vaping health effects

[Groundswell17]

hey all. been off reg cigs for over 2 weeks, been vaping instead. Something happened though yesterday that kinda scared me.
basicly, i went for a surf, forgot my leash once i got on the beach and said screw it, i only had time for a wave or two anyway. So basicly lost the board after my first wave cause it closed out, and was stuck in the white wash swimmin for it tryin to grab my board for bout 5 minutes. Now i got it, got out of the water, and something happened that hasn't happened since i was a kid. I felt like i was hyper ventalating
Now the whole situation was wierd cause i had been in the truck for 8 hours and my whole body started locking up on me after that, so i know there was more going on than just the hyperventalating. got dizzy and my eyes got heavy and all my muscles just hurt so i layed there with my eyes closed for about 15 minutes.
Not tryin to say like, o o o vaping screwed up my body! i still think it's better than cigs/analogs.. cigs is shorter than analog, i'm gonna call them cigs But what i'm wondering is if anyone has found anything similar in thier experiences,

and I'm wondering a basic question of, does vaping reduce your wind? Its been a couple weeks since i stopped cigs and i find a still do a little cough now and again, however its not this mucus or anything, very loose. I just want to know how this stuff is effecting my body in terms of physical endurance. ty

 

[Eithne]

That's a really hard question to answer without knowing what your smoking and how much/often. It may be a question for your doctor, if you have a really cool one. While they're not going to put themselves on the line with a definitive answer, you could maybe ask your doc to help you monitor your health as you switch.

There's a lot about e-cigs that's still kind of up in the air, so common sense and at least a small measure of caution should be used while vaping, imho. You really have to try to differentiate symptoms, too. 2 weeks off of analogs is going to leave you with symptoms, so it's really a better question directed towards a veteran vaper.

 

[b3ast1e]

It's going to be really difficult for even a health professional on here to answer that I reckon. Anecdotal responses are all well and good for allaying fears dude. But there could be any number of things going on, it could be entirely innocuous, or it might be purely coincidental that this happened just as you've made the switch.

I totally agree with Eithne - get your doctor in the loop. Get the usual stuff done, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood tests etc. Then you'll at least have a better chance of tracking any positive/negative changes, and your doc should be able to better interpret the results than anyone here.

 

[calico21]

It could have been dehydration. You have to get more fluids when you vape. Then adding exertion like swimming and surfing on top of it. Next time get a bottle of water and gatorade in ya first.

 

[Taniger1]

Well, you say:

1) you where in your truck for 8 hours
This says to me an adrenaline rush honestly. Did you stretch yer muscles out afore you went surfing? If not, you may very well have put a strain on them. If you had been in the truck for 8 hours, how long where you actually awake. Had you eaten. Where you well hydrated. From a medical standpoint, you could be suffering anything from deydration to just plain to tired to be on yer board! Usually the simplist answer is the correct one :0)

2) you are healing from analogs.
The fact is, it will take MONTHS and possibly YEARS for your body to "come back" or heal up from smoking. For some of us, this will NEVER happen. Nobody really knows how long it takes for the crap in our lungs to come up. If it ever all DOES come up. That's a fact. It could take the 2 weeks you been clean (and I dont' use the term clean loosly, you are an addict period!!! You are merely choosing to NOT inhale smoke) and it could possibly take longer.

Litte bit of a pathophysiology lesson for you in reguards to addiction (this also includes all the chemicals you have been smoking in analogs, ....... or any other drug for that matter that is addictive, for those of you who have had this lecture from Tan, skip it /grin). This will be pretty symplistic.

In your brain you have little guys that pick up nicotine and the other chemicals in cig's. They are called receptors. As you go on smoking, more of these receptors grow to attach more nicotine. Guess what yer brain looks like after a few years, then 10 then 20 ad nauseum LOL

These guys start DYEING when you quit cigs. Tosses yer body out of whack. Your internal chemical makeup is shot to hell in a handbasket, EVERYTHING can be tossed out of whack. This process usually takes up to a YEAR (in some cases even longer, it's why addicts are crazy, clincally, the first year). So ya, yer internal chemistry is screwed to put it lightly. When yer internal chemistry is screwed, weird things happen because your body may not be "reading" your external and internal stimuli correctly. So lots of strange stuff appears to be happening to you!

Suggestion, STRETCH out your muscles. Stay HYDRATED (cant' stress this enough with vapeing, fluids, fluids and then MORE fluids) eat healthy. GIVE YOUR POOR LITTLE BODY THE CHANCE TO HEAL. You've beat the hell out of your internals with Analogs. The human body without a doubt is the most complicated and miraculous machine the world has ever seen, but it still needs to repair after you quit putting the crap into it!!!

