After quitting cigarettes and turning to vaping in hopes of improving her health, a woman ended up in a critical condition just one year later.
Loyda Cordero Faliero, who had smoked for twenty years, felt proud when she made the decision to stop smoking and began vaping around the clock.
However, after vaping for just over a year, the 39-year-old from New York was rushed to the hospital in early March. She experienced a frightening episode when her esophagus constricted after she swallowed a drink, leading doctors to diagnose her with pulmonary bullae—large air-filled spaces in her lungs.
Further examination revealed that Loyda’s lung had collapsed, a complication linked to fluid accumulation caused by vaping.
“My esophagus has shifted because the pulmonary bullae sac is pressing against it, and if it bursts, it could lead to brain hemorrhage or internal bleeding that might kill me instantly,” Loyda shared.
Now, she must sleep sitting upright to avoid choking on her saliva or suffocating.
Facing what she describes as a “life or death” situation, Loyda was compelled to stop vaping to qualify for surgery aimed at removing the sacs from her lungs. The mother of two was warned that continuing to vape could mean she might not survive beyond five years.
While recovering in the hospital, Loyda reflected on how proud she had been to quit smoking.
“It’s incredibly emotional. I gave up cigarettes thinking it would improve my health, but sadly, it ended up harming me far more than helping,” she said.
Previously, she had dismissed symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, and pain as just poor health. Now, doctors have instructed her to avoid any physical exertion.
“I’m essentially on my deathbed, like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode,” she added.
Doctors reportedly advised that even lifting something as light as a gallon of milk was too strenuous.
“I can’t even cook or stand to do the dishes without breaking down in tears from the pain and struggling to breathe,” Loyda explained.
“This condition has taken over my life far more than I ever imagined.”
Having quit vaping to prepare for surgery, she also cannot return to smoking, as it would likely cause the same severe lung damage again.
“The doctors warned me that if I kept vaping, I’d be on life support within five years and probably wouldn’t survive because of how badly my lungs have been damaged and the fluid buildup,” she said.
It’s worth noting that vaping regulations in the United States differ from those in the UK, with higher permitted nicotine levels.