Post nasal drip

[ShannanLouise]

Hello, some of you will know me from previous posts... I'm into my second year following bacterial meningitis (along with pneumonia and pleurisy). In the last few months, I've developed intermittent post-nasal drip. When the pain in my head's building up to get really bad, sometimes if I tip my head back (ie looking straight up into the sky), I feel fluid running down behind my nose. Does anyone else experience this? What is it? Is it an expected side-effect of meningitis or is it likely to be unrelated? My sinuses aren't blocked and I don't sniff, cough or have a sore throat - all that happens is that the fluid runs down the back of my nose/throat when I tip my head far back. Thank you. Shan

[7witchywoman7]

Go to see your doctor as a matter of urgency! It may be csf fluid & could cause meningitis again! They will test the fluid & prob send you for an urgent ct scan. Please go asap! Good luck x

[ShannanLouise in reply to 7witchywoman7]

Thank you for this advice. My husband took me to A & E today - a long wait only for them to tell me to come back if it gets worse! They also advised me to see my doctor/neurologist in case it needs further investigation as it can be dangerous. I'm going to do that immediately. Thank you for your concern and help. x

[7witchywoman7 in reply to ShannanLouise]

So glad you are getting it sorted! I have had mengicocol meningitis 2 yrs ago & pneumococol meningitis 2 months ago. As ive had it twice I have had all the scans etc with no conclusion. I am on antibiotics for life but id rather that than meningitis again! I'm sorry to say I had no follow up what so ever until I had it again! Csf leaks in scull are very common causes of recurrent meningitis & sometimes surgery is an option. It may be nothing to worry about but better to be safe! X

[ShannanLouise in reply to 7witchywoman7]

You poor thing! Going through meningitis once has been a nightmare - I really feel for you having to deal with it twice. I hope you have family and friends around to care for you. Thank you again. x

[7witchywoman7 in reply to ShannanLouise]

Yes its a horrible disease! I have been very lucky to survive it twice & yes I have a wonderful family & friends! I wish you well! Love & light x

p.s.let me know how you get on!

[FloeyH]

Hi, my daughter had a CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) leak from a head injury which also leaked from her nose intermittently. This has caused pneumococcal meningitis twice now and she is susceptible to bacterial infections. She is on penicillin for life now. I would say that you need to report this to your consultant/doctor ASAP as it may be a CSF leak and is an entry for bacteria. Get it checked out......I wish you well xx

[ShannanLouise in reply to FloeyH]

Hi Floey, Thank you for this advice. I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter. Perhaps in the coming years they'll find a way of getting her off the life-long antibiotics. I've been to the Emergency dept today, but they said that I should see my own neurologist. They were very nice and caring, but apparently A & E isn't the place for this to be dealt with. I'll contact my neurologist on Tuesday as it concerns me that this fluid comes out and therefore, as you rightly point out, has created an entry for bacteria. Thank you again. x

[ignoreit]

Shan,

I had meningoccal, septicaemia, & DIC 35 yrs ago...and I STILL have post nasal drip with a cough and slight sore throat. Those aggravating symptoms have been noticeable only the last 15 yrs. I've tried every OTC and prescription medication possible and of course every allergy test. NOTHING helps even a little. Like the pain in my feet (feels like someone's cutting my toes with razor blades 100% of the time), I've accepted the post nasal drip & foot pain as aftereffects of our horrible BM...and I try to ignore them. Over the past 35 yrs, my foot pain has decreased (Thank God!) and my post nasal drip has increased. Unlike Shannon Lewis, however...I can't TELL that I have post nasal drip...I can't FEEL it...I just frequently have to blow my nose. I just mutter something about, "Don't worry, I'm not SICK...it's just allergies" and move on. Nobody wants to hear about our BM...except US!

This site is wonderful!

[ShannanLouise in reply to ignoreit]

I'm sorry to hear what's happened to you. That must be so tough to live with and you're 100% right - it's impossible to explain to outsiders just how dreadful and debilitating meningitis and it's after-effects are. You're also right about this site...It is wonderful!!

