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| BBC presenter got sepsis after doing awareness interview | BBC presenter got sepsis after doing awareness interview |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Sarah McMullan was later told by doctors she was "very lucky" after she spent six days in hospital with sepsis | Sarah McMullan was later told by doctors she was "very lucky" after she spent six days in hospital with sepsis |
| A BBC Scotland journalist has spoken about how she failed to spot her own sepsis despite interviewing a woman who nearly died from it just weeks before. | |
| Presenter Sarah McMullan started feeling "really cold" during a morning shift but waited more than 36 hours to phone NHS 24. | Presenter Sarah McMullan started feeling "really cold" during a morning shift but waited more than 36 hours to phone NHS 24. |
| She went on to spend six days in hospital, during which her temperature spiked to 40 degrees. | She went on to spend six days in hospital, during which her temperature spiked to 40 degrees. |
| Sarah was told she was very lucky and admitted: "I should've acted sooner." | Sarah was told she was very lucky and admitted: "I should've acted sooner." |
| The broadcaster's illness in early October followed an interview she carried out for Sepsis Awareness Month for BBC Scotland's The Nine on 1 September. | The broadcaster's illness in early October followed an interview she carried out for Sepsis Awareness Month for BBC Scotland's The Nine on 1 September. |
| Mum's sepsis plea after son in hospital for weeks | Mum's sepsis plea after son in hospital for weeks |
| Sepsis took me from this selfie to a coma in hours | Sepsis took me from this selfie to a coma in hours |
| 'Alarming' one in five deaths due to sepsis | 'Alarming' one in five deaths due to sepsis |
| Kimberley Bradley told the programme how she ended up in an induced coma for eight days after she contracted meningococcal septicaemia which had developed into sepsis. | Kimberley Bradley told the programme how she ended up in an induced coma for eight days after she contracted meningococcal septicaemia which had developed into sepsis. |
| Also known as blood poisoning, it is a rare but serious complication of an infection. | Also known as blood poisoning, it is a rare but serious complication of an infection. |
| Sarah, 30, told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "She spoke through all of the symptoms and what to look out for and what to remember and when to get help and I did not remember them well enough." | Sarah, 30, told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "She spoke through all of the symptoms and what to look out for and what to remember and when to get help and I did not remember them well enough." |
| A few weeks later the journalist was in the BBC Scotland studio at Pacific Quay in Glasgow for a morning bulletins shift when she started to feel cold and had goose bumps. | A few weeks later the journalist was in the BBC Scotland studio at Pacific Quay in Glasgow for a morning bulletins shift when she started to feel cold and had goose bumps. |
| Sarah then confided in a colleague that something was "really not right". | Sarah then confided in a colleague that something was "really not right". |
| A month after doing this interview, I ended up very unwell with sepsis myself. Resulting in an A and E visit, a week in hospital and a couple more weeks of tablets and rest.These are the symptoms. And if you suspect #sepsis don’t hesitate to get help. I should’ve acted sooner. https://t.co/dwZakazdza | A month after doing this interview, I ended up very unwell with sepsis myself. Resulting in an A and E visit, a week in hospital and a couple more weeks of tablets and rest.These are the symptoms. And if you suspect #sepsis don’t hesitate to get help. I should’ve acted sooner. https://t.co/dwZakazdza |
| She added: "Then I started physically shaking and all the colour drained from my face. | She added: "Then I started physically shaking and all the colour drained from my face. |
| "My lips were turning blue. My hands were chalk white, like you had been standing outside in winter for hours. | "My lips were turning blue. My hands were chalk white, like you had been standing outside in winter for hours. |
| "There was no colour in my skin. There was no heat in my body. It was uncontrolled shivering and shaking." | "There was no colour in my skin. There was no heat in my body. It was uncontrolled shivering and shaking." |
| The presenter also recalled how she felt "so spaced out". | The presenter also recalled how she felt "so spaced out". |
| The latest headlines from Scotland | The latest headlines from Scotland |
| Sarah said: "It was hard to make sense of what was happening. It crossed my mind 'Am I having some sort of panic attack?' | Sarah said: "It was hard to make sense of what was happening. It crossed my mind 'Am I having some sort of panic attack?' |
| "It felt like something mentally might be happening to me because I was so confused and quite weepy actually." | "It felt like something mentally might be happening to me because I was so confused and quite weepy actually." |
| She said this experience lasted about 40 minutes and then she went into the studio for her final morning bulletin. | She said this experience lasted about 40 minutes and then she went into the studio for her final morning bulletin. |
| Sarah became ill just weeks after interviewing Kimberley Bradley, centre, who joined Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to launch an awareness campaign earlier this year | Sarah became ill just weeks after interviewing Kimberley Bradley, centre, who joined Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to launch an awareness campaign earlier this year |
| At the time Sarah thought it may have been linked to the fact she had not had any breakfast or that it my have been the start of a cold or flu. | At the time Sarah thought it may have been linked to the fact she had not had any breakfast or that it my have been the start of a cold or flu. |
| "Because the symptoms can be so many things I did not realise how unwell I was," she said. | "Because the symptoms can be so many things I did not realise how unwell I was," she said. |
