"I contacted Meningitis Now’s Helpline and was put in contact with one of their Community Support Officers. It was great to offload and chat to someone who understood.”
“I started to feel poorly after the new year in 2024. It started with an extreme migraine type of headache that did not pass all weekend. I work in a school and had been assisting the children with examinations. The lighting was so bright in the room I had been in that I initially thought it was just a regular headache.
“That evening, the headache began to spread to the whole of my head. I took myself off to bed but I was in so much pain. I was literally hitting my head off the pillow for hours hoping it would go away. I started to sweat, feel nauseous and had very little movement in my neck.
“My dad drove me to A&E at 5 o’clock that morning. I explained to the doctors that I recognised my symptoms as I had contracted viral meningitis in my teens and this headache was the exact same. I knew I was really poorly.
Lumbar puncture
“Before they did a lumbar puncture my doctor started me on an antibiotic immediately due to my previous history and symptoms. Whilst waiting for the lumbar puncture, I fell to the floor and had a seizure.
“I woke up in resuscitation and was immediately taken for the lumbar puncture, then a head C scan. The lumbar puncture confirmed bacterial meningitis, but they were unable to identify a specific bacteria. My doctor said this may be because I started the antibiotic treatment immediately upon arrival to the hospital.
“I can barely remember much about these events but I do know that I was terrified. I was trialed with different antibiotics and steroids for days until they finally found something that was working.
Huge impact on my life
“I was in hospital for 3 weeks, away from my boyfriend and my son who was two at the time. I was terrified that I may have passed it on to him or that he would become poorly.
“This time has had a huge impact on my life. Although I look physically well now, the mental scars it has left on me are immense. I feel like half the person I was before I contracted this illness. I now struggle with memory loss, partial hearing loss and nerve damage to my right side, but I am so grateful and thankful for my doctor's quick thinking.
Felt lost
“My GP told me about Meningitis Now when I began to struggle with my mental health. I was very overwhelmed and felt lost when I came out of hospital. I struggled with the mental load of everything. Small tasks became overwhelming. My physical fitness had declined, I was breathless and lacking in energy for months.
“Because I looked physically well, I think people just assumed I was back to my normal self. It was hard to explain to people what my body had been through and how it had lasting effects. I contacted Meningitis Now’s Helpline and was put in contact with one of their Community Support Officers. It was great to offload and chat to someone who understood.”
If you've been affected by meningitis and want to learn about Community Support, or discover ways we can support you contact Meningitis Now's nurse-led Helpline on 0808 80 10 388 or email helpline@meningitisnow.org.
