Hi. I Have been vaping for over 3 months now. Never in my life have I had severe anxiety or panic attacks. About two months ago I was at the park with my girlfriend and I noticed my heart was skipping several beats every few seconds. I then turned white. I began to panic and I felt as if I was having a heart attack. I literally thought I was gonna die. I was rushed to the ER. After doing an EKG they found no abnormalities with my heart and diagnosed it as panic attack caused by "normal heart palpitations". For about a week after that I could barley leave my house without having extreme anxiety. I think the anxiety was mostly caused from fear of another panic attack. Then about a month ago it happened again. I have been dealing with life changing amounts of anxiety for the past few weeks now. I didn't even think to consider nicotine as a possible cause until recently. I vape 24mg liquid, and I usually vape steadily all day. I have a theory of why someday's the nicotine could be affecting me more than other days. I take a medication daily that is administered sublingually(I dissolve it under my tongue). It could be possible that my mouth absorbs more nicotine than most people because my mouth is used to absorbing this medication. I am going to cut way down on my vaping and have ordered some lower mg liquid. I will update this post if it changes anything or not. If anyone has any similar experiences or thoughts please share.
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Happened to me recently as well. I believe it was a combination of work stress, caffeine, and nicotine. The work stress has diminished a bit, but I've cut back a lot on the caffeine and went from 24mg juice down to 12mg. No more anxiety/panic attacks. Though I did cut back on the nicotine, I got the best results from reducing my caffeine intake.
I found that a combination of my 6mg nicotine, high daily caffeine and energy drinks definitely causes the high anxiety level... it took me about a week to figure out the level that I could tolerate (just can't give up my Monsters or coffee) so that I didn't have this reaction.
Definitely try cutting your nicotine down... pay attention to your coffee/tea intake... and if you drink any kind of "energy" drink, try cutting back...
Even the time of day made a difference for me (i.e., if I chain-vaped, drank coffee and then followed up in a an hour or so with an energy drink)... then I had the high-anxiety symptoms...
Everyone is different with their reactions to medication, caffeine, etc.
Definitely try cutting your nicotine down... pay attention to your coffee/tea intake... and if you drink any kind of "energy" drink, try cutting back...
Even the time of day made a difference for me (i.e., if I chain-vaped, drank coffee and then followed up in a an hour or so with an energy drink)... then I had the high-anxiety symptoms...
Everyone is different with their reactions to medication, caffeine, etc.
nicotine could be involved in high heart rate and palpitation, but not in panic attack directly, i think they start from the fear produced by the feeling something wrong with the heart.
i agree you should lower the nicotine lvl in your liquid, but i think you also should try to listen better your body and try to understand what it says.
these problem can be completely resolved just learning a different approach to those symptoms.
I still find difficult to understand why, most of the new born vaper are scared more from vaping (of wich we dont know too much) that is just a ipotetic risk, than of smoking than is a certain, well documented and proved risk.
I cut out all caffeine after the first time. Getting off caffeine did seem to help considerably because I was taking in a massive amount of caffeine daily. I do think that the anxiety stems from heart palpitations. Its like my body starts producing extra adrenaline or something when my heart skips beats. If I am able to lay down and concentrate on the fact that the palpitations wont hurt me the anxiety goes away. The question is then, is it possible that just a high amount of nicotine could cause heart palpitations?
Nicotine intoxication can easily cause palpitations - as well as nausea, headache, sweating - basically a sympathetic nervous system overload...
AND, of course, stress and caffeine (particularly caffeine) can worsen all these symptoms and/or make you more susceptible to them.
Cut down the caffeine, and either vape less (yeah, right) or at a lower nic dosage.
When I first started vaping, I was vaping a 36mg and started having palpitations and sweats.
I cut down to 24mg and the symptoms resolved.
The symptoms you're having can be very scary!
Please take care of yourself!
i would definitely lower you nic level,,perhaps down to 12mg ..too much nic will really mess with your innards..
when i vaped 24mg in nov,i would get dizzy as hell and want to pass out,,i am now a member of the zero nic club and it don't bother me in the slightest
when i vaped 24mg in nov,i would get dizzy as hell and want to pass out,,i am now a member of the zero nic club and it don't bother me in the slightest
Thanks for everyone's advice and support. When I get my 18mg liquid in I will post any changes.
