Upper Respiratory infection from Vaping?

[Cygnus421]

Before i begin, I'd like to point out that I didn't switch to vaping from analog cigarettes, but rather I switched to vaping to kick my snus addiction after realizing it was destroying my teeth.

Anyway, I've been fighting an upper respiratory infection for a little over 2 weeks now and im at the tail end of it right now. I went to the doctor a week ago, and she gave me some antibiotics that seem to be knocking it out of me. What bothers me is that it started about a week after i started vaping on a regular basis. I was using premium brand cartos (PG), and those seemed to agree with me just fine. Then when i got my second order, which consisted of WowVapor (also PG) brand cartos, thats about the time I started coughing up massive amounts of phlegm, and it eventually manifested into an upper respiratory infection.

Even now that im on the tail end of this, i still can barely vape my non-menthol flavors without having a coughing fit.... Is it possible that my e-cig caused this?

Thank you
-Cyg

 

[81darksider]

I would say that it is possible. Most people that vape have many years of smoking experience. Our lungs and throats are used to a harsh smoke going into them. If you are not a smoker it's possible that the vaping irritated your throat/lungs and caused the issue you are having. It's still better for you than SNUS. Just take it easy for a while and only vape a few puffs to get your nicotine levels up and put it down. Hopefully once you get through this you'll be fine with vaping afterward. Remember this is just my opinion though. You should definitely ask your doctor and see what they have to say. Take care and I hope all is well for you!

 

[enricopardo]

I'm having the same problem without the infection. I am trying to reduce the PG/VG proportion to see if that helps. I bought Glycerine from Walmart and some McCormick Raspberry extract to add some flavor to my Carmel 24mg eliquid. I'm trying dissolving the formula to see if that works. In the mean time. I'm still smoking analogs and drinking lots of water.

Can anyone else comment on this? I'm also concerned about this.

 

[Pur3Rush]

Imho, it's a 99% chance that you did not get a URI from vaping. There really isn't a way for this to happen due to the high heat that the liquid is vaporized at. This is a simply 1 liner, but I believe it's true. vaping dosen't lower your immune system or anything like that so I don't see how this is possible. Not saying you are, but many people attribute symptoms to vaping when/if they occur shortly after starting. If you hadn't started vaping would you have gotten the URI, probably.

Take this with a grain of salt, I'm no doctor.

 

[mgaruccio]

It's definitely possible that vaping is contributing, when you visited your doctor for the antibiotics did you mention that you had just switched from snus to vaping?

enricopardo - are you a former smoker? its fairly common when quitting smoking to cough up a bunch of plegm and such about 2 weeks or so into quitting, its your lungs sort of cleaning themselves after years of abuse, you may also want to try using a pure VG juice to try and determine if you may have a PG allergy.

edit -- also wanted to add that PG is a known bactericide(sp?) which should inhibit any kind of URI but it is (theoretically at least) possible that it killed off "good" bacteria and that allowed you go get the infection. this is highly unlikely but possible I suppose. More likely is that you happened to get the infection around the same time, a favorite axiom of science is that correlation does not equal causation and it likely applies here.

 

[MTV]

I believe PG has been tested successfully as a agent, in vapor form, to prevent pneumonia, influenza, and other respiratory diseases. See: 1942 by Dr. Oswald Hope Robertson of University of Chicago's Billings Hospital

 

[UntamedRose]

I cant say NO, it wasnt caused by vaping...as well I suppose there is a possibly so I can say that.

From looking around on ECF ...Vaping does NOT cause respiratory infections. In my personal experience, with ending up with a infection every other time I quit smoking..vaping doesnt cause respiratory infections.

PG is thought to have antibacterial and viral properties to it...which makes the chances of infection even lower. like in this experiment http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...fewer-colds-upper-respiratory-infections.html

 

[Pur3Rush]

So again, just definitive proof that I was correct. LOL.

Note: I'm not a doctor.

 

[dormouse]

Vaping cannot give you an infection unless you let someone else use your ecig. However, meidum or high nicotine in 100% PG base can be very irritating. Nicotine is a skin irritant. It can causing sore mouth, throat, sinuses (if are you inhaling or exhaling a lot of vapor through your nose), and in extreme cases sore irritated lungs, especially if someone is vaping constantly.

If that is the problem (or even if you think this would reduce irritation), so things you can do

1. Get juices with some VG in the, Even 20% VG (the most I will use in cartos) will provide some buffering of the irritation.

2. Drop your nic level - you won't have a nic fit. Just take a few extra drags. 3 drags of 16mg is the same nic as 2 drags of 24mg

3. Don't let yourself vape constantly - put the ecigs in another room

4. If you are dragging directly into your lungs, stop. Drag into your mouth, then inhale, bringing some fresh air along after

5. If you are vaping HOT - like LR attys/cartos or 5v passthrough etc, try standard resistance or if a 5v PT, try HR

And remember to drink plenty of fluids

 

[JWebb]

Your lungs were probably in transition and caught a virus or bacteral infection, not necessarily cause and effect from vaping. I would get through the antibiotics and see how they do for a few weeks after that. If you vape again and it comes back, take an aspirin and call me in the morning!

