Anyone else frightened of sepsis

[alcopop]

Hi all

I first heard about sepsis several years ago, and ever since have been obsessed by it and very scared.

I have a nasty abscess on my gum, which can lead to sepsis. I've also thought I might have it several times before... with chills, heart palpitations etc....

I just wondered if anyone else has this fear - it seems it can occur at anytime in anybody and only has a 50% survival rate - also, I've seen people left limbless by it! I've also read articles where people have contracted it from a blister on their foot or through a tooth abscess.

My health anxiety has been really bad of late.
Any ideas on how to stop being so freaked out by sepsis? *sigh*
Thanks all!

[ErinKC]

Sepsis is certainly a frightening thing, but the idea that it "can occur at anytime in anybody" is a bit overblown. Most cases of sepsis are seen in people who are already hospitalized or are in an otherwise high risk group like the elderly, babies under 1 year old, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illness. I just read that according to a CDC study 7 out of 10 people who developed sepsis had "had diabetes, lung, kidney, or liver disease, or some other chronic condition." Another study recorded all the patients who came in to the hospital with community-acquired sepsis (meaning they just got it while at home, not in the hospital) and the median age was 73!

In the US there are about 250,000 deaths per year due to sepsis... that's 0.07% of the population. Pretty good odds.

Can it happen to a young, otherwise healthy person? Sure, but the chances are so small.

When you have an infection, do to the doctor, treat it, and keep an eye on the healing process. That's all you can do. If you're doing those things the chances you will develop sepsis are strikingly low.

But, the way to get over the fear is to treat your anxiety, which is the reason for your fear.

[darkside4k]

I agree sepsis is scary but also agree with previous poster that you are sort of overblowing the risk. Think of how many people get simple scrapes and cuts every day.

[Gee]

I had maternal sepsis but I think if you had it although you need to act fast job would have a terrible fever etc - as long as you get to a hospital quick !

[RadioGaGa]

Literally just answered another question on here where I suspect the poster was worrying about sepsis.

Oddly, no, sepsis has never worried me. You're most at risk for sepsis if the following apply:
* You're very young or very old
* You're undergoing chemo
* You have HIV (even if you're on retroviral thweapy)
* surgery
* catheters
* iv drug abuse
* pregnancy
Alcohol is also a risk factor

There's a huge emphasis on recognising this condition, with the sepsis six being three tests and three treatments used to help people with spesis. Certainly this is "drilled" into all health care professionals in the NHS.

There's no point refuting the stories of people getting it from seemingly innocuous sources. But then again, every time you get in a car and drive, there's a chance you'll die (and it's probably higher than the chance of getting sepsis if you have no risk factors).... So, yeah.

Good luck

[Mamfa85]

I was looking to see if anybody else shared my fear , the post is old so I'm hoping you found a way to cope and feel better, sepsis is my health anxiety im scared of everything but I always focus on sepsis , its worse if I have an infection or cut .