College student nearly died after mistaking sepsis symptoms for a bad hangover
A college student nearly died from sepsis after brushing off her symptoms as a bad hangover.
Elle Black, 21, was in her first year of studies when a drunken evening watching Six Nations rugby with friends was followed by an illness which almost killed her.
She said everyone, including herself, initially mistook her symptoms when she woke up with what she thought was a 'dreadful' hangover, causing her to delay getting treatment.
But when the feeling didn’t pass she realized something was seriously wrong as she became overwhelmingly drowsy, couldn’t keep any food down, and developed a high fever that left her swinging between feeling hot and cold.
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An online consultation with a doctor was arranged, where laryngitis was suspected and antibiotics prescribed, but by that point, Elle was already too unwell to collect the prescription.
The turning point came when intense muscle pain set in and she took herself straight to hospital - and was told if she had waited just 12 hours longer she may not have survived.
'I was overwhelmingly drowsy'
Elle, a first-class graduate in Media, Journalism and Culture from Cardiff University, Wales, said she had been watching Six Nations with friends the day before she became sick.
She said: “Naturally, everyone, including me at first, assumed I was just suffering from a bad hangover.
“I later realised this wasn’t a hangover or a virus. It was something much more serious. I went straight to hospital.
“I was overwhelmingly drowsy, couldn’t keep food down, and swinging between hot and cold. That’s when I knew this wasn’t a hangover.”
When Elle arrived at hospital, she told the team she was worried it could be sepsis.
She was triaged within 15 minutes and less than half an hour after arriving, she was already receiving IV antibiotics and fluids. Doctors later confirmed that her sepsis had developed from quinsy, a serious complication of tonsillitis.
Elle was started on IV antibiotics and fluids at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, before later moving onto oral antibiotics as she improved.
'I’m incredibly grateful that I trusted my instincts'
She remained in hospital for several days while doctors monitored her condition and confirmed the infection was under control.
She added: "That speed is the reason I’m still here.”
Before she was discharged, doctors told Elle if she had waited even 12 hours longer before seeking help, her outcome could have been very different.
She added: “Hearing that really brought home just how serious sepsis is, and how important it is to recognise the symptoms and act quickly.
"I’m incredibly grateful that I trusted my instincts when I did.”
At the time, Elle didn’t fully grasp how serious her condition was and it was only a few days later, as she began to recover, that the full reality of how ill she had been set in.
Her mother still describes it as the scariest day of her life.
“As soon as she realised how seriously ill I was, my family dropped everything and got to the hospital as quickly as they could,” Elle says. “Like many people, they knew very little about sepsis beforehand. It opened all our eyes to how quickly it can develop, and how it can affect absolutely anyone, regardless of age or how healthy they are.”
“The doctors told me that if I’d waited another 12 hours, my prognosis could have been very different.”
“Recognising the symptoms of sepsis, trusting my instincts and getting to hospital quickly made all the difference to my recovery,” Elle says.
Her sepsis scare was in February 2024, during her first year at Cardiff. Although Elle made a full recovery, she said getting there took time.
'Seeking help when I did is what saved my life'
She added: “Sepsis really takes it out of you. Even after the infection had been treated, I was left feeling exhausted for weeks.
"It’s completely changed my perspective. I no longer take my health for granted, and I’m much more aware of listening to my body and trusting my instincts.”
Elle is sharing her story because she wants people to understand a simple truth: sepsis can happen to anyone, at any age, at any level of fitness. She was 18 years old when it happened to her.
“Looking back, recognising the symptoms and seeking help when I did is what saved my life,” she says. “I also believe we need to do more to educate young people about sepsis.”
Her suggestion is a direct one for universities and students’ unions: “Personally, I think recognising the symptoms of sepsis should be a mandatory part of university induction. Students are often living away from home for the first time and making decisions about their own health.
"Knowing what sepsis looks like could make the difference between seeking help in time or dismissing the symptoms as something less serious.”
Her message to others is simple. “Make yourself aware of the symptoms of sepsis. It can happen to absolutely anyone. Trust your instincts. If you or someone you know becomes suddenly and seriously unwell, don’t be afraid to seek urgent medical help. It is always better to be checked than to wait, because with sepsis, every minute matters.
“Recognising sepsis symptoms should be mandatory in university induction. It could be the difference between seeking help in time – or dismissing it as something less serious.”
Niamh Shackleton