Sepsis: Everyone with a chronic health condition needs to be aware of the key symptoms

[charles shepherd]

Everyone with a chronic health condition, especially where the immune system is involved, needs to be aware of the warning signs of sepsis

BBC news report today:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39219765

Key points on the need for rapid diagnosis and management of sepsis:

In the UK, there are 44,000 deaths from the condition each year.

What are the symptoms?
The UK Sepsis Trust lists six symptoms to be aware of:

• slurred speech
• extreme shivering or muscle pain
• passing no urine in a day
• severe breathlessness
• "I feel like I might die"
• skin mottled or discoloured

Symptoms in young children include:

• looks mottled, bluish or pale
• very lethargic or difficult to wake
• abnormally cold to touch
• breathing very fast
• a rash that does not fade when you press it
• a seizure or convulsion

Is anything being done about sepsis?
The NHS is doing more than it used to, but still not enough.

A report in 2015 said four in 10 patients being admitted to accident and emergency units were not being reviewed quickly enough and uncovered delays in giving antibiotics in nearly a third of cases.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - which advises doctors on best practice - is coming up with new rules.

Prof Gillian Leng, the organisation's deputy chief executive, says: "We know from recent case reviews that there are inconsistencies in how people's symptoms are assessed in different settings.

"More can be done to provide rapid treatment."

The organisation says patients should be assessed rapidly and those with life-threatening sepsis should be treated within one hour.

Previous guidance said doctors and other healthcare staff must treat sepsis with the same urgency as a suspected heart attack.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there was a "relentless drive" to raise awareness.


Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA

 

[barbc56]

There's been an ongoing awareness campaign about sepsis since the death of actress Patty Duke. I didn't realize that listing the cause of death as sepsis is relatively uncommon. Good information to know. Thanks!

Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke, star of “The Patty Duke Show” and the Broadway play and film “The Miracle Worker,” died of sepsis from a ruptured intestine on Tuesday. Simple though it may seem, her death announcement is a major milestone for the sepsis awareness movement, said Thomas Heymann, executive director of the Sepsis Alliance. The more people are aware of this condition, Heymann said, the stronger their likelihood of saving their own lives or the lives of their loved ones. “The fact that they said Patty Duke’s cause of death was sepsis is relatively new,” Heymann said. “It very often would have been left as a complication of surgery or an infection, but it’s not a complication — it’s sepsis.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/patty-duke-death-sepsis-awareness_us_56faf2b6e4b0a06d5803ef31

 

[shannah]

Thanks for the alert @charles shepherd

Except for the lack of urination, I feel like that every single day.

I've been out of the loop and hadn't heard the news @barbc56 . Glad you posted. What a shame.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

@shannah yes that was the symptom which stood out to me too. It would be quite notable to not urinate all day. Anything that is about generally feeling very unwell would be easy for us to miss. When I've heard about sepsis before I wondered if I'd realise.

Thanks @charles shepherd

 

[kangaSue]

This topics links into this recent post http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...d-now-pics-causing-the-chaos-in-me-cfs.49392/

An engrossing read on the subject is this paper to do with bacterial translocation;
https://www.researchgate.net/public...on_Overview_of_mechanisms_and_clinical_impact

 

[Paralee]

What a time to happen on to this. My DIL's mother has been in the icu and now a hospital room. I don't think she had sepsis at first, but we're losing her now because of it.

 

[Hell...Hath...No...Fury..]

I didn't realize that listing the cause of death as sepsis is relatively uncommon. Good information to know. Thanks!

I've just discovered that my sepsis I had last year isn't even on my medical records. My hospital discharge letter states Urosepsis and ecoli but its not mentioned on my medical records at all.

I wish we could find the ambulance workers who refused to take me to hospital, adding an extra 12 hours before i got to hospital. It might have saved me an extra week in hospital.

 

[Paralee]

@Hell...Hath...No...Fury.. , they don't put what they don't want the "others" (whoever they are, I'm not sure what all it includes) to know.

My mother died from bacterium avian complex, or something like that. She never smoked a day in her life, but her death certificate says COPD because the infection was in her lungs, I guess.

