Hi guys, I would like to share a story with you.
Back at the start of August I developed a bit of a limp in the left leg. I had a sore spot at the top of the hamstring.
Thought nothing of it, it will clear in a week or so.
This sore spot started spreading down the back of the thigh and into the knee, it felt bruised and I still didn't worry too much.
Got into September and my leg started swelling massively and I began to really struggle to walk at all and on Sept 8th went to A&E.
This is what my leg looked like on Sept 8th....
View attachment 145591
The circumference around the knee was 4 inches larger than the right knee. Swelling had also started in my calf and was right to the top of my thigh.
They sent me home with pain killers and suggested I 'tweaked a hamstring'.........
I went back to A&E 5 days later in agony and had to insist on a blood test and check for DVT.
This was followed up with a Dopla scan which showed I have a blood clot running down the entire calf from my knee to my ankle.
They put me on a blood thinner called Apixaban and told me it could take up to 6 months of treatment.
I understood that I should start to feel small improvement after 2 or 3 weeks. For 2 or 3 weeks I didn't complain too much, but became almost totally bedridden. The swelling got worse all the way from top of the thigh to my toes. The knee swelling increased by yet another 2 inches.
Through all this I am communicating with my GP and hospital that the medication wasn't working and my leg has got worse, not better.
I went back 4 times over 2 weeks, seeing different doctors each time. Believe me I had to go through pain barriers to get there.
I couldn't stand up, I couldn't sit down and I couldn't lie down.
Gets to October 15th and I insisted they check the size of the blood clot, which they were happy to do so. The result came back that the DVT was safe. So I suggested to the doctor that if the DVT is fine perhaps we should start again and ask the question "What is wrong with my knee?"
She got two other doctors involved from different departments and said if it's what we think it is, we can't treat you here. We are referring your care to North Manchester General.
Saturday morning 16th, they did all my blood tests, xrays and scans in the first 2 hours. Then they stuck a syringe into my knee and drained 5 tubes full of fluid. It was red and yellow in colour. An hour later the specialist said I have sepsis and I would be in theatre in 2 hours! The infection blood count was through the roof and I was advised that amputation was a possibility.
I woke up from the operation and still had both legs. You can not believe the feeling! The surgeon came to see me about 2 hours after the procedure and said that my leg was riddled with sepsis, that they think they have got to it just in time and that it might come back. He told me I would have to stay in hospital for 2-4 weeks on IV AB's.
I have asked several times how can sepsis AND a DVT be missed in diagnosed as a tweaked hamstring. No answers of course.
I am recovering well and as my blood markers came down to safe levels didn't have to stay in hospital that long in the end.
I'm walking with crutches and have some movement in my knee and hope to be back at work in a few weeks.
I can only thank the medical teams at NMGH. They are workings their nads off and can not keep up with the work loads.
My advice to all of you is this: if you start to suffer any unexplained swelling in your legs or arms demand at the point of triage that your blood is tested for blood clot and infection. Insist on it. It could save your life.