Shortness of breath, e-liquid question

[Eternity75]

Hi all,

I have been vaping for 1.5 years after quitting smoking. I have started experiencing extreme shortness of breathe recently where I cannot get a decent breath and feel like I am not getting enough air/oxygen. It feels like I'm suffocating and fighting for air. I have read about this issue on other forums as well and people suggest that PG in e-juice can cause issues like this. I didn't have any issues before but wonder if it's possible to develop this reaction over time? The suggestion is to switch to either a higher ratio of VG to PG or try 100% VG. My current supplier of e-liquid doesn't list their ratio so I have no idea what the current ratio is that I've been vaping. I have emailed them to ask.

I am wondering if anyone else has had this issue and tried switching to either a higher ratio of VG to PG or tried 100% VG. If so, did the issue resolve by trying just VG or a higher ratio of VG? I am thinking of going the 100% route just so I know if it helps or not. I really don't want to be forced to quit vaping! I struggled for years to quit smoking and vaping is the only option that worked for me! Never had this severe shortness of breath issue when smoking either. I don't know what I'd do if I had to stop vaping...don't want to go back to analog cigs and nothing else has ever worked for the nicotine issue and quitting!

 

[Rixsta]

I would say it's the high PG but of course I'm guessing, my body doesn't like high pg either but it was like that from the get go..

If it was me, the first thing I'd do is buy some max vg juice just to try from another supplier...see how you feel then.

 

[Nermal]

In the experience of myself and many others, the high vg is the culprit. Pg problems usually show up immediately as either harshness/irritation in the throat, or a genuine allergic problem.

Edit: I am seriously down on vendors who do not list the pg/vg ratios. My preference is that no one buy from them. I certainly do not.

 

[glointhedark]

I am not a doctor - never have been, never will be. However, I think that we can develop sensitivities/allergies to things at any point in our lives.

My daughter (thirty-something) and I both have a tendency to IBS. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with a thyroid condition, and needs to take daily medication. Her tummy problems seemed to increase. A couple of years after being diagnosed, she saw an article linking thyroid problems with gluten sensitivity. We both thought "What the heck? Let's try eliminating the gluten, and see what happens." Lo and behold, her tummy problems decreased dramatically. She now stays away from any gluten, and feels better. The thyroid condition and IBS are still there, but as long as she does not get anything with gluten, she can cope.

Try "process of elimination". You could be reacting to pg, vg, or flavoring components in your eliquid. Try unflavored pg and vg. Try changing eliquid suppliers - it could be something in the flavorings, base, or nicotine that your current supplier uses.

If the problem persists or gets worse, see your doctor.

 

[Nermal]

However, I think that we can develop sensitivities/allergies to things at any point in our lives.

So true. I never had a problem with any antibiotics till an implant caused dentists to prescribe amoxicillin before and after appointments. My only reaction when using it was a rash across the chest and face, but had to switch to something else.

 

[disley]

I've been vaping for a few years, in the last 6 months I've had a shortness of breath.
Completely the opposite of when I started vaping, when I could breath easily for the first time for ages.
About 9 months ago I dropped my nic level from 18mg to 9mg, my breathing difficulties started after this.
The problem with lowering the nic content of my juice caused me to increase the amount of e-liquid I was vaping.
From 5ml a day to 15ml a day.
I'm sure this is my problem.

 

[Rsunderl]

Hi @Eternity75 and welcome to the forum.

It could be allergies to something in the ejuice, but shortness of breath is nothing to fool with. None of are able to diagnose over the internet, so I would suggest that you see your doctor, just to rulle out anything more serious.

 

[kardia]

If you are experiencing extreme shortness of breath, then this is probably an issue best addressed with your doctor. It could be an array of different things, and you can try different liquids etc... but at the end of the day, the Internet cant give medical advice like a medical professional. Just my two cents.

 

[Eternity75]

Thanks for all the replies. Nermal I find it interesting that you say the opposite was true for you, as most forums I have read with this problem people say it stems from the PG. I guess I will have to try both ways.

I have been to my doctor shortly after this issue first started. I had an ECG, a chest xray and lung tests and nothing alarming was found that would cause this issue.

Some days are worse than others, I think maybe the difference is how much I am vaping in any given day. When I noticed this issue was really severe on some days I would try to make a conscious effort to cut back on how much I was vaping the following day and noticed an improvement in that breathing was easier.

Disley I never thought of the nicotine content as being the issue but I did cut back from 16mg to 12 mg so maybe I am vaping more than I was previously. My hope was to continue reducing the amount of nicotine that my body requires and eventually wean off it completely. But if reducing the amount means I am vaping more, I guess that would be counter productive! I just started really experiencing this to a severe degree in the last 2 months or so and I switched from 16 to 12 mg's at least 4-6 months ago so I'm not sure that's it either. Unless the result of extra vaping builds up over time.

Ugh...guess it's gonna hafta be a trial and error type thing, at least for now. If the issue continues I might just hafta try n quit altogether...omg just thinking about that is a nightmare!

