Allergy to VG ?

[Tracy68]

Due to having what seemed like an allergic reaction after 3 weeks into vaping (rash on face- face flushing/burning, swelling around eyes)I stopped vaping for a week - back to cigarettes
Yesterday I decided to try again.

I vaped VG, NO flavouring (rule that out as a possible allergy source)
After a few hours of vaping the burning/flushing in my face started- only slightly but enough to realise it was definately back again so I stopped vaping immediately.

As the night went on, despite not vaping I developed a terrible itching to my head /neck and upper body. Drove me crazy.
Felt like I was about to break out in hives or a rash but nothing appeared and the itch eventually settled. Woke up this morning with slight swelling around my eyelids.
I also noticed that after those few hours of vaping the VG again that my tummy was rumbling and I felt quite gassy ( a problem before that I thought was a result of quitting smoking)

So it's safe to say that it's not the flavouring that was/is causing the problem.
So that leaves VG or nicotine.

I've never had any problems before with glycerine, in fact as the rash on my face was healing and the skin was so dry I was putting sorbeline on my face. It contains 10% glycerine.
Wouldn't THAT have irritated my skin if I DO have an allergy to glycerine?

Or is it different inhaling something as apposed to putting it on your skin?

The only other thing is the nicotine.
It seems illogical that I could be allergic to inhaling nicotine through vapour and yet be fine with it in a cigarette.
I know....it makes no sense BUT when you read all the warnings on other NRT's it DOES include allergic reactions as a precaution.
So....IS it possible to be allergic to nicotine when administered through vaping?

To be honest I'm scared to try vaping now. I know I should try PG to rule out the VG but I'm paranoid that I might have a really BAD allergic reaction.

I don't know what to do?

I'm worried that if I'm allergic to nicotine in anything other than cigarettes then I'll not even be able to use other NRTS to get myself off smoking.

 

[sam.8]

Hey, I'd try PG and see what happens. Given you react right away, you should notice before it gets really bad like before. I can't see it being the nic...given cigarettes....but who knows. What nic concentration are you using?

 

[Tracy68]

Hi Sam. I'm using 18 mg.
Just after I'd posted the above I realised my husband had done some searching overnight on the VG allergy thing and came up with at least half a dozen posts on this forum by people having similar reactions to VG.
So it seems that for a small percentage of people this really IS a concern.
I'll wait till all my symptoms are gone and then try the PG.
I really hope that this will be the answer for me.

 

[sam.8]

The way i see it, there's likely not a chance that you are allergic to vg, pg and nic. So experimentation is likely going to take a bit to find your sweet spot.

I actually have something occuring as well. I have some red irritation in half the white of one eye. I've had tons of water since the whole vaping thing (two weeks or so now) and first week had pg/vg mix. At the beginning of the week I got a variety of juices, mostly all PG, and one fully VG. Didn't think anything of it until my eye started getting irritated. It's generally the side I exhale on. Also noticed that if vapor hit it, it doesn't like it.

Picked up some natural tear gel to keep it moist and I'm going back to what I was vaping before this started. See what happens. but it's definitely not as bad as what you had going on in your other thread. I read it. Good luck and keep posting the outcome. I'm sure you'll find your sweet spot!!

 

[Wolfstar]

Tracy68, I am so very sorry my dear, that you are having these horrible issues. It has to be beyond frustrating to you, and you were doing so well before the rash began. I hope, from the bottom of my heart that it is only the VG you are allergic to, and not the PG as well. I, so far have only one allergy that irritates me occasionally, but I know what causes it (I just can't stop!). Well actually there are two things, one of them being whatever ingredient is in IcyHot leave red, angry welts wherever it's been applied (pulled a hammy playing softball, and roomate was trying to help) will send me running for the shower and soap, soap, soap!! But the other thing is tomato juice. Whenever I cut up tomatoes to can or use in a salads (I ADORE tomatoes, they are my favorite food ever) and the juice runs down my arm from my hand, I get itchy, red, welts all along where the juice has trailed. (funny, but I have no reaction at all to eating them in as large a quantity as are ripe in my garden, which is a lot.) I discovered that if I know I'm going to be cutting tomatoes for any reason, I take a benedryl about an hour before I head off chopping, and that seems to completely eliminate any symptoms. While I realize your allergy is not necessarily a topical allergy, and I am not recommending you try it, I just wanted to share what seems to work for me. As far as the IcyHot goes though, I NEVER allow it in my house, or anywhere near my person. It's caustic to me, and I remember the burning of it to this very day. Very painful and no way to soothe it or make it go away until it does so on it's own. I cordially offer my shoulder to you anytime you might need it, as I know this has to be a huge disappointment for you. I wish you very much luck in using the PG, please let us know how it works out for you!

 

[Tracy68]

Hi, thanks guys. I've been doing some reading about sulphites and to be honest I'm getting very excited here with what I am learning.
Sulphites are preservatives added to many foods but also can be added to VG to extend shelf life.
They are in alcohol too - predominantly wine and guess what....I have had SO many problems with alcohol. As soon as I drink a glass of wine it sets my heart fluttering and racing and sometimes leads to palpitations. (A reported side effect of sulphites!)
I would also get the flushed face thing.
While I always knew my body didn't like alcohol I continued to drink regularly (though not in vast amounts) until about 18 months ago my two glass of wine a day habit lead me to the doctors where it was discovered that I had a VERY fatty liver.
As soon as I stopped drinking everything went back to normal.
Even the doctor questioned alcohol as being a cause because it wasn't as though I was drinking excessive amounts but from what I have read if you have an intolerance to sulphites it causes your body to NOT be able to break down alcohol so it becomes a toxin to the body....which is why my liver may have been so stressed by trying to rid my body of what was basically a poison.
So if indeed I DO have an allergy to sulphites this may very well be why I'm (and other people too perhaps) having a problem with vaping VG.

I just hope there are no sulphites in PG...but there shouldn't be should there. It's not a food derived substance after all so shouldn't need preservatives?

 

[Tracy68]

And guess what.....I just read that sulphites are also in "Dental anesthetics containing adrenaline".
Might explain why I immediately get a racing heart if given that anasthetic! For years now I've had to have the anasthetic without adrenaline.
Unfortunately though it seems there is no clear allergy test for sulphites. It's just based on your history as the blood tests are not reliable.

 

[keyzygirl]

I cant vape more than 20% VG or I get an itchy rash all over my upper body.Try PG,it works for me.Ive been vaping PG for quite a while now and no problems.

 

[Wolfstar]

I know I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. Keyzygirl's post makes a lot of sense, and perhaps IF PG works ok for you, at some point you could try adding in just a little bit of VG if you find you need it to vape. Lots of good ideas and thoughts here...love it when the juices flow like this (brain-juice, that is)

 

[rolygate]

Try another brand or two of VG liquid. There are so many different ways of making it that one brand can be substantially different to another.

My usual brand of 100% VG liquid causes me not the slightest problem. I was given a large quantity of another brand of VG liquid to try. Unfortunately, after using only a small quantity of it I had to quit, it was affecting my breathing and seemed to have coked my lungs up.

There seems to be a wide variation in VG brands, and one or two may result in intolerance (or 'allergy' if you like) for some people. This does not seem to be the case with PG. There are all sorts of theories as to why this can occur in VG, such as an intolerance to coconut oil, or palm oil, or sulphites as mentioned in this thread. But my own experience leads me to believe that this is brand-specific rather than an issue with all VG.

 

[Tracy68]

Hi Roygate. I have switched brands. It's obviously not making any difference for me, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[DJ Metaphor]

I had the exact same reaction to PG. I can't wait for my pay-check to get here so i can order some blank cartos and some VG e-liquid.

+ annother battery. I lost one of mine somewhere

 

[Tracy68]

I tried vaping with PG today....just a little bit on and off. (I'm paranoid now about reactions.)
All seems to be ok so far- touch wood!
I did get a bit of a headache this evening and flushing on ONE side of my face so I stopped vaping straight away but I think it's unrelated. Felt different to before - more like I was getting a migraine but some painkillers have taken care of all of that.
So I'll just keep trying a little bit each day with the PG and hopefully it will be ok!

 

[Wolfstar]

I know I've got my fingers crossed and I'm sending you positive vibes in hopes it will work for you, Tracy68!

 

[Tracy68]

Thanks Wolfstar

 

[RichardLOZ]

Well just an update on Tracy. She is getting a similar reaction to 100% PG juice. We are wondering now whether it may be some kind of allergy to the nic in the juice. I know that it sounds crazy as she has been smoking for near on 20 years, so it just doesnt make any sense, but we are running out of things to eliminate.

We are going to try next kjust straight 0 mg VG & PG and see what happens. At this point we are also open to suggestions. She has a doctors visit arranged for this coming Monday but the doctors here know nothing about vaping at all, and really dont seem too interested either. They try to guess the symptom and treat that rather than the cause. Talk about frustrating......

Richard

 

[Wolfstar]

Thanks RichardLOZ for updating us on Tracy. Hopefully the zero nic will help, and she'll be able to at least do that! If it does, then maybe some type of smokeless tobacco or snus can be used to help wean her off the nic, and she'll still have the vaping. It's just so strange that she would be allergic to the nicotine, when she smoked analogs with no issues like this. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her. There's just so little research available on the possible side effects or allergies to vaping VG, PG or nicotine, it has to be frustrating. I'm so sorry she's having to go thru all this!

 

[DarthVper]

I started vaping about a month ago and am still in the trial & error phase of finding the right juice. I try to stay at 80/20 PG/VG or less due to the thinness, throat hit, and reduced vapor. The mix I use most often is less than 10% VG. I Also try to get stronger flavors and usually hover around the 24mg range.

Three days ago I got another shipment of 20 some odd flavors, and I vaped about 5 different ones throughout the day trying to determine a winner of the bunch. Wednesday night I got a few more liquids, which were mostly VG based, and I was loving the particular flavors I got (especially Astro Bacco). But by the next morning, Thursday, I was not feeling well at all.

I had a sore throat, heavy chest, coughing, extremely runny nose, gassy, weak, and was overly irritable. Pretty much like a really bad cold with some flu thrown in. Every time I vaped (anything) it tasted nasty and often threw me into a coughing fit. The whole day went pretty much miserably.

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling pretty terrible. Could barely force myself up, felt unrested, frustrated, ill. Blowing my nose now produced not only yellow-green and clear phlem-ie stuff but also the tissues were spotted with blood. Headache became prominent.
So I browsed through here searching for answers and still don't have any, but seems to me that I may have a VG allergy, or something in the flavor of the juice I just got was wrecking me up. I decided either way it was the new juice. Not sure if it was the VapeSafe stuff or the load I got a few days prior and maybe took a few days to effect me.

So I've been back to my previous vaping regular since last night and so far there's been slight improvement, but I'm still in a bad way. I figure it'll take a few days to get over this 'sickness'.
Thoughts?

 

[RichardLOZ]

It took Tracy about a week to be totally rid of the symptoms. During that week she went back to the smokes until it had totally cleared up. Started again with VG no flavour, and after just a couple of hours had begun to develop symptoms once again. Back to the drawing board.

Went to 100% PG in an eGo-T and had some slightly different symptoms, nothing like the VG, but enough to freak her out a little. back to square one again. Tried the 100% PG in a clearomizer and so far so good. She is having trouble totally kicking the smokes this time and as we speak is still having around 8 or so a day, along with the vaping. I would prefer she went to all vaping, although 8 / day is better than the 30 - 40 she was smoking.

Looks as though for her it was a reaction to the VG, but also a slight reaction using the atty's, which could have something to do with the nickel in them. I guess that issue is harder to pinpoint. She has not had any reaction with the clearo's, so it is still a bit of a mystery.

I think the only way to get to the bottom of it is by a process of elimination. Yeah I know it is a PITA and takes time, but I think its the only way you are going to find out for sure. Personally I would let the symptoms clear right up (even if it means going back to smoking for a while) and then start from scratch, eliminating as you go. Sorry to not be of more help, but I really don't think there is any other way to go about it.

Good luck and keep us up to date as to how you are progressing.

 

[DarthVper]

You know as I think about it, perhaps the filler in the cartomizers has something in them that is causing / aggitating it. I've been having a hell of a time getting my echo cartomizers to not burn up after the first day or two using them (and I mean burning holes in the filler too). My supplier basically told me it was unheard of and that his lasts for months with no problem, and offered me 2 free ones with another purchase of 4 more. Awesome that solves nothing but make me spend more money, thanks! Those six are doing better but after 3 days two are going bad. Anyways my point is, burning filler entering my lungs can't be healthy right? I don't know about Tracy's situation but if there's some chemical in the filler then it's hitting the atty at some point by the juice carrying it or the atty burning the filler. I'm going to vape my regular mix because I know that shouldn't cause me illness, and if I get worse or not better, then I'll have the carto filler to investigate, and if I get better I'll stick to my belief it's the VG. I've never vaped over 20% VG before and that Astro Bacco is 70% VG.