My own experience and health.

[ManiacMedic]

I had posted previously about my shortness of breath that I believed MAY had been linked to vaping. To rehash:
26 years old (today actually, happy birthday to me).
9 pack year history, history of smoking other.... Stuff.... Heavily for 2 years. Switched to vaping December 2013. Vaped small aerotank setups for a few months and upgraded from there. Subohmed for about 5 months. About 2 months in to subing, I had massive shortness of breath on exertion. Light headedness. Pains in my chest. General malaise. Anxiety. I eventually managed to quit, thinking it would all go away as soon as I quit.

I was sub-ohming up to 15ml a day at .2-.3ohm at my heaviest... Which is actually surprisingly easy.

So I saw a few doctors. Was put on antibiotics. 5 different ones. With no elevated white count (really dumb). Z-max helped, but they are giving z-max to copd-ers with good results in improvement of breathing. Was put on albuterol with no benefit. Was put on advair disk with minimal benefit.

My pulmonary function test showed moderate constriction, but my FVC was 229%, imo proving the test uncalibrated as my fev1 was 139%.

Chest xray was clear. Sinus xray was clear.

Blood work came back good. All within normal range. And we have run a LOT of blood. Including IgE at low end of normal. WBC good. Hemoglobin was great.

And that's where I stand right now. Still short of breath. O2 sat is always 97-99, but I can feel inflammation in my right lung and right sinus. Zyrtec D helps but increases my heart rate. Singulair works a little but I get crazy PAC's.

Doctor is 50-50 on if it was caused by vaping, or even smoking in general, for that matter. I am further unsure as well. I'm interested in auto-immune or inflammatory conditions.

I doubt it's bronchiolitis or else I'd be headline news by now, regardless of the fact that I favored sweet desert flavors.

Comments? Opinions? Suggestions? Concerns? I wish we knew the risks of this stuff long term (20-50 years), but as of now, I feel any respiratory problems that occur while vaping should be ruled out being caused by vaping. For the future of vaping.

 

[Cullin Kin]

Oh man, I'm sorry all that is going on! So you have quit vaping and it's still going on? I think we are all innately curious of the long term effects of vaping.

I will definitely watch this thread for any updates. I hope you can get it figured out.

 

[Katmar]

Yes, keep us posted. How long has it been since you vaped?

 

[ManiacMedic]

Yes sir. As of now, no one is really pointing the finger. I'm trying to exclude it for myself. I do hope it is not a direct cause because vaping appears (as of the short term) to be better for your health. My concern, either way, would not be with PG or VG, but with flavoring a and sweeteners. That is where the problems will lie.

But regardless, neither myself nor my doctor is convinced it has anything to do with inhaling anything. Hopefully getting a cat soon, and will give results.

As for pictures, I can't post them on here direct and would have to link them. Sounds like hastle

It's been about 4?? Months? Since about February since I vaped.

 

[Panorama911]

Well I am going to go outside the box based on the test results. Oxygen and Immunoglobulin are good. The FVC and FE1 suggests COPD is not apparent. ....So where this leaves me is the mention of smoking other "stuff"....stay with me here not going to go to far on this but the amount of resin inhaled is rather large and over time and habitually it will coat the linings of the lungs and take several years to "work its way out"....so to speak.

So I just wonder if you are going through a time where the resins are causing issues and time is the cure?

You have passed every test and the lab work is on par I can only think perhaps there is a conflict from the "stuff" and the components in E liquids and it is showing itself now.

Again I am just thinking outside the box and I wish you well!

 

[edyle]

What comes to my mind is many users report a film or layer of stuff develops on the inside of their cars; they notice it on the glass.

I notice stuff on my nose area and on my forehead.

So it wouldn't surprise me is excessive vaping tends to leave a film of layer of stuff in the lungs which the body has to keep constantly cleaning out; and that film may be hindering oxygen absorbsion.

I don't know if any of the tests you mentioned checks for that - whether your lungs are aborbing enough oxygen.

 

[Panorama911]

So it wouldn't surprise me is excessive vaping tends to leave a film of layer of stuff in the lungs which the body has to keep constantly cleaning out; and that film may be hindering oxygen absorbsion.

I don't know if any of the tests you mentioned checks for that - whether your lungs are aborbing enough oxygen

His o2 saturation is normal...97-99 is good.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Not as in-depth as you, but I have been getting quarterly labs done. Things went up as I got away from smoking. I am glad you are approaching it all and working to eliminate possibilities. Actually, I am grateful that you are posting thoughts and actions.

I was thinking about flavorings, but it has been four months and, I assume, you were vaping different flavors. I guess it could have been obne flavor ingredient, but it HAS been four months.

Is it possible that it can be an environmental issue? Was it always there with you while in your current environment? Old filters in the HVAC?

Just thoughts. Thank-you for posting.

 

[ManiacMedic]

I really appreciate everyone's opinions. One of the things that frustrates me sometimes about the vaping community is the speed at which they write off medical complaints. I hope none are ever linked to vaping, as I would like to see a healthy alternative.

My cough has been non-productive the entire time, although it has been present. I certainly can't discount tar from whatever source or the film from VG. It has been a few years since I smoked anything that "wasn't tobacco" but I won't discount that possibility.

Another strange symptom is the occasional burn in my right lung when I cough hard, and this pain in one spot of my chest. Almost feels like it's in my bronchi, right side. I've ruled out GERD as the cause, and again, x Ray is normal. I can only describe it as that pain you get in your chest when you lung inhale a dry hit... Right THERE. No other way to describe it. I've been pointing at it as I write this paragraph but none of you have seen me

Again, not pointing fingers, just ruling stuff out. Hopefully it's not e-cigs. Or maybe something in the e-cigs caused me to develop an allergy (sucralose??). I will work on ruling out environmental. I washed every piece of linen in my house and will change HVAC filter ASAP.

