A woman from Essex, England had health issues because of a forgotten tampon inside her for weeks. This is important as it nearly led to toxic shock syndrome, a serious condition.
Hollie Smith, 31, noticed strange symptoms such as pain during sex and unusual discharge while on a holiday in Turkey in August 2025. She was confused about the cause and thought it might be related to her contraceptive implant.
Smith experienced worsening symptoms, including bleeding and a strong smell, leading her to seek medical help. A nurse discovered a tampon had been lodged inside her for four to six weeks. This was causing early signs of toxic shock syndrome, a rare but dangerous infection linked to tampon use.
Smith and her partner had not realised the tampon was there. She recalled she might have inserted it while tipsy after drinking alcohol, something she doesn’t usually do. When the tampon was removed, it was black and caused her pain.
Smith expressed relief that the nurse found the tampon in time, preventing a severe health crisis. She said, “I feel so lucky.” Since the incident, she no longer uses or keeps tampons at home.
