Breathing problems?

[MMA1985]

Hi everyone,

I am about 7-8 weeks into vaping with no cigarettes at all in that time and I seem to be developing some breathing difficulty. I did have difficulty breathing and chest pain while smoking but the doctors always told me that was related to my bad anxiety so I sort of got used to it. However now its gotten much worse with vaping. I vape mainly AVEjuice (BB and GJ) but I also tried vaping higher pg content, although I can't do mainly PG because it just sucks lol. I have seriously considered giving up vaping and going back to cigarettes for the time being till I figure this out. I really don't want to because I have absolutely no desire for a cigarette and enjoy vaping more. But this has me scared. Am I still detoxing? I have been eating a lot of organic fruits and vegetables, and drinking lots of pure water since I quit smoking to help get the junk out. Is it too much nic? I vape 18 but if I chain vape I usually go to 12. The problem is I can't go below that because of the TH dilemma. Or could it be the vapor is too hot since I drip on a 1.5 ohm atty with my kgo and inhale directly into lungs and quite often get dry hits. I hope someone can give me some advice, I posted in the health section but only got one answer since yesterday.
Thanks!

 

[Adam the Aussie]

I have the same problem with high VG juices, I start wheezing like I'm back on the smokes. 70pg/30vg for me all day everyday.

 

[MMA1985]

I thought it was the VG but today all day I vaped bounty hunter from NLV which is 65pg/35vg and still same problems

 

[AttyPops]

Wow.

Well, breathing is more important than either e-cigs or cigs in the short term. So if you have trouble breathing and you think it's due to e-cigs stop until you figure it out. Experiment carefully if you decide to continue, or try lozenges or something else if you can. Also see the discussions on snus, or the NRTs... etc. Also check with your doctor.....

If you do continue the vaping thing:
1) maybe try unflavored e-juices with different PG/VG ratios if you vape at all. You can also DIY juices.
2) Mouth-to-lung inhale is better IMO.
3) Also, try 2.0 ohms on the K-Go (3.7 volts, yes?). 1.5 may be too hot (Is too hot for me).
4) Make sure atty is clean and performing well.
5) Reduce VG if you can. Too much VG gives me a bit of a "heavy" feeling.
6) You don't HAVE to inhale to get nic from e-cigs. Try mouth-in, hold, nose-out (or some such) for some if not all of the hits.

EDIT: Was typing while you posted your reply. I still suggest experimenting with diff VG/PG ratios, but #5 may not help.

 

[MMA1985]

Thanks for the advice. I know it is better to inhale into mouth first and use a higher ohms but the way I do it was the only way I could be satisfied and quit smoking. Even the high VG is what I prefer. Though I could probably do okay with 70/30.

 

[FencingGirl]

I am no doctor and no vaping expert either, so take anything I say with a grain of salt. I was wondering though... If you are wheezing, I wonder if you are allergic to something in the juice. If you tried some sample juices that completely eliminate individual ingredients, and the wheezing stops, then you may be allergic to whatever ingredient you eliminated. Maybe you could get a DIY kit and experiment with this yourself. Just methodically eliminate ingredients one at a time and see if anything works for you.

Again, I have no idea... Just a thought. I hope you figure it out and don't have to go back to smoking.

 

[MMA1985]

Hi FencingGirl-

Yes that's what I was thinking but I really don't want to mess around with putting my own nic in the liquid so maybe there are vendors that sell unflavored pg/vg liquid with the right nic amount (18 and 12) already in it??

 

[HPLFan]

Hi MMA,

As a fellow anxiety sufferer, I was wondering if your getting any treatment for your anxiety attacks? You might want to talk to your Dr. about that. Mine used to be very bad to the point I was having multiple attacks every day. I was on medication for a short term and then weaned off and learned deep breathing and visualization techniques and it has helped immensely.

Just a thought.

 

[FencingGirl]

Hi FencingGirl-

Yes that's what I was thinking but I really don't want to mess around with putting my own nic in the liquid so maybe there are vendors that sell unflavored pg/vg liquid with the right nic amount (18 and 12) already in it??

I'm sure there are, they have everything. I haven't gotten into DIY yet, so I just don't know. I'm sure if you asked on the DIY forum, they could help. From what I understand, you can buy nicotine that is already diluted. That's just the impression I got though, I haven't looked specifically to find out.

