Severe Meningitis fear ruining my life

[maryam]

Hi, I'm 21 and for a year now meningitis fear has taken over my life. I first discovered Meningitis because I was learning about it in my biopsychology class, unfortunately I had seen it in multiple commercials before and it even popped up on my youtube feed for the commercials to get vaccinated so I googled it to see what it truly was, and it has been crippling me since. Seeing youtube videos of people with amuputees and skin grafts terrified me. How quickly and suddenly the disease toke over scared me so bad that I have avoided kissing my boyfriend for a year now in fear of him being a asymptomatic carrier of meningitis b. He goes to college but doesn't live in a dorm but his sister currently does live in the dorm and shares stuff with people and my boyfriend has shared things with her. I am currently getting help at a OCD center and hopefully will face my fear of the meningitis B vaccine and get it. Yesterday my boyfriend sneezed and didn't cover his mouth while I was sitting next to him. I turned away quickly to avoid the droplets and got out of the car for a minute, and I'm completely freaked out now counting down days in the incubation period thinking I'm going to get meningitis. Earlier that day he had shared a drink with his mom who had just visited his sister in the dorms in the last couple weeks. Like I said meningitis can be carried asymptotically and that is usually how it's transmitted. I'm scared she is now carrying it from visiting his sister and sharing stuff with her and since my boyfriend shared a drink with his mom then sneezed next to me a couple hours late without covering his mouth I'm going to get it. I'm tripping myself out. I know I sound crazy but the fear is very real to me and terrifying everyday I wake up after I feel like I've been exposed I'm terrified I'm gonna wake up with meningitis. I did get my childhood meningitis vaccine but that's it. I need all the help and support I can get

 

[RobbyH]

Not downplaying your fears because all of us here have those irrational fears at times BUT the incident rate for meningitis is very low -especially in well developed countires. I am 59 years old and have only known 2 people in my life that got it and both survived without any long term issues. That being said, if you experience symptoms get to a ER quickly; however, I seriously doubt you have anything to be concerned about.

 

[Mandyhiero]

Take a deep breath (I know, easier said than done) and try to look rationally at the statistics. I’m in no position to tell you that your fears are silly, because lord knows I’m in the midst of something similar now. But like RobbyH said,
It’s unlikely that you’ll ever get it. Now, go enjoy being 21 and try to put it out of your mind. You’ve still got a lot of living left to do.

 

[maryam]

Take a deep breath (I know, easier said than done) and try to look rationally at the statistics. I’m in no position to tell you that your fears are silly, because lord knows I’m in the midst of something similar now. But like RobbyH said,
It’s unlikely that you’ll ever get it. Now, go enjoy being 21 and try to put it out of your mind. You’ve still got a lot of living left to do.

Hi, Thanks for your words
I know I'm freaking out. I have neck pain today behind my head its tender to the touch. I'm sitting here freaking myself out saying it must be swollen lymph nodes and the meningitis infection is starting to set in causing inflammation on one side of my neck and possible swollen lymph nodes. Keep in mind I don't even know if its my lymph nodes but its tender when I touch it like it feels bruised.

 

[RobbyH]

I mentioned earlier that I have only known of two people in my life who had meningitis. One of those was a son of a co worker so obviously I was exposed to a person who was closely exposed to someone with meningitis. Neither the dad, myself or any of my co-workers ever got the disease.

As far as the lymph node being swollen, lots of things can cause that including allergies so don't automatically assume it is meningitis.

Good luck