An Ohio woman is fighting for her life after smoking more than one cartridge of e-cigarette liquid every day for seven years.
Like a growing number of young Americans, Amanda Stelzer, 34, started vaping in 2015 after seeing many of her friends doing it and thinking it would be fun.
She quickly became addicted to the devices and found herself consuming around eight cartridges of vape liquid each week – the equivalent of 50 cigarettes a day.
Suddenly, in October 2019, she came to the emergency room with breathing problems. Doctors couldn’t figure out what was going on and sent her to a local hospital. Within the next 24 hours she was placed on a ventilator.
Chest scans revealed she was suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome – a fatal condition that occurs when a person’s lungs are so damaged that they cannot get enough oxygen to the rest of the body.
Amanda Stelzer (pictured), 34, was admitted to hospital after life-threatening complications from acute respiratory distress syndrome
Ms Stelzer reported smoking eight vape cartridges every week for seven years – or more than one a day.
Repeated studies have warned that vaping can cause serious damage to the lungs and heart, similar to smoking regular cigarettes.
Ms Stelzer, a Delaware cashier, said: “I cried because I was in so much pain. I was so scared.
“The last thing I remember was somebody giving me a form and basically telling me to sign that if I wanted to live – that was the consent form to be on life support.”
She was on a ventilator for about eight days, and doctors warned her family that she could remain on a ventilator for at least three months.
Despite her serious illness, the doctors could not figure out what was wrong with Ms. Stelzer.
E-cigarettes cause MORE pneumonia than regular cigarettes
READ MORE: Vape users are more likely to suffer from pneumonia than people who smoke regular cigarettes, a study has found.
It wasn’t until her mother asked a nurse if it had anything to do with her vaping that doctors were asked to scan her chest.
Medical staff then confirmed that her diagnosis was a direct result of her vaping.
After spending another two weeks in hospital, she was discharged but was unable to work, see friends and family, or be around people using cigarettes and vapes for six months while her lungs recovered .
The condition, also called wet lung, occurs when fluid accumulates in the elastic air sacs of the lungs. WELL
The fluid prevents air from filling the lungs, reducing the amount of oxygen circulating through the body.
As a result, the body’s organs do not receive the essential oxygen they need to function, leading to organ failure or even death.
She was advised to take nicotine tablets because her body was still healing and suffering from nicotine withdrawal.
The cashier suffered significant financial losses and psychological problems following her hospitalization.
She said: “At the time I was lucky enough to own my car and my insurance covered my treatment, but I was still in huge debt.
“It was depressing. I was happy to be alive, but sad that I couldn’t work with family and friends without a mask.
“It was inconvenient to disinfect everything and ask people to stop vaping or smoking in my neighborhood.
“I even lost two friends because they refused to stop.”
As a result of this experience, Amanda now suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
However, her health is “great” at the moment and she is in the best position she has ever been – with many supportive friends and family around her.
Ms. Stelzer nearly died from her complications but eventually recovered. She now has to stay away from people who use vaping or cigarettes, as even second-hand smoke can be dangerous. She says she now suffers from PTSD and has vowed to vape someday in the future
She vowed never to touch a vape again and hopes her experience will be the wake-up call someone else needs.
Amanda said: “It looks innocent until it’s not. You never know what can happen – I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal when I started.
“It’s dangerous and I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through.
“People may not want to see it or hear it, but if it helps just one person to quit, I’m happy.”
Vaping use in the US has reached a critical point, especially among young people, warns the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A report by the agency found that 2.6 million American teenagers vaped last year.
It is estimated that more than 8 million adults have also used the devices.
These numbers have grown rapidly in recent years as companies such as Juul have become major players in the tobacco industry.
Source link
Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
