viral meningitis

[bevcarlydave]

i had this in june this year 2012 is it early days only im very forgetful,tired,feel like im on a boat , moody and seem spaced out ,ive no patience at all i can`t even read a book . the pains in my back and my head aches like ive a hangover will i ever recover ? Bev

[Hidden]

Hi Bev

What you're feeling is pretty much what everyone feels and it normal at this stage. It's just over one year since I had meningitis but now I'm feeling much more like the old self. You will indeed recover but it will be at least a year before you wake up one morning and feel like you used to. Please be very patient with yourself and rest your body as much as possible and avoid stress and doing too much. Not that you will be up to such tasks. The back pain should ease off in a few weeks and comes from where you will have had the lumbar puncture. don't worry that will heal in my experience. The afternoon sleep is a must in order for your body to recover. you have been through so much. do take it easy and if you need any more help or advice then know we're all here for each other. i know how you are feeling and it can be very frightening at times as the emotions are all over the place. you're not alone Lana

[bevcarlydave in reply to Hidden]

thankyou so much that gives me lots of smiles and comfort to think im not alone and times a healer xxx

[Jonad724]

Just to echo Lana's comments it does take time but if it helps I had VM ten years ago and it nearly killed me but yesterday I completed my first half ironman triathlon in just 7.5 hours in 34 degree heat so it doesn't have to be a life limiter!

[bevcarlydave in reply to Jonad724]

well done thanks for taking time to reply

[Tiga]

Oh honey, you are not going mad, and yes it is normal what you are feeling.

I am evade film watching, I am enjoying films I have seen before, as I have forgot most of it (sorry my humour is how I cope in life)

I have a daily calendar with what I am doing, each day I do a job, ok cleaned my wardrobe out about 300 times now, but it keeps my mind alive.

thou I went back to work (freelance pa) I had to blag a lot of things, but my brain is like a computer so I treat it like one, the way I look at it, the old software had a virus (VM) and has messed up all the sub folders and folders (yes I am a computer geek) and now I have down load new software, something its fab and other days I cannot find the info I need.

I found changing my diet, taking B6, Vit D, and eating fish, is now helping my brain to sort it self out.

no patience that is normal, as i have said many a time, if we had a car crash people would see the scars, but as ours are in side, we get very angry for no reason, read a book do no go there for a while, watch films or listen to music your brain will need time to heal, at the end of the day, it was cooked in side your skull so will need time to heal .re the pains in back and my head aches like ive a hangover will i ever recover this is normal.

ok think of a computer that has over heated, and the software has been mixed up well thats you at the moment, the trick is take time, tell peopel how lost you feel, how you do not know who you are anymore, let them know thou you look ok, inisde you are not. i had mine over a year ago, and going great now, have the odd mental moment, but thats ok.

take you time and all will be well with you honey, but try not to starin too much reading etc, give yourself time to heal xx tiga

[Vespalover]

I had VM in April. Same after effects as you. Drink lots of fluids was the best and most effective advice I got. It works too! I can tell when I don't drink enough because I get that hangover you talk about.

Try and rest your brain...if it was an injured leg it would be in a cast but you can't cast your brain but you can do some things that help. Don't: go out in bright sun light; don't watch TV that has a lot of action (toomuch for eyes/brain to follow); don't fret or stress about stuff; don't have social company till you feel up to it; only do one thing a day ( ie buy groceries) then try and build; do not drink alchohol (tried a glass of wine had a relapse). DO: have an afternoon nap; drink so much you pee every 30 mins.

[Stephy17]

Hi. I had VM in February this year but was treated for bacterial meningitis. I'm exactly same, my memory is terrible, I still get tired easily and the headaches can be really bad. I have the feeling of being spaced out and I'm unable to concentrate sometimes. I have gone back to work on reduced hours (9-3pm each day) and have days where I am struggling and feel like I am going insane!! It may sound stupid but after coming home from work today and really not feeling myself and very stressed and upset with myself for not seeming to understand the most basic things, I have seen these messages and kind of made me feel it's not just me that feels like that. I feel that I should have recovered by now and be back to my normal self but doesnt feel like its happened and this is not something i understand why.

On my experience so far regarding the headachess, I suffered with them really badly, I am still on medication for this but feel they are not quite as frequent as they were (I used to have bad headaches every day) and it is just a case of time for them to settle. Its taken nearly 6 months for me for them to ease off slightly so you will get there in the end. I know it may seem like its never ending but hopefully there will be light at the end of the tunnel for you on that, it's just a case of time and I wish you the best for it.

[SummerJ]

Hi Bev, Unfortunately it takes time and patience! I had V.M last October, & even now still suffer from fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches and the swimmy "boat" feeling you describe. You will find that over time you will start to get used to these feelings, and they will gradually improve, and you will have more good days than bad, I find that if I push myself too hard then the next day I feel terrible so you need to pace yourself and take plenty of rest as it is still farily early days for you. Hope you've managed to read the Meningitis Trust article on viral meningitis, and if you need to speak to someone, contact the meningitis Trust, they are amazing. Hope you start to feel a little better soon x

[bevcarlydave]

thankyou to all the people who answered my question taking time to share your experiences x

[Poohbear1996]

Hello bev I was diagnosed in February last year and a year in I still suffer with neck ache and back ache and am forgetful my memory isn't as good as it should be... I'm 17 and I am finding it difficult to recover also but the things I have found that does help is resting and listening to your body if your feeling tired then rest get an early night even if you don't sleep straight away you will find just relaxing in your bed will help with the aches and pains .... Keep in touch on here and let me k ow if it helps hope you feel better soon. Coral