Viral Meningitis infection - how long will the symptoms last?

[Peter1984]

I was rushed to A+E 3 weeks ago with a suspected bleed on the brain, after a stay in hospital and multiple tests - Drs told me I had a Viral Meningitis infection, once my hydration had been topped up I was sent home with little information, other than I should make a recovery in 7-10days, after talking to my GP over the phone I managed to get Naproxen, Diazepam and anti sickness meds, which are easing the head/neck aches but I'm about to start my 3rd week off work and my 3rd week of bed rest.

My question is how much longer am I likely to be ill for with no major improvement?

[Debcorn]

Hi Peter and welcome ! I had first VM In June 2019 and then was hit again , everyone here will tell u rest , rest , rest and they are not wrong.No one knows the side effects and how long they last but I will tell you , your along way off recovery and u must listen to your body.

With this COVID virus about , we need to be especially careful , your immune system will be weak , please take it slow and be carful , I was told 10 days and I would be feeling better , I went back to work after around 6 weeks and collapsed at work and was rushed back in.

Rest rest rest , good luck Pete

I hope your one of the few who bounce straight back x

[Carrot1019]

Peter our stories sound exactly the same and I too was sent home with no information. I also had 2 failed and then a full lumbar puncture. It is now 3 weeks later and I have horrendous pain at base of skull/top of neck and my right arm has been sore with what feels like nerve pain. Doc prescribed me co-codomol and amitriptyline which does seem to be helping but I am far from feeling back to my normal self. I do notice a difference when I fully rest but with work and 2 kids (3yrs & 14yrs) it’s near impossible.

[Peter1984 in reply to Carrot1019]

Thanks for your reply.

This Virus sucks, I'm a hard grafting landscape gardener, running my own buisness (work is backing up, jobs are started and can't be finished until I'm well again, I have no income to top it off),

Now usually I'm strong positive minded, but during my few weeks of sickness I have become an emotional wreck - I can't believe how I was literally pushed out of hospital (I appreciate that we are in pandemic) although I would of liked to have stayed there for more than 10hrs or at least receive some pain relief meds to take home considering it was a weekend.

I'm happy to be alive and this virus has woken me up to realise how I was taken everything for granted, I'm so lucky to have my wife by my side.

I have no idea how hard it must be for single people or family's with children to cope with, I don't envy you at all.

I have come to realise that I will require to have plenty of rest and this means I'm going to have to change my lifestyle too (work, family, work).

I'm struggling with this staying in bed thing, I'd be pleased if I could at least go for a 20min walk, I managed to sit outside yesterday for 10mins before my neck started aching again.

How are you coping?

[PinkP29 in reply to Peter1984]

I feel exactly the same Peter. Normally the strong, positive one in the house. I had a panic attack a couple of weeks ago and have been very anxious. Completely out of character. Thankfully my doctor at surgery was very nice and understanding but like you I can’t believe hospital sent me home with no information and told me to take paracetamol. Maybe try and get amitriptyline as it has aswell as reduced the pain helped with my anxiety/low mood. Hope you feel better soon and can get back to work as I am sure this will be causing more stress.

[Jonad724]

Speaking as a survivor of near fatal VM, and also a volunteer community ambassador for Meningitis Now I would love to shake some sense into doctors that say you will be better in 7-10 days. It's not their fault, that's what the text books say and VM is also described as a 'mild illness akin to flu' but most will only ever treat one or two cases in an entire career and therefore rely on what the books say rather than what the patient is presenting with.

As others have said, I'm afraid recovery from VM is very unpredictable but the one sure thing in most cases it that it will take a lot longer to recover than 7-10 days. As Debcorn says you are very early in your recovery and you need to rest, do too much now and it will set you back and it's a vicious circle from there. I was discharged from hospital after three days having almost died the night before because 'it's only viral meningitis'. I was rushed back in three days later under blues and twos with heart rate dropping through 27 and no discernible blood pressure, in fact the only memory I have of that time is the ambulance tech saying to his colleague 'you better put the lights and noise on Dave, we're losing him'.

I do hope that you recover fully but please do rest, rest and when you've done resting then rest some more. You're the one with the symptoms not the doctor so you will know when you are feeling better but when you are please do take things slowly. If I can help further please feel free to PM me. Thanks, Jonathan

[Skhider]

Hope you feel better .. I felt sharp pain in my head and neck this April along with hugh fever and photosensitivity.. light hurt my eyes so much ..was rushed to hospital and did a lumbar puncture. Had to stay for a week at the hospital on antibiotics and antivirals until the bacteria test came out (negative gladly). I was discharged and advised to take Tylenol 2 weeks ago. I just started having really bad headaches last week as I drove to work. I have to work from home now but the headache is getting worse. I feel like I am carrying something on my head all day. Went to my GP who was fortunately the doctor who took care of me at the hospital (small town) and now I'm on Naproxen and migraine medication. I only feel better while asleep.. as soon as I get up the pain kind of grows and accumulates on either side of my head. I just felt something like a mini electric shock on the side of my lips and my thigh. I am also very anxious. The doctor said that I do have anxiety as a chronic issue. I am not able to rest alot cause I'm not used to it.. I enjoy work , love to read and study .. makes me feel alive and happy. I would love to go back to running but obviously won't attempt to. Being in bed all day really makes me become depressed. Hope we all get better very soon.