Pay attention to your body and how it feels. If it feels ok when yer calm, go for it in moderation. Learn how your body reacts NOW, and remember this could change as it heals.

I'm glad your feeling your strength again. Sure feels good don't it? Give yerself a break and go easy :0) you'll work your way back up to the "rad" again!


Now with the above said, IF you feel this becomes an ongoing issue or you really are worried, get thy .... to a doc!!! Better safe than sorry!!

 

[thedevman1]

I think a couple of you called it correctly. DEHYDRATION.
Vaping didnt cause your body to lock up, it was more than likely the inactivity for 8 hours,
and not getting enough water.

Surfing is a lot like running, and skiing.
When your legs burn that is a build up of lactic acid.
lactic acid has a tendancy to build up with inactivity.
Most likely THAT is what caused your body to "lock up".

Adrenaline on the other hand makes you imperVious to pain and exhaustion at high levels.
All that medical stuff being said, I went through a similar episode.

I had been Vaping for a couple of months.
I have been doing Krav Maga Self defense on and off since 2007.
It is highly intense and we go for 90 minutes.
I pay for the dang classes and just quit going because of my cigarette habit!
Just could not breathe!
Anyway I started to do the warm ups and the running and push ups and could NOT breathe.
Yeah almost blacked out,I laaid on the floor and everything went black and I tried to catch my breath and could not.
I think it's important for all of us who Vape to understand that nicotine is a VASO restrictor.

Vaping is BETTER for you than cigarettes but nicotine itself restricts the flow of blood because it shrinks and tightens your veins momentarily,so... restricted blood flow = exhaustion. Blood carries oxygen to our brain (duh) and then loses it's oxygen slowly after that, until it gets to the lungs and gets oxygenated. Nicotine (no matter what form) slows this process, but the longer you stay of the analogs and stay active you will feel the difference. PROMISE.
Also nicotine can cause plaque build up in the arteries so get checked at least once a year, and watch your blood pressure.
Ok I rambled but i hope this helps someone. KEEP VAPIN!

 

[Renzuli]

I think a couple of you called it correctly. DEHYDRATION.
Vaping didnt cause your body to lock up, it was more than likely the inactivity for 8 hours,
and not getting enough water.

Surfing is a lot like running, and skiing.
When your legs burn that is a build up of lactic acid.
lactic acid has a tendancy to build up with inactivity.
Most likely THAT is what caused your body to "lock up".

Adrenaline on the other hand makes you imperVious to pain and exhaustion at high levels.
All that medical stuff being said, I went through a similar episode.

I had been Vaping for a couple of months.
I have been doing Krav Maga Self defense on and off since 2007.
It is highly intense and we go for 90 minutes.
I pay for the dang classes and just quit going because of my cigarette habit!
Just could not breathe!
Anyway I started to do the warm ups and the running and push ups and could NOT breathe.
Yeah almost blacked out,I laaid on the floor and everything went black and I tried to catch my breath and could not.
I think it's important for all of us who Vape to understand that nicotine is a VASO restrictor.

Vaping is BETTER for you than cigarettes but nicotine itself restricts the flow of blood because it shrinks and tightens your veins momentarily,so... restricted blood flow = exhaustion. Blood carries oxygen to our brain (duh) and then loses it's oxygen slowly after that, until it gets to the lungs and gets oxygenated. Nicotine (no matter what form) slows this process, but the longer you stay of the analogs and stay active you will feel the difference. PROMISE.
Also nicotine can cause plaque build up in the arteries so get checked at least once a year, and watch your blood pressure.
Ok I rambled but i hope this helps someone. KEEP VAPIN!

Right on the money here . As my health has done nothing but improve over the last several months . Sleep better , have more wind , Less chest congestion , sleep apnea has gone away , taste buds have returned , etc . So follow some of the above advice .

 

[Jibba73]

From my own experience... My lung capacity increased from 42% stage 3 emphysema to 72% stage 1 emphysema in just under 3 weeks of vaping after quitting analogs. Others may vary, but that is simply what has happened to me. And since I started vaping I had to cut back on my coffee intake as it also dehydrates me, so I drink a ton more water now...

 

[tanikir]

I have found one of the biggest drawbacks to vaping for me is trying to remember to drink more. This is compounded when you consider my main drinks are coffee and alcohol lol.

