A smoker who traded cigarettes for vapes to be ‘healthier’ revealed how she nearly died after the devices triggered a rare lung disease.
Zoe Shackleford, 29, from Strasburg, Virginia, first started smoking cigarettes at 18, but after four years, she switched to e-cigarettes in the belief they would be a healthier alternative to tobacco.
The devices are often touted as being less toxic than traditional cigarettes and are promoted as a smoking cessation aid.
For nearly eight years, she used refillable vape devices. But last month, looking for more convenience, she made the switch to disposable vapes – a decision that would nearly end her life.
While refillable vapes and disposable vapes may appear similar, there is a big difference.
With refillable vapes, e-liquids tend to be more regulated and sold by specialty shops or online, while the disposable equivalents often contain unlisted or unknown chemicals; some use synthetic nicotine or high concentrations of sweeteners, artificial flavors, or heavy metals.
Meanwhile, the heating elements in refillable vapes are usually made of stainless steel or ceramic coils, while the disposable offerings often use cheaper metals (nickel, chromium, tin, lead), which can leach into the vapor being inhaled.
After finishing three disposable vapes (one vape can be equivalent to hundreds of puffs or even multiple packs of cigarettes, depending on the device) Shackleford said she saw her health quickly deteriorate and began experiencing what she initially thought was a mild cold.
Zoe Shackleford first started smoking cigarettes at 18 but after around four years, switched to e-cigarettes in the belief they would be a ‘healthier’ alternative
‘I thought it was from swimming,’ she said. ‘I had a sore throat. I didn’t think much of it.’
But within 48 hours, she found herself struggling to breathe, even during basic activities like changing clothes or using the bathroom.
Shackleford then became completely breathless while speaking, and realized something was seriously wrong.
On August 17, she was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found her airways were functioning at just 50 percent.
‘When I was first admitted to the hospital, I had only 50 percent of my airway open. It was completely closing off,’ she said.
‘[Doctors] said if I hadn’t come that night, I probably wouldn’t have made it to the hospital.’
At the hospital, Shackleford was tested for pneumonia, bronchitis, and sepsis – but all results came back negative. Her condition worsened despite initial treatments.
‘They didn’t know how to treat me. Everything they were trying wasn’t working, so they kept going with the breathing treatments.’
She was kept in the hospital for nine days, receiving supplemental oxygen to help her breathe, steroids to open her airways, and antibiotics to combat any possible infection.
Upon discharge, she was referred to a lung specialist for further evaluation.
Following a detailed consultation, the specialist diagnosed her with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) – a rare inflammatory lung condition triggered by an immune response to inhaled substances.
On August 17, she went to the hospital where doctors reportedly said her airways were at 50 percent capacity and she could have died if she hadn’t sought urgent medical attention
‘He said that I have something called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. He said he hasn’t seen this in two years,’ Shackleford recalled.
‘The vape that I was using had a chemical that was reacting negatively with my lungs – basically closing off my airway.’
HP is caused by inhaling substances like mold, bird droppings, or chemical vapors, and it leads to severe inflammation in the tiny air sacs and airways of the lungs. Without prompt treatment, it can lead to permanent lung scarring.
While rare – affecting just one to three people per 100,000 annually – HP is well-documented in people exposed to environmental irritants.
It is sometimes referred to as ‘farmer’s lung’ because it plagues one percent of farmers, who are repeatedly exposed to mold grown on hay, straw and grain.
It has also been dubbed ‘bird fancier’s lung’ because it can be caused by breathing in particles from feathers or bird droppings.
Many other substances can trigger similar disease patterns. In many cases it can be very difficult to find the exact cause. The symptoms include cough, shortness of breath and sometimes fever and joint pains.
In Shackleford’s case, doctors traced the cause back to a chemical used in her disposable vape.
Now home and recovering, Shackleford is on asthma medication once a day and uses an inhaler twice daily.
‘I’m feeling a lot better, I’m not losing my breath as much,’ she said. ‘When I first came out of the hospital, even taking a shower exhausted me. I have trouble catching my breath sometimes but it’s not as bad.’
She has since quit vaping and smoking altogether, a decision she admits hasn’t been easy.
‘It’s a little bit of a challenge because I do miss it, but I think I miss the motion more,’ she said. ‘I feel like I snack more now.’
But she’s clear that no craving is worth risking her life again.
‘If you can get to a point of stopping, I would – that was one of the scariest experiences of my life.
‘Honestly, it’s not worth it. You only get one life. Something so simple as stopping vaping can help save it.’
Stopping her vaping habit has also saved Shackleford money, as she would go through a $25 disposable vape every 10 days.
Zoe at first dismissed her symptoms as catching a sore throat from swimming late at night – however soon she couldn’t speak without losing her breath and rushed to the hospital
And study published in June by University of California that tested seven flavored e-cigarettes from three of the most popular brands (ELF Bar, Flum Pebble and Esco) found the disposable vapes release more cancer-causing toxic metals than cigarettes. The above graphic shows the heavy metals in different parts of the tested disposable vapes
Vapes and e-cigarettes have long been marketed as a safer alternative to tobacco and a tool for quitting smoking – and in many cases, they may carry fewer immediate toxins than cigarettes.
But recent studies are raising alarm bells, particularly around disposable vapes.
A 2024 University of California study analyzed seven popular flavored disposable vapes – including ELF Bar, Flum Pebble, and Esco – and found they released more toxic heavy metals than cigarettes.
One of the vapes tested released more lead in a single day than 20 packs of cigarettes.
These metals – including lead, nickel, and chromium – come from the heating coils inside the devices, which leach into the liquid and are inhaled.
They have been linked to serious health risks including cancer, asthma, and lung scarring.
Despite concerns about the health consequences, vaping continues to grow in popularity, especially among young people.
In 2024, 3.5 percent of US middle schoolers and 7.8 percent of high schoolers reported vaping in the past 30 days.
That translates to approximately 410,000 middle school and 1.21 million high school students.
Meanwhile, adult use of e-cigarettes increased from 4.5 percent in 2019 to 6.5 percent in 2023.
Shackleford’s message to others is simple: don’t assume vaping is harmless.
‘I was surprised it was the vaping because you hear stories of everybody else — until it actually happens to you,’ she said.
‘That was one of the scariest experiences of my life. It’s not worth it.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .