Bartonella encephalitis part 2

I have had a bunch of people email me because doctors just don't seem to understand the fact the Bartonella can cause encephalitis / meningitis which I have experienced strongly. Yes encephalitis/meningitis is on the "extreme" spectrum side of bartonella symptoms but does happen to some. In fact now that I have mentioned it it has happened to a lot more people that I would have suspected.

Problems I have had with diagnoses are this: 1. Bartonella encephalitis can be hard to see on a regular MRI of the brain. A neurologist really needs to know his stuff unless you present lesions 2. The reason bartonella encephalitis is hard to see on an MRI is bartonella is a small vessel disease meaning you need a very detailed MRI that many facilities just don't have. Sigh.

My bartonella encephalitis was diagnosed first symptomatically then by blood slide and detailed MRI.

Most of my symptoms are gone now with proper antibiotic treatment. Unfortunately anyone who suffers from this knows YOU CAN GO TOO FAR with killing causing too much inflammation and end up in the ER again and again. It is a huge balancing act when it comes to your brain and removing this infection without making it literal hell on earth. I would never recommend doing it without a doctor if you strongly suspect you have this.

Hopefully my trails and experiences can help others lost with doctors on symptoms telling them "it's all in your head." Well yes it actually was. Literally.

All the best,
JM

Yes it's a real pain to diagnose.

I was first diagnosed symptomatically of course as most LLMDs do.

Symptoms:
Still kneck
Visual changing and melting of colors
Hallucination of objects running across floor or up walls
Seeing people not there or previously passed on
Blue and black dots in field of vision
Extreme light and sound sensitive
"Migraine" type headaches lasting 12-14 days
Dystonia / Parkinsonian type episodes from poor blood flow
Inflammation in general inflammation in occipital lobe

Sounds like a breakdown doesn't it? Not so.

You have to get a specific neurologist with experience to diagnose. Dr. M in Maryland did mine. Girlie I wouldn't panic as your neurological symptoms haven't got to extreme yet? I think you deal more with the autonomous function issue bartonella creates. I should note that encephalitis literally means "inflammation of brain." It is very very general. Everyone with Lyme and co's symptoms has some sort of inflammation of the brain. It's your blood how could it not? When people hear encephalitis they think death because some the virus & infections associated with it are very deadly. Bartonella encephalitis is unique to the small blood vessel inflammation which of course also messes with a lot neurological functions. Government studies of bartonella encephalitis have shown elderly and young to be most problematic and some rare rare cases of death after too high of antibiotic dosage but Bartonella encephalitis in young / elderly isn't a requirement to people I have talked to. It seems to be just about all walks and shapes.

Not here to make anyone panic but if you have loved ones living on the street Bartonella is a possible cause to check out for neurological abnormalities. It can make some people mad.... and others.....no symptoms at all. Biology is amazing isn't it.....

Yes lots of tiny specialized blood vessels around the eyes so you could see how Bartonella could be problematic with that....