| After work, Sarah went to bed however when she woke up that afternoon she started to experience similar symptoms. | After work, Sarah went to bed however when she woke up that afternoon she started to experience similar symptoms. |
| But although she started to feel unwell on a Wednesday morning she did not call NHS 24 until the early hours of Friday. | But although she started to feel unwell on a Wednesday morning she did not call NHS 24 until the early hours of Friday. |
| Shortly after arriving in A&E with a suspected kidney infection - which was later confirmed - Sarah was admitted as a category two patient. | Shortly after arriving in A&E with a suspected kidney infection - which was later confirmed - Sarah was admitted as a category two patient. |
| She said: "Category one is life threatening so I was very unwell." | She said: "Category one is life threatening so I was very unwell." |
| Spiking temperature | Spiking temperature |
| Sarah admitted she could not stop crying as she had no idea what was wrong with her. | Sarah admitted she could not stop crying as she had no idea what was wrong with her. |
| She was put on antibiotics and morphine as medics battled to get her temperature down. | She was put on antibiotics and morphine as medics battled to get her temperature down. |
| Sarah said: "It was spiking really quite quickly. It would go from about 37 to 40 within about 15 minutes. | Sarah said: "It was spiking really quite quickly. It would go from about 37 to 40 within about 15 minutes. |
| "It was 40, on and off, for about two days." | "It was 40, on and off, for about two days." |
| Sarah initially spent five hours in A&E before she was moved to a ward. | Sarah initially spent five hours in A&E before she was moved to a ward. |
| Doctors told her she was fortunate that she attended on a quiet night when there were only 12 patients compared with 56 the previous day. | Doctors told her she was fortunate that she attended on a quiet night when there were only 12 patients compared with 56 the previous day. |
| She said: "Had I had a longer time to wait I cannot imagine how much more unwell I would have felt." | She said: "Had I had a longer time to wait I cannot imagine how much more unwell I would have felt." |
| 'You have been very lucky here' | 'You have been very lucky here' |
| In total, she spent six days in hospital but is aware that she raised the alarm with very little time to spare. | In total, she spent six days in hospital but is aware that she raised the alarm with very little time to spare. |
| Now back at work Sarah admitted: "It could have been a lot worse. That's what I was told on several occasions. | Now back at work Sarah admitted: "It could have been a lot worse. That's what I was told on several occasions. |
| "The doctors kept saying to me 'You have been very lucky here'." | "The doctors kept saying to me 'You have been very lucky here'." |
| The broadcaster said sepsis never crossed her mind as the symptoms were so similar to other conditions and she was young, healthy and active. | The broadcaster said sepsis never crossed her mind as the symptoms were so similar to other conditions and she was young, healthy and active. |
| She added: "I didn't want to bother people at the doctors or A&E but you absolutely should." | She added: "I didn't want to bother people at the doctors or A&E but you absolutely should." |
| Asked if she had a message based on her experience, Sarah told Drivetime: "If you suffer any of these symptoms, like the spike in temperature or the uncontrolled shivering, just make the phone call and get help. | Asked if she had a message based on her experience, Sarah told Drivetime: "If you suffer any of these symptoms, like the spike in temperature or the uncontrolled shivering, just make the phone call and get help. |
| "It really is the difference between it being life or death in some instances." | "It really is the difference between it being life or death in some instances." |
| What is sepsis? | What is sepsis? |
| Sepsis is also known as the "hidden killer" because it can be so hard to detect. | Sepsis is also known as the "hidden killer" because it can be so hard to detect. |
| It is caused by the immune system going into overdrive. Instead of just fighting an infection, it starts attacking other parts of the body too. | It is caused by the immune system going into overdrive. Instead of just fighting an infection, it starts attacking other parts of the body too. |
| Ultimately it causes organ failure. Even survivors can be left with long-term damage and disability. | Ultimately it causes organ failure. Even survivors can be left with long-term damage and disability. |
| Bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhoeal infections or lung diseases are the leading triggers of sepsis. | Bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhoeal infections or lung diseases are the leading triggers of sepsis. |
| In 2020 a comprehensive analysis of sepsis found it causes one in five deaths in the world. | In 2020 a comprehensive analysis of sepsis found it causes one in five deaths in the world. |
| Sepsis: What is it - and how to spot it? | Sepsis: What is it - and how to spot it? |
| Sepsis: What is it - and how to spot it? | Sepsis: What is it - and how to spot it? |
| What are the symptoms of sepsis? | What are the symptoms of sepsis? |
| In adults: | In adults: |
| slurred speech | slurred speech |
| extreme shivering or muscle pain | extreme shivering or muscle pain |
| passing no urine in a day | passing no urine in a day |
| severe breathlessness | severe breathlessness |
| high heart rate and high or low body temperature | high heart rate and high or low body temperature |
| skin mottled or discoloured | skin mottled or discoloured |
| In children: | In children: |
| a mottled, bluish or pale appearance | a mottled, bluish or pale appearance |
| very lethargic or difficult to wake | very lethargic or difficult to wake |
| abnormally cold to touch | abnormally cold to touch |
| breathing very fast | breathing very fast |
| a rash that does not fade when you press it | a rash that does not fade when you press it |
| a seizure or convulsion | a seizure or convulsion |