Thank you all

 

[Panorama911]

This may seem a bit odd or out in left field but the right lung consists of 2 lobes, the left 3. I too have had right lung irritation, still do but it comes and goes. I have determined that I get relief from dropping the nic level.

Here is the odd thought...I wonder if the capacity of the right lung having a lobe a little bit larger than the first lobe of the left that it takes in a higher volume of vapor increasing the ability to become irritated.....? hmmmmm! I need to do some thinking and research on this possibility!

 

[ManiacMedic]

I am not sure about capacities, but I am aware the right main stem bronchus is more straight than the left. I'd assume it would take in more vapor/smoke/irritants. it would be interesting to see a volume difference. You could probably see this in interstitial lung diseases or lung cancers effecting 1 lung versus another more frequently. I'm sure there is research published, I should explore it myself also.

 

[RosaJ]

It seems the tests you've had are all normal. Let us know what the cat scan shows.

Sorry you're going through this!

 

[BigEgo]

Were you a diacetyl or AP vaper?

 

[ManiacMedic]

Were you a diacetyl or AP vaper?

Well yes. And so are most people. But I've never heard of anyone in the history of vaping having problems due to diacetyl.... Right?

 

[ManiacMedic]

I did vape brands like suicide bunny, space jam, cosmic fog (nuts was my favorite by far). And I had a subscription to zamplebox. I was unaware of diacetylmorphine until after I had breathing problems. I'm really hoping this isn't the case, because the only true way to confirm is open lung biopsy from my understanding.

 

[Panorama911]

I did vape brands like suicide bunny, space jam, cosmic fog (nuts was my favorite by far). And I had a subscription to zamplebox. I was unaware of diacetylmorphine until after I had breathing problems. I'm really hoping this isn't the case, because the only true way to confirm is open lung biopsy from my understanding.

Catch 22....Getting a biopsy could turn out useless, on the other hand may reveal info that could be of great benefit....for you and others!

 

[edyle]

This may seem a bit odd or out in left field but the right lung consists of 2 lobes, the left 3. I too have had right lung irritation, still do but it comes and goes. I have determined that I get relief from dropping the nic level.

Here is the odd thought...I wonder if the capacity of the right lung having a lobe a little bit larger than the first lobe of the left that it takes in a higher volume of vapor increasing the ability to become irritated.....? hmmmmm! I need to do some thinking and research on this possibility!

actually its the right lung that has 3 lobes and the left lung has two lobes.
(the left side of the chest also has to accommodate the heart, so it makes sense that the left side lung is smaller or has less lobes than the right side lung.)

 

[ManiacMedic]

I knew what he meant. We're talking patients left/right.

 

[Panorama911]

Yeah I was looking from the wrong direction/perspective. Thanks for the correction! I later thought about this and wondered which side just never corrected myself.

 

[Mikeynomorevape]

I had posted previously about my shortness of breath that I believed MAY had been linked to vaping. To rehash:
26 years old (today actually, happy birthday to me).
9 pack year history, history of smoking other.... Stuff.... Heavily for 2 years. Switched to vaping December 2013. Vaped small aerotank setups for a few months and upgraded from there. Subohmed for about 5 months. About 2 months in to subing, I had massive shortness of breath on exertion. Light headedness. Pains in my chest. General malaise. Anxiety. I eventually managed to quit, thinking it would all go away as soon as I quit.

I was sub-ohming up to 15ml a day at .2-.3ohm at my heaviest... Which is actually surprisingly easy.

So I saw a few doctors. Was put on antibiotics. 5 different ones. With no elevated white count (really dumb). Z-max helped, but they are giving z-max to copd-ers with good results in improvement of breathing. Was put on albuterol with no benefit. Was put on advair disk with minimal benefit.

My pulmonary function test showed moderate constriction, but my FVC was 229%, imo proving the test uncalibrated as my fev1 was 139%.

Chest xray was clear. Sinus xray was clear.

Blood work came back good. All within normal range. And we have run a LOT of blood. Including IgE at low end of normal. WBC good. Hemoglobin was great.

And that's where I stand right now. Still short of breath. O2 sat is always 97-99, but I can feel inflammation in my right lung and right sinus. Zyrtec D helps but increases my heart rate. Singulair works a little but I get crazy PAC's.

Doctor is 50-50 on if it was caused by vaping, or even smoking in general, for that matter. I am further unsure as well. I'm interested in auto-immune or inflammatory conditions.

I doubt it's bronchiolitis or else I'd be headline news by now, regardless of the fact that I favored sweet desert flavors.

Comments? Opinions? Suggestions? Concerns? I wish we knew the risks of this stuff long term (20-50 years), but as of now, I feel any respiratory problems that occur while vaping should be ruled out being caused by vaping. For the future of vaping.

I have had almost the exact same experience as you, after vaping for 4 months. I have been smoke and vape free for 14 months now and am still going through it. Not as bad as in the beginning but still having problems. I too was on 6 different lots of antibiotics, given prednisone, advair, asmanex and albuterol nebs. It did help me get through the past year and I am still taking advair and albuterol as needed to get through bad days. I am really hoping time will heal whatever I did to myself. I will never inhale anything but clean air ever again!


I like you have had every test imaginable, been to the doctors more in the past year than in all my life previously and have no concrete results to pinpoint what the cause of this breathing problem is.