Three months after viral meningitis and still no energy!

Hi guys

I got viral meningitis in February for the second year in a row.

Three months on, I'm still suffering from very bad pains in my head and spine, my neck is stiff and I have vertigo.

The worst however is the tiredness. All I do is have a shower or make a cup of tea and I get so tired. I spend nearly all day in bed (I try to walk up and down the hall a bit everyday or the garden).

I'm only seventeen so I'm dreaming to be back in school, back horse riding or even the energy to walk down the road!

Three months bed rest is very long!

If anyone has suffered similar pains or tiredness after VM I'd love so much to hear from you!

Thank you x

[Rowena15]

Hello , I'm 21 and had viral meningitis 6 months ago . I have severe headaches every single day from getting up to going to bed. I see a nueroligist next week so hopefully he can help me. It's awful isn't it hope ur feeling better soon x

[Bonkitty]

Hi Eponine,

I know exactly how you feel, I had VM 12 months ago and I have had the same after effects as you are having. I have found patience that I never knew I had. It took me until November before I could really watch TV, but then I caught up on lots of great programmes and box sets! Currently I have had my first 6 days without headache. My vertigo has also improved and as the headache has eased, so has the stiff neck. So I am starting to get back on my feet again. I started walking my dog on an off at about 6 months and now I can walk her most days.

So my advice is to rest it out now. I recall having a shower wiping me out for the rest of the day. Rest now and then as you feel able take short walks and build up steadily, I think it is so important to rest but also to move a little.

I also found it helpful for friends to pick me up and take me out for a coffee, for just an hour as that was all I could do but it broke the monotony.

I have written on other postings about taking a good multivitamin, fish oil, coconut oil and green shakes. I kept going with them and I am feeling the benefit now. I also take Amitriptyline 20mg at night and 10mg in the morning which helps.

Mostly it is time and lots of patience to rest as it will get better but it can take a long time. Once I accepted that, I found it easier.

Take care and best wishes. X

[BarbJ1989]

Hi Epinone. I had my viral meningitis is 1998. It took about 6 months for total strength to come back. Keep moving, determination is key. I hope you're seeing an infectious disease specialist. Since my viral meningitis I've had bacterial meningitis twice, once in 2008 and again in 2014. They're are vaccinations they can give you.

[menin]

Hi Eponine!!

Sorry to hear that, I had VM 3 years ago, and now I am better. almost 90%, but better than nothing, just patience, it is a long journey, but at the end you will see the light, I was in wheelchair, my sensations were totally bad, I couldn't feel cold and hot, I was drinking a very hot water, and I didn't feel it at the moment, but after some days my mouth was bad, now I am better, but I know what you feel, i remember even I couldn't take medications, I got constipation right away, I don't take still medications , I am afraid to get constipation, just patience, you are going to get better you will see it.

[herbmonster]

Had viral meningitis in august and it was a good 6 months before I started feeling better and even now I still have bad days and I don't know whether it is just that I am able to cope better. I saw a neurologist and he said I had been left with chronic migraines, couldn't conclusively say this was linked to the VM as I also had a unknown infection in my body at the same time.

All the symptoms you are experiencing are what I get still. Like I say when I went the doctors and hospital the other day I was still told the recovery journey will be a long one. I was determined to go back to work which I did after 6 months but I laughed only yesterday as the consultant at the hospital said 'we can start thinking about returning to work'.

I go to work and have coping mechanisms as I am detemined it will not beat me. Unfortunately it is starting to beat me again but I have a weeks holiday soon so it will be a recharge week.

Keep well and do what your body tells you.

[Hidden]

Hey guys, thank you so much for your replies. It's horrible to know that other people have suffered with it but nice to have a community who understands! I have to keep my patience I guess! Glad to hear that you guys have made a good recovery we won't let it beat us! X