A&E doctor gasped treating RTE star amid missed symptom warning to others

RTE 2FM star Carl Mullan has shared a frightening experience with sepsis after he ignored one simple symptom before a dash to A&E.

The former Dancing With The Stars winner said he had a sore throat but was doing the "typical Irish thing" of ignoring it and thought he would be just bothering a doctor with it.

Speaking about the ordeal on Instagram as a warning to others, Carl said: “It all started a few years ago when I got a sore throat. That was it, very simple – a sore throat. It was covered in white and yellow patches, and it was just so raw and so painful.”

“I probably shouldn’t have let it get to the point that it did, and I should have gone back to the doctor sooner. I was in so much pain, I went back to the doctor who sent me immediately to A&E because it was in such a bad way."

In hospital, a doctor gasped when he examined his throat and told him he was lucky he presented when he did as he was in the early stages of sepsis which can be fatal.

“He was like ‘you’re really lucky you came into hospital when you did. Why? You’re in the early stages of sepsis.”

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Carl said: “If you don’t treat it quickly, you can go into organ failure, and ultimately, it can be fatal.

“The main point here is that I had no clue that what started out as a relatively straightforward infection could turn into sepsis.

“I was lucky the doctor sent me to A&E when he did, and thankfully, I was all good after a couple of days.”

Carl went on to say: "I think the main point of the campaign being run at the moment is to make people aware of the risks and to always have sepsis at the back of your mind when you or someone you know has an infection. So hopefully chatting about this is of some use to a few of you."

The Irish Sepsis Foundation thanked Carl for sharing his story and said: "It's so important that the public are aware of the signs and symptoms in sepsis as it can happen to anyone at any age."

The HSE warns about the dangers of sepsis on its website and tells people that symptoms can be similar to other illnesses. 

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They say: "Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of an infection.

"Most people make a full recovery if it's identified and treated quickly. Without quick treatment, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

"It can be hard to tell if you have sepsis but trust your instincts.

"It's not always easy to tell if you are developing sepsis. There are lots of possible symptoms. Symptoms can be vague. They can be similar to symptoms of other conditions, including flu or a chest infection.

"Sepsis cannot develop unless you have an infection," they explained.

They warn that you should "contact a GP or GP out of hours urgently if you or someone you care for has an infection and:

- a high temperature (38 degrees Celsius or above)
- a low body temperature (below 36 degrees Celsius)
- chills and shivering
- a fast heartbeat
- problems with or changes to your breathing
- is feeling or acting differently from normal
- is vomiting
- a headache
- is feeling unwell

They add that "some of the symptoms of sepsis are similar to meningitis."

"If your GP thinks it's sepsis, they will usually refer you to hospital for further diagnosis and treatment. If you cannot contact your GP, go to your nearest ED," they add.

You can find out more on the sepsis page of the HSE website.