'It was scary’: Tulsa woman says vaping landed her in medically-induced coma

A Tulsa woman says vaping landed her in the hospital in a medically-induced coma. She wanted to share her story to help potentially save a life.

“I’ll never ever pick up a vape again,” said Bethany Wilson Caballero.

The last vape in her home is heading to the trash can. Caballero said a habit she thought was better than smoking almost took her life.

• READ MORE: Vaping linked to 19% higher risk of heart failure, study finds

“I don’t remember anything that happened to get me there,” she said. “I just hear what people are telling me and so it’s like a story that I’m hearing about myself and it’s hard to really grasp.”
In July, Caballero said she woke up at St. Francis hospital after a 3-day medically induced coma. She said her doctor told her her lungs filled with fluid because of vaping.

“Which was in turn causing my kidneys to not work and shut down and because of that the pain medication I take for my back was not breaking down so my body overdosed,” said Caballero.

Emergency crews put her in a medically induced coma in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and she stayed in that coma for days.

“Just knowing and hearing everything that I went through was traumatizing in itself,” said Caballero. “It was scary. If I can save somebody’s life because of what I went through, then it was worth it.”

• READ MORE: Vaping exposes users to toxic metals like lead and uranium, study says

Dr. Mark Boomer, a pulmonologist with Saint Francis Health System, said they’re seeing more people hospitalized because of vaping.
“I think there’s an artificial confidence about vaping that allows people to do it without fully understanding the health risks,” said Dr. Boomer. “These were originally rare, anecdotal reports across the country. Now, it’s becoming more and more common at every facility.”

With many of the long-term risks unknown, Dr. Boomer said it’s best to steer clear.

“No matter what form of smoke, the lungs were designed to inhale air and not smoke and they’re all probably damaging to your lungs,” said Dr. Boomer.

Caballero wants her story to be a cautionary tale.

“I know where I woke up and I know where I don’t want to wake up again, and so all I can do is just not vape,” she said.

This story was originally published by Naomi Keitt at Scripps News Tulsa .