Perez Hilton’s Sepsis Story: What You Need to Know About Sepsis, Post-Sepsis Syndrome & Recovery

September Is Sepsis Awareness Month: What You Need to Know About Sepsis, Post-Sepsis Syndrome, Post-Sepsis Psychosis, and Becoming Your Own Healthcare Advocate

Perez Hilton's story didn't begin with sepsis.

It began with the flu.

According to the story I discussed recently on the Harmony with Food Show, Hilton took flu medication on an empty stomach for approximately a week. He subsequently developed an ulcer, followed by a perforation in his stomach lining and then sepsis.

He spent 21 days in the hospital and required surgery to address the infection.

Think about that progression for a moment.

Flu. Medication. Stomach injury. Perforation. Infection. Sepsis. Hospitalization. Surgery.

That is exactly why I wanted to have this conversation during Sepsis Awareness Month.

Sepsis doesn't necessarily announce itself with a giant flashing sign that says SEPSIS.

It usually starts with something else.

And while most infections will not progress to sepsis, knowing what symptoms and warning signs to watch for when someone becomes seriously ill can matter.

I don't want you reading this article frightened of every infection, medication, or unusual symptom.

I want you informed.

Because one of the messages I have repeated throughout my career is that you have to become an active participant in your own healthcare.

You have to ask questions.

You have to pay attention.

And when something doesn't feel right, you have to be willing to speak up.

Before we go any further, I want to be very clear about my role. I am a registered dietitian and functional nutritionist.

I am not a physician.

I do not diagnose medical conditions, and I do not prescribe medications.

Sepsis is a medical emergency.

If you believe you or someone you love may be experiencing sepsis, seek immediate medical care.

This article is about awareness, education, post-sepsis syndrome, recovery, and knowing what questions to ask.

And this is a conversation we need to have.

What Is Sepsis?

Sepsis is the body's extreme, life-threatening response to an infection.

Instead of simply fighting the infection, the body's response becomes dysregulated and can begin damaging its own tissues and organs.

Without prompt medical treatment, sepsis can progress to organ dysfunction, shock, serious complications, and death.

But here's something I really want you to understand:

Sepsis doesn't usually start as sepsis.

It starts with an infection.

It could begin with pneumonia.

A urinary tract infection.

A skin or wound infection.

Another type of infection.

That's part of what can make it difficult for people to recognize what is happening.

Someone may think, It's just a UTI.

Or:

It's just the flu.

Or:

I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

But if someone with an infection is becoming significantly sicker rather than improving, that deserves attention.

You don't need to diagnose sepsis yourself.

You need to recognize when something may be seriously wrong and get medical help.

Do You Know TIME? Recognizing the Signs of Sepsis

One of the easiest tools for remembering possible signs of sepsis comes from the Sepsis Alliance.

The acronym is TIME:

T: Temperature

Look for fever, an abnormal temperature, shivering, or feeling unusually cold.

I: Infection

Is there a known or suspected infection?

It could be something obvious, such as an infected wound, or something less visible, such as a UTI or pneumonia.

M: Mental Decline

This one is particularly important.

Watch for confusion, unusual sleepiness, difficulty waking, or other significant cognitive or mental changes.

For older adults, a sudden change in mental status can be especially important to recognize.

Sometimes a family member's first observation isn't, "Mom has a fever."

It's:

"Mom just isn't acting like herself."

Pay attention to that.

E: Extremely Ill

Someone may experience severe pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating or clammy skin, rapid heartbeat, extreme weakness, or simply appear extremely ill.

TIME isn't designed to help you diagnose sepsis at home.

It helps you recognize when it's time to seek medical attention.

And if you're worried about sepsis, say the word.

Ask:

"Could this be sepsis?"

Don't be embarrassed.

Don't worry about whether you're using the perfect medical terminology.

Don't stay quiet because you don't want someone to think you're overreacting.

Your job isn't to know the diagnosis.

Your job is to communicate what you're seeing and experiencing.

Sepsis Can Look Different in an Older Adult

During the show, I received a question from a woman named Patricia whose 78-year-old mother lives alone.

Her question was essentially: What should I actually be watching for?

That's such an important question.

Families often expect serious illness to look dramatic.

Sometimes it does.

