Hi, In 2008 I was diagnosed with meningitis. I had 3 postive LPs. from May through Dec. Each bout last up to a month. I had I tested negative for: lupus, lyme, cancer, herpes (3 different ways), and all the major test you might test in CSF or blood work. MY CSF as my docs said seems to suggest a "viral" picture. I show recent activity for mycoplasma and old activity for epstein barr.
A new neuro suggested a CSF leak and we did in fact see a tiny tiny scar on the mri and I did fall of a bike years ago. But after undergoing surgery, there was no leak. I am positive for RF (38, 39) I've certainly had more then one high sed rate test, but that's not surprising. When I saw the rheumatologist he said, go see an infectious disease guy, you don't have an auto immune disease (at least not yet, except possibly Central nervous system vasculitis...which doesn't seem to likely to me since most people who have that are much much sicker then me. He also mentioned in passing, mixed connective tissue disease) And finally. It's now a year since I've had meningitis BUT I've had a headache, always in the front of my face and head, all but 10 days since then. I take topamax (200mg) and cymbalta. I also take oxycodone and fiuroscet for break thru pain daily. Unlike people with New Daily Persistent Headache, I don't have it all day. It pretty much starts around 1-3PM each day and is worse with weather and allergies. Before I was sick, I never had headaches. Now my knees just started hurting bilaterally and my fingers are getting tingly (which could be topamax). My neuro wanted to do a DHE in patient treatment but insurance turned it down. I just want a more holistic diagnosis. No one knows why I got meningitis so many times. Yes it was recurrent (and came back after the sinus surgery for the 4th time) and it lasts long enough to be called chronic. I'm negative for herpes 2, sjogrens, lupus, cancer and HIV the big things that would give you meningitis over and over again.