Fitness influencer's vacation getaway takes scary turn after headache leads to ICU

A 23-year-old fitness influencer's vacation took a frightening turn after she suddenly became seriously ill in Bali.

Australian fitness coach Khiana Smith said in a TikTok video that she was hospitalized after developing a severe headache and sensitivity to light. She later revealed in another video that she had been diagnosed with meningitis.

Smith said she knew something was wrong when she woke up with what she described as the "worst headache."

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"I couldn't even get out of bed," Smith said in the TikTok video. "It was so intense I couldn't even open my eyes properly. I was really sensitive to light. I couldn't stand up without falling over."

She initially waited to see whether she would feel better, but said she woke up the following morning feeling "10 times worse." She was eventually taken to a hospital by ambulance, where testing revealed the infection.

Dr. Alfred Joshua, a California-based board-certified emergency room physician and former chief medical officer, told Fox News Digital that Smith's reported symptoms included several warning signs that should be taken seriously.

"She started having symptoms of severe headache, having difficulty with light," Joshua said. "And then she started having difficulty walking, and then eventually slurred speech."

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Meningitis occurs when the protective layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord become inflamed, according to Joshua.

Symptoms can include headache, fever, stiff neck and sensitivity to light. Trouble walking or speaking, confusion and extreme tiredness are more serious signs that should prompt immediate medical attention, Joshua said.

The seriousness of the illness can also depend on what is causing it.

Joshua said viral meningitis often resolves on its own, while bacterial meningitis can progress rapidly and requires prompt treatment with antibiotics.

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"Certain strains over a couple of hours [can cause] the person [to] get really, really sick," he said.

Doctors initially did not know whether her meningitis was bacterial or viral, according to Smith, so she was being treated for the bacterial form as a precaution.

Smith's condition later appeared to improve enough for her to leave the ICU, but she said she had to return after continuing to experience head pain, light sensitivity and slurred speech. She also reported memory loss, and said swelling in her brain was preventing her from flying home.

When meningitis is suspected, Joshua said doctors can use blood tests, brain imaging and a lumbar puncture to determine whether the infection is bacterial, viral or caused by something else.

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Smith's experience has highlighted a concern for travelers who become seriously ill far from home.

Joshua said recommended vaccines can protect against some forms of bacterial meningitis, and advised travelers to consider insurance that includes medical evacuation coverage.

Smith's mother also stressed the importance of travel insurance, saying her daughter's hospital expenses were covered because she had purchased a policy before leaving Australia.

Joshua said worsening symptoms, including changes in speech, walking or other brain functions, should not be ignored.

"When symptoms are progressing in a more complicated manner with neurological dysfunction, do not wait and try to see this out," he said. "Go and seek prompt emergency treatment."

Fox News Digital reached out to Smith for comment.