A Texas teacher almost died after contracting a rare bacterial infection after leaving her tampon in for too long.
Ashley DeSquier, 43, woke up one morning last month with “severe chills” and waves of severe nausea, vomiting every 30 minutes.
At first, she thought she had contracted a normal stomach bug from a family wedding she attended two days earlier. However, within three days, his blood pressure suddenly dropped and he began having trouble breathing.
The mother-of-three was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a 1 in 100,000 case of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) caused by keeping a tampon in for eight hours during her wedding. It was discovered that he had developed the disease.
Ashley Desquier, 43, suffered vomiting and difficulty breathing after attending a wedding with her husband and children (pictured here)
Desquier, a teacher in Texas, was diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome, a bacterial infection that affects 1 in 100,000 people, after leaving her tampon in for eight hours. She is pictured here taking six different antibiotics.
Desquier, who was said to be “lucky” to be alive, is now urging other women to change their tampons regularly or stop using sanitary products all together to avoid deadly infections. I’m warning you.
She said: “I was so scared. I told my husband I thought I was going to die. I have never felt so bad in my life.
“I’m not going to use tampons anymore. This really scared me and I can’t believe it happened and I would never do that.”
TSS is a rare but life-threatening infection caused by toxins produced by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus) and Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus).
Leaving a tampon in the vagina for long periods of time during a woman’s menstrual period can create a warm environment that promotes the growth of bacteria in the menstrual blood.
Tampons, especially superabsorbent tampons, can stick to the vaginal walls and cause small abrasions, which can introduce bacteria and enter the bloodstream.
However, about half of TSS cases are due to factors other than tampons, such as skin wounds or infections.
In some cases, swimming in contaminated water with an open wound can cause TSS.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the disease kills between three and seven out of every 10 patients.
Desquier’s doctors began suspecting TSS when they noticed that she had just finished her monthly menstrual cycle.
She told doctors that the only time she wore a tampon during her period was a tampon, and that the longest she had ever worn a tampon was eight hours during her wedding.
She said, “I usually change it every four hours and at night.”
“Eight hours doesn’t seem like enough time for something like this to happen to me.”
To reduce your risk, the FDA recommends changing tampons every 4 to 8 hours, using tampons with minimal absorbency whenever possible, and even using tampons only during menstruation.
Desquier spent five days in intensive care, where doctors had to administer up to six different antibiotics intravenously to rid her body of the infection.
Antibiotics, fluids to stabilize blood pressure, and medications are standard treatments.
She said: “Multiple doctors told me I was very lucky to be able to get to the hospital because most people die within two days.” [with this]I was on my second and a half day.
“They told me I had come at the right time because if I had come later they might not have done anything for me.
“It’s one of those things you never think will happen to you, and you don’t hear much about it these days.”
Mrs. Desquier, pictured, is recovering at home, having spent five days in intensive care recovering from a potentially fatal infection.
The mother-of-three is now warning other women to change their tampons frequently or look for alternative sanitary products.
Little is known about the long-term effects of TSS, and most women recover completely. However, some reports point to mental and emotional problems such as difficulty concentrating and muscle weakness.
TSS has not been shown to affect fertility or reproductive health.
Desquier used tampons for 25 years, but now chooses to use other menstrual products to avoid TSS.
She said: “My advice to people who want to use tampons is to change them often.”
“My advice is to change your tampon every time you go to the bathroom and never wear a more absorbent tampon than necessary.
“I’m just grateful to be here today and getting better. The recovery has been tough, harder than I expected, but I’m getting better every day.”
Mrs. Desquier’s treatment was extensive and included cultures, blood tests, intravenous fluids, imaging tests, and multiple antibiotics. Now, her loved ones are raising money to pay for her medical bills. gofundme.
