“I started choking and kept passing out”: 3 true stories of people with EVALI

In the debate about which is worse (cigarettes or vaping), a new controversy has emerged. EVALI (E-cigarette and Vaping Use Associated Lung Injury), or “vaping disease”, is becoming a real problem. This diagnosis was first made in the summer of 2019. And by the beginning of 2020, almost three thousand hospitalizations and 68 deaths were recorded in the United States. Most of the victims were young people under the age of 20. Then came the Covid-19 pandemic, and the “vaping disease” faded into the background.

In July 2021, the first case of EVALI was recorded in Moscow – a 17-year-old boy was hospitalized with severe symptoms of pneumonia and general intoxication. He miraculously survived. The symptoms of EVALI are similar to pneumonia and COVID-19, so it is quite difficult to collect statistics on cases. But what can be said for sure is that the number of cases of the disease is increasing. The Fashion Vibes editors talked to young people who are faced with this disease. But before moving on to personal stories, we recommend that you understand what EVALI is.

Marina Kazakova, pulmonologist at DocDeti and DocMed clinics

Symptoms of EVALI

EVALI – this is the inhalation injury to the lungs caused by electronic cigarettes (also known as electronic vaporizers, electronic hookahs, e-cigarettes). These products heat a liquid containing nicotine and other substances, creating an aerosol that the vaper inhales.

The symptoms of EVALI are quite nonspecific and may initially resemble the common cold, pneumonia, or COVID-19. The most common initial symptoms are shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, sometimes hemoptysis, malaise, chills, but may also include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, with symptoms of progressive respiratory failure occurring later.

What happens to the lungs with EVALI?

The disease is caused by inhalation of aerosol from electronic cigarettes containing various additives (in the vast majority of cases, the culprit was found tocopherol acetate, also known as vitamin E). These substances cause acute damage to the alveoli, and the lungs can no longer fully exchange gases.

How is EVALI treated?

Trying to self-medicate is definitely not worth it. The disease is very new and its course is unpredictable. Patients usually require hospitalization. Anti-inflammatory therapy should be prescribed by a doctor after diagnosing and excluding other serious diseases. Patients with less severe symptoms may need oxygen supplements. Patients with more severe conditions need to be admitted to the intensive care unit and may be put on a ventilator because they cannot breathe on their own.

Stories from people with EVALI

Victoria, 19 years old

I have been smoking for four years. This summer I bought a new electronic device and when I first inhaled it I felt sick and like I was going to fall over. I felt terribly dizzy, my heart was beating wildly and my legs felt weak. The symptoms appeared on about the fifth day of smoking and lasted about two weeks. Then everything went away. At first I thought the e-cigarette contained too much nicotine, but when I started smoking it constantly, I started having chest pains and a constant cough. I started choking, my throat became dry and I kept fainting. I went to the hospital thinking it was coronavirus or bronchitis, but the first thing they asked me was if I smoked. The doctors, who heard a positive answer, said that I had respiratory failure because my heart was suffering a lot. Moreover, my upper respiratory tract was completely blocked. As a result, I continued with artificial ventilation and injections for a while. I still have a cough, but I don’t smoke anymore.

Narek, 19 years old

I smoked e-cigarettes every day for six months. From the very beginning I felt nausea, chest pain, lack of energy, but it didn’t matter to me because I enjoyed vaping. Ignoring all the symptoms, I got to the point where I couldn’t go a day without a cigarette anymore, it became part of my routine. When I started to choke, I knew I had to quit. I didn’t go to the doctor because I didn’t know anything about the disease. The situation was made even more complicated by the fact that my parents didn’t know about my addiction and therefore I had no one to turn to. And of course I didn’t want to admit to myself that I was sick.

Nana, 19 years old

I have been smoking for 3-4 years, the symptoms started when I was smoking regular cigarettes, but became more common after switching to e-cigarettes. Frequent nausea, vomiting, sore throat, dizziness… I didn’t pay much attention to it until my friends told me, I didn’t think I was addicted and I didn’t feel like I was constantly smoking. I didn’t go to the doctor because I didn’t want others to know about my bad habit, but now I try to smoke less.

The idea that electronic cigarettes and e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes is still widespread. And many people still switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes to gradually quit smoking. But the truth is that any type of cigarette has the same negative effects on the body. True, the results of some can only be seen after years, but in the case of e-cigarettes, they will not take long to appear.

The editors remind you that smoking, including traditional and electronic cigarettes, poses a serious health risk. Regardless of the method, consuming tobacco products and smoking electronic cigarettes damage the lungs and other organs, increasing the risk of various diseases. Take care of your health!