I had to give my history to a new doc at a new hosp with doctors a couple of months or so ago and she questioned me on whether I had thyroid surgery or parathyroid. I explained it was parathyroid, gave her the date of surgery and where, now my health history says thyroid, I can only conclude putting just "thyroid" was intentional. Parathyroid problems are just one thing they don't want repeated.

 

[Paralee]

DIL's mother still in hospital. They've drained more ascetis (sp?) out of her and had to stop because of profuse bleeding. My poor daughter in law is going through hell. At least her mother has been transferred back here. That wouldn't make me happy but I don't think things were handled too good where she was helicoptered to, though.....just my opinion.

Doctor told my dil they'll try again in two more days and that's the last time they'll be able to do it. I don't think they're telling her much but it's really getting to me not knowing what started all this (besides the initial problem) and how in the world it got to this point.

Sepsis starts in hospitals more than other places? Is that right? Does that lead to ascetis? There's so much I don't know about this progression to begin with, and she doesn't know much to tell me from what the doctors say.

Thanks if someone can clue me in on any of this.

 

[charles shepherd]

Another very sad story in the (UK) news today about a doctor who died from sepsis:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4325162/GP-48-sixth-sense-diagnosing-dies-sepsis.html

 

[rosie26]

Thanks for the info @charles shepherd.

I have always been concerned about getting sepsis with my ME. I get intense shivering at times and then lots of heat. It helps a lot to know of symptoms especially the distinctive one which is not passing urine for a day.

@Paralee So sorry to hear about your relative who is going through this right now

 

[Paralee]

Thanks @charles shepherd , I've been reading about sepsis and I was totally wrong about getting it in the hospital, I guess. Thanks for the link.

 

[Paralee]

@rosie26 , thanks for your thoughts, I kind of get symptoms like you do at times, too.

 

[ME3]

Thank you Dr Shepherd for the information and recognition about Sepsis.
I have had this condition since the birth of my youngest daughter, when I contracted a kidney infection. In a hot country and I was extremely cold and shivering uncontrollably. Consultant gave antibiotics straight away. That was 36 yrs ago. 3 times more since, with delirium and only just having it known here. E coli UTI's mistaken for mental health problem 30 yrs ago and more recently, but CFS diagnosed 11 yrs ago. I assume ME/CFS is still classed as MH in UK so ME could be underlying it.
Surprised I'm still here!
E coli now being classed as significant problem infection going into hospitals and developing into new superbug. Sorry don't have link to BBC article for superbug, Patients Association highlighting problem in hospitals this week.

Significant problem when thought from early age to have MH and physical symptoms are not looked at!

Just had to be firm and say Drs putting my life at risk if not on my records. Still not on, but told will be picked up at lower level now - not sure yet what that means. PIP review was halved which has made me pursue problems as MH nurse did assessment. Not appropriate.
Grateful for the work going on here now due to very brave people who have initiated the campaign after losing children and relatives or being severely affected.
Hope this helps Paralee.

 

[ME3]

PS. Important to say that I do not get the symptoms of UTI but go into delirious state. Some symptoms are now becoming more apparent to me. My Tympanic Temp drops >36 degrees. 34.5 last time. I feel very unwell, flu type symptoms and always suffer diarrhoea. Very pale and looking/feeling like death. Recent ultra sound showed Kidneys OK.

 

[ME3]

It's difficult to determine the difference between ME and Sepsis symptoms as we put all down to ME. Another symptom with Sepsis is severe dehydration, which I have always suffered from and must drink enough through out the day to stop it causing severe cramps in my legs.

I have vascular problems causing icy cold, put down as Raynauds, but feet, legs (often look like blue socks on), fingers turn blue and head can be icy cold. Always need to stay warm and keep moving. Not part of old age as always had problems.

I don't know basically what is causing what, but tests limited to basics for CFS/ME due to lack of funding etc.

Hope it all helps as I'm grateful for all the information people with more understanding on medical issues can try to determine.

It's very informative to have the input of all postings.
Thank you.