An Indiana vape addict was hospitalized after smoking more than one cartridge of e-juice a day, causing him to cough up more than three gallons of blood.
Dustin Fitzgerald of Clinton, Vermillion County, lost so much blood that doctors considered giving him a transfusion, he claims.
The 45-year-old was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia after continuously inhaling nicotine vapor for up to 12 hours a day for 10 months.
Doctors said the oily chemicals in the e-liquid caused an inflammatory reaction in his lungs, leading to a dangerous build-up of fluid.
Like millions of Americans, Mr. Fitzgerald started vaping as a “healthy” alternative to smoking and trying to break his 60-day habit.
Disposable e-cigarettes like the ones in the photos caused Dustin Fitzgerald (45) to develop a severe coughing fit that landed him in intensive care with bacterial pneumonia. The devices have long been touted by many as a safer alternative to cigarettes, but health officials and experts warn that’s far from the truth
Mr Fitzgerald, who coughed up three liters of blood, was quarantined in intensive care because doctors feared it could be linked to hepatitis or tuberculosis
But he started coughing badly and often fell asleep as a result.
The harrowing ordeal is just the latest in a series of examples of e-cigarettes widely seen as a safer alternative to smoking seriously injuring users.
In Ohio, 34-year-old Amanda Stelzer, who has been an avid e-cigarette user for years, was recently diagnosed with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome – a fatal condition that occurs when a person’s lungs are damaged to the point that they are at rest. cannot provide enough oxygen.
To kick his expensive cigarette habit, Mr. Fitzgerald purchased maximum strength vape pens in January 2022 and is said to empty an entire eight milliliter cartridge in less than a week.
For comparison, that’s the equivalent of about a pod and a half a day of Juul, one of the most popular vape brands.
But after a few months Mr. Fitzgerald noticed a bad cough.
Over time it became more and more violent – and in October 2022 he went to see a doctor about it.
At the time, doctors misdiagnosed him as having bronchitis, which also causes these symptoms.
The bloody mess vape victim, mr. Fitzgerald, cough in hospital
But later that day, when he was diagnosed with bronchitis, he started coughing up blood, so he and his wife Amy Fitzgerald, 43, rushed to the emergency room.
Mr Fitzgerald said: “When I saw the blood I was really shocked. I coughed a lot and it was just blood.
“When I got there the doctors said I’d lost three whole pints – they were even worried I’d need a blood transfusion.”
When he was in the hospital, Mr. Fitzgerald was quarantined in the intensive care unit because doctors feared it was related to hepatitis or tuberculosis, he said.
He was then connected to an oxygen supply with a mask on his head – but that didn’t stop him from trying to sneak his vape inside.
He said: “I was barely hit, and then my chest felt like someone had put ten elephants on it.
“I felt like I was dying. That moment scared me more than the blood.”
After being hospitalized, he was eventually diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, a severe form of pneumonia in which the air sacs in the lungs become inflamed and sometimes fill with fluid, pus and debris. Vaping is believed to increase the likelihood of contracting bacterial pneumonia.
ANOTHER study found that e-cigarettes cause DNA damage in the lungs
Researchers at McGill University, Canada, exposed mice to 60 puffs of Juul per day. The rodents suffered from cellular and molecular changes linked to carcinogenesis in cigarette smokers.
Research published in the European Respiratory Journal in 2018 showed that e-cigarette vapor helps pneumococcal bacteria attach to cells that line the airways, increasing the risk of infection.
The effect is very similar to how cigarettes interact with the respiratory tract, further throwing holes in the theory that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking.
In publishing the study, Professor Jonathan Grigg of Queen Mary University of London said: “Some people may vape because they think it’s perfectly safe or to quit smoking, but this study adds to growing evidence that inhaling that vapor have the potential to cause adverse health effects.
Other aids to stop smoking, such as patches or chewing gum, do not expose airway cells to high concentrations of potentially toxic substances.”
Before his shocking experience, Mr. Fitzgerald blasted away at his device all day, even at work. Many e-cigarettes on the market produce little or no smell, making them a less invasive alternative to smoking. But it also encourages users to make more hits.
He said: “But once I started coughing I just couldn’t stop – even trying to sleep.” When I noticed I was coughing up blood, I was shocked – but I still didn’t understand that it was the vaping.
“If you ever decide to vape, do it wisely – and if you start coughing a lot, put it down and walk away.” It’s just not worth it.
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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.