Sometimes it doesn't.

In an older adult, a sudden change in mental status, unusual sleepiness, weakness, confusion, or simply seeming profoundly "off" can be an important warning sign.

If an older loved one has an infection, don't assume that a change in behavior is automatically normal aging.

Know their baseline.

Pay attention to meaningful changes.

And if they suddenly appear seriously ill, confused, unusually sleepy, or difficult to wake, seek medical attention.

One of the most powerful tools you have as a family member is simply knowing:

This isn't normal for this person.

What Happens After Someone Survives Sepsis?

This is the part of the conversation that doesn't get nearly enough attention.

We tend to think about illness as having a clear finish line.

Someone gets sick.

They go to the hospital.

They receive treatment.

They survive.

They go home.

End of story.

Except sometimes it isn't.

For some people, surviving sepsis is the beginning of another difficult chapter.

A person can leave the hospital alive and still not feel remotely like the person they were before becoming ill.

Some sepsis survivors experience persistent physical, cognitive, and emotional problems after sepsis.

These long-term effects can interfere with daily activities, work, relationships, sleep, memory, concentration, and overall quality of life.

This collection of challenges is often discussed under the umbrella of post-sepsis syndrome, sometimes shortened to PSS.

And if you or someone you love is experiencing post-sepsis syndrome, I want you to understand something important:

Recovery from a major critical illness can take time.

Going home from the hospital does not necessarily mean the body has completely recovered.

What Is Post-Sepsis Syndrome?

Post-sepsis syndrome describes a collection of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that some patients experience after surviving sepsis.

The condition can affect people differently, and recovery can vary substantially from person to person.

Some survivors may experience:

• Profound fatigue

• Muscle weakness

• Reduced physical stamina

• Difficulty sleeping

• Changes in appetite

• Pain or discomfort

• Memory problems or memory loss

• Difficulty concentrating

• Cognitive changes

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Mood changes

• Nightmares

• Changes in daily functioning

• Other lingering effects of severe illness, infection, hospitalization, or time spent in an intensive care unit

For some people, the challenges following sepsis can make everyday tasks feel much more difficult than they did before.

And imagine how confusing that can be.

You survived.

Everyone around you may be relieved.

Your family may expect life to return to normal.

But you don't feel normal.

You may not have the energy you had before.

Your body may feel different.

Your mind may feel different.

Your memory or concentration may not feel the same.

You may be dealing with fatigue, weakness, pain, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, or other symptoms that interfere with your normal activities.

You may become frustrated because everyone is celebrating your recovery while you're quietly wondering:

Why don't I feel like myself?

That's an important conversation to have with your medical team.

Post-sepsis syndrome recovery isn't a competition.

There isn't a prize for pretending you feel better than you do.

Tell your healthcare professionals specifically what has changed.

Instead of simply saying:

"I'm tired."

Explain what that means.

"I used to work all day. Now I need to lie down after taking a shower."

Instead of:

"My brain feels weird."

Explain:

"I'm having difficulty concentrating on things I could easily manage before I got sick."

If you're experiencing memory problems, changes in appetite, weakness, anxiety, pain, sleep problems, or difficulty completing tasks you handled before your illness, explain those changes too.

Specific information helps your healthcare providers understand what you're actually experiencing and determine what additional support, care, therapy, rehabilitation, or evaluation may be appropriate.

Post-Sepsis Syndrome and the Road to Recovery

The road to recovery after sepsis can look very different from one person to another.

Some patients may regain strength relatively quickly.

Others may experience longer-term effects that affect their physical health, cognitive functioning, or emotional well-being.

Recovery may involve support from different members of the healthcare team depending on the person's symptoms and needs.

For some survivors, rehabilitation or physical therapy may become part of the recovery process.

Others may need additional help addressing weakness, mobility, pain, memory or concentration problems, anxiety, depression, sleep changes, or difficulty returning to normal activities.

Family members and caregivers may also play an important role.

The important thing is to communicate what you are experiencing.

Don't assume that ongoing symptoms are something you simply have to live with.

And don't compare your recovery to somebody else's.

Your body went through a serious illness.

Recovery can take time.

