A teenager ended up on life support after waking up with what she thought was a cold.<\/p>\n
But Juliet Roberts was actually battling lung damage and pneumonia caused by vaping since she was 14.<\/p>\n
The 18-year-old was hospitalized in January after struggling to breathe.<\/p>\n
She claims doctors told her years of constant vaping had ravaged her lungs and this, plus a reaction to a disposable vape, sparked pneumonia.<\/p>\n
After being rushed to hospital Juliet ended up on life support for five days, and still needs to be on oxygen.<\/p>\n
Now recovering at home, Juliet is still at risk of having a heart attack due to the strain on her weak lungs.<\/p>\n
The waitress decided to share shocking photos of herself on life support to warn people ofthe dangers of vaping.<\/p>\n
Juliet, from Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, US, said: I woke up feeling like I had a cold and just really didnt feel good, and as the days progressed I started feeling worse.<\/p>\n
Three days later, I was sitting in my room and I went to stand up and I fell back down because I couldnt breathe, I thought I was going to pass out.<\/p>\n
I called my boyfriend and told him I needed to go to the emergency room because I could tell something was wrong.<\/p>\n
As soon as they checked my vitals three nurses rushed in because my oxygen was so low they couldnt believe I was walking.<\/p>\n
After getting all the testing done my condition started worsening very quickly and I dont remember much after that.<\/p>\n
From what Ive been told they put me on a ventilator and when that wasnt enough they put me on life support.<\/p>\n
The doctors told me that if I hadnt made it there that night I wouldve lost my life. It was very scary.<\/p>\n
They told me I was basically dying, Im so glad I went to the hospital when I did.<\/p>\n
Juliet startedvapingat 14 when her school friends started using them and says she quickly became addicted, going through a disposable e-cigarette every two weeks.<\/p>\n
It is rare, but people often teenagers have ended up with severe lung damage due to vaping.<\/p>\n
The NHS advises vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes and can help you quit smoking for good, but they are not completely risk-free.<\/p>\n
Adding: Almost all of the harm from smoking comes from the thousands of other chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which are toxic.<\/p>\n
She told how the infection that nearly killed her made her lungs appear white on the x-ray, rather than the typical black depiction of healthy soft tissue.<\/p>\n
Juliet said: When you get a lung x-ray its supposed to be black and the only white youre supposed to see is your ribs.<\/p>\n
But my x-ray you could almost not even count some of my ribs because of how white it was.<\/p>\n
That was because of the damage from thevapeand the pneumonia which I got from vaping.<\/p>\n
Juliet has been told she will be out of work for between three to 12 months as her lungs recover.<\/p>\n
She has to be careful to avoid catching any illnesses that could further strain her weak lungs.<\/p>\n
The teen said: Right now my lungs are working so hard that if I overdo myself Im at risk of a heart attack my heart rate jumps to 150 when I go up the stairs, which is very dangerous.<\/p>\n
My lungs will never go back to what they were before, they will just get strong enough for me to breathe on my own again.<\/p>\n
They told me leaving the hospital that if I even got a common cold Id end up right back where I was because of how weak my lungs are at the minute.<\/p>\n
My friends had to get Covid tests to come and see me just to make sure it was safe.<\/p>\n
Juliet says doctors have warned her that because of the lasting damage done to her lungs, using a vape again could kill her.<\/p>\n
After her traumatic experience the teen, who vows never to vape again, now hopes to encourage others to quit, insisting its not worth it.<\/p>\n
Juliet said: I havent hit one since the day I went to the hospital and I dont plan on doing it ever again.<\/p>\n
The doctor told me that it would end my life and thats all the information I need to quit for good.<\/p>\n
I just want people to know that its really not worth it. I want it to be known that it is as dangerous as people say it is and its a lot more common than people think it is.<\/p>\n
Shocking research found just how quicklyvapingcan affect the cells of healthy nonsmokers.<\/p>\n
Just a single 30-minute vaping session can increase cellular oxidative stress.<\/p>\n
This happens when there is an imbalance between free radicals molecules that cause damage to cells and antioxidants which fight free radicals.<\/p>\n
This story originally appeared on The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission.<\/p>\n
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Read more from the original source: <\/p>\n
Teen goes on life support with lung damage vaping habit to blame - New York Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A teenager ended up on life support after waking up with what she thought was a cold. But Juliet Roberts was actually battling lung damage and pneumonia caused by vaping since she was 14 Continue reading