“I am a 29-year-old woman from Doncaster, with relatively normal health other than the occasional strong migraine.
I started to feel ill on a Saturday. I just thought I was starting with a migraine, but over the Sunday and Monday my head began to feel progressively worse than I have ever felt with a migraine.
“By Monday night I was in so much pain that I could barely even move - if I did I was overcome by a searing pain through my whole head making me lose vision, other than bright white light across my eyes. I was also vomiting and unable to eat.
This went on for a few days whilst I had various tests and brain scans. The doctors eventually decided to give me a lumbar puncture, expecting to find the pressure in my brain to be high.
At no point did they even think it would be meningitis. It took three attempts before they could even drain any fluid. When the results came back the doctors were shocked but, as it was viral, advised me there is no treatment other than to manage the pain. I have a bag full of pills and medicines but the pain is still severe seven days later.
Meningitis Now’s website and social media channels have been able to help me find people like me, reassuring me I am not alone.”