Panic attacks are terrible, I'm so sorry your going through this.
Just another idea......I believe you stated you were going through some life changing events recently......That can absolutely trigger them from out of the blue. I suffered a loss many years ago and never delt with it properly, 3 years after the event I started having daily panic attacks, no rhyme or reason, I could no longer function properly. After some therapy the painfull subject came up and I broke down sobbing. After that day I never had another panic attack and all my issues went away.
Could vaping be adding to "what ever is causing it" possibly, but I realized that not facing painfull events or allowing yourself to greive or plainly ignoring your own needs can come back to you with a vengeance. Take a look at what's going on in your life and see if your in need of something your not getting. I hope things start turning around for you soon.
Just another idea......I believe you stated you were going through some life changing events recently......That can absolutely trigger them from out of the blue. I suffered a loss many years ago and never delt with it properly, 3 years after the event I started having daily panic attacks, no rhyme or reason, I could no longer function properly. After some therapy the painfull subject came up and I broke down sobbing. After that day I never had another panic attack and all my issues went away.
Could vaping be adding to "what ever is causing it" possibly, but I realized that not facing painfull events or allowing yourself to greive or plainly ignoring your own needs can come back to you with a vengeance. Take a look at what's going on in your life and see if your in need of something your not getting. I hope things start turning around for you soon.
Just want you to know the exact same thing happens to me. Ive had many tests and they find nothing. My heart just stops for a second and sometimes feels like a very heave beat after. It freaks me the heck out and I become panicked. I will say though that now that I know I should be fine the panic attack afterwards has become much less depending on where I am. If Im somwhere in public where Im talking to people I find it harder to deal with compared to being comfortable at home.
My doctor told me it could be caused by my nicotine and especially dehydration. I have a water bottle with me all the time now. I drink it after a skipped beat like it is some kind of magic elixir. I felt dehydrated a lot before I started vaping and vaping seems to make things much worse. So these days I vape 12mg and drink tons of water and it seems to help significantly.
Do keep seeing your doctor though. Ive been going much more often now that all this has started happening.
Good luck and let us know if you find a solution.
My doctor told me it could be caused by my nicotine and especially dehydration. I have a water bottle with me all the time now. I drink it after a skipped beat like it is some kind of magic elixir. I felt dehydrated a lot before I started vaping and vaping seems to make things much worse. So these days I vape 12mg and drink tons of water and it seems to help significantly.
Do keep seeing your doctor though. Ive been going much more often now that all this has started happening.
Good luck and let us know if you find a solution.
I had anxiety attacks before I switched to the e-cig. I can see nicotine having similar effects as caffeine and perhaps increasing heart rate and thus leading to an anxiety attack. Ye...they suck, but with time, you learn to control them
High nic levels will absolutley give you panick attacks. been dealing with anxiety since my teenaged years. i think the combo of high nic and the dehydrating effects of vaping make a good recipe for anxiety, especially somone who can be prone to them. i have given up coffee ( well i drink decaf now, not the same tho). i had a full day of heart palpitations a few months back, which triggered my anxiety in full force. Had an ekg along with an ultra sound done on my heart as well as a 48 hour moitor and all test came back clear. But it seems to come when i vape, but even more so, when i use a LR cartomizer. Dont think i had the heart palps when i was using my bloogs tho. i stopped vaping for a while and sold my gear in a mad panic....wish i held on to my bloog to verify my hunch...i vape very low mg (4mg)....panic and anxiety both suck!
I think for chain vapers, stick with low nic levels. Maybe have a few hits at a higher level in am and wean down to 12 then 6 for rest of the day. bnrk
Wow, that has never happened to me...Hope it resolves for you! Definitely keep in contact with a doctor and approach him/her with these things. I strongly believe that 'most' people do not respond this way.
I seem to be getting panic attacks lately too. I am going to cut back on my nic level, I am at 16 right now, and plan on going down to 8 and see if that helps. I used to have heart palps too from drinking way to much caffeine. I gave up caffeine (not without a fight though) and the palps went away.
