable in the U.S. We also used Tei Fu oil to rub on their foreheads. We put them on vit c chewables from life extension and multi vitamin chewable from natures sunshine. Above all else please put her on 4 teaspoons three times a day of unrefined, organic coconut oil. Heated over the stove in stainless. If she won't drink it get creative and put it on everything she eats. We also rub it inside their belly buttons at bedtime. My husband is a physician and has seen some of his patients respond remarkably to it. My 8 year old had headaches, dizziness, and temporary hearing loss for some time. 4 year old and husband are fine. Me...not so well. I will pray for your daughter.

shuggy profile image
shuggy in reply to shuggy

Research the health benefits of coconut oil and the immune system and the brain.

shuggy profile image
shuggy in reply to shuggy

See if a neurologist could prescribe her butalbitol. I stayed on it for about 4 months. I am scared to death of prescription pain medications but it was the only thing that helped.

smswatzel profile image
smswatzel

We have a f/u appt tomorrow to get a referral to a neurologist and to get an MRI done. I guess we will go from there. I will look into some of the other things you all said as well.

paul1224 profile image
paul1224

please please stop messing about and get to your a and e or emergencu room as you call it and start banging on desks untill they sort her out

for get school and what they want your daughter comes first u go and get answers and if u dont demand to see some one higher up the chain

her life is to special if my wife had not done that for me when a ambulance did not want to take me in i would not be here know

i know bm is supposed to be worse but vm is bad enough don't come out and till u are happy demand a second opinion even a 3rd

know one know your daughter like u do and if u are not happy let them know

so no more messing around

so if i sound angrey but to many children cant say how rhey feel only a mom knows and if she is not happy make sure they know about it

thats my personal view

bekele profile image
bekele

I had VM 15 months ago.I am 56 years old.I had excruciating headaches for 5 days before I had to leave work and go to the emergency room. My temp.was 104.5 and they had to cool me down with ice blankets. They said if I waited another day they wouldn't of been able to help me.My spinal tap showed 365 white blood cells,you are supposed to have 4. I have had 3 MRI'S,2 MRA'S 2 CAT SCANS, and 3 SPINAL TAPS in 15 months.My spinal taps are showing 62 white blood cells,still have an infection but it's heading in the right direction. My body is still weak because I'm fighting this unknown virus and doctors can not tell me what it is.I've been tested for lyme ,herpes,and multiple other virus's several different times,everything comes back normal. I have been treated intravenously 2 different times at home with rocefrin and acyclovir.To this day I still have headaches,and I am very lethargic the 2nd half of the day. My ears always have buzzing in them and I feel that I've lost some hearing.Ihave trouble sleeping as well. Doctors say this is a long recovery process. How long is LONG? They cannot even identify the virus.They say hundreds of different virus's go undetected.So I sit and try to cope with the long process.

shuggy profile image
shuggy in reply to bekele

Dear bekele, please look up dr Martin A Lerner in Michigan. His protocol is free for physician. Sounds like you and I have responded similarly to VM.

shuggy profile image
shuggy

I also forgot to mention a product I recently started. Pain Eze. I bought mine through life extension .com. Not sure if your little girl can swallow pills but you could crush it and put it in a small dish of yogurt. I know you can order it online anywhere in the US. We are in LA and I get just about everything I am taking through life extension. They back everything up with real tests. All information is accessible under each product. Most physicians here in the states are not trained in eastern medications but I personally think there is need for both western and eastern approaches when it comes to any illness.

Rgymom profile image
Rgymom

So sorry. My daughter had VM almost exactly one year ago and remains in considerable pain. We are in the US and just came back from a 4 week pain rehabilitation program for children. It is a multifaceted approach to pain with medical, physical therapy and occupational therapy as well as alternative treatments. While it helped considerably with her functionality, it did yet help her pain. There is a good YouTube video from an Australia group that describes chronic pain and the central nervous system's response. She has tried countless medications, Botox, nerve blocks, PT, OT, psychology, biofeedback, etc. Nothing yet has helped.

shuggy profile image
shuggy in reply to Rgymom

I urge all of you suffering to try adding coconut oil. Most VM is caused by herpes viruses. The three chain fatty acid once broken down can infiltrate the lipid like cell wall of any herpes virus. Once the virus has crossed the blood brain barrier which if you have VM it has severe attacks sometimes life long attacks on our central nervous system. Famvir seems to be the broadest antiviral in response to the herpes virus. Please see Dr Martin Lerner's protocol for physicians. It's on his website for free. I have never recovered from VM. We are traveling to see him in September. VM seemed to be the last straw for my immune system.

shuggy profile image
shuggy

Did the physician do a lumbar puncture on your daughter to rule out bacterial meningitis? If they did do a lumbar puncture ask for the results of the CSF.

siobahn profile image
siobahn

I drank skimmed milk after lp ( spinal tap) no headaches and debilitating 3 yrs h aches subsided....

Worth a try

Thinkin of u all x

bcr1 profile image
bcr1

Honestly, I have had issues with people that had this problem & all I can say is -- get 2 things, a Gatorade or Powerade, followed by at least 1 beer -- doesn't matter brand; follow that with 1 cup of coffee & another Gatorade or Powerade. Alcohol clears out the meningitis for whatever reason & caffeine alleviates headache. Ethanol is an effective topical sanitizer against Listeria & L. monocytogenes is susceptible to 70% ethanol ; see you drink 1 teaspoon of red wine or glass with a bowl of yogurts & some sourdough & some pickled veggies. The headache for sure will go away with 1 beer at night & some Powerade/GatorAde.

livestrong.com/article/3223...

books.google.com/books?id=7...

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