Woman reveals horrific reason why you should never sleep drunk: 'The nerve damage was so bad'

A mother in Canada is giving a stark warning to people when they go out drinking not to fall asleep when they are still drunk. Julia Anderson, 36, had a night out drinking vodka with friends and when she got home she passed out in an awkward position. When she woke up she was horrified to find her leg had doubled in size and she couldn’t walk.

Compartment syndrome

Julia had no idea what had happened to her and, in tears, she called her mother who arranged an ambulance for her. The medics promptly rushed her to a nearby hospital where they did several tests and x-rays on her legs.

The results showed that where Julia had been lying on her legs all evening, blood flow had been blocked off to several areas of her legs. This led to a condition called compartment syndrome, where muscle and nerve cells are cut off from oxygen and nutrients in the blood and start to die. Then when the blood returns to those areas the body responds with severe inflammation.

At Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, surgeons cut open Julia's left calf muscle to relieve the pressure. Sections of muscles had to be removed to relieve the swelling and reduce the amount of toxins being released into her bloodstream.

The operation left a hole in Julia’s left leg that need a skin graft to help it heal, putting Julia in immense pain, as per The Mirror:

The nerve damage was so bad I was screaming out in the middle of the night with the pain.

Imagine your leg is falling asleep but that tingling feeling is times a thousand, like a sharp shooting electric shock up my leg.

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Recovery process

Julia had to stay in hospital for five weeks after the life-saving surgery and was then bedridden for three weeks at home. The incredible pain meant she had to take strong painkillers for a year after leaving hospital.

Though Julia is cured now she says she still walks ‘funny’ though her general movement is better.

Commenting on the ordeal she went through she said, as per The Express:

It's been years but it still feels like my foot is mildly asleep all the time, I'm used to it.

My toes are starting to curl under, I don't know if I'll need further surgery or if there's anything they can do at this point.

After bravely battling through a gruelling ordeal that lasted three years in total, Julia had these words of warning for partygoers out there:

Never pass out really drunk, sleeping it off is dangerous. Have some food and water instead and try to sober up before bed.

Read more:Urgent warning issued over availability of common medicines: Here are the affected products

Sources used:

- The Mirror 'Mum who passed out drunk and woke up with rotting legs issues urgent alcohol warning'

- The Express ''I passed out drunk after night out and woke up with rotting legs - listen to my warning''