Blackmarket Botox Cripples Couple
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If you've ever considered the cosmetic, Botox, to smooth out wrinkles and give you a "rested" look--check out this story first.
A middle-aged couple wanted to try the procedure together just before the holidays in 2004. Today they've written a book, "Dying To Be Young - From Botox To Botulism" to warn others about their near-death experience in this video on ABC News.
Apparently the problem comes from the home-made variety of the botulism toxin. Eric and Bonnie Kaplan got injections from a friend who ran a clinic. Problem is their 'friend" made his own, black market, form of botox.
Instead of using Botox, their friend was mixing his own batch with raw grade botulinum toxin type A, one of the most deadly toxins in existence. The mix was off, and the physical effects were almost immediate and dangerous. "When I got to the ER. ... I couldn't swallow," Eric said. "Then, I couldn't speak. Then, my teeth froze like I had lockjaw. Eventually I became totally paralyzed."
The injections stopped their lungs from working and landed the Kaplans in the hospital for three months. Eric was breathing through a tube and Bonnie was communicating on a pad.
All of this from a friend! While this may be an isolated case, one cannot imagine the pain and guilt they felt by indulging in a "cosmetic" procedure that went terribly wrong.
Maybe wrinkles aren't so bad afterall.