Can people survive meningitis?

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Re: Can people survive meningitis?

i think so, but i think it depends on their overall health.

ETA:

What are the potential after affects?
Most people who have meningococcal meningitis survive and a large number make a good recovery. However some people are left with permanent after effects from the disease, such as brain damage or long term disabilities such as deafness, epilepsy, visual impairment, behaviour problems or learning difficulties. Further information about possible after effects may be accessed from the ‘after effects' section of the website.

source

Message edited 2/13/2008 11:46:56 AM.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

Viral is MUCH less severe than Bacterial. These recent deaths were Bacterial. My understanding is the sooner it is treated the sooner/more likely one recovers.

I had viral meningitis. There is no treatment for it. I was told I "got it" from an untreated infection, most likely a sinus infection (which I get ALL the time).

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

Yes, I believe my aunt had meningitis as a child.

It may depend on the severity of it... kind of like a case-by-case basis.

Either way... I hope to never get it... scary stuff

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

You can get antibiotics for bacterial meningitis. The problem with meningitis is most people think they have the flu and ignore warning signs such as a stiff neck which may indicate meningitis.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

I have a friend at work that survived bacterial meningitis. He contracted it in college and although he was very sick, did survive.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

Yes you can, if treated right away with antibiotics. They now have a vaccine for it, mainly given to students who live in college dorms in close proximity to one another.

Years ago, I lost a 4-year old cousin to bacterial meningitis.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

Yes - my brother had it when he was 6. It must be caught early though. My mom had a pediatrician that was very quick to act didn't even second guess and sent him strainght to the hospital.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

Yes they can, there are two kinds of meningitis, Bacterial and Viral. I had Viral meningitis when I was 8 days old, and I am in fine fettle at 35 years old! Bacterial Meningitis is much more serious, and you can often lose limbs if you suffer from it.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

DH's friend had meningitis in high school. I don't remember which type. He is fine now. DH remembers it well because it happened at the same time that DH was diagnosed with diabetes and he was not able to go see his friend.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

My brother had bacterial at 9 years old. We were on vacation and my mom called our pediatrician back home. He told my mom to get him to the hospital immediately. I think he saved my brother's life by being on top of things, even over the phone.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

In small babies its most dangerous, but as adults viral meningitis is not as bad as bacterial, and usually they don't even admit to the hospital. Bacterial is more serious but people do survive it.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

Yes! My daughter had Bacterial Meningitis when she was 9 months old. The Drs at the time told me had I gotten her there any later she may not have made it. She is 26 years old now.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

There are 2 different kinds of meningitis: viral and bacterial. Viral generally has no long term effects.

There are also different strands of bacterial meningitis (I believe at least 4). One kind babies are more suseptible to but are vaccinezed for with the Hib vaccine. Another strand most people get vaccinated for before going to college, now I believe most are getting it in high school. I believe there is another strand children are getting vaccined for now around the age of 11 or 12. The type of meningitis the teenager in massapequa died from was the mostly deadly kind which usually progresses and kills in 24 hours and there is no vaccine for.

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

my Mom had it while she was recovering from cancer

she was in a coma for 2 weeks- when she woke up she had to relearn everything- speaking, writing, walking

everything

and her immune system was very weak

I am assuming it was viral

Re: Can people survive meningitis?

My mother's brother passed away from it when he was 26 year's old from bacterial meningitis, My mom also had and the Dr. didn't think she was going to make it...But she fooled them all and recovered from it, it all depend's on what kind of health and immune system you have to get through it.