Can I ask for your sepsis survival stories?

[LokiBear]

I know it isn't an 'AIBU'. Im posting for traffic and, in all honesty, because I just need to hear other people's experiences because im scared and have no one to talk to.

My dad is 56, he is a smoker (although not any more) but is generally a fit and well person who proudly has a 'peak flow' measurement equivalent to a non smoker. Anyway, a few weeks ago he became poorly, refused to go to the doctors, then reluctantly went and was diagnosed with vertigo. Medication didnt help, mum forced him to go back to the doctor who prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection. He had stopped smoking completely at this point. Two days later he was in hospital with pneumonia and sepsis. He registered as a 10 on the sepsis scale, with doctors and nurses telling my mum they hadnt encountered anyone higher than a 7 before. 5 days of intravenous antibiotics didnt result in anything more than a slight improvement. He is very sleepy and confused. Can't remember things that have happened, hallucinating that the clock was talking to him etc. He seems to keep developing a high fever at night. The hospital changed the intravenous antibiotics to a different type. Yesterday evening he looked so much better and we thought we'd turned a corner. Today he looks terrible again, is very pale and cant stay awake. Was absolutely vile to my mum and nana earlier today, accusing them of taking the piss when they wernt. This evening, he cant remember any of it, was quite jovial. He recounted going out for a beer with his dead grandad as if it happened this afternoon. He seemed aware that it wasnt real, but was really jolly when talking about what they talked about. The hospital have taken him for both a chest xray and a brain scan today. We should get the results tomorrow. Im scared. It seems like he takes one step forward and two steps back. The altered mental state and the nightly fevers are causing the doctor some concern and she can't explain them (hence further tests). Im not sure what is a result of sepsis and what could indicate a further issue and I feel like I need to be prepared im case my mum loses it and needs some support. Anyone have a similar experience or can shed any light?

Hi, I'm sorry about your dad 😔

I had sepsis at the beginning of June.

The doctor fobbed me off with a viral infection. The second day I was unable to swallow and struggled to breathe and drove myself to a&e and woke up in resus briefly before passing out again and being out cold for a few days.

I had lingual tonsillitis which had closed my airways and seeped bacteria into my pancreas and spleen, my infection level was 4800 if that means anything to anyone.

A week on IV drips and steroids, various sedations to fix my throat, and I eventually came out of hospital. Some lasting damage internally, but I guess a small price to pay.

I was very sick. Had I of stayed home I wouldn't probably be here today. So I am sending all of those survivor vibes to you and your family.

My dad had very similar - pneumonia and developed sepsis in his lungs - at the end of last year OP. It's so scary, especially the feeling that you're taking one step forward and two back. One nurse told us to think of it as a marathon rather than a sprint which helped.

DF was in ITU and sedated (so, an induced coma of sorts) for, I think three weeks at least. He had a tracheostomy to control his breathing and clear his lungs. We thought we'd lost him a number of times but luckily the doctors pulled him through.

He had lots of scary dreams in that time, and lots of hallucinations - things crawling on the bed, the house burning down etc. When he was eventually discharged the doctors spoke to him and my mum about PTSD and the fact that the 'memories' could be quite traumatic but were normal.

Long story short, he's home now. Weaker, but on the mend. So there IS hope OP

To add, I was also delirious when in the throws of it all. I was also very aggressive. It took quite a few different types of antibiotics to find one that worked and a lot of steroids.

Thanks everyone

Like a PP I had sepsis when I was having chemo - so I was very vulnerable to infection. Don't remember a huge amount, but remember having lots of cannulas pumping fluids anti biotics etc into me.
I was kept in isolation for two weeks - to protect me from further infection.
I wasn't expected to survive, but I did - took me a while to get over it though and I still have some effects from it now (I had post sepsis syndrome, which has lasted a long time)

I'm so sorry your Dad is so poorly, I hoped he does turn a corner soon and makes a good recovery, and they find out quickly what is causing his fevers. I had night fevers when I had it too - but not sure they really discovered why in my case. had to take antibiotics for a while after I left hospital.

I had it, after the birth of dc2. I had retained placenta missed by every health care professional (Gp, midwife, a&e doctors, gyne)

I nearly died. I was lucky that a nurse spotted it.

I was in a critical care unit - while they tried to find an antibiotic which I could take (I’m bloody allergic to most of them) they found one eventually but it was an obscure one which they didn’t stock they ended up sending an ambulance on a 300 mile trip at 2am to get some for me any longer then I probably would have died.

It was horrible - I had an horrific experience at one point I didn’t recognise my own children, my dh, I had some bloody weird dreams and hallucinations. Felt like a train wreck for about 4 months after.

I was lucky. I’m sure all will be ok op!

Weirdly I'd never heard of this until three days ago when a couple told me to watch out for signs. She'd had it badly but was here to live to tell the tale. Hope he recovers well

DDad was in a coma from Sepsis for three days. He was in his 80's. They tried IV antibiotic after antibiotic to get one that worked.

He is 86 now and in ok health.

I would say, there will be horror stories in a thread like this because of the nature of sepsis. It is very serious but treatable. It’s the one of the hot topics of the NHS with loads of work being done in the last couple of years to recognise it early - the earlier you catch up, the better the odds of the patient’s recovery. We are trained to ‘think sepsis’ and screen for it to stop patient’s deteriorating before it’s recognised.

So sorry to hear this OP, it's so frightening to witness a loved one going through it.

My DM had sepsis last December and was in hospital for 3 weeks (she also got pneumonia whilst she was there). I remember that she was delirious at her worst point and was trying to write a text message but it was all complete nonsense, not even proper words. It may have been due to her temperature but it also took a while to find the correct antibiotics.

I remember how one hour she'd seem to be brighter but then the next her heart rate would drop or she'd be in a lot of pain again (her adrenal glands were haemorrhaging when she was admitted).

However, she has made a full recovery. It took a while for her to get her strength back and she was really tired for a few months after but she is recovered now.

Sepsis is very serious but luckily it can be successfully treated if caught in time.

Thinking of you and hope your DDad recovers quickly

I don’t have an in depth story like everyone else but one of my closest friends is a survivor of sepsis.. he’s absolutely fine now. His was from an infected back injury from being run over by a car and apart from other injuries from the incident he was otherwise fit and well, but also a smoker

Just wanted to add another success story in there

I had sepsis 5 years ago from a tooth that had broken in the jaw and caused an abscess. For ages I thought I'd got flu and the jaw pain was an ear infection and didn't go to the doctor, until I lay down for a rest one evening and thought, If I don't get up now I'm never going to get up again.
Went to the local A and E and they wouldn't admit me because it was a dental problem, they gave me antibiotics and sent me home, having told the friend who took me that I might die in the night and to sit up and listen to me breathing.
I was vomiting and couldn't keep my muscles from shaking, seeing things, hearing voices, but after three doses of antibiotics I got up and made myself a cup of tea.
I still catch every bug going and have bowel and breathing problems sometimes but I'm generally healthy now.
I hope your dad's doing ok this morning