 

[MMA1985]

Hi HPLFan,

I'm sorry to hear about your anxiety. Yes I was seeing doctors and therapists for a long time and they basically used me as a guinea pig for years trying all kinds of medication until I finally said enough and got off of medication for good, with some very uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. I do practice yoga every morning and that seems to help, however my chest is too closed to breath deeply, though I know that would help and I thought switching to e cigs would help too. I don't have a Dr. currently so I can't really have them help me with anything, its basically something I gotta fix on my own at this point. Just a question though, do you think it could be the increase in nicotine (since I definitely get a lot more now than with smoking) that is causing my breathing to worsen? Thanks for your advice!

 

[durgidog]

I am about 7-8 weeks into vaping with no cigarettes at all in that time and I seem to be developing some breathing difficulty. I did have difficulty breathing and chest pain while smoking but the doctors always told me that was related to my bad anxiety so I sort of got used to it.

Hi, I have anxiety as well, have you considered that this might have nothing to do with the ecig you are trying - especially as you experienced anxiety with tobacco cigs?

As a fellow anxiety sufferer, I was wondering if your getting any treatment for your anxiety attacks? You might want to talk to your Dr. about that. Mine used to be very bad to the point I was having multiple attacks every day. I was on medication for a short term and then weaned off and learned deep breathing and visualization techniques and it has helped immensely.

Perhaps smoking/vaping is not the solution (but if you need it vaping is healthier). Maybe something emotionally deeper is worth checking out? .....whether you have a nicotine back up or not?

 

[durgidog]

Are you vaping pure 100% VG? perhaps that would help with your physical reactions.

 

[MMA1985]

I am vaping AVE juice mainly which is 100%VG but it is diluted with something which I don't know what it is.
As far as the ecig not being the cause, I always consider that everything could be psychological. As I'm sure you know our minds are very powerful and can cause crazy reactions in the body. I just can't discount that I feel a noticeable difference between vaping and smoking, and I get a tighter chest and difficulty breathing as soon as I start vaping now. It wasn't like this at the beginning, but I noticed it gradually get worse. It could of course be the thought of "maybe vaping is worse than smoking" and my body reacting accordingly.

 

[durgidog]

Do you think you're still addicted to nicotine? can you give it all up for a week or so? Nicotine has powerful effects on our phsyiology. What about trying 0 nic or just straight VG (CVS, etc) to rule out anything related to nic juice?

 

[durgidog]

Duh, we never asked what device/carto/tank/ etc you are using??

 

[MMA1985]

I do think I could get off the nic easily IF (and a big if) I could manage to get some kind of throat hit at 0 nic. I actually did vape 0 nic liquid only for 3 days straight and I didn't feel any withdrawal symptoms at all and felt more relaxed actually. I knew I could get off the nic but I really missed the TH and the sensation of "smoking" with nicotine, and that's why I went back to my 18 and 12 mg juices. So i'm sort of praying someone is going to come out with something at least good enough to satisfy that craving for TH at 0 nic. As for my device I am using a kgo and only dripping on a 510 1.5ohm atty.

 

[MMA1985]

BTW I vaped the 0 nic liquid before I noticed breathing issues, I just really wanted to get off nicotine, so I didn't notice any effects with chest tightness, breathing etc.

 

[MikenGA]

...maybe there are vendors that sell unflavored pg/vg liquid with the right nic amount (18 and 12) already in it??

Welcome to MadVapes LLC sells UNflavored PG at 0, 6, 11, 16, 18, 24, and 36mg. You could buy a bottle of PG at 24mg, and dilute it with an equal amount of VG for a 12mg Unflavored vape.

I like VG, but 100% makes my chest feel tight. Supposedly, PG improves flavor, but the 100% PG I tried left a light aftertaste of chemicals. I usually vape 70/30 PG/VG, but anywhere in the midrange works good for me.

As for coughing, for ME, the way I drag a vape makes all the difference. If I breathe directly into my lungs, I'll cough my toes up. So I take it into my mouth and hold ever so slightly before inhaling. The longer I hold it, the less TH I feel.

You can also enhance TH by adding menthol drops. (Eucalyptus drops are pretty potent, too.)

That's all I got...