At only 15, Shannon Turner suffered a near-deadly case of toxic shock syndrome, which was so severe she was given a 50 percent chance of survival – all from using a tampon.
Now, she has laid bare the horrifying ordeal exclusively with the Daily Mail.
‘It put me in a coma and nearly took my life – I hadn’t even had my period for a full year yet,’ Shannon, who was on a family vacation at the time, explained.
Shannon revealed she began to feel ill in the evening after she landed, but she assumed it was just jet lag and tried to sleep it off.
But she woke up the next day with extreme symptoms, including: vomiting, diarrhea, a fever, and fatigue.
‘I was brought to the doctor that afternoon, given a shot for nausea, and sent home,’ she continued.
‘I continued to deteriorate and was brought back to the doctor later that same day.’
‘My last memory is collapsing in the office and laying on the ground because it hurt too much to sit up,’ she recalled.
‘My heart rate was extremely high, my blood pressure was dangerously low, and I was rushed to the ICU. I didn’t wake up until a few days later.’
Toxic Shock Syndrome is a ‘rare complication of certain types of bacterial infections,’ according to MayoClinic. ‘It can be fatal.
‘Risk factors for toxic shock syndrome include skin wounds, surgery, and the use of tampons and other devices, such as menstrual cups and birth control sponges or diaphragms.’
While Shannon was unconscious, doctors worked furiously to diagnose her – initially misdiagnosing her with meningitis and nearly performed an unnecessary spinal tap.
‘Thankfully, my mom mentioned to a family member that I was on my period – and that’s when menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS) was suggested,’ she shared.
‘The doctors were informed and my treatment plan shifted. I was incredibly lucky the infectious disease doctor on call had studied toxic shock and knew exactly what to do, but because mTSS progresses so quickly, I was still given a 50/50 chance of survival.’
She explained that after the doctors saved her life, she was sent home with ‘little guidance’ on what to expect during recovery, or how long her symptoms would last – and the aftermath was brutal.
‘My hospital stay was only a few days, but the recovery afterward took much longer,’ Shannon said.
‘I dealt with memory loss, anxiety, attention issues, and depression. My periods also became extremely painful.
‘From the age of 15, I was put on prescription painkillers to manage my menstrual pain.’
Her experience led to her starting her nonprofit, Protect Her Inc., which is dedicated to ‘revolutionizing menstrual health education.’
‘We believe knowledge is power – and yet, so many people are navigating their cycles with almost none,’ she pointed out.
‘I began to see why [there were no recourses], because periods have been taboo for far too long. It’s the same reason I never talked about my experience with mTSS, and that silence was incredibly isolating.’
Now, over 15 years later, Shannon regularly shares tips on how to avoid the life-threatening situation happening to other people – as well as the symptoms she ignored.
‘My message to anyone using tampons is: use the lowest absorbency possible. Your tampon should be saturated when you remove it – if your flow is light, opt for a liner instead,’ she listed.
She also advises against using tampons overnight, noting if you begin to get sick you won’t notice the symptoms if you’re asleep.
‘We need to stay aware of what our bodies are telling us – especially when there’s a foreign object inside us,’ she pointed out.
Shannon added it’s important to learn about the brands of sanitary products you’re using, and make sure you’re comfortable with their ingredients and manufacturing standards.
‘Most importantly, be in tune with your body. It’s always communicating with us, if we take the time to listen,’ she urged.
Shannon also advises people to immediately take a tampon out if they start feeling sick – describing the symptoms as flu-like.
‘So [if you experience] headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever – take the tampon out,’ she insisted. ‘If you feel even worse go seek medical attention.’
Shannon now hopes to educate young women through her non-profit, Protect Her Inc, which provides comprehensive menstrual education to adolescents aged seven to 18, with ‘a focus on practical knowledge that fosters confidence, health literacy, and open dialogue.’
According to National Library of Medicine, studies have shown the risk of mTSS was higher in young women who used tampons, than in women who used menstrual pads.
They noted everyone should be aware of the symptoms of mTSS, which are early flu-like symptoms near or during menstruation, including acute onset of fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and progressive dizziness upon standing, and said people should should seek immediate medical attention if experiencing these symptoms.
