Viral Meningitis twice how is this possible? - Meningitis Now

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Viral Meningitis twice how is this possible?

Salsha68 profile image
5 Replies

In 2003 I was struck down with Viral Meningitis and in hospital for 10 days. They told me it was the Herpes Simplex virus that had caused the Meningitis but I had no cold sores or anything at that time. It took around a year to feel better with the main problem being tiredness and this wobbling feeling in my brain when I moved my head. They told me this was residual swelling around the meninges and would go in time. I had problems with short term memory recall for around a year afterwards too. Three days ago 20th October 2017, I became acutely unwell with the same symptoms and rushed to hospital by ambulance. A lumber puncture has confirmed that I have viral meningitis again. This time they started me on acyclovir antibiotics but after two days stopped them saying it is a reoccurrence of the same virus 13 years ago and three days on have discharged me and said you'll feel better in a few days. My hearing is very much affected this time and I can hear a pulse noise and swishing in my ears all the time, everyday sounds seem really loud but my general hearing is very poor and I can barely hear people talking. I had light sensinity, high temp and joint pain again this time but as this has now happened twice, I'm worried it will take longer to recover? Has anybody e,she had this twice? What was your experience and recovery time second time round?

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Dreamgnome profile image
Dreamgnome

Recurrent episodes of viral meningitis are called Mollaret's meningitis. It is a rare disease, and you can find out more at mollarets.org. There is also a support group at facebook.com/groups/MMSuppo... that is very active. Just because you had a recurrence doesn't mean they shouldn't treat the virus/symptoms. It sounds like they did not properly support you. The amount of times people get this, and time to recovery varies so widely there is no way to say for sure. There are people that have only had a few recurrences, and people that have had 20+. Some people recover in a couple of weeks and some take a really long time and some seem to have ongoing symptoms.

Check out the information at the Mollaret's Meningitis Association and check out the support group. It should help you get some good information to help you learn about this horrible disease.

Lippistix profile image
Lippistix

Please give my daughter's story a read on this site. Rosie S's Story. Here lies sugnificant success (from what we know so far), for complete recovery from VM!

She suffered for near on two years before discovering meningitis now, subsequently trying cranial massage by visiting an independant cranial osteopath in her area.

All the symptoms you are experiencing are pretty much similar to what she suffered. It seems the key, and recent breakthrough, is releasing the spinal fluid which VM leaves a blockage for...and enabling it to flow again through your body, particularly your head.

There are some on this sight who have now given it a go after reading about it, and after just a couple of sessions, felt considerable relief.

I the last few weeks Rosie and I have been contacted by the media, news papers and radio to tell our story of this potential breakthrough!

We now feel we want to help as many poor people who have suffered this dreadful illness for which before now seemed there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Good luck and please keep posed how you get on if you try this amazing treatment. Rosie coupled this with acupuncture, having alternate treatments once a week, now a couple of months in. Xx

Dreamgnome profile image
Dreamgnome in reply toLippistix

I am glad this is helping. The challenge with Craniosacral therapy is that it gives you relief, but if you stop getting it, symptoms come back. I was getting that and acupuncture for well over a year and it helped control the symptoms, but I can't afford it anymore, and insurance won't cover it in the US, so I got worse again. I believe it helps, but the caveat is that you have to keep doing it to keep getting the relief, at least with this recurrent version of meningitis.

Planetvix profile image
Planetvix

I also have Mollarets meningitis from HSV. I have had five attacks in the last 12 years. The first two were the worst and I was hospitalized. The second one was because I had not really taken the first attack seriously and went straight back to work even though I was exhausted and feeling run down. Plus I had a newborn baby. After the second attack I didn’t have another one for seven years and that’s because I was looking after myself taking loads of supplements vitamins not allow myself to get stressed. I have had three attacks since then but have managed them at home with acyclovir and pain killers. You need very good painkillers like oxycodone or hydrocodone to be able to get through it. I am now taking acyclovir daily morning and night. I didn’t want to to be honest but I just don’t want to go there again and if my body gets run down or stressed which is easy with two young sons and everything else that is going on in my life. ..So now I take it daily as well as lots of other Supplements and vitamins. The recovery period is what I hate. The actual attack only lasts 24 to 48 hours but it is the months of dragging around feeling like a wet dishrag with headaches cramps and mild depression that I don’t like. It sucks but now I know that I will be living with it forever I have tried to change My lifestyle to accommodate. Also the attacks have got less and less severe. I don’t know if that is just aged and hormone related or if it happens naturally because your body knows how to deal with it. Anyway best of luck don’t let it get you down lots of love Victoria

I know this is an older post, but I found things that 100 % worked for me and sharing with others. Hoping others see this.

I too have hsv MM. After a year and a half of 24/7 headaches, head pains, fatigue, brain fogginess, head pressure, light sensitivty, and more. I was searching for any relief.

Prescription narcotics weren't touching my head pains. I came across Graviola tea while looking for lymphnode relief. I ordered 30 organic Graviola/Soursop tea bags off Amazon. I was just hoping for some lymphnode relief.

To my total shock after just a few days of drinking, I woke up with no headache, no head pressure, and all head pains gone. After a couple of weeks, all symptoms decreased significantly.

After two months, I felt more normal than I ever expected.

I had already been taking a few supplements I kept taking. Gotu Kola, apple pectin, and grape seed extract for brain and energy. Echinacea and dandilion roots for immune system (I prefer the teas and would just alternate the two and add to my daily graviola tea, I sweeten with raw honey and creamer and steep medicinal teas for 10 minutes).

I also took a milk thistle before bed to keep liver from getting overloaded.

And because mine is hsv, I took neem capsules (organic India) and applied Neem oil (NOW brand) to outbreak site.

Neem completely stopped outbreaks. Found it reading studies done by several different institutions and research centers (including John Hopkins) who all found it effective against all herpes viruses and found more effective than acyclovir.

After feeling great for a couple of months. I cut back all supplements to one week on, one to weeks off. Cut back teas to just one or two cups a day (graviola mixed with either dandilion or echinacea).

And cut back neem oil, applying once a week before bed to anywhere that sores had been present.

Outbreak free for over two years now. Pain free and meningitis symptom free for two years now. Completely feel back to normal!!!

I have run out of the Graviola tea a few times, if I go over a month without it, head pressure starts back and then shortly followed by head pains; symptoms come back. I order more and go back to drinking daily for a couple of weeks.

Same with neem, if I go too long without applying neem or taking neem, tingly itching starts, and I jump back into gear and start taking and applying oil daily again for a couple of weeks. But sores never surface.

Hope these things help others living through the nightmare of hsv or meningitis...

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