husband just been diagnosed, need some help ...............

[luckyclover1965]

my husband has just been diagnosed with vm. he had a realy bad chest infection 3 weeks ago, which went into his sinuses. ended up in hospital and after 3 attempts at lumber punture he was diagnosed with vm. just wondering where i go from here, for care with him as the doctors told me he would be better in 2 weeks time, he has just got out the other day. can you tell me what meds he is supposed to be on as i want him to get the right help.x

[Lemie]

Talk to your GP and the vm trust. I've been sick since March, everyone recovery is different. x

[Debra]

Phone up the trust they are brilliant and will talk you through everything

[kel80]

keep him cool , i have learnt a hard lesson and got taken back in after resting in the sunshine !! now have an inflammed brain which is so painful and another hospital stay !! drink plenty of fuid and sleep alot ..it will be a long recovery in some ways but might be speedy in other ways but another hard lesson for me was even if feel well enough still dont over do it !!!!!

[Jonad724]

Speaking from being a 10 year post VM survivor go back to your GP and ask him how many cases of VM he/she has ever treated. They told me that I would be well in two weeks as well and I was off for 6 months repeatedly being accused of malingering when I could barely stand up let alone work. If you go to the Meningitis Trust website and download their VM leaflet you can take that with you to the GP. I did and in the end he had to admit he had never treated anyone with VM and just thought all cases of meningitis were the same. Have a look at my blog posts about my experiences of VM including 'What do doctors know?' which I hope helps. Please do be persistent as GP's are keen to protect their 'we know best image' and rarely admit when they don't actually know something. The key thing is rest, rest, rest and as others have said do phone the Meningitis Trust helpline on 0808 80 10 388 for advice, it's well worth it as they are brilliant.

[sophiesicknote]

Am sorry to hear yet again another case of vm where it takes several lp`s to diagnose and ur left in the dark....am realising this is a serious illness that affects people differently.... All u can do is be there, be patient and be ur husbands advocate. X

[Tiga]

read up how it can affect the family, i know it was a shock for you, but the side effects (not everyone) can also affect you, you may find (not always) that his temper may be affected, that he will be a little confussed and not sure whats going, that he may become very sad at times, its not always the illness but the after affect that seems to be more the case.

let him make notes, be very clear where you are going and when you are coming back, allow him to find his way, one day he may be fab the next day he may become upset or angry, NEVER take it is your falut, his poor brain and body will be all over the place

use this blog to ask to just to talk, i had vm last year, and i still manage to upset my family with my little dark moods, but with me it is easy i live alone, so when i feel a little dark mood, i just tex i am having a me day, when you live with someone you may find it a little harder.

but just give him time, and also let him know he as been very ill, the problem is we all look fine after, but inside we are a little sacred.

i hope this web site helps you, need to talk, we are all here for you

xxxxxxxxx