A young woman has shared a frightening health experience after unknowingly leaving a tampon inside her body for nearly a month. Fortunately, she recovered without developing toxic shock syndrome (TSS), but her story has become an important reminder about menstrual health, recognizing warning signs, and seeking medical care when something doesn’t feel right.
Here’s what happened, what experts say, and how to safely use tampons.
A Forgotten Tampon Led to Weeks of Symptoms
Savannah Miller, now 24, revealed that while she was in college, she accidentally forgot she was wearing a tampon after the end of her menstrual period.
Because the tampon string was no longer visible and there was little bleeding, she assumed it had already been removed. Over the following weeks, she began noticing unusual symptoms, including:
- Persistent vaginal odor
- Itching and irritation
- General discomfort
- Feeling unwell
At first, she believed the odor was simply related to the end of her period and didn’t realize a tampon was still inside. (Medbound Times)
Multiple Doctor Visits Before the Cause Was Found
As her symptoms worsened, Miller visited her college health clinic several times.
