withdrawal from MAOI in cigarettes?

[frankie1]

Hi Frankie,
Why are you keeping your nicotine so low? I know this is in opposition to other responses, but I read the MAOI thread too. I had been diluting my 9/6mg juice to near nothing thinking maybe I would wean off of it. I got incredibly irritated, resting heart rate laying in bed at 120... anxiety. Yes, that's scary. I had some issues with heart rate before I found e-cigs and made a Dr appt then. Had a stress test... bla bla bla that's a good heart. I don't really know how my arteries are, but he said my heart is good.
Anyway, after reading the MAOI thread I upped my nicotine to 18/12 and bought some Passion Flower. Immediate relief. I posted in that thread but I don't know if you saw it. If the MAOI effect allows the build up of dopamine and seratonin, and you take that away and the nicotine that stimulates the release of them, I think it's a double whammy!
I switched from tobacco on 16/18mg, (whatever Npro high carts are) and didn't miss it at all, but I don't think I can give up nicotine yet... and maybe never...

Well, my thoughts were that I might be getting too much nic. Now I am wondering if that was correct. I so wish someone with medical training would help to solve my problem. After the heart tests, I intend to try something else, but am a bit nervous until I know for sure no heart problems. Of course, 2 EKGs have shown nothing wrong. Heart monitor company never seems to see anything emergent when I have one of these episodes. I just transmit and they say OK. They should be telling me to call 911 if they see a problem.

Until the tests, I am just going to do the best I can, hopefully not have a heart attack or stroke, and then back up and punt after the tests...which I will find out results the day before Thanksgiving. On second thought, maybe I should just up the nic, stop smoking and if that throws me into a spasm...well,, I do have the monitor!

[frankie1]

Anxiety may be the answer. I don't know anything about panic attacks, but when this happens, I am not scared or upset until I feel an episode coming on. I have also reduced caffeine intake and started a woman's vitamin regimine from GNC which includes a mood stablizer.

[telsie]

My first thought would be too much nicotine, but since it's not that (and you've so far found nothing medically wrong), it really does sound like anxiety. An anxiety attack feels like you just chugged a pot of strong coffee and if you go through your list of symptoms, you've pretty well nailed it.

Anxiety attacks can happen for no apparent reason, but since you've been cutting back on analogs, that's the likely culprit. Upping your nicotine will probably help, but until your body adjusts to the lack of whatever else it is in analogs that some of us seem to be dependent on, you might find the problem recurring at times.

[aschmidy]

Frankie1, I'm not a dr or anything of the sort. Just a 50 year old female myself. I was wondering if the doctors checked your thyroid? It's a pretty typical condition for women our age, but a lot of doctors miss that one. I had a lot of those symptoms when my thyroid went whacky on me, very unpleasant. (I still hate to be cold, and I live in Wisconsin!) I have found that when you are a smoker, doctors look for the 'smoker problems' and sometimes miss the common ones.
I would switch to VG also, just because PG reactions can act a lot like this, too. You can always add PG again later, if you get things figured out.
Hang in there, I''m wishing you the best!

[telsie]

Anxiety may be the answer. I don't know anything about panic attacks, but when this happens, I am not scared or upset until I feel an episode coming on. I have also reduced caffeine intake and started a woman's vitamin regimine from GNC which includes a mood stablizer.

Panic attacks aren't really what people think. It's not like you panic and then have all these heart-racing, thinking-you're-going-to-die kind of symptoms. You start having the symptoms for no apparent reason, which then causes panic, which then precipitates... more symptoms!

What you said about not feeling scared or upset until you feel another episode coming on is exactly how "anticipatory anxiety" works. For example, if you have an anxiety attack while driving (an anxiety attack is like a milder panic attack, by the way), you might think about it the next time you're getting in the car and feel a bit uneasy. And if it happens to occur again, you might start to fear having an anxiety attack any time you have to drive somewhere. And that can lead to having an anxiety attack at the very thought of having to drive somewhere.

[frankie1]

aschmidy: Yeah, my doc checks thyroid with routine blood work. I had one in June and Sept. Everything was normal in Sept. Thyroid was fine in June, Hemoglobin was high! due, of course, to smoking. I agree, they hear smoker, and a lot of things get overlooked.

telsie: That makes a lot of sense! I thought panic attacks were way more pronounced than what I have been experiencing, but last night was way worse than usual and more prolonged. Then when I try to sleep, any little discomfort wakes me...so no sleep!! Which probably makes things worse also!

42109: I went back and checked your post on the MAOI thread. Really glad that I did because I ended up re-reading the entire discussion. One poster, Kent I think, suggested that I wean myself more gradually off cigarettes because of the antidepressent effect. He, like you, also suggested that I might up my nic intake!

[frankie1]

I want to thank everyone for your help on this thread! You guys may not be doctors, but your advice and support has meant a LOT to me.....I am more convinced than ever that I can get through this, it may just take me a little longer than others! It is so wonderful to have a conversation with others who are interested and informed in this brave new experience. My family listens, but they don't really get involved in the whole vaping scence, so they are not informed. Thanks again!

[frankie1]

telsie: I love your avatar!

Started hearing heartbeat in ears this morning. I did some deep breathing and focused on relaxing. I don't know if it helped, but no "episode"! Maybe it is anxiety and that is why the docs seem to be brushing me off. If that is the case, it kind of sucks. I have always been a big coward, but I have never had panic attacks and, if panic attacks are my problem, they are scary...and they make you SICK!

[Mentholgirl]

I had panic attacks for many years and had to take medicine to control them, and your symptoms really do sound like panic. I too would hear my heart in my ears, my heart would seem to beat abnormally and a few times it was beating so fast I went to the emergency room and they too thought it was too fast. But after being hooked up nothing was wrong. I went to emergency room after emergency room, with many thinking maybe it was a heart attack, giving me oxygen, the whole nine yards. But nothing was ever wrong with my heart. It was just beating too fast and at times irregularly. Finally 1 emergency trip, a doctor suggested, I probably had panic attacks, he gave me anti-anxiety meds and it stopped immediately. That is when I knew it was not my heart it was panic attacks. It was hard to accept something wasn't wrong with me as it really feels like your having heart problems and its very scary. Many times I thought I was going to die as I layed in bed.. Its a terrifying feeling. When you said the heart in the ears it really brought me back.

I suggest mentioning to your doctor the posibblity of Panic.

After 8 years being medicated. I no longer need meds, I weened myself off of them and no longer have panic attacks, only very rarely now.

I would think after so many years smoking that perhaps the drastic reduction in nicotine is sparking the anxiety and causing the panic attacks. I know when I tried to quit cold turkey I was a mess. You may simply try uping your nicotine mg's.

Hope this helps some

[sstambo]

I feel for you Frankie. I used to get panic/anxiety attacks everyday. Mostly I would get the attacks in the morning on my way to work. They were so horrible! Thought I was going to die. I hardly get them anymore. I ended up quitting my job over them. Now hubby & I are self employed and I am alot better.

Since I started vaping a month ago I have a few other symptoms. I feel tired & foggy alot. Had trouble sleeping the first 2 weeks. I did quit analogs after 2 weeks. I started vaping with 24mg & I am still using 24mg. I am planning on cutting down the nic when the tiredness & fogginess abates. I did make some diy juice that is lower nic to vape when I feel like chain vaping.

Question: When you have an analog-Do you feel any of the dizziness or cig buzz that you used to get after not having a cigarette for a really long time?

I think your nic level might be to low. I understand & would also be leary about upping the level though especially if your experiencing panic/anxiety attacks.

I really hope you can figure it out. Please let us know.