Questions Feb 2010
You can find the full set of questions and answers relating to our 'Meningitis - prevention' Ask the Expert session in February 2010 below.
Please note: The views expressed by participants in this forum are not necessarily those of Meningitis UK and do not constitute legal or medical advice.
Name/Location: Mathew Thompson, South Yorkshire
Question:
I was unlucky enough to suffer with both viral and bacterial meningitis at the same time back in 2005. Although it took over a year to recuperate i find i have no short term memory. Examples include having to go back and check the front door numerous time to see if i have locked it. I sometimes cant remember where i am going to if i have arranged to go out and when i am sat in meetings at work it is embarrassing when i cant remember the conversation. Is this memory loss normal following meningitis, can i do things to help improve matters or am i stuck with it?
Thanks and regards
Mathew
Name/Location: Jenny Wilkes, London
Question:
My late partner had pnuemoccal meningitis when he was 50 developing hydrocephalus as a complication of his condition. He had a shunt inserted to control the hydrocephalus.
The advice given on leaving the hospital was that adults rarely have problems with shunts. My partner had an appointment with consultant once subsequently but felt he didn't have a chance to ask the questions he wanted to ask.
My partner died 10 years later (3 years ago)from cerebral odema caused by shunt malfunction.
He had experinced ongoing problems with balance / vertigo a few years before he died - a GP referred him for heart tests which showed nothing wrong.
A year & a half before he died his personality began to change. He was very agitated. A year before he died he stopped wotk. He spent most of each day in bed. I assumed he was profoundly depressed although he denied this.
20 months before he died he was admitted to hospital after fainting several times & kept in one night. 10 months before he died he had meningitis type symptoms - vomited & lost consciousness - when the ambulance crew arrived began having fits. When a lumbar puncture & CT scan showed no infection he was discharged & referred to a community psychiatrist.
My question is whether there should or could be regular follow up appointments for adults with shunts for hydrocephalus as a complication of meningitis? This would at least raise levels of awareness that a problem linked either to meningitis or the shunt
might occur.
Name/Location: Mrs Diane Higgins, Merseyside
Question:
My Husband Eric passed away 22.12.2008 with Pneumoccal Meningitis. He had a slight cold for 2days, the day before he passed away he said he was exceptionally cold, and achey we put this down to flu. The following day I found him unconscious and he sadly passed away the following day. I would like to know how a exceptionally health man of 58 can suddenly have a cold and then go to being critically ill
Name/Location: Abby Lema Dalton, West Yorkshire
Question:
My baby girl Eloise passed away on 18th December from pneumococcal septicemia. We took Eloise to the hospital on 2 occasions with classic symptoms of meningitis and septicemia as per the foundations card. This included mottled skin and a pinprick rash on her shoulder with high fever, listless and refusing food on the first presentation 11th dec. We were discharged with viral diagnosis with calpol. The fever did not come down despite calpol and brufen so we took Eloise back in when her temp spiked at 41. The mottling was present again and the pinprick rash despite this fading and seemingly blanching. Eloise had classic symptoms again but once more they tried to discharge us. We refused. Eloise deteriorated started vomiting with blood specks and had diarroeah. She did not really wake but no tests were performed despite begging and pushing. They did a urine test which showed protein. Following a 35 minute seizure they gave an antibiotic but told us bloods came back clear and the fit was febrile and nothing to worry about. We were not happy with that. Following this Eloise was refused access to PICU and placed on the ward where she deteriorated. After 37 hours, 2 seizures and septic shock And begging our little girl was admitted to PICU. It was too late. I know you probably cannot make comments about cases like this which are pending coroners inquiries and other inquests. My question is at what point, how many symptoms would you expect before medical professionals take some sort of action? The lumbar puncture was only mentioned when Eloise was too unstable to have it and treatment for septic shock only administered after being taken to picu despite it being confirmed earlier in the day. Can you also advise what the expected survival rate is if this is treated properly early? Sorry it's so long but thankyou for and clarity you can provide.
