Patient poisoned by tampon suffers from toxic shock syndrome and nearly dies

Toxic Shock Syndrome: Organic tampon would almost have killed a young woman's life

A young woman from the United States almost died because she used organic tampons during her period. The use of the hygiene article had led to the so-called Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) in the 33-year-olds.

Young woman was fighting for her life

Regular changing of tampons and pads is part of proper intimate hygiene during menstruation. If tampons remain in the vagina for too long, experts sometimes even threaten life-threatening dangers, such as the so-called toxic shock syndrome (TSS). A young woman from the USA had to learn that too. The 33-year-old fought for her life in a hospital in the state of Massachusetts.

A young American woman was in mortal danger because of a bio-tampon. She had contracted a dangerous infection with the hygiene article. (Image: kellyreekolibry / fotolia.com)

It started with a strong headache

According to a report in the British newspaper "Mirror" Kristina Makris went to a clinic in the US state of Massachusetts earlier this year with a severe headache.

The doctors assumed the symptoms were due to flu and sent the 33-year-old home.

Her condition worsened, she was getting weaker and had to throw up constantly and was therefore brought by her mother to Lahey Hospital in Burlington (Massachusetts).

There, the patient had been treated, among other things, with four different antibiotics and blood pressure medicines.

"I still had no idea what was wrong with me, and it seemed the doctors were not sure either," Makris said, referring to the "Mirror.".

Condition of the woman deteriorated dramatically

The treatment did not improve her condition. "I asked the nurses for painkillers and even threatened to find and take them myself," Makris said.

As a rash on her leg spread and her vital signs weakened, the patient was transferred to intensive care.

And then it went quickly: "I just remember the surgical team that ran towards me and told me I had 45 minutes to decide whether or not to undergo surgery," Makris said.

"I was so confused, I did not know what to say or why I needed surgery until I was told I needed the surgery right away or I would lose my left leg."

When the 33-year-old woke up one day later after an operation, she saw the surgeon and wrote him a note on a white board because she could not speak because of a breathing tube and told him, "Thank you for saving my life . "

Three days later, the doctors told the woman the diagnosis: she suffered from a so-called toxic shock syndrome (TSS).

According to the report, it was thought that her disease was due to tampons, more specifically to organic tampons, which the make-up artist only recently used.

"Because they were incredibly dry, I probably scratched the wall of my vagina while pulling out a tampon and made them so prone to infections," said the 33-year-old.

And: "It never occurred to me that I could have lost my life through something simple."

Sick by tampons

Emma Soos, nurse and director of the Women's Health Clinic, said, according to the "Mirror", that all tampons - whether biological or not - can be dangerous.

"The main reason why women get a toxic shock is the fact that they leave tampons in the vagina for too long," said the expert.

"Organic or not, the risks are the same, but changing the brand of tampon used can lead to a reaction if you are unfamiliar with another product," explained Soos.

"In Kristina's case, it could have been the cause of how absorbing the product was, but we can not commit ourselves to a specific cause in this case."

Tampon disease can be fatal

The TSS is colloquially referred to as "tampon disease".

Typical symptoms of the infectious disease include high fever, headache, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, skin rash, as well as muscle pain, nausea and diarrhea.

If symptoms occur, it is important to see a doctor quickly.

An infection can lead to severe circulatory and organ failure.

Although the disease is extremely rare with one case per 200,000 inhabitants, it can be fatal, as the case of the 13-year-old Jemma-Louise Roberts from the UK showed. The girl from Greater Manchester died of toxic shock syndrome four years ago.

Patient has recovered

After spending two weeks in the hospital, Kristina Makris was released, but then spent three months at home recovering.

According to the information, the doctors after the shocking incident advised her never to use tampons again.

The woman said that she knew almost nothing about the disease: "I hardly knew anything about the toxic shock. Apart from the fact that when I was 12 years old and started my period, I was told that you should never leave a tampon in it too long. "

But: "I followed all the rules, but it happened to me anyway. Now I have a trauma when I see a tampon. "(Ad)