Sepsis warning signs as TV presenter reveals she was 24 hours away from death

TV presenter Andrea McLean has spoken out about being 24 hours away from death after experiencing 'flu-like symptoms' last December.

The former Loose Women panellist appeared on the daytime show to tell her former colleagues about how her health declined rapidly overnight, resulting in being in and out of hospital for several months.

McLean, 56, said she began experiencing high temperatures, body shivers and discomfort in her chest for around a week, and during that time, she noticed her urine had turned dark brown in colour.

Things rapidly turned from bad to worse, however, when the presenter collapsed in her bathroom, waiting on the floor for an hour before she was found by her husband. They rang their local GP practice who told them ring 999 immediately.

Andrea McLean was 24 hours away from dying (ITV)

After being rushed to hospital, the mum-of-two was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, kidney failure and sepsis.

"It all went downhill, kind of, slowly and then all at once. I was, well, Nick was told, – I wasn’t told, I wasn’t in a state to be told – that if we waited another 24 hours, I wouldn’t have made it," she told the Loose Women panel.

"I basically spent three months in and out hospital, on a lot of very strong drugs and having test after test. I lost about 80 percent of one of my lungs. Eventually I was discharged in March this year, fully recovered."

What are the warning signs for sepsis?

One of the most dangerous things about sepsis is the fact it can be so difficult to spot, particularly in babies and young children, people with dementia or learning disabilities and anyone who might have difficulty communicating.

Sepsis can be fatal (Getty Stock Images)

According to the NHS website, if you notice any of the following symptoms in a baby or young child, you should phone 999 or go straight to A&E:

• blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
• a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it
• difficulty breathing, such as grunting noises or sucking in under their ribcage, breathlessness or breathing very fast
• a weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry
• not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
• being sleepier than normal or difficult to wake

Meanwhile, if an adult has any of the following symptoms of sepsis, you should go straight to A&E or phone 999:

• acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
• blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
• a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it
• difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast

You should always call 999 with any sepsis symptoms (Getty Stock Images)

Meanwhile, the NHS urges people to call 111 if you, your child or someone you care for experiences a number of other symptoms, which may seem less serious than the ones mentioned above.

One is if you, your child or someone else has not urinated all day or in the last 12 hours for babies and young children, or if you or your child keeps vomiting and can't keep milk or food down. Other red flags include a very high or very low temperature, swelling or pain around a cut or wound, or a general feeling of unwellness like something is seriously wrong.

Sepsis can be fatal when not spotted early enough, so it's important to look out for any of these signs and to seek out medical help even if you don't think it appears too serious.