viral meningitis????

[MamaBug]

Please tell me what you know about viral meningitis as far as how contagious it is.

My sil has a brother who was diagnosed with this at the beginning of June. She postponed her ds baptism because he was the godfather. It was moved to August 25th. Now he is not being treated with meds because apparently they won't help, but he is on pain meds still. Also he is now having serious stomach issues that are being looked in to that could either be a result of the meningitis, or related to it.

So my main question is, I have a 4 month old dd that will be going with us to this baptism. What are the chances that she, or any of us ( I also have 2 older ds) can get this? I am not willing to take ANY chances. I plan to call my Dr about this tomorrow but I was hoping maybe some of you knew more about it?

Thanks in advance for any info

[mommy2girlies]

Wow mama! Thats scary. sorry I don't know much about viral meningitis and I don't have any info, but I couldn't read and not send you a hug. Hope everything works out.

[MamaBug]

Thanks. I called my Ped today and no one called me back. And I also realized that he was diagnosed at the END of June not the beginning so that makes me even more worried. I want to take zero chances here. Thanks for replying, hoping this bump will possibly get someone who knows something

[mavery]

AFAIK, there are a number of different viruses that can cause viral meningitis. Some of them can be pretty contagious, but most people who contract them will not actually get meningitis (e.g. meningitis can be caused by the coxsackie virus that causes hand, foot and mouth).

However, the chances of this person still being contagious after more than a month are very very slim. He may still be suffering from consequences of the meningitis, but probably not a communicable infection. Look, the meningitis foundation says viral meningitis can be transmitted from 7 days before until 10 days after symptoms appear:
http://www.meningitisfoundationofame.../85/index.html

[MamaBug]

Thanks, this makes me feel better. I am still a bit worried, as that is just me, but it makes me feel like it's ok to go. Thanks again

[Metasequoia]

I had viral meningitis almost 3 years ago - I nursed 10 month old Dd2 right on through it - neither she nor Dd1 contracted it, neither did my parents or Dp.

Painkillers are the only relief, antibiotics don't help since it's viral - his stomach might hurt from the painkillers, no?

[MamaBug]

Thank you so much for your reply. That makes me feel hugely better. Yes that is what they are thinking possibly, that the pain killers are making his stomach bad. Can I ask what KIND of pain it is? And can you die from this thing?

[Metasequoia]

It's the worst pain I've ever experienced. One afternoon I was at Target with my 2 Dds (then 3.5 yrs & 10 months) & I developed a headache - not unusual for me. It got worse, like a migraine, so I took some ibuprofin which didn't touch it, so I went to bed. I awoke in the morning & it was still there, by this point I was vomiting & had a lot of eye pain, like my eyeballs ached. I laid on the couch all day taking mass amounts of ibuprofin & immediately vomiting everything up. I couldn't stand up or walk.
My Mom took my girls out for a walk & I called 911. Once in the ambulance they inserted an IV & in retrospect, I think the medics suspected meningitis because they waited in the ER until I was dx'd.

Once in the ER, the doctor discovered that I had a fever & that my neck was stiff (I wasn't aware of these two things.) Then they did a spinal tap & it was positive. I got a shot in the butt of demerol & then some Zofran for the nausea & that was the best I would feel for about a month.

They wanted to admit me but didn't have a room on the maternity floor open so that Dd2 could stay with me so I went home with scripts for vicodin & percocets to be taken every 3 hours around the clock. Apparently if you fall behind, it's harder to get a handle on the pain - honestly, I don't think anything ever took the pain away, the pain killers just knocked me down a bit so I wasn't as aware. I had to eat every time I took the meds or I'd vomit - so if your BIL isn't eating with the meds, that could be why he has stomach pain.

The only way I know how to describe the pain is the worst headache ever - but so much more than that. The tissue surrounding the brain swells & the pain is incomprehensible. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Oh, and just before I developed meningitis, my Dds had a viral rash - no biggie, just a mild rash & very ow grade fever. The doctors told me that when some people are exposed to entero viruses, they can develop meingitis - it can be transmitted through fecal matter (poopy diaper changes & inefficient handwashing.) I'm SUPER diligent about washing my hands very thoroughly after poopy diaper changes now!