Cardiff University student survives life-threatening sepsis

Elle Black, a student at Cardiff University, nearly died after mistaking the symptoms of sepsis for a bad hangover. The incident occurred in February 2024 following a night watching Six Nations rugby.

Black initially dismissed her symptoms, which included a sore throat and feeling unwell, as a hangover. As her condition deteriorated, she experienced extreme drowsiness, fever, inability to keep food down, and intense muscle pain. Although an online consultation initially suggested laryngitis, Black was too ill to collect the prescribed antibiotics.

Upon arriving at the University Hospital of Wales, she alerted triage staff to her concerns about sepsis. She received IV antibiotics and fluids within thirty minutes of arrival. Doctors confirmed the sepsis had developed from quinsy, a complication of tonsillitis. Medical staff warned that had she waited even twelve hours longer to seek help, her prognosis could have been significantly worse.