Teen’s ‘trapped wind’ turns out to be ‘air blister’ in lung weeks after vaping almost killed sister
A teenager who continued to vape after it nearly killed her sister was sent to hospital weeks later.
Tazmin Blight, 19, has been smoking e-cigs from the age of 13 and continued to vape the equivalent of 50 cigarettes a day despite her younger sibling Kyla, 17, being hospitalised by the habit.
The older sister began experiencing a 'tightness' in her chest, along with pain in her back and shoulders, initially putting it down to 'trapped wind'.
However, her father Mark Blight decided to take no chances and took her to the hospital in light of Kyla, who was hospitalised on 11 May.
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The X-ray, taken on 29 June in Carlisle Hospital, showed that Tazmin had a burst pulmonary bleb, which caused her lung to collapse.
Mark, from Egremont, Cumbria, said: "It's been an absolute nightmare. The coincidence is just unbelievable.
"It knocked me right back to where I was a few weeks ago with Kyla. It's just horrible. I'm still in shock about it.
"The doctors took us straight in because of what happened to Kyla. They told her she had pneumothorax. It's when little tiny holes appear on your lung and they burst.
"Kyla's was a great big one and hers is a tiny one. We wanted to catch it early. The doctor's said vapes are definitely what caused it."
After a CT scan on 5 July, it revealed that Tazmin's lung inflation had decreased. The pair are now hoping her health improves to avoid surgery.
Tazmin, who works in admin, said: "I never thought it would happen to me. I was definitely shocked. I had in my head it would just be trapped wind or something.
"You never expect it to happen to you and it only just happened to Kyla so I just didn't expect it to be a collapsed lung.
"The pain started on Friday. I got in from work and I had loads of tightness in my chest and pain in my back and shoulders.
"I thought I'd try and sleep it off but when I woke up it was still there. It was only on one side. When I got out of bed it was so much pain.
"I thought I should get it checked out after what just happened to Kyla. She was a lot worse than me.
"I just can't wait for it to be sorted so I can breathe properly and not have this pain in my chest anymore."
She added: "I had it with me at all times. I don't think I know anyone that doesn't vape.
"I was on disposables until about two or three months ago. I switched to the refillable ones.
"When I was at work I couldn't use it as much. But when I wasn't at work I would refill it about three or four times a day.
"I'm trying to stop now. I thought it was a one time thing that happened to Kyla but now it's happened to me as well.
"It's now shown me the long term effects of these disposable or refillable vapes. It can happen to people at any time."
The dad said he hopes to see vapes being 'completely banned', claiming that they are being 'marketed for kids'.
"I'm really pleased with what I'm doing getting this out in the open. I've had people stop me in the street and say 'my daughter's stopped vaping now because of you'," he added.
Anish Vij