As some of you will be aware, the Meningitis Trust recently undertook a viral meningitis survey. Over 450 people completed the online survey between July and September 2012. The full results are now available on our website.
I am sure you will find this very interesting and be able to relate to a lot of the findings. These results will help us to raise the profile of viral meningitis and highlight the difficulties many sufferers face.
Excellent work and I'm heartened, although saddened, to read that my experience of the medical profession dismissing VM sufferers after two weeks as malingerers is not a one off. I had to take in the Trust's leaflet on VM into my GP before he would admit he had never actually treated anyone with this strain of meningitis before and he really didn't know what the difference was. I feel sorry that other sufferers are still having the same experience, is some awareness raising for the medical profession feasible? My doctor thought I was making 'Mollaret's Meningitis' up until he read the leaflet and initially said I couldn't possibly have it since it was so rare. Almost dying of VM is also very rare but it happened to me!
Here here more awareness for vm, much more, I also was told go home,rest, 2 wks u should b fine..... Oh if They only knew, 3 yrs + later still struggling... Good survey.
Thank you so much for a most interesting read albeit, the evidence wasn't that surprising. However, 'Well Done to The Meningitis Trust' for all their hard work in producing this survey.
I had Meningio-Encephalitis in Aug 2011 and was rushed into hospital, where I remained in isolation for 12 days - I was very ill and I still have several after-effects . . . .
What does interest me is why very little is ever written about the devasting effect Meningitis has on our immune systems?
Meningitis strips our immune sytems and leaves us wide open to all sorts of infections.
Just ten weeks after leaving hospital, I came down with Chronic Bronchitis and, when no amount of anti-biotics made any impression on it, I had a broncoscopy that diagnosed : Bronchiectasis.
I remained in hospital for eight days, where I was put on 'heavy-duty' IV's and many other drugs in order to stabilise my Bronchiectasis condition.
Fourteen weeks later, I was rushed back into hospital with Acute Pneumonia - this time I was in isolation for only five days.
Finally, in September 2012, I came down with a very nasty Upper Respiratory Chest Infection and this was 'the final straw (virus) that broke the camel's back'. I'm still getting over the knock-on effects.
I've become someone that I barely recognise: no motivation, no energy, no social contact. I don't go out much anymore as I'm frightened I may get another illness - no surprise really, given my history over the past seventeen months.
So, without further ado, back to my original question:
'Why is so little written about the effects on the immune system after Meningitis?'
I've had to do all my own research and draw on good ol' Common Sense to learn about my conditions and Self-Care.
I'm incredibly grateful to my GP who has been so understanding and approachable, which is a rare thing to find in a lot of GP's nowadays - he's an excellent listener and diagnostician.
I'm 62 years old, retired and married to wonderful man (aged 65 yrs). We don't smoke or do 'recreational drugs' (whatever that means?). We like a couple of glasses of wine in the evenings and eat fresh, wholesome meals - neither of us are overweight. I think you can see where I'm going with all this . . . . .
Looking forward to anyone's responses. Stay warm and safe, and thanks for reading this far.
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