A TEENAGE boy collapsed and was rushed to hospital after vaping left him so dehydrated his pee turned ‘almost black’.
Jake Melton, 15, was rushed to A&E after developing extreme dizziness and nausea from the moment he got to school.
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The teen was so disoriented, school medics were convinced that he was on drugs or that his vape had been laced.
But once he was rushed to hospital, it was confirmed that Jake was in face “severely dehydrated”.
His mum, Melony Staple, took to Facebook to share the terrifying ordeal, saying “nicotine vapes will zap the life out of you”.
The teen woke up on May 10 feeling “like everything in my body was hurting”, MailOnline reported.
Melony said she thought Jake “was just messing with me cause he’s quite the comical character”, telling him to get checked over by the school nurse.
The mum received a call from the nurse “no more than 10 minutes later”, telling her Jake was “disoriented”.
A school resource offer then searched the teen’s belongings, finding two vapes.
“They thought he had been laced through a vape” or was on “drugs”, Melony wrote. “They sent the vapes to be tested.”
The mum, however, was convinced Jake was dehydrated.
Jake was rushed to hospital, alarming medics when he collapsed.
The teen underwent a barrage tests, which revealed he was suffering from extreme dehydration and was at risk of kidney damage.
Doctors said was a direct result of the vape he was using constantly throughout the day, according to MailOnline.
I was awake for over 30 hours and he was asleep for that long. He wouldn’t talk. When he would wake up he’d curl up into a ball and shiver and jerk
Melony Sample
His dehydration was so bad, his pee had turned “almost black” – normally, pee should be transparent and a pale straw colour.
Melony made a Facebook post 16 hours after Jake was rushed to hospital, sharing that her son had “had only moved to pee once” and had “not been able to stay awake for much more than 30 to 60 seconds at a time”.
The teen remained unconscious for over 30 hours.
Melody said: “I was awake for over 30 hours and he was asleep for that long. He wouldn’t talk. When he would wake up he’d curl up into a ball and shiver and jerk.
“He’s still really confused. We’re home but he’s still in and out.
“He doesn’t remember any of it. It was just like he was asleep pretty much. I think he thinks I’m just being mean now.”
‘His urine was blackened’
Nicotine – present in both vapes and cigarettes – has been known to cause dehydration. Other substances in the devices, like propylene glycol, can also exacerbate this effect.
Melony said of Jake: “[The vaping] literally dehydrated him so bad that he ended up in the hospital. His urine was blackened.
“I think he was vaping a lot but he wasn’t supposed to be doing it like that. I found that out because he pulled out the vape while we were out.
“I now know he was vaping at school and wasn’t supposed to be. I thought it was under control.
“Especially if you’re working, vaping will amp you up and make you feel like you can do more than you can and you’ll over push yourself and dehydrate quicker.
Every vape I’ve seen or will see in the future will be broke and trashed
Melony Sample
“Then instead of taking a drink, they’ll hit their nicotine. Instead of eating, they’ll hit their vape. Then they lose control. They don’t know what they’re doing.”
Jake was working part-time laying rocks.
The teen said he started vaping two or three years ago, wanting to “fit in” after seeing other kids at school puffing on them in the bathroom.
However, his habit spiralled into an “addiction” and he moved from puffing on flavoured vapes to menthol.
“I was using all kinds of vapes, Juuls, Elf Bars, Juice Heads, Vuses, and more,” he said.
“Every morning it felt like I had to hit it just to fully be awake.”
Jake was using a five percent menthol nicotine pod, which is the equivalent to around 20 cigarettes, and was smoking around one pod every four days, MailOnline said.
‘Check your kids’ bags’
Despite the ordeal, Melony revealed she was scared Jake would go back to vaping.
In her Facebook post, she said she feared for her son’s life and warned other parents to be on the lookout for the devices.
“Check your kids’ bags daily. Under beds. Blankets.
“Every vape I’ve seen or will see in the future will be broke and trashed,” the mum added.
Jake, on the other hand, claimed the risks and possible side effects of vaping didn’t bother him.
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The 4 horrifying things that can happen to your body after vaping
VAPES were once hailed as miracle devices to help adults ditch cigarettes.
But while the devices don’t carry the same risks as tobacco, experts have warned that vaping might not be so harmless after all.
Here are five ways vaping could damage young users bodies:
1. It could slow down brain development
Vaping nicotine can permanently affect brain development in people under the age of 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It said that nicotine consumed during teenage years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control, as well as increase the risk of addiction.
2. It could lead to tooth decay
Dr Michael Heffernan, a dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, said most vapes contain dangerous chemical that can harm your teeth and lead to decay.
Puffing on the devices could also lead to mouth dryness, creating an environment in which harmful bacteria can grow.
3. It could damage heart health
However, some of the chemicals found in vapes can be damaging to the heart, with the American Heart Association (AHA) stating that vaping is “as harmful to the body’s cardiovascular systems as cigarettes”.
4. It could cause lung disease
Vaping from a young age could leave children with breathing difficulties, with paediatric respiratory consultant Dr Mike McKean saying he’d seen reports of people developing lung disease related to vaping.
Researchers from the US also found that young people who vape are more at risk of bronchitis, inflammation of the airways, and shortness of breath.
Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.