Doctors thought I had a ‘migraine’ but it turned out to be meningitis
A young woman wants to issue a warning to other university students after a suspected migraine actually turned out to be meningitis, which she was fortunate to survive.
Laila Simnett, 18, a psychology student, from Aylsham, Norfolk, had just recovered from freshers' flu and was in her second week at Sheffield University when she started feeling tired and odd on October 7 2024. "I came back from a lecture and I made dinner and I was feeling a bit weird - like a cold was coming," she explains.
When she first started experiencing symptoms Laila sent her mum, Charlotte Simnett, 42, a text to say she was the "sickest she'd ever felt". Charlotte thought her daughter was just feeling "rough and knackered from drinking" but became more concerned the next day when Laila woke up with a headache and also started vomiting. "Little did I know she was really unwell," her mum explains. "She said she was sick 20 times and she told me she was shivering hot and cold."
"I literally couldn't get out of bed," Laila adds. Concerned by her worsening symptoms her friends decided to take Laila to a walk-in clinic. There, doctors suspected Laila was suffering from a migraine and she was given medication to ease the effects.
But when Laila didn't seem to recover and she started experiencing neck pain her friends, Flo, 18, and Immy, 19, decided to take her to Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. "I had a really stiff neck," Laila explains. "I couldn't move it."
At the hospital an emergency GP told Laila they suspected bacterial meningitis - a life-threatening infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges). Thought the doctor said they would try to fast track her, the wait in A&E was still five hours.
While she was waiting to be seen Laila noticed another concerning symptom, a rash on the inside of her arm. When she was eventually examined, Laila was treated for bacterial meningitis and septicaemia straight away, put on an IV drip and transferred to Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield. Laila says doctors told her if she had been seen just hours later she could have died or been left with serious impacts.
After a week in hospital being treated Laila was able to return home to Norfolk to rest for another two weeks. She is now back to university but is still regaining her strength and believes she has been left with some lasting side effects, including her hearing being impacted. "I have definitely got some long term affects from it," she explains. "I'm constantly tired and when everyone else goes out all the time, I just can't do that."
Laila didn't know what meningitis was until she got it but had her MenACWY vaccine in year 10 to prevent against the virus. She hadn't had a booster jab before going to university which she would now encourage others to get. "I'm so paranoid all the time," she adds. "I don't want it to happen to other people. I don't understand how I managed to survive."
Commenting on Laila's experience, Dr Jennifer Hill, Medical Director, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our teams work hard to treat people as quickly as possible, and so it is really important that we look into the complaint Ms Simnett has made to understand what happened and why during her time in A&E.
"Once we have established these facts, we will provide a full explanation and answer any remaining questions Ms Simnett may have. We will also look to see what learning and changes may be appropriate based on the findings from the review.”
Meningitis in students
While meningitis can affect anyone at any time, according to Meningitis Now, teenagers and young people are more likely to carry the bacteria that causes meningitis in the back of their throats.
Stats reveal up to one in four people in the student age group carry meningitis-causing bacteria, compared with one in 10 in the general population.
This coupled with young people spending time together, often in cramped living conditions, and being away from home for the first time can make first year university students particularly at risk for meningitis.
Meningitis Now says there are some early signs and symptoms for students and young people to look out for including:
Fever
Headache
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Muscle pain
Stomach cramps
Fever with cold hands and feet
"If someone is ill and getting worse at uni, sound the alarm by calling their GP or NHS 111 straight away," the charity advises. "The temptation might be to think they have Covid-19, a hangover, freshers flu or a stomach bug. But it could be meningitis. Meningitis is a medical emergency, so it's vital to act fast and seek urgent medical assistance."
Meningitis Now says the only way to prevent meningitis, including at university, is through vaccination. The charity advises making you’ve had your meningitis jab before going to university.
The MenACWY vaccine is free for eligible young people, but it doesn’t protect against all forms of meningitis.
Additional reporting SWNS.
Read more about meningitis:
My daughter had a headache after music festival, she died hours later (Surrey Live, 6-min read)
'I was as close to death as you can be’ – Paralympian on meningitis diagnosis (PA, 6-min read)
Viral meningitis symptoms as Abbey Clancy reveals daughter was rushed to hospital (Yahoo Life UK, 3-min read)
