A List of Common Symptoms when E-smoking

[bghouse]

Hi All,

I thought it could be great if we compiled a list of common symptoms you've all gone through when switching to e-smoking. This would really help some of us newer e-smokers when trying to determine if we are experiencing things that would be considered relatively "normal symptoms" or something more.

For instance, many people list acne breakouts as normal if you switch to e-smoking completely - as you body starts expelling toxins. Another person mentioned sneezing and a tingling sensation sometimes when the vapor goes up their nose. And since PG breaks down to lactic acid, it would seem that muscle soreness might be experienced by some and still be considered normal.

If we could start posting with our experiences of common symptoms, then we could compile a list for the newer members - which would help take some of the anxiety away from making the switch.

I'm offering to compile these, as unfortunately I don't know yet if my symptoms are normal or allergy related - so I can't contribute yet.

So if you can list your common symptoms / reactions, and if you have any idea of how long it lasted, etc. we can start this list. Here are two that everyone seems to agree on (please correct me if I'm wrong):

1.) Dry Throat and / or Sore Throat - PG is a humectrant and when vaping the back of the throat gets coated. You can find that after sleeping, you wake up with a sore throat. Things that can help are drinking a glass of water before bed, gargling with a mouthwash to cut the PG coating before bed, drinking water throughout the day, using hard candies and drinking liquids with honey liquid thru the day to keep your mouth moist.

2.) Acne breakouts - Many e-smokers find that if they switch completely they experience small breakouts of acne. This seems to be a reaction to the body expelling toxins and is consistent with the symptoms found when quitting smoking.

What else have folks experienced ?

(Can't edit original thread myself, but CaSHMeRe is going to merge this into the first post for us)

3.) Hiccups - Hiccups are common among smokers and tobacco users. They're a result of swallowing nicotine. Hiccups are most common among those who use chewing tobacco, snus, dissolvable tobacco tablets. They swallow tobacco juice and hiccups can result. They are not common among pipe and cigar smokers, who neither swallow nor inhale smoke, or users of nasal snuff. If you tend to "gulp" your vapor or let it sit in your mouth and then inhale sharply - you're sending part of the inhalation to your stomach, part to your lungs. The stomach part produces hiccups from the nicotine you put there.

4.) Headaches, Nausea & Shakiness - These are common nicotine withdrawal symptoms. If you are using a low dose of nicotine and not taking in as much as when you normally smoked, you can experience these withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms typically last only a few days to a week.

5.) Muscle Cramps and Aches - some people report increased muscle pains. The PG in most nicotine mixtures breaks down into Lactic Acid, which needs to be eliminated from the body. Increasing water intake usually addresses this problem. Not reported as much when using VG (vegetable glycerin) mixtures.

6.) Night Sweats - a few people have reported this and they have generally found out that they have an intolerance or allergic reaction to PG. There are a few pre-packaged liquids available with VG instead, but most people end up making their own liquid if they suspect a PG reaction (see the DIY forum for more information).

7.) Diarreah - this is another symptom that seems to be most commonly reported by people that have a reaction to PG and switching to VG seems to solve the problem.

8.) Coughing - this is very typical, and the severity and duration will depend on how heavy a smoker you were before switching, and how many real smokes you still have while e-smoking. Even when quitting smoking without using e-cigs, people find that their body starts coughing up all the junk they've been putting in - tars, chemicals, etc. When e-smoking, some folks find they start coughing up this junk within a week or two - some faster. The duration will vary, but most people were finding that the morning cough went away in the first week and the rest of the junk came up within the first month - but it's very common.

9.) Mouth Ulcers / Canker Sores - multiple folks have experienced this. Oral ulcers are a common result of ceased cigarette smoking, affecting about two out of five quitters. The nicotine being absorbed through your mouth can also exacerbate this, as folks using nicotine gum also have experienced these mouth sores. After you vap, drink something to rinse your mouth out. This will get the nic out of your mouth and not give it a chance to sit there and irritate your mouth tissue and cause a sore.

10.) Racing Pulse, Dizziness, Slurred Speech - these are very common with a nicotine overdose. Sometimes we overestimate just how much nicotine we were getting with regular cigarettes, and underestimate how much we are vaping - particularly at the beginning. Racing pulse is the most common, slurred speech less so - but usually too much nicotine. Try cutting down the dosage in your cartridges or liquids or vaping less frequently. However, some people experience this even with a low nicotine liquid and find that switching to Vegetable Glycerin (VG) solves their problems.

11.) Heartburn - some folks have reported heartburn / acid symptoms. Not enough information yet to guess why - but these symptoms seem to come after a couple of weeks of e-smoking and then go away again. Could just be an adjustment symptom, but users have reported it happening.

