Student, 18, reveals she 'could have died' from toxic shock syndrome caused by falling asleep with a tampon in after hospital doctors dismissed her symptoms as 'Freshers Flu'

 A teenager has revealed how she almost died after doctors sent her home from hospital with 'freshers flu' when she actually had toxic shock syndrome.  

Ellie Makin, 18,  Droylsden, Greater Manchester, had 'drunkenly' fallen asleep with a tampon in after a night out  and woke up with flu-like symptoms, nausea and dizziness the next day.  

After fainting, she was rushed to The University Hospital of North Durham by her university welfare team.

But she was discharged after a just three hours and says that doctors 'dismissed' her concerns about toxic shock and put her symptoms down to a viral infection as a result of going out drinking in university fresher celebrations.  

But after travelling back to her family home she woke up the following day with worse symptoms and was taken to Tameside General Hospital where it was confirmed that she had toxic shock - a life-threatening condition often associated with tampon use.

After five days recovering in hospital, the climate science student is now urging other teens to 'trust their gut' and get a second opinion when they feel they've been dismissed as a 'drunk student'. 'It had been freshers and I'd been going out quite a bit and I started to feel really run down with flu-like symptoms,' Ellie explained. 

'My apple watch showed that my heart rate was 120 lying down when it's normally 55, so that was concerning and I felt dizzy and sick as well.

'I'd drunkenly fallen asleep with a tampon in and left it in for 12 hours so I googled my symptoms and knew it was toxic shock.

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Ellie Makin, 18, Droylsden, Greater Manchester, had 'drunkenly' fallen asleep with a tampon in after a night out and woke up with flu-like symptoms, nausea and dizziness the next day.

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After travelling back to her family home she woke up the following day with worse symptoms and was taken to Tameside General Hospital where it was confirmed that she had toxic shock - a life-threatening condition often associated with tampon use.

'I told my mum and she rang welfare and they came to my door. When I answered the door I fainted so they took me to hospital.

'I had bloods done and they told me my white blood count was high but they couldn't pinpoint where the infection was from so they just put it down as being a viral infection and discharged me.

'I knew it wasn't a viral infection because I was dizzy and fainting - I said that I was worried it was toxic shock and told them about the tampon but they didn't do anything about it.

'I feel like I was dismissed - they should've run the tests and not just put it down to freshers flu.'

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The rash on Elli's skin which is a symptom of toxic shock - doctors sent her home with Fresher's Flu

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The teen now claims she's dealing with relatively unknown long-term effects of the condition, including rapid hair loss, which has left her with a thinned hairline, and peeling skin on her hands and feet.

The teen says that after just three hours at Durham Hospital and being discharged without treatment, her mum picked her up and took her home.

WHAT IS TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME?

Toxic shock syndrome is a highly dangerous bacterial infection - but it can be misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to other illnesses and because it is so rare.

It occurs when usually harmless staphylococcus aureus or streptococcus bacteria, which live on the skin, invade the bloodstream and release dangerous toxins.

TSS' prevalance is unclear but doctors have claimed it affects around one or two in every 100,000 women.

It has a mortality rate of between five and 15 per cent. And reoccurs in 30-to-40 per cent of cases.  

Symptoms usually begin with a sudden high fever - a temperature above 38.9°C/102°F.

Within a few hours a sufferer will develop flu-like symptoms including headache, muscle aches, a sore throat and cough.

Nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, feeling faint, dizziness and confusion are also symptoms.  

Women are most at risk of getting toxic shock syndrome during menstruation and particularly if they are using tampons, have recently given birth or are using an internal barrier contraceptive, such as a diaphragm.

While tampon boxes advise to change them between four to eight hours, it is common for women to forget and leave them in overnight. 

Treatment may involve antibiotics to fight the infection, oxygen to help with breathing, fluids to prevent dehydration and organ damage, and medication to control blood pressure.

Dialysis may also be needed if the kidneys stop functioning. 

In severe cases, surgery may be required to remove dead tissue. In rare incidences, it may be necessary to amputate the affected area. 

To prevent TSS, women should use tampons with the lowest absorbency for their flow, alternate between a tampon and a sanitary towel, and wash their hands before and after insertion.

Tampons should also be changed regularly, as directed on the packaging - usually every four to eight hours. 

When her symptoms worsened the following day the pair went to Tameside Hospital where it was confirmed that Ellie had toxic shock syndrome, a condition caused by bacteria getting into the body and releasing harmful toxins.

The concerning revelation of how close the student came to missing her diagnosis of the fatal condition, left her 'angry' at how the doctors at Durham Hospital 'dismissed' her.

She spent five days recovering at Tameside Hospital, being treated with IV drips and antibiotics.

Ellie said: 'The next day it got worse - my heart rate was at 130 lying down, my temperature was at 40 degrees and I had a rash like sunburn all over my body.

'I was worried when doctors at Tameside Hospital said it was toxic shock but it was a relief at the same time that they were actually listening to me and I could get the treatment I needed.

'If there was even a chance it could've been toxic shock Durham Hospital should have run more tests, especially because of the fact that I'd left the tampon in for that long.

'I'm just glad it didn't progress to the more serious form because you can end up on a ventilator or having fingers and toes amputated.

'They said it's a fatal disease and you're lucky to have caught it now. It was scary and made me feel annoyed about how Durham Hospital treated me.'

The teen now claims she's dealing with relatively unknown long-term effects of the condition, including rapid hair loss, which has left her with a thinned hairline, and peeling skin on her hands and feet.

Ellie fears these effects could last up to six months after joining online support groups of people recovering from toxic shock syndrome and documenting the same struggles.

After her terrifying experience she now vows to be extra careful with tampons and is urging others to do the same and to make sure they push for a diagnosis if they have symptoms of toxic shock.

Ellie said: 'I'll still use tampons but I'll definitely be a lot more cautious about how long I leave them in for now.

'You're taught about it in school but you never think it'll happen to you because it's so rare.

'You should always go with your gut and get a second opinion if you're dismissed by a doctor.

'Even if you only have the slightest symptoms it's best to go and get it checked out because it is a fatal disease.'

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said: 'There are occasions when a patient develops further symptoms after leaving the care of our emergency department team, which would support a specific diagnosis.

'We encourage patients to return to hospital for further investigation when new symptoms emerge or existing symptoms persist.

'We're sorry Ellie is unhappy with the care she received and would welcome an opportunity to discuss this and her overall experience with her, if she would find this helpful.'