 

[kardia]

Have you recently switched to a new flavor? I've found some favors irritate my throat to some degree.

 

[NoFumus]

Hi all,

I have been vaping for 1.5 years after quitting smoking. I have started experiencing extreme shortness of breathe recently where I cannot get a decent breath and feel like I am not getting enough air/oxygen. It feels like I'm suffocating and fighting for air. I have read about this issue on other forums as well and people suggest that PG in e-juice can cause issues like this.

As others have said, you should see a doctor. Also, look for threads in this forum and elsewhere on the Web related to "diketones," "diacetyl," and/or "acetyle propionyl." These are chemicals that can be found in creamy flavors. While there is no definitive evidence that these substances are harmful when inhaled, there is enough concern in the vaping community that some manufacturers of e-juice and some consumers are making an effort to avoid them.

I hope you feel better.

 

[choochoogranny]

Welcome, Eternity! Have hit the same problem as you in the last few months. Come to find out that my local B&M's have reformulated their juices. Made them with a heavier concentration of VG.

When I started not quite two yrs. ago, people were all about throat hit, thus juices made with more pg. Now it's all about bigger, thicker clouds. Yep, more vg. and you use more juice! Where they use to have 70 pg/30 vg, it is now 50/50. I find that I can use 60 or 65 pg without getting that chest tightness.

Also, recently have gotten a Subtank mini and found that I needed to reduce the nic from 6 to 3. I have NOT changed my chain vaping habit and try NOT to inhale into the lungs. Am not a true mouth to lung inhaler and it's possibly the a reason why I had no major illness from smoking after 53 yrs.

I do ask the B&M's what ratio is in their juices and let them know I get "congested" with the high vg juices. If they won't give me that info, then I don't buy and shop elsewhere.

Good luck to you, Eternity. It certainly is a journey of discovery!

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

There have been many threads on health issues. I use the keyword activated search box in the upper right above your name and avatar daily.

Search Results for Query: heavy lung | E-Cigarette Forum

Search Results for Query: shortness of breath | E-Cigarette Forum

Good luck in your vape journey.

 

[stevegmu]

Do you vape custards?

 

[disley]

Do you vape custards?

I was vaping custard when I increased my daily use from 5ml to 15ml, I've since stopped, after reading about the chemicals used to make custard flavor.
I now vape coconut or strawberry. I haven't noticed the shortness of breath as much since I stopped custard.
I've visited the doctor recently, blood pressure and other tests are good.

 

[JamesCox93]

Have you recently changed equipment?

 

[Eternity75]

So I got an email back from the company I use telling me that their e-liquid is a ratio of 3:1 PG to VG. So I can only assume that the issue I am having is either a result of the PG or the nicotine content. If, as another poster mention, I am actually vaping more as a result of lowering the nicotine content, I may have to try bumping it back up to 16 mgs again. But if that were the case I would imagine that the shortness of breath problem would have started around the time I lowered the nicotine content from 16 to 12 mgs. That was probably at least 6 months ago and it hasn't bothered me until recently.

So I am going to assume my best option right now is to go with the 100% VG option and see if that improves anything. I have read that it's possible to develop a reaction to PG so perhaps this is what happened. I can only hope it doesn't make it worse. Choochoogranny, from what you and one other poster have said, the VG is heavier and thicker so can cause congestion issues, but being that the stuff I have been using is a 3:1 ratio of PG to VG I think it could be the PG that's bothering me. My company is now offering 100% VG e-liquid as well (which they say also has a small amount of PG in the flavouring which they say depending on the flavour is anywhere from 3-16% PG, so that's not bad, at least to try out and see if it helps the issue or makes it worse, etc.

I don't vape any creamy or custard flavours. I usually stick to fruit or candy flavours. I never vape the same flavour for more than a few days because after awhile I can't really "taste" the flavour anymore because I get used to it. So I switch it up between things like grape, watermelon, cotton candy, bubblegum and raspberry. I also haven't changed equipment for well over a year so I'm sure that isn't an issue.

Sir2, thanks for the links, I will check them out!

 

[Rsunderl]

I have been to my doctor shortly after this issue first started. I had an ECG, a chest xray and lung tests and nothing alarming was found that would cause this issue.

@Eternity75 Glad to hear that you've been to your doctor and everything seems to be fine health-wise. Hope you find the cause to the shortness of breath quickly.

 

[Bunnykiller]

PG would send my respiratory tract into a tizzy so I went to 100VG and dont have any issues as I would with PG type of juices
some of the issues were tightness in the throat, sinus swelling, coughing, and a general heaviness in the lungs... kinda like breathing in a sauna feeling

 

[dcfluegel]

welcome!

if you are going to check out another vendor for a high vg mix, may want to take a look at mech sauce - i just placed an order with them, they seem to be getting some excellent feedback, prices are excellent and you can specify vg level as well - just a thought