Toxic Shock Syndrome : Introduction

Hi, I'm Brittany and I am a full time student at the University of Florida. I am studying to be a Health Education and Behavior Specialist. I have a passion for healthy living that branches from the bedrocks of holistic health. I am a self-proclaimed nutrition geek, an avid yogi, a beginner martial artist, an outdoor feign, and a devoted reader. My husband and I are bringing up 2 beautiful and boisterous boys, aged 2 and 5. I have created this space as an opportunity to cultivate awareness around an issue you may have heard of: Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
Toxic Shock Syndrome is a potentially fatal condition that was first described by medical examiners in as recent as 1978. Since then, it has been strongly correlated with tampon use in menstruating women. Essentially, TSS is a response to bacterial overgrowth in a person's body. Please see the helpful links at the bottom of this post for more information.

In this blog we will cover what is Toxic Shock Syndrome, causes, symptoms, treatments, and prevention measures along with alternatives to using tampons. Although TSS is rare, only 255 cases in 2014 (Mayo Clinic), I have found a woman who has survived and was willing to share her story with me. Meet Sarah, from Texas.

“My name is Sarah Richardson, and I am from Houston, Texas. My initial symptoms of TSS started out like a "normal" illness. Sore throat, body aches, fever. It seemed very sudden. Christmas Eve is when I started really feeling bad, and the morning after Christmas, I didn't wake up. I was nearly comatose at that point. It was determined that I had strep throat and that was the cause of it. I was rushed to the ER and from there they sent me to a prominent hospital called Texas Children's, where I was admitted to the ICU for 10 days. I developed complications like double pneumonia and scarlet fever. I was treated with several IV antibiotics, steroids, and respiratory support, including a C-PAP breathing machine. One year later, I got strep again and my mom rushed me to the doctor out of terror when I said my throat hurt, and it was determined I had also begun to develop TSS again. They treated me with several IM injections of Penicillin and a couple other things. I continued to get strep at least 1-2 times per year, and they decided I needed my tonsils out at the age of 18. I haven't had strep since, and no sign of TSS either. However, my OBGYN cautioned me to never use tampons. I can safely use a cup though!”

[Blogger note: we will discuss the clever and capable cups in the last blog post]

Please visit these helpful websites for more information: