Meningitis IVIG Headaches Aseptic

Hydrating (drinking water) while using IVIG is important to prevent aseptic meningitis.

What is meningitis? It is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. These membranes are called the meninges.

What is aseptic? Well, the ‘a’ refers to ‘not’ and the ‘septic’ refers to infected. Therefore, aseptic meningitis is meningitis that is not bacterial, or at least, no bacteria will grow when cultured.

What’s my point?

The point is that ‘we’ take in large amounts of IgG which has a half-life of 22 to 96 days. The doctors at Mayo Clinic, Mn told me that my headaches were caused by a reaction between the IgG and the meninges, which causes the meninges to swell.

The solution? Drink more water.

Now, for my Rhetorical question to ya’alls- Are you going to drink ‘more’ water on the day before and the day(s) after infusion only?

Or, are you going to drink more water up to the half-life, or beyond, of the higher IgG concentration?

It’s an individual decision.