BestieWomen are taught early about how to use tampons. One of the first things that they are taught in health class is the dangers of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) from tampons. It is a very rare syndrome to contract, but if you’re not careful, you can contract it. One of the easiest ways to contract TSS is by leaving a tampon in for too long.
There is a recent story about a young woman who left her tampon in for too long. Emily Pankhurst, who is 20 years old, ended up getting very ill. She thought that her sickness was due to stress from school exams. Turns out her sickness was more serious than she thought.
Why did she become seriously ill? Read on to find out!
What Pankhurst didn’t realize was that she had left her tampon in for 9 days. She immediately removed it and when she did, she noticed that the tampon was black. The moment that she removed the tampon, she began to experience severe symptoms.
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According to Pankhurst, the tampon was used during her last period. But because she was under enormous stress, she forgot it was in there. It was when she started feeling bloated and sick that she discovered that it was still in there. Leaving a tampon in for too long can have consequences like leaving contact lenses in for too long.
EmaWoo/shutterstock.comSo what happened once she removed the tampon is she began to slur her words and her skin tone changed dramatically. She was rushed to the hospital where doctors ran multiple tests and scans. They discovered that Pankhurst was suffering from TSS.
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The good news is that the doctors caught it in time before it had the chance to kill her. They gave her proper medication that eventually saved her life. Unfortunately, there were some complications that TSS caused Pankhurst. She temporarily lost some of her mobility which made walking and other physical activities difficult.
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But I am happy to say that since she was diagnosed with TSS, she has recovered and returned back to school. She doesn’t overstress herself now, she works less and spends fewer hours in school. Although she passed this incident, Pankhurst does admit that her body has not fully recovered. She says that she still feels weak and exhausted despite having less stress in her life.
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If you’re unfamiliar with TSS, here is a bit of background on it. What TSS does is it fills your bloodstream with toxins. Symptoms come as quickly as a couple of days after the bacteria has infected your body. Typically, the most common symptoms are fever, confusion, rash, low blood pressure, and kidney issues.
LukiyanovaNataliafrenta/shutterstock.comThese symptoms shed some light on why Pankhurst started slurring her words and felt very faint. Other risk factors that can cause this disease include exposed cuts and burns, recent surgery, a viral infection, and tampons. It’s essential that if you experience TSS symptoms that you go see a doctor immediately. It can progress very quickly and can be fatal if not caught in time.
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For women, one of the easiest ways to prevent TSS is to keep track of their tampons. It may be easier said than done, but hopefully, Pankhurst’s story can show you the dangers they can cause. This syndrome is so serious that manufacturers in the United States have removed the material or designs from tampons that are associated with TSS. Companies have done this because leaving a tampon in is more common than most people think.
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