ANYONE who’s ever had a UTI will wince at the memory.

That insistent need to pee and the excruciating burning sensation that follows once you do is hard for most to forget.

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UTIs are often associated with young women and having lots of sex.

So much so, that it’s are sometimes dubbed ‘honeymoon cystitis’ – but they really can affect anyone regardless of age, or gender.

Nearly half of women and 20 per cent of men will experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in their lives.

Not only are UTIs painful, but they can also be dangerous, sometimes leading to sepsis – a potentially fatal condition.

Sepsis happens when the body attacks itself in reaction to an infection, such as pneumonia and Covid.

It has a mortality rate of over 40 per cent, and research shows that around 25 per cent of sepsis cases begin as UTIs.

This happens because bacteria from the urinary tract can easily enter the bloodstream.

Older women, already at higher risk for sepsis, are particularly vulnerable.

But the risk of UTI-induced sepsis also extends to younger women.

Twenty-four year old Erin Montgomery was left fighting for her life in hospital after a “harmless” infection spread from her urinary tract to her kidneys and seeped into her bloodstream, causing sepsis.

Dr Andrew Conway Morris – Sepsis Research FEAT’s medical director – told Sun Health: “Although the great majority of urinary tract infections are self-limiting and will resolve with simple antibiotics or even just hydration and time, infections of the urinary tract are also the second commonest cause of sepsis in the UK. 

“Sepsis is where the body’s response to infection is so severe that it damages the patient’s own organs, and can lead to the need for admission to intensive care for life support or even death. 

“Infections in the upper part of the urinary tract, involving the kidneys, are the most common urinary cause of sepsis.”

An uncomplicated UTI – which is an infection in an otherwise healthy person – will typically cause symptoms such as pain while peeing, a frequent and sudden urge to go to the loo, cloudy wee and lower tummy or back pain.

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But there are certain telltale symptoms that distinguish uncomplicated UTIs from deadly sepsis.

According to Dr Conway Morris, these include:

• Increased breathing rate
• Cold hands and feet with mottled skin or a rash
• Confusion or reduced consciousness
• Very high temperature or uncontrolled shivering
• Feeling more unwell than one has ever felt before
• Severe pain in the loins (to the sides of the small of the back) can also indicate a problem with the kidneys

You should seek medical attention urgently if you experience any of the above symptoms, Dr Conway Morris warned.

“Patients should trust their instincts and seek urgent medical advice if they have these symptoms,” he told Sun Health.

“If the doctor doesn’t think they have sepsis at the time of presentation and they are being discharged, patients should ask what symptoms they should look out for and what should prompt them to come back.

“If they do start to feel more unwell, patients should not be afraid to come back for another review,” the physician added.

‘INDISCRIMINATE ILLNESS’

Colin Graham, COO at Sepsis Research FEAT, warned that sepsis can affect anyone and urged people to be aware of the symptoms so they can act quickly if it strikes.

“Sepsis is an indiscriminate, devastating illness which takes the lives of around 50,000 people every year in the UK,” he said.

“Despite these shocking figures, many people are still unaware of how serious sepsis is.

“That is why raising awareness of this deadly condition is vital, so that more people are able to recognise the symptoms and act quickly to seek urgent medical attention and improve chances of survival.”

Erin Montgomery’s brush with deadly sepsis

Erin was left fighting for life in hospital after what doctors thought was a harmless urinary tract infection.

She she felt her temperature rise and her heartbeat quicken while watching TV in September 2023.

“I was just on the couch when I started getting hot and had a pounding heart,” the 24-year-old said.

“At this point I already knew something wasn’t quite right as I was calm and sitting quietly and hadn’t done any exercise or anything.”

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Things took a tun for the worse when Erin went to the toilet, as the mere act of peeing left her feeling like she “was going to die”.

“My heart rate kept increasing more and more each time I went,” she recalled.

Erin called 111 and called 111 and was reportedly told her symptoms were likely caused by a UTI, but she continued to explain how “abnormal” she felt and was told to go to A&E two hours later.

The 24-year-old was told that her body was being ravaged by sepsis, after an infection of her urinary tract spread to her kidneys and bloodstream.

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Read more on Erin’s story here.

“Sepsis can be hard to recognise and diagnose and symptoms can manifest in many different ways.”

He named several key symptoms to look out for, such as a high or low temperature, uncontrolled shivering, confusion, peeing less than usual and having blotchy or cold arms and legs.

“On their own, some of these symptoms can be an indication of other health problems,” Colin warned.

“Someone with sepsis might also not show all of these symptoms at once.

“A combination of two or more symptoms, becoming progressively worse, means medical attention is needed and sufferers should call 999 or go to A&E.”

A MAN living with a huge five-stone growth hanging from his stomach says doctors have refused to remove it – leaving him living in constant pain.

Alan Bromyard, 48, has lived with the lump for almost two years.

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In August, he suffered from sepsis as a result of the life-altering condition and was admitted to hospital for 14 days – six of which were spent in the ICU.

The man from Long Eaton, Derbyshire, said:  “I nearly died. It hangs down to my knees, it’s a right mess and needs to be removed.”

Despite the severity of his condition, Alan made the shocking revelation that the NHS had twice rejected funding for surgery to remove the lymphedema.

He said: “They class the operation as cosmetic and say that’s why I can’t have the funding.

“It’s a 5st lump of fluid, I can’t lose it through dieting so what are they expecting me to do? I need help, I’m heartbroken.”

The invalid said his livelihood had been ruined by the growth, as he was no longer physically able to keep his herd of cows.

“I have farmed all my adult life,” he said, “but I had to sell them because I couldn’t work them anymore.”

He added that the illness was also preventing him from doing things he enjoyed – and had had a domino effect on his overall health.

He said: “I was out fishing or shooting most weekends. Now I’m just in bed. I can’t go up the stairs, I can’t drive to my appointments.

“My knees and hips have gone. I’m missing my life because of this. A nurse once told me it’s cruel living like this and it really stuck with me because it is.

“It feels like I’m carrying a dead-weight toddler around all the time. It breaks down, it leaks – it’s just a mess.

“One week I had to use £176 worth of bandages because it leaks that much.”

Alan said his doctors submitted an application for funding on his behalf in 2023, saying a surgery he would “thoroughly benefit from the surgery”.

The letter called for the removal of skin from Alan’s lower abdomen, in order to remove the growth – comprised of “fibrovascular or granulation tissue”.

It went on to claim the lump was “severely affecting his mood and daily activities”.

However, in July 2023, the application was rejected by Derby and Derbyshire ICB.

The response read: “This request has been reviewed by our screening pair which consists of a Public Health Consultant and a representative from the Derbyshire Integrated Care Board.

“This request has been declined by our screening panel.”

Alan’s surgery has since submitted another request, which was also rejected in August.

The ex-farmer said a third application was currently being prepared by his surgeon, GP and the head of the lymphedema clinic at Nottingham University Hospitals.

A spokesperson for NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB said: “We cannot comment on individual cases.

“Some treatments are not normally available on the NHS and in these circumstances people are able to request individual funding requests where a service, intervention or treatment falls outside of existing service provision.

“The application for funding is made by the patient’s clinician who is required to demonstrate that the circumstances are exceptional.

“This decision-making process ensures that each request is considered in a fair and transparent way, with decisions based on the best available evidence and in accordance with our individual funding request policy.”