A collapse / fall from a UTI

[warmmfeet]

Hi all. My mum is 77. She collapsed unconscious last week whilst walking with my Dad. Became breathless then collapsed, banged head. Woke up, unable to move at first, then stood with help and vomited.
Went to A&E but refused to wait 5 hours as she wanted her bed. It was already 9pm. So self discharged. Went to walk-in centre next morning who did some checks including an ECG and found she had a UTI. ECG was fine.

She's been ok since but extremely anxious and not wanting to go out. Been to a shop once with my Dad.

I get that UTI can knock older people but would that cause you to collapse unconscious? Seems weird. Just worried there was more to it.

Did she have any other symptoms of a UTI?

While it could have been a UTI, these are often over-diagnosed as being the cause of everything in the elderly. Being fine, then suddenly breathless and collapsing is a very odd story for UTI unless she really had some urinary symptoms as well.

Unless her urine sample grew an infection I would not be convinced just from a dipstick test.

I can't help re UTIs but am currently going through a falls assessment with my elderly father. He's had two falls where he describes "jelly legs". Unfortunately no one was with him on these occasions, we've only seen him fall in a trip/accident fashion and, of course, we've put things in place to help that but "jelly" legs is a whole different ball game.

I don't know if they will start an assessment for one fall, but they do for two as that's what my Dad had. You could ask your Mum to request this assessment?

@AnnaMagnani she didn't have any other symptoms of UTI no and it was a dipstick.
It seems really odd that she went unconscious. Actually unsure if she fell and hit her head then went unconscious or went unconscious then fell. She can't really remember.

@Advice400 hope the falls assessment is helpful for your Dad. I'll look into it with Mum if she will agree.

@warmmfeet the walk-in centre should have sent a sample to see if it grows anything. I'd try chasing down the result from the GP. If there was no growth, then there's your answer.

My DM has had multiple admissions to hospital with UTIs. However each time when she has got better, she's been able to say 'oh I had noticed a problem with my wee, I thought it might go away' or similar so there always were symptoms. She's now on it to the GP at the first hint and no more admissions.