A personal trainer says she almost died after a Covid-19 attack left her with a blockage of blood clots in her legs, abdomen and lungs.
Becky Fanthorpe, 39, from Cambridge, first realized something was wrong when she started to feel pain in one of her hips.
He said doctors initially ruled it out as sciatica, Covid and an autoimmune disease and told him to take paracetamol.
But following the advice of 111, Becky headed to A&E where she collapsed, probably due to blood clots preventing blood from flowing to her organs, and tests revealed she actually had blood stains all over her body.
Studies have shown that there is an increased risk of clot formation after contracting Covid, according to the British medical journal.
Becky Fanthorpe, 39, was rushed to hospital following advice from 111, where she collapsed probably due to blood clots.
Becky, a mother of three, had to learn to walk again and quit her job of 16 years as a personal trainer.
A year later, she said falling in love with cooking helped her get through her darkest days and she now shares her favorite recipes online with more than 11,000 followers.
Becky, a content creator, said her children and partner helped her get through difficult times.
‘They were there every day. When something like this happens, you realize how loved you are,” she explained.
Becky said she first noticed pain in one of her hips in October last year.
He went to the doctor when the pain first appeared and again when it spread to his groin, but both times his concerns were dismissed.
The mother claims her concerns were not taken seriously despite her family history of serious blood clots.
He had Covid in October last year, just days after being diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease.
A Covid-19 attack left Becky with clogged blood clots in her leg
Becky Fanthorpe was admitted to hospital last October
Becky, a mother of three, had to learn to walk again and quit her job of 16 years as a personal trainer.
Becky had Covid in October last year, just days after she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease.
The blood clots traveled to her stomach and lungs and put Becky in a life-threatening condition.
“The doctor should have noted the fact that he really should have examined me because of all this history, but he didn’t,” Becky said.
He sent me home and just told me to take paracetamol.
It wasn’t until he called 111 a few days later that he was advised to go to hospital in Harlow, Essex, where he suddenly collapsed.
She explained: ‘When I walked through the front door, my leg gave way.
“It was like a lightning bolt that went through my entire body.”
When Becky woke up in a hospital bed 10 minutes later with a leg infection caused by the clots, she said doctors didn’t know if she would survive.
“It turned out I had blood clots from the bottom of my leg to the top of my groin, all along my arteries,” he said.
Blood clots traveled to her stomach and lungs, putting her in a life-threatening situation.
He went to the doctor when the pain first appeared and again when it spread to his groin, but both times his concerns were dismissed, he said.
Becky’s right leg doubled in size due to blood clots and an infection.
Becky ‘almost died’ after a Covid-19 attack left her with a blocked blood clot in her legs, abdomen and lungs.
Becky Fanthorpe with her family
Becky, previously a personal trainer, has been in recovery since October 2023.
Two weeks later he was discharged from hospital, but he was still very unwell and was unable to walk for eight weeks.
Becky has been recovering since, but the severity of her condition meant she had to give up her passion for personal training, which she had pursued as a job for 16 years previously.
“Some days I get really depressed, because exercise was my thing for my mental health,” he said.
“Now, as soon as I go out and exercise, my legs start to swell again.”
She rekindled her passion for healthy living by writing about food and sharing healthy recipes on Instagram and Facebook.
She said: “I almost died and I documented my journey on my social media channel on Instagram, which has taken off and I now share my love of cooking through it.”
‘It’s like my little escape. For me, that’s where my heart is now.’
Becky said a checkup revealed she still has blood clots in her arteries and they may never go away.
But she remains optimistic and feels lucky to be where she is.
“You don’t know at all what’s around the corner,” he said.
‘Always trust your own instinct. Keep thinking there’s always tomorrow.’