Meningitis in your words

Lesley Marshall's story

  • Location: UK
  • Categories: Viral
  • Age: Adult 25-59
  • Relationship: Self
  • Outcome: Recovery with after effects
  • After effects: Scarring - skin damage, Headaches
LesleyMarshall

In 2021, I was admitted to the hospital after seeing four different GPs over four days, who all thought I had a sinus allergy. Luckily, the fifth doctor thought it was more serious than my sinuses and sent me into A&E (accidents and emergency) straight away.

At the time I had a strange blister rash on the back of my leg behind my knee, again the four GPs didn't think it was anything. The headaches were unbearable.

While in A&E, I was sent for a CT scan as they thought I had a brain tumour. The results came back as clear so I was sent for an MRI and again the results were clear.

Eventually, I was given a lumbar puncture but due to the pain, they had to stop. I was put on antivirals and admitted to a ward. The next day, I was given heavy pain relief and another lumbar puncture was carried out, this time they managed to do it and it came back that I had viral meningitis and encephalitis. I remember the doctor telling me that if I left it any later to come into hospital, I would have been dead in 48 hours.

It was confirmed that the blister rash was shingles and this is what caused the meningitis and encephalitis. I was in hospital on drips for ten days.

I have scarring in the front lobe of my brain which swells and causes pain, which has resulted in me being on painkillers every day. I need to keep antivirals in the cupboard as the rash still comes back and I've been told this will happen for the rest of my life.

I still worry that every severe headache that I get is the meningitis coming back. I think what my biggest worry is, if I ever have to have another lumbar puncture again, it terrifies me.

The consultants, doctors and nurses from the DGRI (Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary) were lifesavers. I was really well looked after and can't thank them enough.

Lesley Marshall

Don’t be fobbed off by doctors if you feel that something isn’t right, insist to be seen by a specialist or go straight to A&E.

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