"I woke up feeling unwell with a terrible headache," she told reporters after claiming the first gold of her Paralympic career.
"I almost didn't want to start because I couldn't keep my balance, so I'm also super satisfied with how I handled this setback."
Mazzel races as a category AS2 skier, which means she can detect a moving object at a maximum distance of one metre.
As such, she follows a guide down the piste when competing.
Her guide Nicola Cotti Cottini confirmed Mazzel had "a few problems" prior to her 0830 GMT start on Cortina's Olympia delle Tofane course.
"I tried to calm her down, to get her moving, to get her into a better rhythm," he said.
The 29-year-old's time of 1min 14.84sec means Mazzel now boasts a gold to go with the silver she won in the women's downhill on Saturday.
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