Severe anxiety, panic, and rage

[jaspry]

I have suffered anciety as long as I can remember.

But I've had extreme panic attacks since quitting vaping/smoking.

I stopped vaping after ~3 months because of problems with my throat. Dr. thinks it's reaction from the PG. So I went cold turkey (no use going back to analogs, wanted to eventually quit anyways).

I've been experiencing muscle aches, chills, sweats, panic, rage, anxiety. General tiredness. Muscle weakness. Feeling spaced out.

I'm 8 days since my last vape, 6 days since my last analog.

Dr. said I am experiencing a lot of nic withdrawal symptoms. Gave me 5 days' worth of Xanax to help cope, but I don't think 5 days will be enough.

The problem with my throat is still continuing, 3 days into antibiotics. Hoping and praying Im fully recovered by the 7th day when my antibiotic prescription runs out. My neck is swollen and a bit tender. Feels like I have the flu.

I'm sensitive/allergic to PG and vaped for THREE MONTHS while my physical condition deteriorated before I quit altogether.
Going through a physical battle right now. The anxiety is so bad, my thoughts race and I get into an anxiety attack thinking that I'm diseased or something. It's terrible. But it's proooobably just the lack of nicotine.

Good luck. Writing helps the anxiety which is why I vented, lol.

[a2dcovert]

You guys are not alone in this. I have been off of cigarettes since May. I still get withdrawal symptoms and most of the things mentioned here. I am convinced that the nicotine isn't the only element of smoking that we are addicted to. There is a missing link that needs to be discovered. I hope that someone will discover what we are missing.

I don't want to smoke, I need to smoke. And if I don't discover what is really going on I'm afraid I will lose this battle. It's a shame that the medical comunity appears to have no clue as to what is going on. That's why all these NRT gimmicks have failed so badly. No one is addressing the secondary addiction.

Kevin

[Ghalenlee]

I just got done reading the 20 some odd pages of the thread that OTD posted. A lot of it went over my head, and a lot of it made perfect sense.

I am not a doctor, but I do know my own body and moods.

I truly believe that it's some type of MAOI withdrawal compounded by my predisposition for anxiety attacks, and maybe some PMS symptoms thrown in for good measure that had me thankful my shotgun doesn't have any ammo at the moment.

This is a good place to vent, and talking about it with others who are experiencing the same thing does help.

My bi-polar sister has an appointment with her psychiatrist this week and is going to ask for me what the symptoms of withdrawl from MAOIs is. She's always been one who can pick up smoking and drop it just as easily.. but she's also on a buffet of medications.

Today, is a little better, I can put the PV down for more than a minute and only feel a little of the nastiness. I am at a point right now tho, I have so much to do and I do not want to leave the house. I'm saving up all my energy because I know it's going to take everything I have not to call out of work tomorrow.

My BF told me I should go to the ER and tell them what's going on, I'm afraid if I do that they will hospitalize me and I have no way to pay for that right now.

There are some good suggestions in this thread and the one OTD recommended. If I buy a pack of cigarettes, I will open it and smoke it, that's the nature of my beast. I'm going to have to research that snus thing some. I know nothing about it. Not sure what I'm going to do but I will not go back to smoking, I am determined in that.

[frankie1]

DVap and others have done a FANTASTIC job researching this. The thread OTD referenced is chock full of information. The conclusion, in a very oversimplified statement, is that the other < 10% alkaloids, are potent and have been taken out of the nic liquid. Even though nicotine at 90% is the most prevalent alkaloid, the other alkaloids are quite probably enough to derail a lot of vapers from getting totally off analogs.

Maybe the nic liquid manufacturers will pick up on this and fix it, maybe not, but I would try snus or even smoke if I had to! Smoking is horrid, but rage related psychosis is probably worse.

I AM NOT A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL OF ANY SORT, so take this as I wrote it....my personal opinion. BTW, DVap seems to be a chemist and others on that thread are highly skilled and intelligent IMO. The things that I have researched outside of this forum seem to back up what they say. I still smoke a few analogs a day to calm the beast, but I, until I can do better, am going under the assumption that 5 or so smokes a day beat 40+ per day by a mile! Good luck!

[olderthandirt]

I just got done reading the 20 some odd pages of the thread that OTD posted. A lot of it went over my head, and a lot of it made perfect sense.
....
This is a good place to vent, and talking about it with others who are experiencing the same thing does help.

....

Good morning Ghalenlee
Good to hear you can get that PV away from your face a little

A good portion of the "are we getting..." thread is over my head as well, but again as with you, the general thrust of it makes sense.

