Encephalitis Support Group
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection. Sometimes, encephalitis can result from a bacterial infection, such as bacterial meningitis, or it may be a complication of other infectious diseases like rabies (viral) or syphilis (bacterial). Encephalities sufferers experience fever, headache, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness and...
I contracted encephalitis 3+ years ago. The first several months were extremely difficult, with body temperature changes in my hands/feet, extreme fatigue, headaches, loss of taste, slurred speech, etc. The most severe symptoms lasted only hours, such as inability to walk, talk, etc.
But now, this much later, I still have a tingling sensation across my face. I leave out essential words when I write. My short-term memory is challenged and my concentration is absolutely shot.
Doctors, friends and family try to blame these ongoing issues on getting older (I'm only 41). It ticks me off every time they do because I feel like they're dismissing the ongoing frustration I have from the encephalitis. These weren't issues before contracting it, but they immediately revealed themselves afterward.
Anyone else face ongoing distractions like this? Anyone else have others who just sweep your experience and feelings under the rug???
But now, this much later, I still have a tingling sensation across my face. I leave out essential words when I write. My short-term memory is challenged and my concentration is absolutely shot.
Doctors, friends and family try to blame these ongoing issues on getting older (I'm only 41). It ticks me off every time they do because I feel like they're dismissing the ongoing frustration I have from the encephalitis. These weren't issues before contracting it, but they immediately revealed themselves afterward.
Anyone else face ongoing distractions like this? Anyone else have others who just sweep your experience and feelings under the rug???
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My 6mo twin DD's are EBF and just started rice cereal on the first. Everything has been going fine except this morning one of them had a diaper rash (lots of redness around her anus). I read this as one of the signs of an allergy. BUT I did just buy a different brand diaper yesterday (which they have used randomly before w/no issues). Do you think its the cereal or the diaper? Im ready to start...
Yes, but firstly forgive me, a slight smile came to my face when I read your frustration. I think it was a smile of relief on my behalf! Purely because I'd never read or heard anybody else admitting to this. But yes I know exactly where you are!
Now, where I am. I had encephalitis 11 years ago on april 1st (would you believe) and from that date I can't remember a thing for about a year. Like others who've had encephalitis, I had to learn how to walk, talk, read and write again along with many other things pretty much from the start. But exactly like you've written:
Doctors, friends and family try to blame these ongoing issues on getting older (I'm only 41). It ticks me off every time they do because I feel like they're dismissing the ongoing frustration I have from the encephalitis. These weren't issues before contracting it, but they immediately revealed themselves afterward.
But before I go any further, I found that a lot of my frustration was of my own doing! What I mean by this is, your friends and family, (and doctor) were not only trying to ease it for you but for themselves as-well, and I know you probably know this but...
In this case I found myself utterly frustrated. At them "brushing it under the carpet" and, at myself for not being who I was or being able to do (what I thought) the thing's I used to do! This stuck with me for years!
Now in my present state. I still loose the ability to form words in a sentence quite regularly, and everything in my head just goes to bla bla bla for a couple of minutes... I still can't remember names for the life of me. I have quite a poor stamina. My concentration is still poor and my ability to remember is ok... getting better!
But what has helped me a lot, is to not get frustrated at others for dismissing my (what I thought was a) sometimes lesser ability. And to look at it more as, they don't know any different. If we were in their shoes, needier would we! There only trying to be nice.
I don't know if this will offend you or piss you off. If it does, I'm deeply sorry. But if it does'nt it would be great to hear from you.
Anyway stay well, and take care,
All the best.
Silence sung.
Yes, I have bad concentration problems and other issues surrounding depression and anxiety. It can also be hard for me to hold a conversation in terms of following what the other person is saying as well as what my response should be.
I had encephalitis when I was five, and was never told anything about residual effects. Furthermore, anytime I ever brought this issue up to health care professionals it was brushed aside.
I think doctors are unaware of how to deal with residual issues.