[Bobby-2000]

Hi ShannanLouise

I have had bacterial meningitis twice and have developed a very annoying post nasal drip over the last four years.

It sounds much like yours - intermittent causing sore throat, loss of voice and a cough which can develop into a chest infection.

I have found that if you keep well hydrated drink lots of water and limit the amount of coffee and alcohol it thins down the drip so its less annoying. I use a saline nasal wash in the morning and I also have a steroid inhaler which stops the cough developing. You will need to see your doctor for that.

I did not think it was related to the meningitis but who knows!

Hope that helps - all the best - let me know how you get on x

[ShannanLouise in reply to Bobby-2000]

Thank you for your suggestions and advice Bobby. I hope that you're feeling better and am pleased to hear you've found a way of managing this that makes it less irritating. Take care of yourself. x

[menigitishead]

Bacterial menigitis in 2010. I did have a CSF leak that caused it. for 2 years I complained to my doc about a nasal drip. I lived on Zertex. I don't even have allergies. Hole closed and went undetected by both my nuro and ear nose throat doc. Hole came back in 2012.. along with a brain herniation. I had a craniotomey to patch the hole in my sphenoid sinus. Please insist on getting a pledging study done. Or at least try to collect the fluid, throw it on ice and get it to your docs asap. Good luck. This has been a very frustrating and crazy 4 years. Seriously... a hole in my head and I was losing my mind! It was in my nasal cavitiy. All is good now.. despite my now nuropathic pains as a result of the surgery, i'm no longer at a risk to contract any kind of menigitis. I had a gram negative bacteria that took three days to fig. out how to treat it with the right meds. Sure wasnt my time those few days

[ShannanLouise in reply to menigitishead]

It never ceases to amaze me how much the medics can overlook and how they're able to ignore people's symptoms. I'm really saddened to hear what's happened to you and pleased you seem to be so much better now, with no more threat of the meningitis re-occuring. That's so great. I'll keep pushing with my doc and my neurologist. x

[menigitishead in reply to ShannanLouise]

Thank you, I'm a firm believer that you have to stay on top of the doctors. My most recent attempt to get some answers to having so much pain in my head/neck area. I demanded they also include my neck in my MRI scan. low and behold I have a herniated disk with some narrowing of the spinal column. just enough to cause a me grief. Now that I'm under the care of a physical therepist to increase the stability of my neck muscles my headaches (what was preceieved as a pressure headache caused by High CSF pressure) is gone. My CSF ranges were only 1 above normal range and I have been on diamox for the last year.. I now am off the medicine.. thankfully. Yes I'm in a good place now . I may never have all the answers I'm looking for, but I have changed my mind set as well. The I can't do's have changed to.. I can just different.

[ShannanLouise in reply to menigitishead]

How great that you have a way of lessening the pain now that you know at least some of it's due to your neck. Shame you had to force them to look for it, but good on you for sticking to your guns and finally getting yourself heard. Thank you for your encouragement. x

[betezel6]

Hi, I too have post nasal drip. I've had it for many years and I use a saline mist to help drain my nose. I had Bacterial Meningitis at the age of 13 months. I dragged my right leg behind me for a year before I could walk straight again. I wet the bed until I was 12 years old and had my first serious migraine at age 20. They were so sever that I had to take TYLENOL with coedine for many, many years. Since then I have had vision disturbances, inability to write or to feed myself. Also, not able to walk correctly. I would fall almost on my face and I couldn't stand up. I had to pull myself along the doorways to go from room to room. Also, my speech was very bad. Now I have vision disturbances and my balance is not good. I have tinnitus daily and sometimes it will last 3 or4 hours. My feet and my hands are partially numb. I'm now 66 yrs. old and my Bacterial Meningtis is recurrent. It continues to get worse every year so I guess that it is permanent. Betty