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Teen, 15, nearly died after falling ill with a bacterial infection while menstruating
A woman reveals how she slipped in a coma and almost died after suffering toxic shock syndrome . rom a tampon as a teenager
Now, Shannon Turner has laid bare the horrifying ordeal exclusively with saying: 'It put me in a coma and nearly took my life - I hadn't even had my period for a full year yet.'
Shannon, who just 15-years-old and on a family vacation at the time, revealed she began to feel sick in the evening after she landed, but she assumed it was just jet lag, but woke up the next day with extreme symptoms, including: vomiting, diarrhea, a fever, and fatigue.
She continued: 'I was brought to the doctor that afternoon, given a shot for nausea, and sent home.'
'I continued to deteriorate and was brought back to the doctor later that same day.'
She recalled: 'My last memory is collapsing in the office and laying on the ground because it hurt too much to sit up.'
'My heart rate was extremely high, my blood pressure was dangerously low, and I was rushed to the ICU. I didn't wake up until a few days later.'
While Shannon was unconscious, doctors worked furiously to diagnose her - initially misdiagnosing her with meningitis and nearly performed an unnecessary spinal tap.
She said: 'Thankfully, my mom mentioned to a family member that I was on my period - and that's when menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS) was suggested.'
'The doctors were informed and my treatment plan shifted. I was incredibly lucky the infectious disease doctor on call had studied toxic shock and knew exactly what to do, but because mTSS progresses so quickly, I was still given a 50/50 chance of survival.'
She explained that after the doctors saved her life, she was sent home with 'little guidance' on what to expect during recovery, or how long her symptoms would last - and the aftermath was brutal.
'My hospital stay was only a few days, but the recovery afterward took much longer,' Shannon said.
'I dealt with memory loss, anxiety, attention issues, and depression. My periods also became extremely painful.
'From the age of 15, I was put on prescription painkillers to manage my menstrual pain.'
Her experience led to her starting her nonprofit, Protect Her Inc., which is dedicated to 'revolutionizing menstrual health education.'
'We believe knowledge is power - and yet, so many people are navigating their cycles with almost none,' she pointed out.
'I began to see why [there were no recourses], because periods have been taboo for far too long. It's the same reason I never talked about my experience with mTSS, and that silence was incredibly isolating.'
Now, over 15 years later, Shannon regularly shares tips on how to avoid the life-threatening situation happening to other people - as well as the symptoms she ignored.
'My message to anyone using tampons is: use the lowest absorbency possible. Your tampon should be saturated when you remove it - if your flow is light, opt for a liner instead,' she listed.
She also advises against using tampons overnight, noting if you begin to get sick you won't notice the symptoms if you're asleep.
'We need to stay aware of what our bodies are telling us - especially when there's a foreign object inside us,' she pointed out.
Shannon added it's important to learn about the brands of sanitary products you're using, and make sure you're comfortable with their ingredients and manufacturing standards.
She urged: 'Most importantly, be in tune with your body. It's always communicating with us, if we take the time to listen.'
Shannon also advises people to immediately take a tampon out if they start feeling sick - describing the symptoms as flu-like.
She insisted: 'So [if you experience] headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever - take the tampon out. If you feel even worse go seek medical attention.'
Shannon now hopes to educate young women through her non-profit, Protect Her Inc, which provides comprehensive menstrual education to adolescents aged seven to 18, with 'a focus on practical knowledge that fosters confidence, health literacy, and open dialogue.'
