Preparing questions in advance can help patients have more meaningful discussions regarding their conditions. Patients may wish to ask their doctor the following questions related to meningitis:

1. How serious is my case of meningitis?
   
   
2. Is my child’s meningitis bacterial or viral?
   
   
3. How long will it take to recover?
   
   
4. How likely am I to have long term disabilities as a result of my infection?
   
   
5. Are there vaccines I can take to prevent a future recurrence?
   
   
6. What antibiotics will you prescribe, if any?
   
   
7. How common is this form of meningitis?
   
   
8. Is it possible I could have infected others?
   
   
9. How do I know if my meningitis is gone?
   
   
10. Will over-the-counter medicines help me?