Post VM condition

[PostVM]

Hi. I just joined the group and wanted to see if anybody has had a similar post VM experience. I was diagnosed with VM two months ago and treated with Aciclovir for two weeks and discharged. Six weeks later I find that I am experiencing muscular pain and burning skin sensations daily in different parts of my body. My neck is always stiff and often my head too, and the pain and biting seems to move around every day is different. My neurologist has referred me to a spinal specialist and I am waiting for an appointment. I’d be grateful to hear from anyone who has had similar experiences

[Veba]

I hear you loud and clear. I sadly get recurring Viral Meningitis during almost every influenza season. It is why I'm not keen on any new technology injections and medications especially these messenger ribonucleic acid injections being pushed today as I'm very sensitive to new medications and usually have a terrible reaction.History - I contracted viral Encephalomyelitis inflammation of the brain and spinal cord in 1986 and this triggered autoimmune. It was thought the infection was from flu vaccine or mosquito bite (West Nile Virus). Measles closely followed by VM in 1992. This triggered autoimmune and , cutaneous lupus, Sjogrens and now I have Mollaret meningitis( recurring viral meningitis) and a very terrible bout in 2017 left me with permanent paresthesia and small fibre neuropathy (constant pins and needles). I also got two inoperable brain aneurysms in 2003 bout of Meningitis.When I experience the sensation of a bout coming on, I immediately take Aciclovir (Valtrex 3 per day x 5 days) and sometimes I'm lucky and it doesn't go full blown meningitis. Each time I have the meningitis the SFN gets a little worse and the spasms (electrical misfires) also gets worse. Always keep the Aciclovir on hand and also for the nausea prochlorperazine. I found that going to hospital and having all the lumbar punctures and blood tests and the noise prolonged the affliction, so now I stay at home and treat myself. I've had so many spinal taps over the decades, too many to mention, but no more. I would ask as many questions as possible when you see your neurologist. I personally cannot afford any more hit and miss injections or vaccinations as it could very likely kill me in a very painful way.

Get on top of it immediately and stay away from anyone with influenza if you can, always see a doctor as you are only new with this and my experience could be very different to yours. Be careful getting advice online too (my disclaimer). Look after yourself.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and I hope you fully recover.

[Jonad724]

I am nearly 20 years since post near fatal VM and I can confirm that these are pretty normal for recovery and it's unlikely the spinal specialist will be able to help to be honest. The medical profession is taught that VM is the same as all other types of meningitis in that recovery takes no longer than 3 weeks and anything beyond that is either in your head or as a result of something else.

Most people will make a full recovery and these after effects will pass but for some, me included, they persist and have become part of my normal existence. Two months recovery is really no time at all, it took me nearly 6 months before I could go back to work and had a number of arguments with my GP who would insist that it couldn't be the after effects of VM. In the end I asked him how many VM patients he had treated and after quite a lot of bluff and bluster he to admit that he had never treated anyone with VM before.

I am now privileged to be a Community Ambassador for Meningitis Now with a specific interest in VM so if you have any other questions please do feel free to message me from this site and I will share my email address with you. Good luck, Jonathan