Unbearable leg pain landed me in hospital – then doctors discovered a sexually transmitted disease

“Your test results show the presence of chlamydia.”

Sitting across from the doctor in my hospital bed, I listened intently as he explained the outcome of my 2021 STI test.

It was completely treatable so they advised me to stay calm.

But how could I? I was shocked because it's not every day you end up in the hospital with crippling leg pain caused by a sexually transmitted infection – pain so bad I thought I might need amputation.

At the time, I was dating someone I met through a dating app. Before our third dinner date, I had to leave for work as a go-go dancer at a club, but I said I'd come back later.

We actually had a good time together later that evening. I must admit that in the heat of the moment I didn't pay much attention to security.

The next morning I woke up with strange discomfort.

My legs became heavy and sore, and when I tried to get out of bed, I realized I couldn't put any pressure on them without wincing. At first I thought it was just a case of overdoing it, pulling a muscle while dancing.

But as the day wore on and I left his apartment, the pain became unbearable. I started to worry that something was seriously wrong.

On the second day, the pain in my legs was so terrible that I could barely get out of bed.

One leg was much worse than the other – he seemed almost paralyzed. I couldn't move it.

There was also constant throbbing and sleeping became a challenge because I couldn't relax.

At around 11:00 a.m. I called non-emergency services, who booked me an appointment for some tests at a nearby sexual health clinic and then told me to go to the emergency department.

I was surprised – I'm going to sexual health, visiting the clinic seemed like a waste of time because my legs hurt.

But I had no choice, so I called an Uber.

In total, I spent about 10 hours at the Royal London Hospital, where I was made to hop on crutches for various tests between different rooms because I couldn't walk. At this point the pain worsened and the leg began to swell.

Then came the first wave of bad news. One of the tests I had done showed that the blood pressure and circulation in my foot were not good, so they had to keep me.

My heart sank and I immediately thought of the worst: what if I had an infection and my leg had to be amputated?

The hospital stay was terrible and miserable. Apart from the bland food, there were times when my leg suddenly started burning and I had to call one of the nurses for help.

They gave me painkillers – usually a dose of morphine – but it had to be authorized by someone, which sometimes took hours. Every day felt like a struggle.

I had to exercise my leg to improve blood flow, so I always walked around the hospital on crutches.

They ran what seemed like every test under the sun.

When a person tests positive for chlamydia, it takes about a week after the first admission to the hospital. They told me I had reactive arthritis, which could be a reaction to chlamydia. It can cause joint pain and inflammation, so it must be treated with antibiotics.

I was shocked. I couldn't believe I was getting such a harsh reaction.

At that point I just wanted to leave the hospital, but they had to keep me there.

The nights were the hardest. The pain came fast and hard, but no one came when I called. The medications I took only stopped the pain for a few hours, but it came back with a vengeance.

This took a huge toll on my mental health.

In total, I left the hospital after two weeks – still on crutches – and missed a month of work because I still couldn't walk. I was also prescribed codeine which helped with the pain and inflammation.

Although the treatment was effective, it was a slow recovery process, so it took me some time to regain full mobility. I had to be patient and listen to my body.

The day after I got out of the hospital, I texted a guy I was dating to tell him about what I had been through. He then told me that he had also tested positive for chlamydia, but he was already taking medication for it.

I was furious at the thought that he could have given it to me, or that he had tested positive and just not told me.

My experience with chlamydia was traumatic, but it also taught me a valuable lesson. It is important to get tested regularly, especially after unprotected sex.

Even if you don't experience any symptoms, you may still have something. What if you Down If you experience symptoms, do not ignore them and especially stop having sex. Seek medical attention immediately.

This experience changed me in many ways. It has made me more cautious about my sexual health and more aware of the potential consequences of unprotected sex.

I never knew someone my age could suffer from arthritis caused by a sexually transmitted disease.

That's why it's so important to me to tell my story so that others don't have to go through the same thing.

Do you have a story you'd like to share? Contact jess.austin@metro.co.uk.

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