A teenager has shared her alarming experience with nicotine vapes, revealing how she became gravely ill and was “a few hours from death” within a week.
Isabella Troncao, who was 15 at the time, had been using legal cannabis vapes for a year and a half. After starting a relationship, her partner introduced her to nicotine vapes.
Trying to impress him, Isabella began vaping heavily in social settings, even though it caused her throat to burn.
In a matter of days, she became severely unwell, experiencing what felt like a heavy weight on the left side of her chest, coupled with extreme pain and difficulty breathing.
Unable to even stand up to use the bathroom or stay conscious, her mother and brother hurried her to St Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson, Nevada.
At the hospital, doctors diagnosed her with Lemierre’s Syndrome.
According to Healthline, Lemierre’s Syndrome is a rare bacterial throat infection that, if untreated, can spread to the lymphatic vessels and lead to severe, potentially fatal complications.
Isabella recounted that when she arrived at the hospital, medical staff informed her she was merely hours from death due to her body entering septic shock.
Emergency surgery was performed, during which doctors removed a liter of fluid from her lung.
The medical team suggested that vaping had likely contributed to bacterial buildup, especially in her throat.
This incident took place in October 2023, and Isabella has since reflected on her brush with death.
She now warns against vaping, describing it as harmful to the lungs and a cause of illness for many.
Isabella’s mother criticized the marketing tactics of vape products, which often feature fruity flavors and vibrant colors, arguing they are even more harmful than cigarettes.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Isabella believes she was given a second chance, stating, “I felt like it was a sign of God that I was meant to stay on this earth for a reason. It’s crazy to think I would have missed it in that small time window.”