My dad has been in ITU for 9 days now with septicaemia and peunomia from a chest infection and it was only on day 4 that they did a lumber check to rule of meningitis which came back with the same group of bacteria associated with it so started additional antibiotics for meningitis and in three days from administering them he started to come round. He had been completely non coherent before and now he is “getting there” 6 days into antibiotics.
He came out of ITU yesterday and even though he seems to be medically getting there he seems to be very confused still and doesn’t know who I am one day and the next day he knows some, I am 8 1/2 months pregnant and some days he knows and some days he is quite clearly shocked and he doesn’t have much emotional connection to anything or anybody which is so not like him. I am aware that a few days ago it was touch and go and so now I am over the moon with him coming round but I just wanted to ask if this confusion is normal and if this means he’s never going to come round completely again? Thanks guys
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Loowest84
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Hi there, sorry you are in this situation. My mum was admitted Monday 20th Nov, and also had the sand strain of BM and sepsis like your dad.
As my mum had BM a few years ago my dad recognised the signs and so she was treated relatively quickly, however she was still unconscious for 2 days despite the quick antibiotic treatment (approx 8-10 hours after headache started).
When my mum woke up, she was very out of it. Told my dad and brother to F-off (completely out of character) and got my name wrong. The ‘delirium’ as the doctors called it, continued for 3 days or so. They said this was completely normal. The brain has suffered being squashed and it will take a while for things to fall back into place. I was really worried like you and also pregnant (although not as far along as you, you must be under a lot of stress so close to your due date).
I would speak to Meningitis Now and I also spoke to Shirley at Meningitis Org - it is helpful to get some reassurance from those who hear and talk about this all day. No one can tell you everything will ever be perfect neurologically but the vast majority of these after effects will settle.... it’s still early days - although I know every day is such a worry.
My mum is still in hosp recovering on an ID ward. You will see improvements but it’s a long road with a range of after effects, some of which could be short term, some long term.
Hope that helps somewhat. Good luck with your dad and the rest of your pregnancy, try to take care of yourself.
I had bacterial menningitis 17 months ago. The confusion is normal. To your dad wverything will seem peefectly normal.
It takes time to recover from bacterial meningitis. Oncw l left hospital l was on anribiotics for 8 weeks after. I was very tired all the time and was living in a bubble where everything was fuzzy.
I had shirt term memory loss after however the doctors helped no end in helping me find ways to improve the memory loss.
After now l realise that l was very ill and take each day at a time. He has got through the hard part. Patience is the key and understanding from people is the best way too. On the outside he will loom fine. On the inside he has been through a huge battle.
The confusion is perfectly normal. I recovered from pneumococcal bacterial meningitis two years ago. I didn't know my grandson's name when he came to visit me in the hospital. Let me tell you, he is the light of my life! I couldn't rattle off my own daughters' birth dates. Meningitis affects the lining of the brain, and gives us this confusion. Once out of the hospital, my confusion cleared up, but I still have other side effects, like difficulty finding the right words when speaking, concentration issues, headaches, etc. So just be aware. Best wishes on the birth of your child! Susan
Thank you for all of your messages and sorry to all that have been through it.
It’s been 6 days out of intensive care and no improvement in his speech or cognitive response.
I feel helpless and so sad that he just seems the same, in fact they now think he has got another infection which thhe doctors are reviewing today but I just worry they are not being as hands on as he should be and I know NHS is short staffed but I had to tell the blood nurse to try again to take his blood as she wanted to give up after a short while and said she would come back tomorrow! Glad I pushed her as his bloods showed the additional infection.
Really sorry there is no improvement in his condition.
I can’t imagine how stressed you all are, it is a terrifying experience for family.
Please do push doctors whenever you feel something in your gut or you don’t feel things are moving in the direction they need to be. I’ve had numerous situations where my gut has been more accurate than the doctors and it’s down to speaking up that things have finally happened or been resolved.
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