Mother ‘suffers an allergic reaction to VAPING’: 42-year-old reveals she felt like she was ‘on fire from the inside out’ after her body erupts in painful burn-like rashes
- Lisa Santiago-Griggs, of Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, is still in hospital
- Her reaction is thought to be down to propylene glycol, an ingredient in vape
- The 42-year-old has shared shocking images of her ‘unbearable’ side effects
A mother suffered an allergic reaction to vaping and her body was left covered in painful burn-like rashes.
Lisa Santiago-Griggs, of Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, is still in hospital after being admitted on Sunday.
She claims it felt like she was ‘on fire’ because of her reaction – thought to be down to propylene glycol, an ingredient in the e-liquid.
The 42-year-old has now shared shocking images of her ‘unbearable’ side effects. It is unclear if she went into anaphylactic shock.
Lisa Santiago-Griggs, of Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, is still in hospital after being admitted on Sunday
Speaking from her hospital bed, where she is on a drip, Ms Santiago-Griggs said: ‘These aren’t pretty pictures and I’m not body confident.
‘But I feel these need to be seen, to understand how bad a reaction can be. I felt like I was on fire from the inside out.
‘It was unbearable and it affected by internal organs, like my heart rate, blood pressure and lungs.’
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Ms Santiago-Griggs broke her back four years ago and had been taking CBD oil tablets to help cope with the pain ever since.
She revealed that she vaped for the first time on Saturday. It is believed she moved onto a CBD e-liquid to vape.
At around 2am Sunday morning, Ms Santiago-Griggs woke with an itch. By 4.30am she was ‘completely covered’ in a painful rash.
She claims it felt like she was ‘on fire’ because of her reaction – thought to be down to propylene glycol, an ingredient in the e-liquid
Speaking from her hospital bed, where she is on a drip, Ms Santiago-Griggs said: ‘These aren’t pretty pictures and I’m not body confident
CAN YOU BE ALLERGIC TO E-CIGARETTES?
Allergies occur when the body’s immune system reacts to a particular substance as though it’s harmful.
Some of the most common allergens to strike people include pollen, dust mites, latex, nuts and shellfish.
However, various e-cigarette websites warn that users can be allergic to propylene glycol, an ingredient in the e-liquid thought to enhance flavour.
Allergic reactions usually happen quickly within a few minutes of exposure to an allergen.
Symptoms include sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, red eyes, wheezing and coughing, and even a rash.
In some cases, the allergen can trigger a severe reaction called anaphylactic shock, which can kill within minutes.
She said: ‘I’ve never had an allergic reaction to anything before – this was horrible.
‘It was a covering my body, very painful, and it felt like my skin was burning from underneath, burning up from the inside.’
Ms Santiago-Griggs took several anti-histamine tablets to fight the rash but they had no effect.
She went straight to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Ms Santiago-Griggs said: ‘It was starting to blister, and getting serious.
‘They took me straight in and I’ve been here ever since. They are treating me with steroids and I’m on a drip.
‘I have to stay in until it’s calmed down and they can work out exactly what is going on. I am 100 per cent convinced it was the vape.’
She added: ‘It’s not like I’ve been out doing anything else. It was the first time I’d ever had a vape and I didn’t realise it can cause this kind of reaction.
At around 2am Sunday morning, Ms Santiago-Griggs woke with an itch. By 4.30am she was ‘completely covered’ in a painful rash
Ms Santiago-Griggs took several anti-histamine tablets to fight the rash but they had no effect
She went straight to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Ms Santiago-Griggs said: ‘It was starting to blister, and getting serious’ (pictured left and right, her rash)
‘Doing a bit of research, I’ve found that this has been known, but they don’t tell you. Most people aren’t aware.’
Ms Santiago-Griggs is now calling for a change in law which would require anyone trying a vape for the first time to be tested for allergies.
She said: ‘I’d never vaped or even smoked before so it was new to me. They just sold it to me and sent me on my way without any advice of the possible side-effects.
She wants vape shops to agree to only sell a full vape to someone after they have tested it and waited 24 hours.
Ms Santiago-Griggs added: ‘They do exactly this in the hairdressers to check you won’t have an allergic reaction to a new hair product.
‘So why can’t they do this for vapes?
‘I appreciate it works for some and not everyone will have an allergic reaction from vapes, but it is more common than you think – a quick Google search will tell you.
‘But it appears serious allergic reactions like mine due to the product being ingested can’t be treated quickly. I’ve had 50 hours with no sleep now.
‘I’m sure the pictures will get picked apart, but my main concern is getting my story out there.’
She added: ‘People need to share this to make stockists advise the customer to sample the product then come back and buy the next day and purchase if no reaction.
‘You could be in the percentage allergic to an organic product, mixed with fruity liquid called propylene glycol.
‘This seems to be the most common one to cause the reaction.’
HOW CAN VAPING BE HARMFUL FOR YOU?
The flavourings in electronic cigarettes may damage blood vessels in the same way as heart disease, according to research published in June.
The chemicals used to give the vapour flavours, such as cinnamon, strawberry and banana, can cause inflammation in cells in the arteries, veins and heart.
They causes the body to react in a way that mimics the early signs of heart disease, heart attacks or strokes, the study by Boston University found.
Other recent studies have also suggested smoking e-cigarettes could cause DNA mutations which lead to cancer, and enable pneumonia-causing bacteria to stick to the lungs easier.
Researchers at New York University subjected human bladder and lung cells to e-cigarette vapor, which is marketed as being healthier than tobacco.
They found the cells mutated and became cancerous much faster than expected and mice exposed to the vapour also suffered significant DNA damage.
In another study, scientists at Queen Mary University, London, found vaping makes users more likely to catch pneumonia – just like smoking tobacco or breathing in traffic fumes.
The vapour from e-cigarettes helps bacteria which cause the condition to stick to the cells that line the airways, they said.
The effect occurs with traditional cigarette smoke and those who are exposed to air pollution high in particulates from vehicle exhausts.
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