I've been having this issue for two weeks now. I use to have Panic attacks as a teen, but it's been 9 years, now i've had 3 or more a day for two weeks......I do chain vape, but I also only use 12/6mg and I drink lots and lots of water. Guess I'll try to not have my ecig handy all the time to stop chain vaping.
Thanks for this thread guys, it's been really helpful!!!!
Thanks for this thread guys, it's been really helpful!!!!
Caffeine yes - nicotine not so much. Excessive nicotine will increase your heart rate, but generally does not induce anxiety. Anxiety is related to thyroid function. Carry a digital thermometer with you, and monitor you body temperature when you begin to feel anxiety coming on. Keep monitoring it throughout the attack, and document the reading via cell phone recorder. Decreased thyroid function will cause all sorts of problems, but the most prolific are anxiety/panic attacks. The chemicals in commercial cigarettes are thought to re-regualte your thyroid; nicotine also to some extend. The 'boosting' agents in cigarettes may also increase nicotines effects on the thyroid gland. Many people who quit smoking end-up with dysfunctional thyroid. I have been dealing with this issue myself since 1991. My normal body temp. is around 98.2 degrees. When anxiety comes on, my body temp. drops around 96.7 degrees!
If you find that your body temp is in-fact dropping; carry a one-shot bottle of rum, bourbon, whatever...and drink it! This will help raise your body temperature, and you will begin to normalize. See your doctor and have him/her do testing to see if you need to go on thyroid leveling treatments. There are foods that will help aid in the natural function of the thyroid. I suspect that an improper diet could also play a part in many anxiety issues. Cruciferous vegetables are KEY to healthy thyroid function.
Read this:
Thyroid and Anxiety | Wilson's Syndrome | Wilson's Temperature Syndrome
"Here’s a really good answer for a lot of people that suffer needlessly from anxiety and panic attacks: Low body temperatures are more than enough to explain anxiety and panic attacks. Low temperatures are often reversible, and when corrected, people often remain improved on their own (without drugs) free of anxiety and panic attacks..."
The incident in Japan hasn't helped matters, as the increased levels of contamination in our environment will certainly translate to an increase in thyroid dysfunction on a global scale. People in Russia who fall victim to the contamination released at Chernobyl inevitably end-up having their thyroid gland removed. If you lived there you would see people baring what is termed the "Chernobyl scar" on their neck. As the contamination makes its way into our air and our food, our bodies will inevitably succumb to its effects.
If you find that your body temp is in-fact dropping; carry a one-shot bottle of rum, bourbon, whatever...and drink it! This will help raise your body temperature, and you will begin to normalize. See your doctor and have him/her do testing to see if you need to go on thyroid leveling treatments. There are foods that will help aid in the natural function of the thyroid. I suspect that an improper diet could also play a part in many anxiety issues. Cruciferous vegetables are KEY to healthy thyroid function.
Read this:
Thyroid and Anxiety | Wilson's Syndrome | Wilson's Temperature Syndrome
"Here’s a really good answer for a lot of people that suffer needlessly from anxiety and panic attacks: Low body temperatures are more than enough to explain anxiety and panic attacks. Low temperatures are often reversible, and when corrected, people often remain improved on their own (without drugs) free of anxiety and panic attacks..."
The incident in Japan hasn't helped matters, as the increased levels of contamination in our environment will certainly translate to an increase in thyroid dysfunction on a global scale. People in Russia who fall victim to the contamination released at Chernobyl inevitably end-up having their thyroid gland removed. If you lived there you would see people baring what is termed the "Chernobyl scar" on their neck. As the contamination makes its way into our air and our food, our bodies will inevitably succumb to its effects.
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Went and seen the doc today, gave me some xanex, will give it a try on my next episode.
Stopped vaping and went back to analogs and they suck, my throat hurts like hell from them, gonna get right back to vaping once I get through this.
Get my thyroid checked tomorrow
Wish me well
Stopped vaping and went back to analogs and they suck, my throat hurts like hell from them, gonna get right back to vaping once I get through this.
Get my thyroid checked tomorrow
Wish me well
What is the medicine you take sublingually? Begins with a T and ends with a C? If so i had a problem like this recently too high of a dose of this medication was 100% the cause. Went through exactly the same thing ekg, heart skipping loss of breath, ER the whole 9 yards.....
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