I'd really like to see if the Lung Flute would help out. It's used for collecting samples as well which could possibly be used for research. (eww..)
Does vaping cause phlegm?
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Someone mentioned they have sever allergies to coconut oil, of which VG is greatly comprised of. Some of you may want to look into that. It causes skin and respiratory problems. You may not know you are allergic.
Sorry, but I beg to differ. I've been vaping for about 9 months now. When I smoked, I had a constant cough and lots of brown phlegm. When I started vaping -- with PG liquid -- it only took a few weeks for the cough and brown phlegm to completely go away. However, I realized that vaping was causing a thick, clear phlegm at the back of my throat. If I vaped heavily, lots of phlegm. If I eased off the vaping, less phlegm. I then bought some plain VG to mix with my e-liquid and right away I noticed the phlegm was a lot less. Problem was, it was also diluting the nicotine content of my e-juice (I vape 24 mg).
It took me a while, but I finally bought some DIY VG e-liquid (60mg nic juice, which I cut with plain VG, plus flavorings). I've only been vaping this stuff for about a week, but I noticed a lot less phlegm right away. Also, the PG was causing me dry mouth, which has totally gone away with the VG. After reading this thread, I'm going to mix up some unflavored juice and see if the phlegm goes away completely.
I think it's important to stress that the phlegm I get from vaping seems to originate at the back of my throat. I rarely, if ever, cough up phlegm since i quit smoking. Also, the vaping-induced phlegm is not a chronic problem. In other words, it gets better or worse within minutes of my switching between PG and VG (or a mix of the two).
Thanks for that post. It is interesting how the phlegm comes and goes. As though, if you stay away from it for a bit, it does go away, which is probably good. It's your body's way of fighting the irritant, whether it be VG or PG.
Well I had no real change in phlegm from smoking to vaping - mine was never brown btw, pretty much clear or pale milkytea colored (off white?)- and it always been 'back of the throat gotta clear throat' to get rid of it thing. If anything its not as 'thick' now as it used to be, it just hasn't gone away. My cough went away though, just left with the same old phlegm /sigh.
I haven't noticed any difference with PG or VG either but I tend to vape a mix higher in PG than VG (tho I do have some all VG liquids, I can't say its worse when I vape it, though I DO get a tongue coating with VG thats not present with PG).
I haven't noticed any difference with PG or VG either but I tend to vape a mix higher in PG than VG (tho I do have some all VG liquids, I can't say its worse when I vape it, though I DO get a tongue coating with VG thats not present with PG).
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Esdel has it exactly right. TraderBlue is, bluntly, wrong.
Clinical trials are bearing out right now what Esdel wrote. Only trouble, in the trials, both PG and VG are causing clear phlegm, back-of-throat problems. A carrier for nicotine that won't cause this is being sought.
Clinical trials are bearing out right now what Esdel wrote. Only trouble, in the trials, both PG and VG are causing clear phlegm, back-of-throat problems. A carrier for nicotine that won't cause this is being sought.
They put PG in cigs too don't they? I'm sure I read that someplace on here. SO that would make sense then for me not having much of a difference between the 2. No phlegm at all would be awesome - I can't even remember what that feels like.
See this page: Cigarette Ingredients | Tobacco Ingredients
The percentages shown are the maximum level used in any R J Reynolds brand in 2007. They don't show the specific amounts per brand.
The maximum PG level shown is 2.116%, the maximum VG (glycerol) level is 11.14%. At the start of the page it says "Levels are based on a dry-weight percentage of the tobacco", so the following calculations may be a bit on the high side.
Assuming an average cigarette to weigh 1 gram, and using 1g = 1ml (close enough to being true), a pack a day smoker of whichever brands it is that have the maximum levels noted above could be consuming (without knowing whether filters trap any and whether any is converted to other substances due to heat):
.02 * 20 = .4 ml PG/day
.11 * 20 = 2.2 ml VG/day
Allowing for the "dry weight" thing, perhaps .3 ml PG per day, and/or 1.6 ml VG per day, per pack/day, for the brands with the highest levels.
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I posted this on another thread before I cam across this thread - anyway my question is:
Forgive my ignorance, or if I am raising something already discussed - but what's the big deal about having "phlegm" anyway?
People with allergies and asthma get phlegm don't they? I thought that producing phlegm was just the body's way of protecting the lungs from on irritant.
People with allergies can get constant phlegm from pollen or air pollutants can't they?
So if the underlying cause of the phlegm is 'chronic exposure to an irritant' how bad is that as a health risk? Is the irritant so bad as to possibly be carcinogenic? Is the irritant so bad as to cause or worsen emphysema? Does it lead to high risk of sinus infections? Does the production of phlegm affect lung function? Does the irritant/production of phlegm cause or worsen bronchitis? Does the excessive phlegm production lead to higher risk of pneumonia? Does excessive phlegm production give rise to a higher risk of complications from Flu? etc. etc.
Sorry if these are basic questions but what I'm wondering is, what other conditions or illnesses are there that lead to excessive phlegm production? and what comparisons can be made to these and the phlegm production which occurs from vaping?
Also are we talking about excessive phlegm produced in the nose and sinuses or excessive phlegm being produced and coughed up from the lungs?
Forgive my ignorance, or if I am raising something already discussed - but what's the big deal about having "phlegm" anyway?
People with allergies and asthma get phlegm don't they? I thought that producing phlegm was just the body's way of protecting the lungs from on irritant.
People with allergies can get constant phlegm from pollen or air pollutants can't they?
So if the underlying cause of the phlegm is 'chronic exposure to an irritant' how bad is that as a health risk? Is the irritant so bad as to possibly be carcinogenic? Is the irritant so bad as to cause or worsen emphysema? Does it lead to high risk of sinus infections? Does the production of phlegm affect lung function? Does the irritant/production of phlegm cause or worsen bronchitis? Does the excessive phlegm production lead to higher risk of pneumonia? Does excessive phlegm production give rise to a higher risk of complications from Flu? etc. etc.
