If you have had meningitis, how did you know? I am a concerned I have it.?

Question

I went to the doc Monday at 2 PM and they concluded I have the flu. I didnt think I had the flu so last night I went to the ER and they checked my blood, urine, and ran a CT scan of my head.They also did a flu swab in my nose which came back negative, but they said that it only tests for the 2 main kinds of flu..so it is still possible to have the it. I have been sore on the back of my head and the first inch or so on my neck and kinda like behind my ears. I have had diarrhea since Thursday night and it has not improved too much. I also have cold sweats. I do not have a fever today but I did have one from Saturday until this morning. The highest it got was like 101.4 . I am on Tamiflu and Darvistat(bad spelling..its for pain), but i do not feel better AT ALL! I just worry they have overlooked my symptoms and that I have a form of meningitis. Does anyone know much about this? Have you ever had it and if so what were your symptoms? I appreciate your help

I also have a real problem with light the past few weeks. When I go from room to room and when there is a change in the lighting, it just kills my eyes and it takes forever for them to adjust so that I can see! I am not sure this is related but I thought I would mention it to everyone.

I can touch my chin to my chest without any major pain.Feels kinda like a tension problem..if this helps? The head pain is precisely where my hairline is on the bottom of my head.

Answer 1

It is probably not meningitis, because the main symptoms are very high fevers, and a very stiff neck, that you can not turn.

Have you thought about food poisoning? Many of your symptoms sound like a reaction to food poisoning. Did you eat anything in the 24 hours before you got sick that could have caused food poisoning? Nausea and diarrhea are first. Then you may get fevers and chills, and several days before you are back to 100%.

Keep treating the symptoms for another couple of days, unless they get real bad. You may be getting a migraine headache from all of your problem. That would be one reason forthe sensitivity to light. If things are still bad and getting worse, see the MD again.

Good Luck. L. Hodges, PhD, RD, LD

Answer 2

Okay I had meningitis, which was specific for St. Louis encephalitis, and I lived! but not happily ever after. First of all Your head should feel like its going to explode. Your eyes feel like you are staring into two headlights, even with sunglasses on, you have a raging fever that will keep going up, mine peaked at 104.5 and by then you are hallucinating so bad that you don't know up from down or convulsing. The one thing that separates this from a migraine or headache is that your neck becomes immobile. no bending forward or to the side hardly at all, it hurt for about six months. Now I hope you don't have this because 40% of the people die within the first week. Everyone else is left with a disability, I have seizures and horrifying headaches and now Lou Gehrig's disease. if they suspect meningitis prepare for a lumbar puncture which in and of itself hurts like hell,. This confirms and specifies what type of encephalitis you have. they take spinal fluid from you central nervous system. if you had it darvocet wouldn't faze you pain.

Answer 3

This really does sound like you have had the flu since you have had diarrhea,fever,sweats and acheyness. There are I believe 3 types of meningitis. There is mainly bacterial and viral. I forget wich one is more concerning. I believe it is bacterial even though if caught in time can be treated with antibiotics. I think viral has to just run its course. It is highly contagious but you can get it from bad teeth and other infection too.
It sounds like they did appropriate testing and the only other test would be a spinal tap, I believe, but go over all this with your doctor.

Answer 4

Meningitis is a bacterial or viral infection of the brain. Just like a head injury your brain would be in severe distress which would show in your CT scan.

Most doctors will take their head and shake it slightly if you screamed with extreme pain and your head hurt so bad if you stood up you would vomit.

The flu is a nasty cold and can make you feel like crap. Since you saw your doctor on Monday and its been a full week its time to go back to your family not er doctor.

Answer 5

High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures

Answer 6

Yeh, sounds like meningitis. I had it when I was 6 months old. Fortunately, I got treatment fast, or else it can cause brain damage/mental retardation. Sore/stiff neck is a good sign of meningitis. Cross your fingers and hope it is viral meningitis! Bacterial meningitis, though antibiotics work, is fatal.

Answer 7

Can you touch your chin to your chest? Do you have a rash? These were symptoms that they looked for in my son before admitting him to the hospital for meningitis.

Do you stay in a dorm? Did you get the meningitis shot?

Answer 8

if you can bend your neck to your chest you definitely DONT have meningitis. Thats the simple test, if you can bend your neck then rest your mind as with meningitis your neck will not bend towad your chest and your fever would be way over 103

Answer 9

I admit to never having had menengitis, but am old enough to know that self diagnosis is rarely accurate.

Meningitis is extremely serious, and any testing done by a doctor would have checked for it (even if you weren't aware). If they gave you any advice, like take it easy for a period of time and let them know how you feel after that, please heed their advice. You can, and people do, actually worry themselves sick.

Answer 10

Sounds like meningitis..the classic symptoms include photo-phobia(bright light bothering you), and nuchal rigidity( a stiff neck), head ache, and flu-like symptoms..