 

[enricopardo]

It's definitely possible that vaping is contributing, when you visited your doctor for the antibiotics did you mention that you had just switched from snus to vaping?

enricopardo - are you a former smoker? its fairly common when quitting smoking to cough up a bunch of plegm and such about 2 weeks or so into quitting, its your lungs sort of cleaning themselves after years of abuse, you may also want to try using a pure VG juice to try and determine if you may have a PG allergy.

edit -- also wanted to add that PG is a known bactericide(sp?) which should inhibit any kind of URI but it is (theoretically at least) possible that it killed off "good" bacteria and that allowed you go get the infection. this is highly unlikely but possible I suppose. More likely is that you happened to get the infection around the same time, a favorite axiom of science is that correlation does not equal causation and it likely applies here.

Former smoker and heavy, since I was 15, now I'm 46. About 20 per day. But, once I dissolve it a little with Glycerine, it works better (so far).

You're great. I appreciate your input!

 

[Cygnus421]

Thank you everyone for your input. My plan of action is to cut back on vaping, as well as going from 18mg to 11mg. I figured that since my body isnt used to taking nicotine in its vapor or smoke form, trying to cut down on the nic intake will probably help.

 

[Cygnus421]

Vaping cannot give you an infection unless you let someone else use your ecig. However, meidum or high nicotine in 100% PG base can be very irritating. Nicotine is a skin irritant. It can causing sore mouth, throat, sinuses (if are you inhaling or exhaling a lot of vapor through your nose), and in extreme cases sore irritated lungs, especially if someone is vaping constantly.

If that is the problem (or even if you think this would reduce irritation), so things you can do

1. Get juices with some VG in the, Even 20% VG (the most I will use in cartos) will provide some buffering of the irritation.

2. Drop your nic level - you won't have a nic fit. Just take a few extra drags. 3 drags of 16mg is the same nic as 2 drags of 24mg

3. Don't let yourself vape constantly - put the ecigs in another room

4. If you are dragging directly into your lungs, stop. Drag into your mouth, then inhale, bringing some fresh air along after

5. If you are vaping HOT - like LR attys/cartos or 5v passthrough etc, try standard resistance or if a 5v PT, try HR

And remember to drink plenty of fluids

I plan on taking ALL of your advice. The only problem is, i dont know what "Vaping Hot" means. I got a vapor king, and it screws into the carto, which takes 16 drops when completely dry. Vapor King is an 808, and i dont even know where that falls on the hot/cold spectrum.

 

[none]

I got a sick and a chest infection when I quit smoking and started vaping nic, but .. I did stay up 2 days with only 1 hour sleep, went to work and might of eaten a suspect sandwich, yeah that might of done it :S lol

Vaping Hot is the heat of the vapor, such as using a low resistance carto/atty or higher voltage battery can cause the vaper to become hotter.

 

[espresso]

Possible. Switching can cause chemical inbalance, as compared to your previous state,
therefore immune system act accordingly while mucus change to your new habit/hobby.

 

[Knaeus]

There is a pretty big lack of research at the moment about the effects of vaping. I know there are a lot of people that like to claim this is some kind of conspiracy or some such thing by tobacco companies, but I see no reason to jump to such conclusions. Electronic cigs are pretty new compared to other nicotine delivery systems, and there is actually several ongoing research programs looking at the effects of e-cigs by rather neutral parties. It is true that some governments, such as the U.S. government seem pretty deaf to e-cigs as a better way for addicts to get their nicotine, but that is more politics an ignorance than anything.

What is known is there were several studies done (actual papers published and I will find them again if you wish) concerning the effects of propylene glycol on the respiratory system as well as on the body. In one study, they gassed chimps with concentrated PG and then introduced contagions. What the study found was that PG acts as a rather effective anti-bacterial agent. It also binds to liquids easily, reducing the moistness that leads to respiratory infections. Modern medicine likes to use expectorants for this very reason...to get rid of mucous and other liquids in the lungs to reduce infection.

The other two components of E-cig juice, water and nicotine, have no known properties that would increase the likelihood of respiratory infections. The only thing I might point out is that flavored liquids might complicate this equation. I personally use flavorless liquid, and in my own case, I have noticed that I have not contracted a respiratory infection since I began vaping. I generally had 2-3 of them per year before. I have no been vaping about 2 years, and that is a long time for me to go without any RI's.

 

[keyzygirl]

The Wow cartos have quite a bit more VG than the premiums.Maybe you should stick with the premiums and less VG.

 

[JW50]

Possible. Switching can cause chemical inbalance, as compared to your previous state,
therefore immune system act accordingly while mucus change to your new habit/hobby.

I suppose "possible" from just switching is true. But what is mentioned is "infection". I don't think it likely that chemical imbalance causes "infection". "Infection" to me implies bacteria, virus or fungi. Effectiveness of antibiotic implies bacteria to me. Is it possible that some e-liquid introduced a bacteria? I would think, yes, that is possible. Can some bacteria withstand the temperatures of vaporization? I would think that some might. But, if vaping with non-contaminated (meaning no harmful bacteria) e-liquid, non-contaminated vaping equipment, I think it highly unlikely that vaping caused the OP stated problem.