A MODEL lost both of her legs after using tampons as instructed on the box.
Lauren Wasser, then 24, dutifully changed them every four hours while on her period in October 2012.
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But she soon began to experience flu-like symptoms, and within a matter of hours, she was “minutes from death”.
Lauren, from Santa Monica, California, was rushed to the hospital, where she suffered two heart attacks, her kidneys failed and her tissue began to decompose.
Doctors had no choice but to amputate her right leg and some of her left toes. She later had her left leg removed.
Speaking to Brittany Hockley and Lauren Byrne on their podcast Life Uncut, Lauren, now 36, said: “Everything happened so fast.
“My life, within 24 hours, completely changed and there was no going back.”
She had developed toxic shock syndrome (TSS) – a rare but life-threatening condition caused by an infection.
It can happen when using a tampon or menstrual cup, or from an infected wound, according to the NHS.
Sufferers usually experience a high temperature, muscle aches, and a sandpaper-like rash.
Lauren, a model who has walked the runway for Louis Vuitton and appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour, said: “Every single person needs to be aware of this.”
She fell ill in 2012. Despite feeling “a little off”, she decided to go out to meet a group of friends.
They immediately noticed she was unwell, and sent her home to rest.
Hours passed, and her mum, after not hearing from her, called the police to conduct a welfare check.
An officer arrived and saw she was sick, but didn’t think she needed to go to the hospital.
“I was extremely hot,” she said. “By this time I was developing a 41.5C (107F) fever so I wanted all of my clothes off.
“My dog was jumping on me ferociously and barking at me. She knew something was wrong. My body was shutting down.”
Hours later, Lauren was found face down on the floor “10 minutes from death”.
She was taken to A&E, where she suffered two heart attacks, her organs began to fail and she was put into an induced coma for a week and a half.
Hospital staff gave her a one per cent chance of survival and told Lauren’s parents to prepare for the worst.
“They couldn’t figure out why this young, healthy 24-year-old girl was dying before them,” she said.
‘NO-ONE IS OFF LIMITS’
Lauren, now known as ‘the girl with the golden legs’ due to her prosthetics, pulled through, and was later diagnosed with TSS.
The damage to her limbs was irreparable, however, and her right leg was amputated below the knee.
She had surgery to remove her left in 2018 after battling “excruciating pain” and finding walking “unbearable”.
Lauren, who now exclusively uses period pads, hopes by sharing her story, more people will be aware of the dangers of TSS.
“People think they’re invincible but no one is off limits,” she said.
“I was an active young girl, and I’d been using the same brand of tampons that I’d been using since I started my period – super absorbent, heavy.”
Read more on the Scottish Sun
The NHS recommends people change their tampons regularly – every four to six hours depending on their flow.
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What is toxic shock syndrome?
TOXIC shock syndrome (TSS) affects around 40 people in the UK every year. It’s rare, but very serious.
It can occur when using a tampon, menstrual cup, contraceptive diaphragm or cap, after a vaginal birth or caesarean section, or from an infected cut, wound, boil or burn.
Symptoms tend to come on very quickly and can be life-threatening. They include:
- A high temperature
- Muscle aches
- A raised skin rash that feels like sandpaper
- Flu-like symptoms
TSS requires urgent treatment. This can involve antibiotics, fluids, blood pressure medication, oxygen and surgery.
If you suspect you or someone else may have it, call NHS 111.
But dial 999 or visit A&E if they display more serious signs like slurred speech, breathlessness, blue skin or lips and large areas of peeling skin.
You can help prevent TSS by:
- Not leaving tampons, menstrual cups, contraceptive caps and diaphragms in longer than needed or recommended
- Washing your hands after using them
- Keeping cuts and burns clean
- Looking out for signs of infection (e.g. a rash, swelling or pain)
Source: NHS