Allergic reaction to second-hand vape?

[rfun6]

do household air fresheners bother her? Like the kind you spray in the bathroom? Or perfume?

[DonDaBoomVape]

ECF is amazing! You just type in a post and many savvy and generous people respond with wisdom and insight. Thank you all!

And then there's paladinx, of course. Only teasing; I *don't* think you are a "wise guy." [Although judging from your avatar, you may be a bit...strange. Again ]

Seriously, my wife's reaction may be psychosomatic, which (as you may know) does *not* mean that it's imaginary (or, in her case at least, phony). It simply means that the mental/emotional processing (in this case of an odor) causes a very real physical symptom.

As folks here know all too well, many people are very judgmental about smoking (or vaping). My wife, however, has been very supportive of my vaping. She knows that it is much healthier for me than analogs. And she was very content with my vaping in the same room with her ... until she had that very troubling physical reaction.

And, yes, she is very sensitive, period.* To odors, spicy food, certain medications, crowds, noises, etc. And to acupuncture.

* that is, a firm ending to the sentence, *not* a reference to her menstrual cycle (which is a thing of the past anyway).

Thanks again, all!

[Kate51]

Don, I have a sister-in-law that is asthmatic, all kinds of things bother her, also, certain scents, foods, and I haven't tested her out yet with vapor, we're just too afraid to rock the boat. But I have ADD, which can give a person panic symptoms from noise, smells, reactions to food (green peppers will kill me) crying jags that you just can't help, they just come on for no reason, so yes, I can see people being bothered by any number of negative stimuli. And yes it is totally real and not humorous!Makes one feel like an idiot. So do what you're doing, give her space. I'm wondering if she may be sensitive to PG? I can't stand that, either, and it didn't happen right away, maybe two months after I started vaping> have you checked out switching to VG (vegetable glycerin) as your juice base? What I mean, just totally using maybe a VG juice with maybe just a tobacco flavoring? For myself, I use VG Tobacco or Tennessee Cured flavors, no exotics of any kind. I'm afraid of trying juice with too many ingredients, but I prefer a plain old tobacco flavor, in memory of my smoking days! (I used to "enjoy" cigarettes!) I like my coffee to be 100% Columbian, no fancy vanillas, etc. for me, thanks. Just some thoughts.
Good luck to you both!

[paladinx]

Yeah they definitely have a smell. To me that would add to the psychological part of it. Once they start smelling that chemical sweet smell. Same thing with my sisters example. Since she no longer has to smell smoke, she can smell it 3 miles away. Once she smells it, the coughing attack starts. But my point is, when it was cool to smoke, she never said a single word, In fact she used to smoke herself without any problems. How come all of the sudden she has formed an allergy to smoking. is it really an allergy? Or is it just a disgust towards cigarettes and a psychological reaction.

I guess the moral of my story is that people are more easily influenced than we realize. When the marketers make things "cool", people love it. Most people follow the tide. and this probably has nothing to do with this particular case or thread, but just a point about 2nd hand anything.

[souporvapor]

Another thing to keep in mind is that our bodies are constantly changing.

My sister 'became' allergic to many things in her 30's. I had an incident that combined chlorine and ammonia and though have no way to prove it am now much more sensitive to those smells.... and others.

Yes, our brains and physical bodies work together and psychological reactions/responses do play a part. AND as we are exposed constantly to more and more chemicals in our personal, work and social environments... sometimes it truly becomes irritating physically.

-30 years of anal logs -
Vaporized by a Screwdriver

[Kelly79]

I don't know if it's similar with MS, but I know that mint/menthol products can irritate the bronchi of people with chronic bronchitis, (I know cause I have hereditary chronic bronchitis) causing constriction and occasionally coughing spasms.

[Kelly79]

I had an incident that combined chlorine and ammonia ]

chlorine+ammonia= chlorine gas, which is so severely toxic it was used in chemical warfare in WWII and subsequently banned.

[shivadance]

My mom became allergic to 90% of all common allergens after giving birth to my brother. Dust, pollen, strawberries, milk, eggs, pet dander, dirt, air... criminy she was always itching or going into anaphalyctic (sp) shock over something until she had tests and learned to avoid the things she could.

After menopause the bulk of the allergies really subsided. Then after retiring about 80% of her allergens don't both her much at all (she's thinking no stress life helps). She's doing fine on the PG so far, haven't had to switch her to VG. But who knows how she would be doing in the 'old' days with PG & VG.

So yeah, people do have psychosomatic reactions but body/age changes happen as well. She could always have some testing done if she's willing. Since she's supportive she may be open to it.

[SerialVapistPR]

Hey, Don -

I've only been vaping for a couple of weeks, still doing analogs, trying to find my balance with this.

Last week-end, my wife and I went to Home Depot together, and I decided to try vaping in the car with her. She objected to the smell, although she was fine if I opened a window, allowing the vapor to be sucked out as I exhaled it. She wouldn't have been so charitable had I been smoking. Actually, I haven't smoked in a car with her in years, which was the point of the experiment.

Some people are sensitive to some odors. My wife purchased a fragrance a couple of years ago that she really liked, and I'm sure she hoped I would too. However, that particular fragrance makes it difficult for me to breathe, for some reason.

You said you wife has been supportive of your vaping, and was content with you "vaping in the same room with her ... until she had that very troubling physical reaction". So, experiment a bit. It sounds like you can attain your goal of "chain-vaping" as long as you don't use flavors that she finds objectionable.

After 32 years (36 here) I know a win-win is important to you.

Best of luck!

[RagDoll]

I myself have problems with Ecalyputus and found that using the menthol vape makes my enphysema and COPD worse. Otherwise vapeing has not bothered me. I also am allergic to many perfumes,additives. Yes it could be she is having problems with the flavoring
Shirl.