Date: 202112
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Weather elements / visibility: Turbulence
Light: Night
Aircraft: A319
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise; Descent
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Aircraft component: Coalescer Bag
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant In Charge; Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Physiological - Other
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: There was another toxic fume event on my 3rd flight last night. It was a bit turbulent on the way out so we waited until it smoothed out to do service.  During service around rows 7-13 I noticed a very heavy; thick foul locker room type smell. I had a burning in my chest; in my eyes and nose. I told [F/A name] and asked if he noticed anything?  He said he did smell something bad; but he wasn't feeling any symptoms. I got a headache; dizziness; light headedness and became short of breath. I notified the Captain as I was the Lead Flight Attendant last night. I asked the 2 other flight attendants if they noticed the smell. [F/A name] walked through the rows I told her and said she smelled it a little bit but said she didn't feel any symptoms. [name] didn't notice anything as she was in the back of the aircraft. I do not know if any passengers were affected as my own medical care became urgent.After about 15 minutes my chest tightened and I became so short of breath I headed to the back of the aircraft because I was worried I was going to faint. My head was pounding in the base of my skull and in the back of my neck. I had taken an [medication] just in case it was heart burn; but it did not help with the burning in my chest and my nose. In the back of the aircraft I became very weak and my arms and hands started to cramp up in weird formations and I couldn't feel my arms or control my fingers. One of the flight attendants put me on oxygen. My hands got stuck like I was having a seizure; and I could not move my fingers. It was also hard to move my arms. I lost feeling in my legs from the waist down and in my feet. I had to lay on the floor because I was afraid I was going to fall and couldn't walk because I couldn't feel my feet. The other flight attendants asked for medical assistance on board. My apple watch was showing a high heart rate and the medical people on the aircraft started to remove my clothing so they could put the AED on me; but they were having difficulty because I could not move. We were still flying with approximately 18 minutes left of flight based on the timer on my watch. I had to move from the FA4 jump seat to the floor. When I was flat on the floor and could not move my own body. I was very weak. They landed the plane with me on the floor and I think 2-3 people around me holding me trying to work on me so I was safe. They kept saying I was tachycardic. When we landed the paramedics came on board the aircraft and kicked the 3 people out. They cut my clothes off; started an IV; put me on new oxygen; and finally put the pads on my chest. The paramedics said I was tachycardic and in SVT [Supraventricular Tachycardia]. They had to lift me into a wheelchair to remove me from the aircraft. I was then put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital by ambulance. Inside the ambulance they hooked me up to the AED to monitor my heart. They gave me another IV and I think they gave me some kind of medicine. I don't remember what it was because I was fading in and out. My body became very limp and I just wanted to sleep. My arms kept having pains and the spasms of my arms tightening and my fingers getting stuck kept happening on and off for quite a while. And I couldn't feel my legs or my feet. My face was becoming numb and I couldn't feel my nose or my lips. The paramedics kept saying I was in SVT and not out of the woods yet. They said my condition was not consistent with life. This scared me. At the hospital so many people were there so quickly to work on me. I tried to give them my health history; current medications; and showed them the heart monitor on my chest that my cardiologist had prescribed in case that would help them. I also tried to show them my phone that was connected to my apple watch in case that information could also help them since I have the apple watch 6 which monitors my heart rate; oxygen level; and can do an ECG. I bought that watch last year to help monitor my body while I was flying because of the other 2 fume events that happened in year that landed me in the hospital back then. It was all so very scary and embarrassing. After some testing; blood work; and continued heart monitoring I was released after a few hours and sent to a hotel where I am at now. I will fly back to ZZZ later this afternoon.The doctor said I had Supraventricular Tachycardia; elevated levels of carbon monoxide; and that I had acute hyperventilation syndrome.




Synopsis: Air carrier Flight Attendant reported a fumes event during initial descent. Flight Attendant experienced multiple physiological symptoms which progressively intensified; resulting in incapacitation. Upon gate arrival paramedics provided treatment and transported Flight Attendant to a local hospital.