Been a real education for me since joining this forum. While the spectrum of vapers represented here is wide and varied, the similarities amaze me. The common theme of self medication with tobacco is something I had never considered or heard of elsewhere. Regardless the individual circumstance, be it anxiety or depression or what have you, a large number of us are truly in the same boat.

Here's to hoping you find your comfort level Ghalenlee !!

[Ghalenlee]

DVap and others have done a FANTASTIC job researching this. The thread OTD referenced is chock full of information. The conclusion, in a very oversimplified statement, is that the other < 10% alkaloids, are potent and have been taken out of the nic liquid. Even though nicotine at 90% is the most prevalent alkaloid, the other alkaloids are quite probably enough to derail a lot of vapers from getting totally off analogs.

Maybe the nic liquid manufacturers will pick up on this and fix it, maybe not, but I would try snus or even smoke if I had to! Smoking is horrid, but rage related psychosis is probably worse.

I AM NOT A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL OF ANY SORT, so take this as I wrote it....my personal opinion. BTW, DVap seems to be a chemist and others on that thread are highly skilled and intelligent IMO. The things that I have researched outside of this forum seem to back up what they say. I still smoke a few analogs a day to calm the beast, but I, until I can do better, am going under the assumption that 5 or so smokes a day beat 40+ per day by a mile! Good luck!

I'm just stumped as to why it would take 2 weeks for symptoms to start showing up, is the half-life of the other alkaloids that long?

Yep, rage related psychosis will probably land me in prison and I believe they've banned smoking in our prisons so I'd really be up the creek.

I'm hoping the nic liquid manufacturers do pick up on this and fix it. I can't even imagine the brouhaha that would create with the fda, bt, and the like.

I was hoping that the PV would keep me off the cigarettes, I'm sad that it's not enough. For a normal person who was not self-medicating with cigarettes I'm sure it is enough and they can just muddle thru the withdrawal while the brain starts doing its job again. I don't think mine ever did the job correctly, LOL. I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank my genetics for the rampant mental illness that runs in my family whether they will admit it or not.

Maybe I'll just buy the damn pack of cigarettes and limit myself to one or two a day. But they really do taste like crap now.

[Robert]

Nicotine- You Need More of it try 24mg

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[badkolo]

I feel your pain, to the OP and the rest of you, after 22 years of analogs the e-cigs are the only thing that worked. And i wanted to quit but i went through the same exact things your all describing from flu symptons to aches and pains and anxiety issues which i already dealt with before stoping analogs.

I also fealt like a caged beast but i didnt feel like running out and buying analogs though which is amazing for me. What makes these issues easier to cope with is the kr808 or dpv9 at some places, the cartomizers at 24mg do the trick for me, they are the least hastle and work more like a analog with no worries about filling juice and making teabag mods etc... I do all the mods and stuff and have all the e-cig from 510 to 80 to 901 and the janty stick and the ps pt and all that good stuff but the 808 simulates an anolog quickly and effortlessly. so i suggest either try that with 24mg or fill the cartomizer with 36mg and try that or just drip some 24mg.

[frankie1]

Ghalenlee: IDK if it takes that long for the withdrawals to start. I do know that my problems started after about a month of vaping and I have never completely quit analogs. I had restricted myself to 2-3 per day and thought I was OK with it. When I had the first episode, (heart palpitations, nausea, dizziness, jerking) I discovered I was OK when I smoked an analog. Has happened several times, same story. I am currently undergoing a heart study (tests tommorrow, monitored for 3 weeks) and hope to find out more then. I don't know anything about panic attacks or anxiety disorder, since I have never had problems with either. Possibly my problems are NOT related to vaping or smoking cessation, but I am betting that they are.

[Piedlourde]

This is all highly complicated stuff. You shouldn't be trying to self diagnose or medicate.

Get to a Doctor. That's the best and only advice I will give you.
There must be a community Mental Health center in your area. Go there and see if they can help you at little or no cost. Try the ER in a public hospital as a last resort. Then pursue your disability claim.

Plus, I'm confused. I'm not a Medical Professional. I read a lot about medication interaction since I have family members that have various conditions.

What MAOI were you on? You said in your OP that you were on SSRI's and they are not typically given together.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors are last line, extremely strong anti-depressants and have nasty side effects when taken with certain foods and other medications. Even if you're on a higher dose patch form you still have to watch your diet.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are especially not given with MAOI's. Here's a Mayo Clinic link about MAOI's. Page 2 talks about the interactions. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) - MayoClinic.com

Tobacco use in people with mental illnesses as you describe is a common form of self-medication, it may or may not have something to do with your condition but this is not something I would try to figure out on my own.

I hope you're able to find some help in your community.
Good luck to you.