Chronic symptoms after viral meningitis/encephalitis

I had viral meningitis/encephalitis in 2001 that started from a herpes cold sore.  Herpes eventually moved into my eyes and this went on for weeks before anybody could figure out what was wrong with me. I was given an antiviral, but the doctor told me it would not help because they caught it too late and I would have to fight it off myself.  That took more than a year.  Now, ten years later, I'm still having symptoms after I overdo and get over tired.  I just generally feel crappy and nauseated as if my brain itself feels nauseated.  I also have chronic depression and anxiety when there is no reason for these feelings.  It seems to happen more in the summer, but that is when I am busiest.  My question is can this be possible and how can I treat my symptoms when they arise, or do I just have to rest?


This discussion is related to Diagnosed with Viral Meningitis / Still have symptoms 7 weeks later.

[sara904]

I was very comforted to find this discussion about the aftereffects of viral meningitis. I had it over a year and a half ago and am still suffering problems. I was hospitalized for a week after arriving in the emergency room feeling like my head was going to explode with pain, vomiting, fever. They gave me a spinal tap and when they saw my results admitted me immediately. I also have had Lyme disease for the past 3 years, so that complicated the diagnosis. It was a two weeks of the most horrible pain imaginable. They gave me morphine and dilauded and it did nothing to stop the excruciating headache. Then, all of a sudden, the worst pain was over. But I couldn't walk, or hardly think or see. My left eardrum had been compromised by the virus, and my sacral nerve and leg nerves affected. I have a nuerologist at Penn, and he has put me on beta blockers which really help with the daily headaches I have now. They are due to stress, and possible scarring on the meninges. My hearing is still off, and I can't seem to remember anything. It's incredibly frustrating because I was perfectly fit and healthy before this happened, and the doctors say, after countless tests, that it was an enterorovirus that caused it. Every day is still hard, after all this time and I get really depressed when I can't get up the stairs, or do laundry, or exercise. I wish there were more resources for help.