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???
Answer:
Professor Robert Read says:
Its difficult to comment without having all the details but if they had to put a shunt in then your mum had a very significant problem affecting the brain, leading to increased pressure of the fluid within the meninges. Just in itself this can cause very bad symptoms and it sounds as if your mum may indeed have suffered from these and is only gradually recovering - which is quite common. It is unusual for this (increased pressure requiring a shunt) to be due to a viral meningitis and cancer can make people susceptible to other causes of meningitis. The question then is whether your mum is still improving - if she is then I would conclude/guess that she had a viral meningitis which was a result of her weakened immune system, and she will now gradually recover completely from the meningitis. If she is not getting better then I hope that the hospital is reviewing her regularly in order to get to the bottom of it.
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