Amanda Stelzer: Vape addict on life support after smoking equivalent of 50 cigarettes a day for 7 years
DELAWARE, OHIO: A former vaping addict fought for her life after smoking more than a cartridge of e-cigarette liquid daily for seven years. 34-year-old Amanda Stelzer started vaping in 2015 after seeing her friends indulge in the harmful practice.
It wasn't long before Stelzer was addicted to the devices and found herself finishing a whopping eight cartridges per week, which is the equivalent of smoking 50 cigarettes a day. In October 2019, she was rushed to urgent care after suffering acute breathing problems. Doctors were unable to pinpoint what was wrong and sent her to a local hospital, where she was placed on life support within the next 24 hours.
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Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Stelzer's lungs were scanned and she was diagnosed with Acute respiratory distress syndrome, a life-threatening condition in which the subject's lungs are so damaged that they fail to provide sufficient oxygen to the rest of the body. Vaping is known to cause severe damage to the lungs and heart, similar to the effects of smoking standard cigarettes, studies have shown. "I was crying because I was in so much pain. I was so scared," Stelzer told the Daily Mail. "The last thing I remember is someone handing me a form and basically saying I needed to sign this if I wanted to live — that was the consent form to be put on life support." She was reportedly on life support for about eight days, during which her family was warned she may remain in that state for at least three months.
Doctors were unable to put a finger on what was wrong with Stelzer despite her deteriorating condition, at least until her mother asked a nurse if it could have anything to do with her proclivity for vaping. Her chest was subsequently scanned and medical staff confirmed that her diagnosis was a direct result of vaping. Stelzer was discharged after spending two more weeks in the hospital. However, she was unable to work, see friends and family, or be around people using cigarettes and vaping for six months so her lungs could fully heal. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, also known as wet lung, is a condition in which fluid starts to build up in the elastic air sacs of the lungs. The fluid prevents air from filling up the lungs, resulting in less oxygen being distributed across the body. Organs aren't able to get the vital oxygen they need to function, sometimes leading to organ failure or even death.
'It seems harmless until it isn't'
Stelzer was recommended nicotine lozenges to deal with nicotine withdrawal as her body continued to heal. The Delaware-based cashier suffered significant financial losses as well as mental health issues after she was discharged from the hospital. "I was lucky that owned my car at the time and my insurance covered my treatment, but I still got into a lot of debt," she recalled. "It was depressing. I was happy to be alive but I was sad that I couldn't work and I couldn't be around family and friends without a mask. It was awkward having to disinfect everything and ask people not to vape or smoke around me anymore. I even lost two friends because they refused to quit."
The harrowing ordeal left Stelzer with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but she insists her health is "amazing" right now and she's in a really good place with many supportive friends and family members around her all the time. That said, she has vowed never to vape again and is hoping her experience serves as a lesson for others. "It seems harmless until it isn't," she remarked. "You never know what can happen — I thought it was no big deal when I started. It is dangerous and I don't want someone else to go through what I went through. People might not want to see it or hear it but if it helps just one person stop, I'll be happy," Stelzer added.