Woman Placed in Medically-Induced Coma After Vaping for Six Weeks

Vaping epidemic

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin— A single mother decided to use an e-cigarette product, and in six weeks, she developed symptoms that mimicked pneumonia that compelled her doctors to place her in a coma so she could heal. According to Yahoo.com, her doctors say vaping is to blame. The single mom initially thought she had the flu, but it turned out to be something worse.

In December of 2019, the victim said she started to feel like she was getting the flu. She reported chills and fevers. However, the red flag symptom for her was vomiting. She saw her doctor, and the doctor believed she contracted pneumonia. The doctor admitted her to a local hospital for treatment. Then her health took a dastardly turn.

Doctors needed to incubate the woman to help her breathe. As a result, her physicians placed her in a medically-induced coma. Her doctors eventually discharged her from the hospital, and she is on a battery of inhalers and corticosteroids to combat the damage e-cigarette use inflicted on her lungs.

The victim once smoked traditional tobacco cigarettes. However, she switched to e-cigarettes, either JUUL or BLU, which she bought at a local gas station because she thought they would be easier on her lungs. Also, she would no longer smell like cigarette smoke.

The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, in association with the FDA, have investigated numerous incidents of vaping illnesses. The severe lung disease associated with vaping and e-cigarette use is known as EVALI. Health officials believe the vitamin E acetate is the culprit in the EVALI outbreak and the lung damage resulting from the vitamin E acetate resembles chemical burns on the lungs.

EVALI has several symptoms, and not every case presents with the same symptoms. Some people fall sick with vomiting and diarrhea, while others will experience fever and fatigue. The symptoms come on gradually in most instances and people experience difficulty breathing or chest pain before requiring hospitalization. To date, 60 people have died and 2,668 people needed hospitalization from EVALI. Most of the cases were attributable to using e-cigarettes with THC.