Girl had to be

Throwback to when I nearly died from a tampon—yes, seriously.

At 15, I fell asleep with a tampon in, like many girls do, and didn’t think twice. But when I woke up, my body was covered in hives.

I went to the doctor a couple of times and was told it was likely an allergic reaction. On my third visit, a different doctor immediately sent me to the hospital.

I ended up being hospitalized for over two weeks. My memory from that time is blurry, but I’ve seen the photos—and I looked terrifying.

Doctors said I needed to be in the ICU, and I had multiple IVIg and blood infusions. It was a life-threatening situation, but thankfully, the medical team saved my life.

After recovering, I heard stories of others who weren’t as lucky—people who died from toxic shock syndrome (TSS). I hadn’t realized how dangerous it could be.

Looking back, my low immune system, using a light tampon overnight, and sleeping more than eight hours all contributed. To help others avoid this, I suggest: using low absorbency tampons, changing them every 4–8 hours, using pads on light days, and choosing pads for overnight use. Please stay safe and share this with the women in your life—TSS is rare, but real.