We Also Need to Talk About Mental Health After Sepsis

There is another topic I wanted to bring into this conversation because it can be frightening for patients and families: psychosis or other significant mental-status changes associated with severe illness and recovery.

A person who has been critically ill may experience serious cognitive or psychiatric symptoms during or following hospitalization.

Confusion, delirium, hallucinations, changes in perception, nightmares, severe anxiety, or other alterations in mental status require medical attention.

Some survivors may also experience depression, anxiety, or symptoms associated with PTSD after a serious illness, hospitalization, or intensive care unit experience.

Imagine being the family member witnessing that.

You were terrified you might lose someone physically.

Now they've survived, but something about their thinking or behavior has changed.

That can be incredibly distressing.

And this is exactly where sensitivity matters.

Someone experiencing confusion, hallucinations, delirium, or another significant change after serious illness does not need shame.

They need appropriate medical evaluation, support, and compassion.

Families need support, too.

If someone's mental status changes suddenly during an illness or during recovery, don't assume what is causing it.

Don't attempt to diagnose it yourself.

Tell the medical team.

There can be many reasons for mental-status changes in someone who is seriously ill or recovering, and determining the cause belongs in the hands of qualified healthcare professionals.

One of My Patients Knew Something Was Wrong

This conversation is personal for me because I've worked with someone who experienced sepsis and then struggled during recovery.

His story began with excruciating hand pain.

He went to urgent care.

He was initially told he had arthritis.

But he knew something wasn't right.

According to his account, what followed was approximately two and a half months involving seven emergency department visits, two primary care visits, and two urgent care visits while he continued trying to understand what was happening.

Eventually, his hand became dramatically swollen.

During another emergency department visit, he insisted that the physician listen to him and examine what was happening.

The severity of the infection was finally recognized.

He ultimately required hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and two surgeries.

But here's the part of his story I want you to notice.

He was treated, but he still didn't feel well.

He was exhausted.

He described needing to go to bed multiple times during the day.

His acute medical emergency had been treated, but from his perspective, his health had not returned to where it had been.

That kind of profound fatigue and weakness is something some sepsis survivors report during their recovery.

Eventually, he came to me.

He later wrote about his experience and said something that meant a great deal to me.

He thanked me not simply for listening, but for hearing him.

There is a difference.

His experience is his individual experience, and it should never be interpreted as evidence that nutrition replaces emergency or medical treatment for sepsis.

It doesn't.

Let me say that again:

Functional nutrition does not treat an acute case of sepsis.

Sepsis requires immediate medical care.

My role came later, when he was medically stable and looking for nutritional support as part of his broader recovery.

That distinction matters.

But so does the lesson behind his story.

He continued communicating when he knew something wasn't right.

Be Your Own Healthcare Advocate

If you've listened to the Harmony with Food Show for any length of time, you've heard me say this.

Probably more times than you can count.

You have to be your own healthcare advocate.

But I want to explain what I mean by that because healthcare advocacy should not be confused with assuming every healthcare professional is wrong.

It doesn't mean refusing medical advice.

It doesn't mean diagnosing yourself on Google.

It doesn't mean assuming a supplement can replace a prescription.

And it certainly doesn't mean trying to manage a medical emergency at home.

Healthcare advocacy means participating.

Ask questions.

Know what medications you take.

Understand why you take them.

Pay attention to significant changes in your symptoms.

Tell your provider when something changes.

If you're recovering from sepsis and dealing with lingering symptoms, tell your healthcare team.

If fatigue, weakness, memory problems, concentration issues, pain, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, or difficulty completing everyday tasks are affecting your life, explain what is happening.

If you don't understand an instruction, ask someone to explain it.

If you are becoming significantly sicker, seek help.

If something doesn't make sense, ask another question.

You don't have to know everything.

You just need to stay involved.

Perez Hilton's Story Also Raises Another Question: What Are You Taking With Your Medication?

There's another reason I opened this conversation with Perez Hilton.

His experience creates an opportunity to discuss something that doesn't get enough attention:

food-drug interactions.

People often think about drug interactions as medication interacting with another medication.

But food and beverages can matter, too.

Some medications should be taken with food.

Some should be taken on an empty stomach.

Some foods or nutrients can affect how particular medications are absorbed or metabolized.

For example, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and taking them with food or milk may be recommended for some people to reduce stomach upset.

