North Belfast woman’s warning over common symptoms that led to nearly fatal sepsis

Lauren Carson says she thought she was suffering from a UTI but almost ended up losing her life

A North Belfast woman has issued a warning after she was left fighting for her life due to sepsis after experiencing a number of common symptoms she did not believe were serious.

Earlier this year Lauren Carson thought that she was suffering from the symptoms of a urinary tract infection and had been put on a course of antibiotics in the hopes that it would clear, but instead of getting better she started to develop some flu-like symptoms and a sore lower back, which she put down to stress and the impact of exercise.

A few weeks would go by, with the 31-year-old even going on a holiday, and although she wasn’t feeling the best she did not expect there was anything seriously wrong with her other than a slight kidney infection.

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Soon though, she found herself being rushed to hospital before going into septic shock and requiring life-saving surgery to remove a kidney stone.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Lauren said: “For years I have had issues with kidney infections and they usually go away after a few days with some antibiotics, but I didn’t think much of it when it seemed to be taking much longer.

“I had some flu or cold-like symptoms, a sore back and felt tired more often than I normally would be, but I put it down to stress and exercising and didn’t think much more about it. I even went on holidays without any issue so it came as quite a surprise when a doctor told me that I needed to get an urgent ambulance to hospital.

“While I was travelling to the hospital I was thinking it was all a bit over the top but shortly after arriving I went into a septic shock. I don’t remember much after that, but I have been told that if the surgery didn’t take place to remove a kidney stone I probably would have died.

“I still can’t get over how close things were to being fatal and with the symptoms being so normal I didn’t think much of it.

“Following the surgery I am now in a much better place, although I was unable to walk for a few weeks, and I hope that by sharing my experience it might be able to help someone who is possibly at risk before it is too late. I never thought the symptoms of sepsis could be so mild and it can become very dangerous very quickly.”

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