 

[Laffs]

I don't have answers for you but think the above is good advice, and I would start with bringing the doc in the loop and drinking lots more water. I dehydrated pretty badly at week 2 myself. Apparently my old (tongue in cheek) adage that sweet tea and strong black Kona coffee being water intake because they were made with it, bit me on the proverbial smart ..... I hope/suspect that dehydrating, and the healing from the addiction and withdrawal from 4000 other chemicals, and likely the lactic acid build up in your muscles was all it was that knocked you down. Still think seeing your doc and explaining it all, and testing if they wish would be a good second step as you drink a lot more water.

 

[Groundswell17]

From my own experience... My lung capacity increased from 42% stage 3 emphysema to 72% stage 1 emphysema in just under 3 weeks of vaping after quitting analogs. Others may vary, but that is simply what has happened to me. And since I started vaping I had to cut back on my coffee intake as it also dehydrates me, so I drink a ton more water now...

now this is about as cut and dry as it can get. So alright, it's much better for your lung capacity than reg smokes. thats awesome.

you guys keep bringing up this hydration thing. whats this about? vaping dehydrates you??? can anyone explain this?

also as a follow up had 2 surf sessions today no prob, it was def just from the long drive/dehydration, all i had was 2 coffee's over the course of that drive, didn't want to stop and pee too much

 

[calico21]

oh yes you must drink more, no caff, no alcohol is best if your going to be active or in heat. VG is a humecatant (sp) meaning it pulls moisture from the air around it, in this case your lungs when you inhale. Your body helps replace this. I try and take drinks very often because it dries out my lips and mouth. So if you find yourself licking your lips think "DRINK"

 

[milo hobo]

All you had was 2 cups of coffee to drink for an 8 hour drive and your body didn't want to urinate? Yes, def sounds like dehydration. You want your urine to be clear most of the time, maybe alittle bit yellow in the morning.

Okay, dehydration is a natural consequence IIRC due to the propelyn glycol. This mixed with your body trying to repair and restabalize its physiological chemistry.

In my humble and unfounded opinion, I believe that most people are subclinically chronically dehydrated due to the tons of sugar, preservatives, and salts in our diets. Mix this with a dehydrating ingrediant along with physical exertion from new found energy and you might find yourself in danger.

You need water to keep your: blood thin enough to make your heart from straining to pump thick blood, to keep your neurotransmitters in a fluid synaptic gap, to flush lactic acid out of muscles, to more efficiently burn carbohydrates and fats, and to keep joints from experiencing undue wear and tear.

Water is good.

 

[chad]

got dizzy and my eyes got heavy and all my muscles just hurt so i layed there with my eyes closed for about 15 minutes.

Have you ever had a panic attack? That kinda sounds like one...

 

[Groundswell17]

nah never had a panic attack that i know of.

alright so thankyou guys for letting me know this about hydration. I see this post has been moved to a category i did't even know about so i'm gonna take a gander here at all this new info so i feel well informed

 

[Marb]

Awesome, it sounds like you got it all sorted

So, I'll add some of my experiences of the first couple weeks of vaping:

I quit analogs completely when I got my first kit. First thing I noticed was that within a couple days, I seemed to feel very uncoordinated/clumsy, but otherwise just fine. Drinking coffee the way I used to would give me extreme jitters and compound my clumsiness. So my intake of coffee steadily decreased and my water/other non-caffeinated fluid intake went up (also found ECF in that time - thanks for the hydration-tip!). After a couple weeks, I noticed the clumsiness seemed to have went away, my coffee intake was down to a couple cups a day, and most importantly, my cravings for nicotine didn't come in extreme spikes like they did with analogs. It's been about 4 months now and since then, my coffee intake went back up a little, but not as much as before.

Oh, and another side-effect in the first week or so was a dry scratchy sore throat. Similar to what I'd get from chain-smoking during a night of drinking. That went away as I became accustomed to vaping. I can chain-vape all day now and not get any of the negative effects I would from cigs. But when I'm chain-vaping, I use fluid mixed with approx 20% VG to cut the nic down and stretch the fluid out some.

 

[Iluvthearmy]

My similar experience: I've been running every other day for 3 and a half years while being a smoker with nothing more than shortness of breath and dizziness resulting from a good long haul. When I started vaping instead, the first month was horrible for my run. I'd get VERY light headed, the cough was much worse and there was a few times I was so incapacitated that I had to wait a long while before I could even drive home. But after that first month was over and I was done with the coughing fits and my head no longer felt like it was in a vice. I cut my 2 mile run time from 15 minutes to 13:24. and even the long hauls got a lot easier.
My point is that I believe you were experiencing a detox of sorts, but my word isn't gospel, so I'd take it up with a doc. good luck man.