Name/Location: Alex Hilton, London
Question:
I was mis-diagnosed by an ambulance crew as having flu. But when I recovered I read up on meningitis and discovered Kernig's sign, which was a position I was desperate to stay in.
are ambulance crews overly focused on rashes and photosensitivity (neither of which I had) to the exclusion of the kernig's sign or are they still better diagnostic indicators?
Name/Location: Emma, Fife
Question:
I had pneumococcal meningitis in September 2009 and am having a very hard time still, with constant severe headaches....No aftercare given apart from seeing GP who keeps trying me on different pain killers to try and manage headaches(I am now taking tramadol & cocodamol)...Not knowing how I fell ill with meningitis and the age of 32, obviously no one knows if they are going to fall ill with it...How can we protect ourselves from getting meningitis? Everytime I get a cold now(which seems to be all the time) I completelly freak out thinking that it's meningitis..
Name/Location: John Andrews, Berkshire
Question:
My nephew aged 11 months was healthy - had received all the 'jabs'. On Day 1 he became irritable. On Day 2 he also cried a lot, was hot and had a high temperature - saw GP - said he had 'flu symptoms/ prescribed Calpol& Nurofen and not to worry. Morning of Day 3(Sunday) he saw a Hospital Doctor in A&E. Temp was 38.5 Told he had a virus but was fighting it and to continue with Calpol/Nurofen. We knew he was ill. On afternoon of Day 3 he was taken back to Hospital and diagnosed with likely meningitis. Rushed into Intensive Care and despite best efforts and great attention died from bacterial meningitis on Day 4. Family remain devastated.
Q. Neither GP Doctor or A&E Doctor diagnosed the illness although the signs were there. Meningitis is less common than in past decades. However has Family Doctor/A&E Doctor awareness levels of meningitis symptoms dropped because of this(less common) and reliance on the vaccines now given to babies like my nephew to combat the disease ?
Name/Location: Sheelagh Craven, London
Question:
My son had bacterial meningitis caused by my undiagnosed group b step, he was only 12 hours old and still in hospital when I noticed something wasn't right he was very ill and was in hospital for over a month. Luckily he made a full recovery. He is now nearly 8 years old. My question is... he is finding it very difficult at school his concentration is poor and finds writing difficult he has seen a clinical psychologist and she suggested he had ADHD and dyslexia along with poor executive funtion, is this common in children who have had bacterial meningitis and if so what can we do to help him. Thank you.
Name/Location: Mick Hurd, London
Question:
My brother in law has meningitis as a result of an epidural for back pain. He was initially in hospital receiving anti biotics and anti viral drugs + pain killers . The hospital sent him home after a week and a team continued his treatment visiting him 3 times a day . This has now stopped - however he still has terrible headaches and is sensitive to light . Today he saw his GP who says he has jaundice and is having a blood test tomorrow at a different hospital . The family are extremely concerned - he does not seem to be getting better and is being passed around with no one seemingly responsible overall . His GP for instance didn't have a single note on his case . What would you advise - We would be very grateful for your help
Name/Location: Janet Hobbs, Somerset
Question:
my son died of meningicocol septicemia at the age of 17 it was fairly quick less than 24 hours .why can some people be as ill as he was and still recover ?
Name/Location: Anna Alonzi, Rome
Question:
My 3 yr old son died on 4th Jan 2005, of Men B only hours after an out of hours doctor told me I was an over reacting mother and my son had flu. My question is can the Kernig test be carried out on a child sitting up on a parents lap, as I questioned this and dr said "who is the dr here?" I was concerned as I had had to carry my son to dr as his legs hurt.
Name/Location: Marie Porter, England
Question:
My beautiful 13 year daughter lost her life to suspected T.B.Meningitis. Emma had all the symptoms but a rash. She lost the use of her legs then went blind.A lumbar pucture weeks later was done and we were told it was 99% sure it was T.B.Meningitis.A M.R.I.Scan was done and we were told she had just a small amount of pressure there. Another Lumbar Puncture was done with same results and about 8-10 hrs later. Emma went into a coma and died. They had done another scan and said she had about 80% pressure there.They said they dont know where the pressure came from and now said they dont think she died of T.B.Meningitis because you cant go blind with it.I just want to know if that is true and also is there a risk doing a lumbar puncture when there is pressure there. Thank You.