---- AND SOME GOOD "SYMPTOMS" ----

Since we don't want to focus on just the negatives, I wanted to put in some positive words from our experienced users.

First, most people adjust in the first week to symptoms. Dry throat and sore throat are easily remedied, and things like headaches or gas tend to go away quickly.

Sinuses clearing up - this is a wonderful thing when it starts happening. Your sense of smell starts to come back, stuffiness goes away, etc. You start noticing the smell of other people's smoke, or more subtle smells you've forgotten about as a smoker. The downside is you also start to smell the nastier smells too.

Smoker's Morning Cough going away - most people find that the annoying first thing in the morning coughing session goes away. Depending on how bad that was for you as a smoker, this is a definite milestone.

Deeper, Clear Breathing - as your body clears all the toxins away, you start breathing deeper. Some folks actually find they get dizzy initially, as they are taking in more oxygen. Many smokers actually breathe really shallow, especially if they've been smoking for a long while - so the change can be quite dramatic.

Smoke Smell Begone - no more stale smoke smell in your hair, your clothes, your home, your car. Downside is once your sense of smell comes back, you're prone to go on a massive cleaning spree - especially if you smoked in your home because you suddenly realize how bad it smells.

(if anyone else wants to add some good or bad symptoms, keep replying to this thread and we'll keep merging into one list)

[efaglil]

During the first few days I experienced nicotine withdrawal. I get it quite bad anyway, headaches, nausea, shakiness and usually end up sleeping a lot. Doesn't last more than a few days and could be attributed to learning good techniques for getting the best out of the eCig.

Had a cough that didn't go away for 3 weeks(ish).

Also had an acne breakout - started about two weeks in and is just about clearing up now, we're at 5 weeks today (woohoo!)

I still have very very slight cough, I expect that inhalng anything which isn't clean air acts as an irritant. Hope that logic is correct!

[CaSHMeRe]

When I started ESmoking, you won't believe the issues I had.

Here is my list:
1. Throat wasn't just soar, It felt like 1000 needles poking it and I wouldn't even be swallowing!!!
2. Constant 72 hour headache. Nothing took it away!
3. Night AND Day Sweats. It could be 60 degree's inside and cold, and I would start sweating profusely. Wake up in the morning and my bed and pillow were wet from sweating (at least I'm hoping it was sweat, and not an accident ... lol)
4. And the worst of them all, the Runs!!! I was in the bathroom 15-20 times a day it seemed like. Constant stomach issues and trips to the bathroom made the first week not very enjoyable by any stretch of the imagination ...

BUT ... Like most, about 8-10 days later, I gave it another round, and have been fine ever since ...

[Soot]

I’m not sure if my symptoms are common.

Efaglil’s post worries me – I’m on day 11 and wonder if I’m about to have an acne breakout so that I’ll be stealing my son’s Clearasil! Should I take the precautionary action of using it now?

Symptoms so far include:

1. MUCH higher sex drive
2. Other half doesn’t read newspaper anymore – she rolls it in to a batton!
3. Lack of sleep.

I think these are linked .

[Grenage]

Lol, Soot. Sounds like a nightmare

Spot breakouts aren't uncommon, but you're generally unlucky to get them. I know people who have gone through it when quitting normal cigarettes, I think it's just your body clearing out the crap you've been absorbing.

[No burn baby]

How can we ascertain that its the quitting of the cigarette that is causing the acne break outs rather than the commencing of the E Cig?

I have been vaping for about a week now and don't know if this is a PG symptom or not but I have been experiencing an itchy, slightly peely nose, just inside of the nostrils and a little round the outside. I also have a small ulcer on my tongue (which I would think is due to getting a little juice in my mouth every now and again whilst getting to grips with vaping techniques! Anyone else experience this?

[Kate]

I had mouth ulcers a while ago but they've gone now. I've heard that they are one of the things people sometimes get when stopping smoking.

My skin isn't spotty or dry but seems to be taking a long time to heal from minor cuts. I don't know if this is related to esmoking or not.

I had a week or so where some of my leg muscles got a little achy. That might be something to do with lactic acid from propylene glycol.

[efaglil]

Originally Posted by Soot

I’m on day 11 and wonder if I’m about to have an acne breakout so that I’ll be stealing my son’s Clearasil! Should I take the precautionary action of using it now?

If they're coming they're coming and there's nowt to do about it

Don't know if it was caused by PG or tar clearing, just know it happened and I'm not usually quite so ugly

[Grenage]

How can we ascertain that its the quitting of the cigarette that is causing the acne break outs rather than the commencing of the E Cig?

It's not uncommon for people who just quit smoking to get spots, without using e-cigs.

[dc2k08]

hic-ups (hic).