Was it Viral Encephalitis?

[Prizma]

On July 21 I woke up feeling anxious and out of it. I figured this was because I had only gotten 2 hours of sleep the night before. Come tuesday morning I woke up with a stiff neck and a headache. I chalked this up to sleeping in a bad position! By thursday the headache was still there, stiff neck, and towards the end of the evening I developed a fever. I ended up going to the hospital because of the fever... which lead me to believe it could be meningitis.

I was put into isolation after they determined my fever was quite high. Here are the symptoms I went in with:
Stiff neck
Headache (worst I've ever had but it wasn't a migraine)
Nausea
Sensitive to light
High Fever
Some confusion
High pulse & I think low blood pressure. All I know is they kept telling me my stats were all over the place.

They immediately hooked me up to an IV and took some blood. They determined my white cell count was really high, I had a spinal tap which had some white cells in it but they ruled out menigitis. I was given some IV antibiotics for anything bacterial (they said to me if I had any bacterial infection, I sure didn't now!). I spent the night in the hospital while they pumped fluids in me, gave me a little bit of morphine which took the edge off my headache, gave me a pill for a bladder infection (which I did not have but they gave me one after they found white cells in the urine test). I also had a chest X-ray. Upon morning the Internal Medicine group came by and the doctor examined me. He said they don't know what it is, but it's a viral infection. I was told to monitor my symptoms and come back if anything gets worse, and they'd call me if they found anything in the cultures they were doing.

I spent a week in pain; wasn't able to sit up for periods of more than 10 minutes. The next week I was tired and achey but felt I was doing much better. I went to my own GP who ran the white cell count test again and that came back still on the high side. I spent a lot of time looking up what it could be and discovered that Viral Encephalitis fit everything I had--execpt the vomitting but that's probably due to the fact I wasn't eating. It took 2 more tests over a period of 2 weeks for the white cells to drop back within a "normal" range. Now, I feel some confusion, do have some memory problems (doesn't bother me to the part of freaking out, but it's apparent it's there), and I've noticed I have trouble with my speech and trying to get words out. My doctor was surprised that they did not give me a brain scan and I was equally surprised when he did not send me to get one done. He ruled it a viral infection, possibly menigitis.

I guess my question is with Viral Encephalitis, how long is the recovery period; do they have specific tests to say it was Viral Encephalitis? I was not around anyone sick and the only thing I can think of was a mosquito bite (which had flared up but I didnt think anything of it since i'm allergic to them).  I'm going into my 4th week of this general feeling of not being myself.

[Prizma]

At least you got an MRI & CT scan. lol

It's been almost 4 weeks since it's happened and I'm still feeling a little out of it. My body is fighting me because of the anti-biotics they gave me to kill any bad bacteria. It killed the good bacteria as well. So, trying to get everything back in order.

They still won't "label" it or name it but after extensive research, I have no doubt. It would be nice to have an actual diagnosis from a doctor instead of "we don't know what it is but it's a viral infection!!"

I haven't noticed any problems sleeping but then again I've always had problems sleeping and have been taking stuff for that. I do notice some problems forming words and thoughts. My energy is gone, and I'm feeling wounded. I know I'll get better, however i'm very frustrated. I was feeling better this past weekend and instead of taking it easy like everyone suggested, I decided to go run some errands in the blistering hot sun and eat everything when my appetite finally came to me that night. My stomach was in shock after not seeing proper food for a few weeks... then I overloaded :( I'm still in pain. lol I want to laugh at how pathetic I am right now but I can't because it hurts too much.

Thanks for listening/reading, Already_Taken. I appreciate it.

[already_taken]

Just wanted to let you know I can relate. If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me.
i was just discharged from hospital after a week of all the same symtoms expect the white blood count was lowered in my case.
i started with a sore chest and was taken for xrays and blood tests.
which were normal except the slightly lowered white cell count.
i went to school for one day and realised that conversation was all too hard, earlier this week i had been complaining of being vague and mildly confused, but this was passed off as being from teh drugs i was taking for pain relief.
about 7 days later i developed a severe headache and was incredably confused, i said the wrong words but knew i couldnt get it right, which led to frustration.
went straight to hospital and was given drugs for my headache.
had an EEG, which came back with ? viral encephalitis, MRI and CT scan results were normal.
Had a lumbar puncture which showed a few white cells in my spinal fluid.
i was by now on IV anti virals acyclivir for ? herpes encephalitis. this was every 8 hours.
however thursday night the lumbar puncture was negative for herpes and i came home.
Still have a raging headache, temp normal to slightly elevated.
I'm a little vague still and find it easier to type what im trying to say rather than say it.
i sometimes cant think of words.
dont feel myself.
but i have an appointment next week with a specialist for follow up.
the final diagnosis was secondary viral encephalitis.
secondary because it had started initially in my lungs and spread to my brain.
hope this is helpful in your diagnosis.
keep me posted on how your going.
p.s.
its winter here so mosquito spread of the virus was ruled unlikely however people can carry these things and not have symptoms or have very mild symptoms.
regards,
lauren
also, have you experienced any difficulties sleeping?
i find that i wake every hour to hour and a half and go back to sleep.