A 16-year-old girl, Isabella Troncao, has shared her experience of becoming seriously ill after using nicotine vapes, nearly losing her life in just a week. At 15, Isabella had been using legal marijuana vapes for 18 months when her boyfriend introduced her to nicotine vapes. She started vaping socially to impress him, even though the device caused her throat to burn.
Within just seven days of vaping, Isabella began to feel severe pain, describing it as feeling like a “50lb weight” on the left side of her chest. She struggled to breathe and was unable to get up or stay awake. Her family rushed her to St Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson, Nevada, where she was diagnosed with Lemierre’s Syndrome, a rare bacterial infection in the throat that can cause life-threatening complications if untreated.
Doctors informed Isabella that she was just hours from death due to septic shock, and she had to undergo surgery to remove a liter of fluid from her lung. The doctors suggested that vaping likely contributed to the bacterial buildup, particularly in her throat.
Reflecting on the experience, Isabella now warns others against vaping, saying it strains the lungs and causes illness. Her mother added that the marketing of vapes, especially with fruity flavors and bright colors, makes them more dangerous than cigarettes. Isabella believes her close call with death was a sign that she was meant to survive, and she now feels like she’s been given a second chance at life.