Dh has bacterial meningitis. Help

[Eachpeachpears]

My dh was taken into hospital last night after three days of horrendous infection symptoms. They've since confirmed bacterial meningitis. His inflammation marks are at 290 (should be less than 5).
What on earth do I do? He's 36. I'm 28. We have two children who are 5 and 3 who keep asking where daddy is.

I'm so glad to read your update. DH was ill recently and kept forgetting to drink, so I just wanted to mention that you may need to remind him to keep hydrated. Best wishes xx

Thank you all so much.
Dh is absolutely parched, can't stop drinking, a good 12 large refill bottles per day at least.
The strand that he's has is pneumococcal meningitis which isn't infectious to us at this stage. Ironically, exactly 2 years ago this weekend dd has strep pneumonia septicemia so it's really odd that dh has the same strand exactly 2 years on.
Ds has pneumonia about 3 weeks ago.
Feel like I'm about to hit the floor with how pulled everywhere I am but it can't be helped.

Oh and dh has a full day check up at the end of the antibiotics including full bloods

I would definitely discuss that fluid intake with a real-life HCP today - there's a real risk of electrolyte problems (particularly low sodium) and cerebral oedema if he carries on like that and it needs careful monitoring. (DOI: anaesth/ICU doc)

The amount he is drinking is alarming. Were you given a phone number for the ward he was discharged from? You need proper medical advice today re the insatiable thirst and the amount he has drunk already.

I'd keep a firm eye on the fluid intake - as mentioned above it can be dangerous. Give your consultant a ring about it, or whoever you have as point of contact. When you say 12 large bottles, what size in ml is that? The exhaustion is normal, he is working hard to fight it off and it is encouraging that he doesn't have a temp and is eating.

Not dissimilar to my dh. His CRP was 209 when he went to a&e, sent home with 5 days of antibiotics. On the 3rd day of antibiotics he was retested at ambulatory care at the hospital, it was 163. He was sent on his way with no follow up or instructions on what to do if he feels worse.

5 days later he went to the GP, who sent him to a different hospital. He is currently on day 7 of being an inpatient being treated for a major infection of unknown origin. He is on 4 types of antibiotics, 2 orally, 2 IV. He was very, very poorly.
His CRP is now 70 and they are still keeping him in.

Keep your eye on him @Eachpeachpears and don't hesitate to get him back to a&e if necessary. The doctor's have told us he was hours from being overwhelming by infection.
Scary times!

My dad had this in his 50s. He made a full recovery. It was a week of high stress tho.

I really hope you dh is ok. 💐

Please do update us

Holding your hand so tightly. My dad had bacterial meningitis when he was 84 and he survived - he was in ITU for ten days and in hospital for three weeks but he made an incredible recovery. Hopefully your DH will do the same.

In terms of fluid intake how much is too much? He's had 4 bottles of around 500ml just since waking at 7 and he's still thirsty, especially after sleeping.

4 day event? Massive disruption to locals? I think we live in the same place!

Hopefully your DH is on the mend, but definitely get some advice on the water intake.

2 litres in 3 hours seems a lot especially when he will be malnourished after not eating properly and obviously his body has already been under a lot of pressure. I'm not a medic but I think it's worth getting proper advice on this.

Too much water can become a serious problem as your kidneys can't keep up and he'll be flushing out much needed electrolytes.

I made myself more unwell after days of upset stomach because I was drinking too much trying to rehydrate myself. I needed IV fluids to recover as I'd actually dehydrated myself more by washing through electrolytes etc. I wasn't drinking as much as your DH is.

At the very least call 111 but as I said, if he was given a leaflet from the ward on discharge there might be a phone number on it to call for advice within 24h discharge.

That does seem an awful lot of fluid. Some adults don't drink that in 24 hours. Do you have a number for the ward? If not call 111 for advice.

Did they test his blood sugars when there? Meningitis can cause a type of diabetes so I would want him seen asap. Back to hospital I think.

It’s bacterial, not viral.

Sometimes they send home as they believe the patient rests far more at home so recovers quicker. On his discharge notes should be a phone number, can you call if you have any questions on fluid intake etc?

OP I'd give the ward a call - most family members I've had who've been in hospital usually have a period of open door access after discharge, or a number to call with any queries.

The amount he's drinking would concern me, if I'm honest.

Thanks for your help all I'm going to call them shortly, there's a number on the discharge paperwork. @HotChocWine I think we do 🤣 local hospital will be overrun come Tuesday

Was going to say this, see lots of PPs have flagged the water intake, it’s Diabetes Insipidus that’s sometimes linked to meningitis. DH had this (after a different infection). Hope he’s well on the way to recovery OP.

Ringing the ward was a fat lot of good, I was told to take him to a&e if I'm concerned. What's the point in giving the access number if you have to go through a&e?
I don't know what to do. Dh is insisting he's fine. I'm trying to keep 2 dc entertained at the same time, they've watched too much telly already today :( this is so difficult

When I was recovering from sepsis / coma I was thirsty constantly I must have been drinking over 3 litres a day so I think it will be normal.

If he's still drinking at that rate then you take him to A&E.

I completely understand all the reasons not to but I was in this sort of situation with DD a few months ago where we'd already been in, hours on end in A&E, admitted for 24h then discharged. Then at home she wasn't convincing me she was ok and I had to make myself take her back even though it might have been unnecessary and would be hard work going through A&E. It turned out she was more ill than they'd realised the day before. Children in the same situation with the same illness have died when the parents didn't take them back because they thought the fact that they'd been discharged meant they were ok. I thank my lucky stars that I decided to put us through the discomfort of another hospital visit.

If you have any friends or relatives who have type 1 diabetes ask them to call and check his Blood glucose.
Some type 2's might have one as well.
I hope he's ok.

just for clarity as a few people have mentioned it - diabetes insipidus is not a blood sugar problem (that's diabetes mellitus).