My 16 year old daughter had sepsis. she was suffering from severe tonsillitis, her symptoms for sepsis were, high temperature, red rash over most of her body, fast heartbeat, dehydration, lethargic, sickness, low blood pressure, sore throat, she was in hospital for 3 days on IV drip then sent home with antibiotics. Our doctor was brilliant and spotted it straight away and sent us to hospital.

My husband practically carried me into the ER 6 hours after I started feeling ill, with a 104 temp. Dr. diagnosed me with UTI, although my urinalysis was perfectly clear w/out bacteria. Dr. gave me antibiotic IV and prescription and sent me home totally unaware of who or where I was. I couldn't even walk. I spent the next day and half unconscious (the Dr. told my husband not to worry, I'd be "fine," so he let me sleep although I was really semi-comatose). The hospital called me over 24 hours later and said to take me to the ER by an ambulance as my blood cultures were positive for staph and I was septic. My husband rushed me back and I spent 5 weeks in the hospital with IV antibiotics, full depth incision and drainage of 2 nasty abscesses in my foot/ankle and shin that took 5 months to heal. I ended up in ICU in sudden respiratory and cardiac failure due to over 8 liters of fluid overload. After recovering from C-diff diarrhea, critical low potassium, severe anemia and 3 units transfused, paralytic ileus, and nearly dying a couple of times, I went to rehab for 10 days to learn to walk again. The wound doctor diagnosed me with bilateral Charcot foot 2 months after I was discharged. The hospital doctors mentioned Charcot joint, but never followed through. By the time I was discharged from rehab and walked around with a walker for 2 months, my feet were nearly destroyed from the Charcot deformities. I told the orthopedist twice that I could barely walk on my feet; he didn't say anything. Why didn't the ER doc admit me the first time (he documented I was alert and oriented and able to answer questions, although my husband told me later he couldn't understand a word I tried to say to him or the doctor). The radiology tech told me later he had never seen anyone so sick come in through the ER and be discharged! Why didn't the doctors and nurses recognize my fluid overload before I ended up in ICU? Why didn't the orthopedic surgeon who drained my leg abscesses twice follow through with proper treatment for Charcot (non-weight bearing casting)? I know God saved my life, in spite of the doctors.

I had at first pain in my right hip along with feeling crappy for two weeks then one night at work I became very ill, and was sent home, laid around all day, then all of a sudden began to shake uncontrollably. I immediately was taken to the ER, and after numerous tests and blood test they discovered sepsis. I was put in ICU for four days and remained in the hospital for two weeks on constant antibiotics. When I was released I had a pic line in my arm for antibiotics once a day plus pill form also. It's been five months since. So far, so good.

My dear friend 40 years of age is septic as we speak. She had a hysterectomy due to several masses and she has stage 3 ovarian cancer. She underwent chemotherapy, and since, she has had one infection after another. She has been hospitalized four times to now find out she has sepsis, and a fistula due to surgery. She is currently home and has to take 12hr IV therapy of antibiotics/nutrients. She cannot eat for six weeks!

Ertapenem - an antibiotic.

My mother was 72 and had several health issues but I was so shocked when she just felt like she had a virus and it turned into septic shock and took her from us this June 14 2012. She started feeling a little nauseated and had diarrhea. She felt cool to me but she said she was warm. She didn't eat or drink much as I tried to get her to. She refused to go the hospital for she said it was a virus going around. When I finally got her to go it was just within three days and she passed. Her blood pressure was low. She finally had to have a breathing tube. If I had known the signs of septic shock, maybe I could have gotten her some help and maybe she would be here today.