Ellie Davies, a 39-year-old mother from Flintshire, experienced a life-threatening medical emergency after mistaking symptoms of a brain bleed for whiplash. She collapsed at home following a gym class in April 2026 and was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered an acute subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Gym Class Turned Critical
While attending a gym class, Davies felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, which she initially dismissed as whiplash. After standing up, she vomited and called her partner, Glenn Williams, to take her home. “I thought there was something wrong with my shoulder initially at the gym, it just ached badly,” she told the ECHO. “I've had whiplash before and it felt like it. It felt like I just needed to click something in place.”
Despite feeling unwell, Davies tried to carry on. “I’m that type of person - I’ll just crack on with it. Then I was sick. I haven’t been sick since I was 18. At that point I thought, something’s not right, so I called Glenn to come and get me.”
Collapse at Home and Emergency Response
Once home, Davies attempted to run a bath but collapsed and lost consciousness. An ambulance transported her from Flintshire to the Countess of Chester Hospital, where a CT scan revealed a massive brain bleed. She was then transferred to The Walton Centre in Liverpool, a specialist neurology and neurosurgery centre.
Further investigations confirmed an acute subarachnoid haemorrhage, a rare type of stroke that causes bleeding on the brain and is life-threatening. According to the NHS, symptoms include a sudden, severe headache, neck pain, and vomiting, requiring immediate hospital treatment.
Gratitude for Swift Medical Care
Davies praised the rapid response from paramedics, nurses, and doctors. “Glenn gave the paramedics such good information about my condition and when we got to the hospital, the staff were waiting for us at the door,” she said. “My mum (Marie Garner) was with me in hospital, and she urged for a CT scan.”
She added, “I couldn’t be more grateful for the speed and efficiency of everything, plus staff on the ward and every other department I went to were so friendly and kind. They all really took care of me.”
After monitoring to ensure the bleeding had stopped, Davies was discharged. Reflecting on her symptoms, she said, “It felt like whiplash and I just needed something to click, but that’s actually the blood popping. The pain that comes after is the blood hitting all of your nerves, which I only found out once I came home.”
Recovery and Ongoing Monitoring
Davies, who works as a project manager for the NHS, is now recovering at home under the care of The Walton Centre. She experiences brain fog, fatigue, and headaches as the blood moves through her system. “My recovery hasn’t been as fast as I’d like, but I appreciate that I can only go as fast as my body will allow,” she said.
“The tiredness is really bad. It grabs you and you can’t stop it. I still have pain in my head, which is the blood moving round. While it's healing you can get pins and needles in your legs. I couldn't walk for a few weeks. But every single day I've just tried to be better than yesterday.”
Davies also noted the kindness of staff, including her stepdad’s consultant, who checked on her daily despite not being her doctor. “They are worth their weight in gold,” she said.
