I have Meningitis and fibromyalgia

[Pen59]

I was hospitalized a week ago with viral meningitis. My symtoms were so severe, memory loss, severe whole body pain, stiff neck, etc. Had a spinal tap that showed proteins and sugars....don't know what that means.
I'm home now and not feeling much better except pain ebbs and flows severely. I can't think clearly sometimes. How do I tell if I'm getting better with the Meningitis if I'm haveing Fibro pain? I've had FMS for 13 yrs. What is my prognosis? How long should I rest before trying to "push-through" like I do with Fibro?

[NiteJag]

Hi,

Hope all is well.  I am not sure if anyone can answer my question, since I have asked my doctors and they say they can not tell me if they are related, since there is nothing in writing to their knowledge.

When I was almost 2 years old, I was hospitalized for a month with Viral Meningitis. They said it was from an inner ear infection that went undetected, until one morning around 3am I went into convultions from high fever. I went paralyzed from neck down for several weeks. I surprised them all when I came around and slowly had muscle movement. I had to learn toilet training and how to walk all over again. With the heavy IM and IV antibiotics they had to give me and the numerous lumbar punctures I have  poor vision and learning came hard for me, although I did graduate with honors, it was not easy, I had to work for it. They told my mother I would have problems later in life to watch for things.

They were right, I did have to wear glasses in elementary school, I was active in sports, but at an early age I had muscle problems. Then one day while taking an algebra test in the 9th grade, my neck got stiff and I could not move and was in alot of pain. They took me to the hospital and they did not know what caused it. They just put me on flexeril and a neck brace and in a few days I was better. Then slowly after that I started to have other muscular problems, mostly with my back. My back would hurt so bad in the middle of the night I would get out of bed and lay on the floor with a pillow under my knees, just to rest. Everyone just passed it on to the fact that I was athletic.

Then in the late 90's I was Dx with Fibromyalgia, have had several rounds of PT. I fell and sprained both my ankles, but one ankle refused to get better. One was better in 4 months the other took 10 months. They thought I broke it, after 4 months they repeated the mri and still showed fld and sprain, which they were shocked that it was still sprain after three rounds of PT. I had bilateral plantar facitis, that would bring tears to your eyes just to walk. I could go on and on but you can see my point I think.

My question is this. Do you think that the heavy antibiotics when I had meningitis, could have affected or caused the Fibromaygia? No one in my family has every had this to my knowledge. I am now 48 years old.

I know I am leaving alot out, but i think that is the jest of it.

Thanks

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

How are you?
Elevated levels of proteins in the csf indicates an infection, in your case it is meningitis. Elevated sugars can be due to high blood sugar levels due to diabetes.
Sometimes it takes more than a few days to recover from meningitis. Please relax and do not be in a hurry to resume your daily activities.
In some individuals it may even take up to a month to recover from meningitis. Recurrent headaches and tiredness are the last to go; since you have fibromyalgia also it will be difficult to say if the tiredness and fatigue is due to an after effect of meningitis or fibromyalgia.
Please give yourself some more time before you take charge. Take care!

[medchick0523]

Every website I've found suggests that viral meningitis should resolve within 7-10 days, with bedrest and increased fluid intake, although it seems it's been at least a week for you already? I don't have FM, nor have I ever had meningitis, though I can relate. I have a chronic neuro disorder, I've had a headache nearly every day for the past two years, and I feel when I get the flu or even a cold, it hits me harder than it did before I became sick. It is possible for me to get a tension headache or migraine on top of my usual pressure headache and sometimes I have issues differentiating. I usually know I am back to "normal" when I can go about my day as usual, (for me that is being able to be up and about for 5-6 hours), or I feel my symptoms have come to a plateau, if you will.

I hope you start feeling better soon!!