Individual instructions can vary, so follow your medication label and your healthcare professional's guidance.

Some thyroid medications have specific instructions regarding food because food and certain nutrients can interfere with absorption.

Grapefruit can interact with certain medications, including some statins, while other statins aren't affected in the same way.

Vitamin K intake matters for people taking warfarin.

That doesn't necessarily mean eliminating nutritious vitamin K-rich vegetables.

Maintaining a consistent intake can be important so treatment can be managed appropriately.

And certain antibiotics can interact with minerals found in foods, supplements, or antacids.

Are you expected to memorize all of this?

No.

That's why we have pharmacists.

Ask These Two Questions Every Time You Pick Up a New Medication

This may be one of the easiest changes you can make after reading this article.

When you're prescribed a new medication, ask your pharmacist:

1. Should I take this with food or without food?

2. Is there anything I regularly eat, drink, or take as a supplement that could interact with this medication?

That's it.

Two questions.

You can even add a third:

"Is there a food-drug-nutrient interaction I should know about?"

Put those questions in your phone.

Write them on a card and keep them in your wallet.

Teach them to your parents.

Teach them to your adult children.

Because your pharmacist has specialized knowledge about medications.

Use that resource.

Healthcare should be a team.

Your physician has expertise.

Your pharmacist has expertise.

Your registered dietitian has expertise.

An infectious disease physician has expertise.

Other healthcare professionals have expertise.

Being your own healthcare advocate doesn't mean replacing the team. It means becoming an active

member of it.

When the Medical Emergency Is Over, Nutrition May Become Part of the Recovery Conversation

This is where my work at Harmony with Food fits.

I have been a registered dietitian and functional nutritionist for more than 20 years.

I work with people dealing with issues such as GI problems, fatigue, weight-loss resistance, and other nutrition-related concerns.

And I have a phrase you've probably heard me say:

Test, don't guess.

That doesn't mean everyone needs every functional test available.

It means I don't want people throwing random diets, supplements, restrictions, and protocols at their bodies hoping something sticks.

For someone recovering from a serious illness such as sepsis, medical treatment and follow-up care remain incredibly important.

Nutrition may become one part of the broader recovery conversation once a patient is medically stable, depending on their individual health needs and the guidance of their healthcare team.

I see people who have already tried:

No gluten.

No dairy.

No sugar.

More exercise.

Fewer calories.

Different supplements.

A plan their friend swears by.

Something a celebrity is doing.

Something they saw online.

And they're exhausted.

Not only physically.

They're exhausted from trying to figure themselves out.

I Understand That Feeling Personally

My interest in functional nutrition isn't simply professional.

Years ago, I was struggling with my own health.

My GI issues were affecting my life.

My anxiety had skyrocketed.

I couldn't sleep properly.

I was calling out of work.

Eventually, even my ability to function professionally was being affected.

I knew something needed to change.

I pursued functional nutrition testing and made dietary changes based on the information I received.

That experience had an enormous impact on me.

It is one of the reasons I am so passionate today about helping people investigate nutrition-related factors

that may be contributing to how they feel.

For me, this wasn't about trying to achieve some impossible version of "perfect health."

It was about being able to live.

I didn't want to know where every bathroom was everywhere I went.

I didn't want to cancel plans because of my GI issues.

I didn't want my digestive system determining what I could and couldn't do with my life.

And that is still what I care about for the people I work with today.

Health Is About More Than "Normal"

Maybe you've been told:

"Your labs look normal."

And that's good information.

But perhaps you're still thinking:

Then why am I exhausted?

Why am I still bloated?

Why don't I feel like myself?

Why am I struggling with my weight despite everything I'm doing?

Why is my digestion still unpredictable?

Or, after recovering from a major illness:

Why am I still dealing with fatigue, weakness, memory problems, or difficulty concentrating?

A normal laboratory result does not mean you should assume there's a hidden diagnosis.

It means you have one more piece of information.

If symptoms persist, continue discussing them with your healthcare team.

Sometimes further medical evaluation is appropriate.

Sometimes medication needs to be reviewed.

Sometimes nutrition needs closer examination.

Sometimes rehabilitation, therapy, sleep, stress, movement, digestive health, or other factors need attention.

