Aussie Designer’s Shocking Health Battle: ‘I Was Dying’

An Australian fashion designer has revealed a shocking health battle that left him in an induced coma.

Premal Patel, who is the founder and creative director of popular Sydney fashion house Runaway The Label, took to Instagram this week to share a very sobering post.

He shared an image that showed him lying in a hospital bed in an intensive care unit (ICU), hooked up to breathing apparatus.

The image was accompanied by an expansive explanation from Premal, who admitted that his hospital stay was the result of vaping.

He began the post revealing that his health ordeal began a month ago when he was rushed to hospital.   

‘Four weeks ago, I was rushed into ICU with dangerously low oxygen levels. I was mid conversation and literally falling asleep,’ he said.

‘My oxygen was so low it wasn’t compatible with life without an external tank keeping me alive.

‘I spent a week in hospital with test after test and still no answers.’

Continuing, Premal added that after a week, he discharged himself from hospital, only to find himself back in the ICU.  

‘I discharged myself – and two days later I was back in Emergency again. Sent home. Then back in ICU for a third time,’ he said.

However, Premal added that things quickly went from bad to worse.   

‘The third time… I wasn’t so lucky. I was placed into an induced coma with two tubes down into my lungs,’ he revealed.

‘I was at 50 percent oxygen, on super high-flow support. My lungs were so severely inflamed that they couldn’t absorb oxygen. I was actually dying.’

He added that doctors finally found the cause of the issue – vape fluid in his lungs. 

‘Then they finally found it – vape fluid in my lungs. They blasted my lungs with anti-inflammatory treatment just to keep me breathing,’ he wrote.

Premal then issued a stark warning to people who vape, saying they were ‘gambling with their lives.’  

‘If you vape and want to gamble with your life, keep vaping,’ he added.

‘I choose life. And I would never put my loved ones through what they just went through for me.’

Premal continued: ‘The one thing I thought I had under control became the hardest battle of my life. Take this seriously. I always thought ‘that won’t happen to me.’ But it did.’

The post was met with an outpouring of well wishes from friends and followers, including Bachelor star Keira Maguire.

‘Omg babe this is terrible. So glad you’re recovering & so glad you shared – I try to tell everyone I know not to vape,’ she wrote.

Fashion blogger Shannen Jai also chimed in with: ‘I’m sure this was hard for you to share but it’s going to help so many people. Sending my love and wishing you a super quick recovery.’

Stylist Liv Rahmé summed up the sentiments of many with: ‘I’m so sorry you’re going through this Prem! So scary! 

‘Sending so much love and wishing you a speedy recovery.’

As the creative director for the Prem Group, Premal oversees the direction and design for Runaway The Label, Seven Wonders The Label, Prem The Label, and She Is Us.