A 26-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, Petrea Mckeithen, shares her alarming story of how vaping for just one year led to a life-threatening collapse of her lungs. She began vaping at the age of 21, a decision she now deeply regrets. In an interview with Fox News Digital, she expressed, “Everybody warned me about it, but I didn’t listen – I wish I did.”
Mckeithen quickly developed an addiction to vaping, largely because of the appealing flavors. “It’s really, seriously addicting,” she explained. “You get hooked on the vape clouds and the different flavors – it’s cool, it’s like a rebellious thing.”
Tragically, in September 2022, her health took a severe turn when she experienced sudden breathing difficulties. “I had no prior health issues,” she recounted, initially attributing her symptoms to asthma. However, her doctor diagnosed her with a pneumothorax, a condition where air enters the chest cavity, exerting pressure on the lungs and causing them to collapse.
Dr. David Campbell, clinical director at Recover Together Bend in Oregon, elaborated that primary spontaneous pneumothorax can stem from existing lung vulnerabilities, deep inhalations, or chemical irritants associated with vaping. He noted an uptick in lung collapses among vapers, warning that those with previous lung conditions are at heightened risk.
Symptoms of a collapsed lung include sharp chest pain and shortness of breath, and Mckeithen’s experience was dire. After being life-flighted to a hospital, she was placed in a medically induced coma and on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support her lung and heart function. Throughout her ten-day coma, Mckeithen endured vivid nightmares that haunt her to this day. Against the odds, with just a 3% chance of survival, she recovered.
Today, Mckeithen must navigate life with chronic asthma and a condition known as EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury). “I take medication daily,” she said, explaining that she monitors air quality closely before leaving her home.
Mckeithen’s near-death experience has fueled her mission to raise awareness about the perils of vaping, especially among younger individuals. “People think they’re safer than cigarettes,” she emphasized. “I thought that too, and I was wrong.”
Now a mother to an 18-month-old son, she reflects on her past and the lasting impact of her choices. “Vaping is simply not worth it,” she concludes. “It’s not cool or fun. Watching my family endure trauma from my fight for survival was the hardest part.” Mckeithen hopes her story serves as a cautionary tale for those who may underestimate the risks associated with vaping.
