A woman was left needing life-saving surgery after symptoms from a recurrent UTI led to her organs shutting down.
When 31-year-old Lauren Carson experienced symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) back in August, she had no idea the common illness would see her left less than 24 hours from death.
The Belfast resident made an appointment with her GP and was prescribed a week-long course of antibiotics, but her symptoms did not improve. She continued to feel unwell during a holiday to Mallorca, but brushed the symptoms off as being active in a warm country.
These symptoms would continue after the holiday, with Lauren deciding to contact her doctor after severe back pain left her unable to work. She was then rushed to hospital on the advice of the GP, were the true extent of her illness was revealed.
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"I thought I had strained a muscle from running but it wasn't that at all," she explained. "It was because the UTI had developed into kidney stones and I hadn't realised."
Lauren had developed six kidney stones, believed to have been caused by the UTI, with the infection causing her body to go into septic shock.
"I went to the hospital and I got septic shock within six hours so I couldn't remember anything at all," the financial crime specialist recalled.
"My blood cell levels were so high because the infection was already passing into my blood, it went into sepsis at that point.
"I went from having a scan to being completely confused, not remembering anything."
Doctors informed Lauren that she needed to undergo emergency surgery to have the kidney stones removed within the next 24 hours in order to save her life. She is now in recovery and is speaking out about her ordeal in order to raise awareness about the deadly complications associated with UTIs.
"I would get UTIs quite a lot, I think most women do," she said.
"As a woman you just assume it's a UTI and that you need to drink more water and cranberry juice."
According to the NHS, UTIs are caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract, causing infection.
The infections are often (but not always) treated with antibiotics. Some people are also more prone to reoccurring infections.
Infections typically clear up within three to five days after treatment, however in some cases they can lead to complications.
In cases such as Lauren's, sepsis occurs when the infection spreads into the bloodstream and requires immediate medical attention.
Warning signs of sepsis include:
- Confusion and slurred speech
- Pale or blotchy skin
- A rash which does not fade when you roll a glass over it
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing
It's possible to have sepsis without getting all of the symptoms.
"I never expected it to be something so serious. UTIs are so common with women, you never expect it to be fatal," Lauren added.
"If antibiotics don't work after three days you should go to the doctors and explain they haven't gotten rid of the infection.
"Take UTIs more seriously because we are so prone to getting them and don't ignore symptoms like tiredness and confusion."
Topics: Health
Brenna Cooper