And sometimes you need multiple healthcare professionals looking at different pieces of the puzzle.

The goal isn't to decide you already know the answer.

The goal is to keep asking appropriate questions.

"Test, Don't Guess" Isn't About Making Food Complicated

I actually want the opposite.

I want people to stop being terrified of food.

I want you to stop standing in the grocery store wondering whether every loaf of bread is going to ruin your health.

I want you to stop changing your entire diet because somebody on social media told you what worked for their body.

Your body isn't your sister's body.

It isn't your friend's body.

It isn't a celebrity's body.

And it certainly isn't an influencer's body.

Nutrition should become more personalized and less chaotic.

That's what I mean when I say:

Test, don't guess.

The Most Important Thing to Know About Sepsis and Post-Sepsis Syndrome

I don't want you to finish this article scared.

I want you to finish it knowing something you didn't know before.

Remember TIME:

Temperature. Infection. Mental decline. Extremely ill.

Remember that sepsis begins with an infection and requires urgent medical treatment.

Remember that older adults may show significant changes in mental status when they're seriously ill.

Remember that surviving sepsis doesn't necessarily mean recovery is finished.

Some sepsis survivors may experience post-sepsis syndrome, including fatigue, weakness, cognitive changes, memory or concentration problems, pain, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and other long-term effects after serious illness or hospitalization.

Remember that these symptoms can affect daily life, and recovery may require time, medical follow-up, support, rehabilitation, therapy, or care from multiple healthcare professionals.

Remember that significant physical, cognitive, or psychological changes during recovery deserve to be communicated to qualified healthcare professionals.

Remember that medications can interact with food, beverages, and supplements.

Remember those two questions for your pharmacist:

With food or without food?

Is there anything I eat, drink, or take that interacts with this?

And most importantly:

Be your own healthcare advocate.

Not because you know more than every healthcare professional.

Not because you should diagnose yourself.

But because nobody lives inside your body except you.

You know when something has changed.

You know when you don't feel like yourself.

You know what questions haven't been answered.

So ask.

Speak.

Listen.

Learn.

And when something is seriously wrong, get help.

Where Do You Go From Here?

If you're experiencing symptoms of a possible medical emergency, don't schedule a nutrition appointment.

Seek immediate medical care.

If you have survived sepsis and are experiencing ongoing symptoms that may be associated with post-sepsis syndrome, including severe fatigue, weakness, cognitive changes, memory or concentration difficulties, pain, anxiety, depression, or other challenges, discuss those symptoms with your healthcare team.

But if you're medically stable and dealing with ongoing nutrition-related concerns, digestive problems, fatigue, weight-loss resistance, or simply feel as though there may be a nutritional piece of your health puzzle you haven't explored, that's where I come in.

At Harmony with Food, I offer a 30-minute Functional Health Assessment where we discuss what you're experiencing and whether functional nutrition testing may be appropriate for you.

Right now, the assessment is $47.97, and that price will soon increase to $97.

You can also visit HarmonyWithFood.com for years of educational content from the Harmony with Food Show.

Click the Radio tab to listen to previous shows and explore the podcast and blog.

I also have a free guide, Five Simple Swaps to Reduce Bloat and Boost Energy, along with resources on healthy snacks, bread choices, gut health, and more.

Start by learning.

Then ask questions.

Then make informed decisions with the appropriate professionals.

Because you may never experience sepsis yourself.

I hope you don't.

But someday, you may be sitting beside a spouse, a parent, a friend, a child, or another person you love and realize:

Something isn't right.

And you'll know that it's worth speaking up.

And if someone you love survives sepsis but continues struggling with fatigue, weakness, cognitive changes, emotional symptoms, or other long-term effects, you'll also know that leaving the hospital doesn't always mean the recovery process is over.

That is why awareness matters.

That is why we talk about sepsis.

That is why we need to talk about post-sepsis syndrome and the challenges some survivors face during recovery.

And that is why I will keep saying it:

Be proactive about your health. Be your own healthcare advocate.

Meg Marie O'Rourke is a registered dietitian and functional nutritionist and does not diagnose medical conditions or prescribe medications. This article is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Sepsis is a medical emergency. If you suspect sepsis or another medical emergency, seek immediate medical attention.