virus attacked brain?

[bangle]

My 33 year old daughter came down with debilitating headaches early last year and dizziness.  She lost her fine motor skills and has muscle twitches.  They did a spinal tap (normal) and then had to re-introduce blood into her spinal column due to lowering the brain into the spinal column.  MRI's without contrast have come back normal.   Her Dr.s seem to think that some type of virus attacked her brain and caused all this, but they have no idea of what kind of virus it was.  They thought that she would be able to come back to maybe 80 percent of her previous state, but it hasn't happened.  It's been a year and she's no better.  She is on neurontin 300 mg q 8 hours, amyltriptaline 25mg qid, and celexa.  They had her on Topamax and it caused severe side effects. We're at our wits end trying to find out what this is, what caused it, and what we can do about it.

[lou304]

Hi
   Sorry to hear that your Daughter has these symptoms.I know.I have had all of these symptoms for weeks.I thought I might have a brain tumor so I went to my neuropathic doctor who is also a medical doctor and I am so thankful that he could tell me right away that I had a mild brain virus with swelling of the brain.He treated me with alternative medicine.It started to work almost immediately.It is now ten days later and all symptoms ate gone but he told me it would take about a month to clear up.Thankfully I didn't have to have any other test done.I hope this can be of some help to you.

[bangle]

The original symptoms were severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, loss of balance, accompanied by fever and flu like symptoms.  The fine motor skills and muscle twitches were present prior to the spinal tap.  No travel outside of the United States.  No heart problems.  No a contrast enhanced MRI has not been done.  Yes culture and analysis of spinal fluid was done. She is a RN  so handwashing on a regular basis is mandatory at all times.  Topamax caused cognitive difficulties and loss of balance perception.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

At the onset of the symptoms were there  associated fever, flu like symptoms, vomiting, eye redness, rash?

Were the problems with her fine motors and muscle twitches present prior to the spinal tap that is, are these part of the initial symptoms?

Any history of travel prior to the symptoms?

Any associated medical illness like a heart problem?

Was a contrast enhanced MRI done?

During the spinal tap , was culture and analysis of the spinal fluid done?

Viral meningitis or aseptic meningitis may be caused by enteroviruses that are spread readily through the fecal -oral route. Othe viruses include Coxsackie and Echoviruses. Some patients recover completely while others do retain some neurologic deficit.

A neurologist and rehabilitation medicine specialist may be able to help.

Keep us posted for any progress