Warning: This story contains graphic details that may disturb some people
A British college student almost died after forgetting to remove her tampon for nine days.
When 20-year-old Emily Pankhurst began feeling unwell, she assumed it was just exam stress.
In fact, she had developed toxic shock syndrome and was experiencing blood poisoning.
After forgetting about the tampon she had already inserted, she inserted another.
She remembered her mistake nine days later when she noticed bloody discharge and bloating.
"When I finally realised the tampon was in me and I pulled it out it was pure black," she told the Press Association.
"It was obviously coated in bacteria. I wouldn't have known what it was apart from the string. It was horrible."
Not long after removing the tampon, Ms Pankhurst began to feel faint and slur her words, and she was rushed to hospital.
She spent three days in intensive care, and was told she was lucky to have recovered.
Toxic shock syndrome only affects three to four in every 100,000 tampon users.
People who use tampons should make sure to change them every four to six hours.
Newshub.