Sorry if these are basic questions but what I'm wondering is, what other conditions or illnesses are there that lead to excessive phlegm production? and what comparisons can be made to these and the phlegm production which occurs from vaping?
Also are we talking about excessive phlegm produced in the nose and sinuses or excessive phlegm being produced and coughed up from the lungs?
The problem with Phlegm of any kind aside from the fact thats its uncomfortable is that in excessive amounts, yes, depending on the location, it can cause problems breathing. Also, phlegm is known to trap not only irritants, but make people more prone to infections, possibly by holding bacteria. Irritants to your respiratiory system in general are not a good thing. Long term effects are unknown. Yes, it's a matter of choices for us.
Im a hair over four months into vaping and do have Asthma as a result of smoking and have to say that there is a significant decrease in phlegm that Im coughing up. I have noticed that VG irritates my lungs beyond belief but when I vape PG based liquids it subsides a bit. Certain flavors like 555, dk-tab, and any sort of tobacco type juices seem do do the same even though its PG based so I stick to Menthol and it helps a lot. I was wondering what sort of alternatives are available besides PG/VG are or will be available and cant wait to try them. Thanks Tropical Bob for the update and do keep us posted on the test results 
There IS another alternative- its called PEG and its hard to find...I used it for 5 months with no side effects besides dry eyes...I tried going back to PG and VG and started having congestion/phlegm.. I would really like to go back to PEG again but the US vendor that carried it doesn't sell ecig stuff anymore..
Totally Wicket Uk carries it, but it is a fortune in shipping costs..I was informed that totally wicked USA would be carrying it soon, so Im just waiting to find out..
I have MAD allergies and PEG is the only e liquid so far that doesn't cause wheezing/hives/ or phlegm..
I have been a member of this board for a year now and without PEG liquid, I have unfortunately gone back to analogs..
If anyone else knows of a PEG carrier please let all of us know that are looking for an alternative to PG/VG..
Thanks!
Totally Wicket Uk carries it, but it is a fortune in shipping costs..I was informed that totally wicked USA would be carrying it soon, so Im just waiting to find out..
I have MAD allergies and PEG is the only e liquid so far that doesn't cause wheezing/hives/ or phlegm..
I have been a member of this board for a year now and without PEG liquid, I have unfortunately gone back to analogs..
If anyone else knows of a PEG carrier please let all of us know that are looking for an alternative to PG/VG..
Thanks!
A week or two after I quit smoking and started vaping, I had some horrible tasting phelgm. Really really awful and it went on for about a week. I think it was my body clearing the funk out of my sinuses from smoking.
TropicalBob has it exactly right
After vaping the VG for a while, I am now having the same back-of-throat phlegm I had with the PG.
Phlegm yes, but it's pretty much tasteless. No idea where the taste of crap could be coming from, have you tried changing flavours?
I quit vaping at the end of January and I STILL get the back of throat clear phlegm. At this point I just assume that it is here to stay
I have been going through doctors and all sorts of yuk since I quit smoking. I have always had allergies. But have now been diagnosed with asthma. I have been prescribed an inhaler and a nebulizer. Both times within 6 weeks I had severe asthma attacks while using the control medicines. Both had pg in them. My doctors finally found medications without pg and I am finally healing up again now.
I have used only vg juice for over a year. I have the clear phlegm and my doctors all say 'of course you do, you quit smoking after 34 years' They tell me it takes a long time to clear out your lungs and get the phlegm back in control. I have had 4 doctors tell me the same thing.
I just want people to know that they really do need to take reactions to pg, flavorings or whatever it is seriously. My reaction is not immediate. It can take 4-6 weeks before pg really hits me. My last asthma attack, I really had serious doubts as to whether I was going to make it or not.
It's not ecigs, just pg that is an issue for me. And it can be life threatening.
I have used only vg juice for over a year. I have the clear phlegm and my doctors all say 'of course you do, you quit smoking after 34 years' They tell me it takes a long time to clear out your lungs and get the phlegm back in control. I have had 4 doctors tell me the same thing.
I just want people to know that they really do need to take reactions to pg, flavorings or whatever it is seriously. My reaction is not immediate. It can take 4-6 weeks before pg really hits me. My last asthma attack, I really had serious doubts as to whether I was going to make it or not.
It's not ecigs, just pg that is an issue for me. And it can be life threatening.
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Well... After hunting around and doing some research, I can find a few suppliers... do your own research, but...
This one
3 w's.biocompare.com/ProductDetails/38458/Polyethylene-Glycol-400.html
provides USP/United States Pharmacopeia grade PEG-400 and they will supply in 500ml quantities.
This one
3 w's..vgdusa.com/PECT-PYRI.htm
provides NF/National Forumlary Grade PEG-400 @ $115/500ml (heavily reduced price for higher quantity). According to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Formulary
National Formulary bought out United States Pharmacopeia, so one can assume their standards are at least approximately equivalent, but again, you might want to dig into that a bit further.
This one however...
I think is your best bet.
3 w's.usbweb.com/category.asp?cat=117&id=19957
It's $49/L or $34 for 500ml, and it's graded as Ultra Pure...
You can read up on what that means here
3 w's.usbweb.com/grade.asp
My understanding of it is UltraPure is of considerably higher grade than USP/NF. Regeant Grade derived from NF/USP grade material. High Purity grade is more pure than Regeant Grade... so Ultra Pure... one can only assume (seeing as I don't speak molecular biologist) would be of even higher grade. Probably best to ask them if it's ok to vape tho
Helluva lot cheaper than TW too.
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