A Texas resident who vaped constantly has issued a warning about the harmful effects linked to this type of smoking.
Hudson Williams, aged 23, switched from smoking cigarettes to using a vape in 2019, believing it to be a healthier option.
However, in August, Hudson ended up in the hospital after experiencing intense chest pains that he described as feeling like ‘being shot in the chest with a gun’.
Once medical staff assessed him, it was found that Hudson had a collapsed lung, a condition that arises when air escapes into the space between the lung and chest wall.
Doctors cautioned that even if Hudson stopped vaping, there remained a chance the lung could collapse again.
Despite having read online about the potential risks of vaping, Hudson ‘never thought it would happen to him’.
His hospitalization served as ‘the wake-up call he needed’ to quit after becoming heavily reliant on vaping.
Hudson explained: “I was smoking cigarettes for a year before I began vaping.”
“Many of my friends had taken up vaping, so I decided to try it because the flavors were more appealing. Initially, I didn’t vape much, but over time, the frequency increased.”
“I was using my vape every 10 seconds, going through two or three disposable vapes each month. On August 30th, while sitting in my work truck, I suddenly felt what seemed like heartburn.”
He added: “Within about 15 minutes, it felt like I had been shot in the chest with a shotgun.”
“I struggled to breathe, and the pain spread to my rotator cuff, collar bone, heart, the center of my chest, neck, earlobe, lower lung, and back.”
“A friend drove me to the hospital, where doctors informed me that my lung had collapsed by 10 percent.”
Fortunately, Hudson’s lung collapse was limited to 10 percent, and while he is now on the mend, the risk of recurrence remains.
Having given up vaping for good, Hudson is urging others to be cautious.
“I stopped vaping as soon as this happened. It was undoubtedly the wake-up call I needed to quit permanently,” he stated.
“My advice to anyone is don’t vape; it’s not worth it. Quitting is challenging, but it’s certainly feasible. It’s a harmful habit, but breaking free is achievable.”