Name/Location: Annabel McCoy, Perth Western Australia
Question:
Hi my name is Annabel and I am 20 years old and I am writing to you to say that does meningitis occur when the weather temperature is below 0 degrees celicious like in really cold countries because I live in Perth western Australia and it gets hot and in winter it gets cold but do you pick up brain virus in really cold weather if you could write to me my e-mail address is annabel123@optusnet.com.au
Name/Location: Sam Walker, Yorkshire
Question:
My mum is 56 years old just recovering from cancer treatment, has a history of blood clots stroke and heart attacks she also has a hereditary condition called FSP for which she has a baclafen pump fitted to her spine and is catheterised. 4 Weeks ago I visited my mum who had been suffering with a cold which was being treated with antibiotics by her GP. I found her awake but unresponsive, drooling with her head tilted her left side. she was unable to move her limbs or respond to any requests.In A&E they were unable to make any type of diagnosis as they were unable to take blood samples or insert a canula due apparently a result of the cancer treatment...??? she was admitted to a general medical ward where they decided to perform a lumbar puncture. the "immediate results" showed four posible types of infection present TB,viral meningitis,debris from the spinal pump & temporal arteritis. She was put on broad spectrum antibiotics until they knew what they were dealing with. after 3 days she was moved to a neurological ward where they decided she needed a csf shunt installing, it was done that night. she spent a week in HDU and recieved antibiotics via the shunt. After a week the shunt was removed and they felt she was well enough to return to the neuro ward. where she spent a further 2 weeks before getting another infection which set her back again.We have constantly questioned the doctors as to what was wrong with her what happened eventually we got to meet with her consultant who said they can only presume that it was some form virus that due to her weakened immune system had somehow managed to infect the meninges !! thus viral meningitis ???? I am completely confused and baffled by it all and that it took them 3wks to come to this conclusion, which i don't feel is the right one. My mum has no recollection of the first 3 wks at all and struggles now to remember last week she has hearing loss and has bouts where she shakes for no apparent reason is this normal??? can you shed any light or insight???
Name/Location: Emma Cowey, Londonderry
Question:
Our baby son lost his life to meningicoccal meningitis in November 2004, aged 9 months. When he was admitted to the hospital he did not have a temperature, but had all the other symptoms. Why was this?
Also is it true that in some cases no matter how fast you get treatment, it makes no difference?
Name/Location: Fiona Burdett, Leicestershire
Question:
Our little girl of 6 yrs has had confirmed Pneumococcal Meningitis twice now. The first case was January 2008 and the 2nd case July 2009.
Previous to this, she had a head injury in April 2007 & had a CSF leak from her nose. CT Scans have shown no possible leaks are still present and show nothing of any concern.
After the first case, she was given the Prevenar vaccination and now after the more recent case, she has had 2 more Prevenar Vaccinations, 1 Pneumovax 2 vaccination. We are still awaiting blood test results to see if antibodies are now present in her blood following the vaccinations.
We went to see an E.N.T Consultant at Leics Royal Infirmary last week to see if there is still any evidence of a weakening or hole in her meninges following the accident as this could leave her exposed to recurrent meningitis - he did look a short way up her nose with a camera but advised that there was no evidence of a hole, no leak present and that as she is still a child and growing, the hole where the CSF leaked previously would have / should have mended now. He advised that he didnt want to do a 'full' endoscopic investigation because this, itself, could provoke a leak.
Is there anything else that we should be asking for to try and prevent further cases for Ellie. We, as parents, still fight this trauma everyday and I still have nightmares that it will come back again. We daredn't take Ellie abroad incase it returns - luckily, we were on holiday in the UK last July when she fell ill again with it.
She is on prophylactic Amoxycillin Penicillin until blood tests are returned or until we reach a conclusion but we still feel there is more that could be done to help prevent it returning for a 3rd time.
Pls help!
Thankyou
Name/Location: Sarah Jones, Tyne and Wear
Question:
My baby has just completed his baby injections. Can he still have the new vaccine available in the spring.
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