slight chest tightness after quitting e-cig/vaping ?

[jayj]

Hello everyone greetings from the Philippines! first of all I'd like to apologize for my English and I don't know if this is the right section to post this.

Anyway I read somewhere that nicotine withdrawal includes slight chest tightness but most of them is because of cigarettes I think. Or is it the same with E-Cig/Vapes ?

I quit vaping for 4 days now and been experiencing some drowsiness and some chest tightness. If so how long this chest tightness normally last? (oh by the way I'm not coughing or anything.)

Anyway its been almost a year since I quit cigarettes (11 months) and transitioned to e-cigarette with no problem.

so I guess my questions are: is it normal to have chest tightness when you quit e-cig and how long does it normally last? Also the drowsiness how long does it normally last? its been 4 days and I'm kinda worried.

Why I quit?

Why I quit was because of my hypertension and decided to change some of lifestyle. I recently lost someone I know but not really a close friend but just an acquaintance due to heart attack and he is just 29 years old. It kinda served as a wake up call for me. the guy is relatively healthy and active. he just dropped dead one afternoon.

 

[Haber]

Wow sorry for your loss that's terrible. Hypertension runs rampant in my family my grandfather passed from a heart attack and my dad has borderline hypertension as well. That's the main reason I quit smoking and started vaping. As far as I can tell the vaping has very little effect on my bp. I had a bit of a scare as I'm only 24 and I was checking it a couple months ago and it was averaging about 138/85. I changed my diet and eventually started vaping and it is around 120/70 now and I'm vaping quite a bit.

As far as your chest tightness goes I experience that quite often as I used to suffer from anxiety and would get vicious panic attacks a couple years back. After about 6 months I got them under control but they can be terrifying. I think you may be experiencing minor panic attacks considering what you just went through on top of the nicotine withdrawals. They are completely normal and pose 0 risk. No matter the severity. (My first one occurred while driving and I thought I was having a heart attack. Ended up pulling over and calling an ambulance)

If you are very concerned about this visit your doctor and explain your symptoms and he can make light of the situation. Chest tightness can be scary so it may be a good idea just for some piece of mind.

 

[Haber]

Sorry one more thing to add. When you do experience those symptoms really focus on your breathing as you will have a tendency to start taking shorter and rapid breaths. Count 10 slow deep inhales and slow exhales. Rapid breathing will only ramp up the fight or flight bodily reaction and worsen your symptoms.

 

[jayj]

Thanks for your reply Haber I really appreciate it.


I'm 34 now and my BP this morning was 130/80 so I guess its not that bad. Sorry my knowledge in medical thing is really not that great.

Actually last week after the guy I know passed away. I started having heart palpitations and having trouble sleeping... Went to see a doctor and had ECG and 2D Echo and blood test. The doctor said everything is normal.

I never really had a panic attack or anxiety attack. so this is quite new to me. I've been stressed since March up until the 3rd week of May coz some of my dogs got sick and so on...

 

[StarDose]

Nicotine and caffeine should be reduced or avoided if you have heart problems. The chest tightness may or may not be from quitting vaping and if it doesn't go away within a few days it might be best to go to your doctor.

 

[jayj]

thanks StarDose.

I did see my doctor last week. after ECG, 2D Echo test and blood test he did say my heart is ok. (Check my earlier post )

I dunno if this is anxiety/panic attack or nicotine withdrawal effect.

 

[Haber]

If everything came back normal that's excellent you're 100% healthy! Anxiety can be a brutal life altering experience. It was undoubtedly the worst 6 months I've gone through. If yours is minor like it sounds do some google searches on it. There is lots of forums and different ways to deal with it. I still get chest tightness once in a while when I'm stressed but a vape and some controlled breathing takes care of it.

 

[jayj]

Thanks Haber.

Ah yes I'm dong some google search now on about anxiety. I really don't like this feeling.

 

[Haber]

thanks StarDose.

I did see my doctor last week. after ECG, 2D Echo test and blood test he did say my heart is ok. (Check my earlier post )

I dunno if this is anxiety/panic attack or nicotine withdrawal effect.

It's a little bit of both. Nicotine causes a chemical reaction in the brain and triggers the release of endorphins. When you cut it out the brain reacts to that and causes side effects like you're feeling. It's minor anxiety caused by nicotine withdrawals.

 

[jayj]

It's a little bit of both. Nicotine causes a chemical reaction in the brain and triggers the release of endorphins. When you cut it out the brain reacts to that and causes side effects like you're feeling. It's minor anxiety caused by nicotine withdrawals.

Gonna ask for your opinion Haber.. do you think I should fix this anxiety first before I decide to quit vaping ?

 

[Renzuli]

Hi , and also vaping drys you out , so even though you quit , you may be extremely de-hydrated . Drink lots of water for a few days . If that doesn't do it , then see the doctor again . Good Luck

 

[Haber]

Gonna ask for your opinion Haber.. do you think I should fix this anxiety first before I decide to quit vaping ?

To be honest if you are intent on quitting vaping I would never discourage you from doing so. It sounds like it has been a while since your last vape. If you're feeling chest tightness just remember that your doctor has given you a clean bill of health and focus on your breathing. If you find that vaping relaxes you maybe try some 0 nicotine juice. If you want to quit nicotine your body is going to react to it so it is all about fighting the urge and powering through it. The mind and body is very powerful and with some will power you can get through anything.

 

[jayj]

To be honest if you are intent on quitting vaping I would never discourage you from doing so. It sounds like it has been a while since your last vape. If you're feeling chest tightness just remember that your doctor has given you a clean bill of health and focus on your breathing. If you find that vaping relaxes you maybe try some 0 nicotine juice. If you want to quit nicotine your body is going to react to it so it is all about fighting the urge and powering through it. The mind and body is very powerful and with some will power you can get through anything.

Ok thanks I really appreciate it.

actually the reason why I decided to quit was because of the hypertension. Will give the 0 nicotine a try.

 

[Pescondo]

Why not try vaping again and see if the symptoms go away....what can it hurt?

 

[jclifford]

great to see you are part of the Golden Cult! Beautiful dog!
I have heart related issues, arrhythmias, I go into "high speed" mode, pulse goes to 200+. Doctors called it electrical malfunctions, very difficult to diagnose, one of the well known locals mis-diagnosed it. Long story..
I find it kicks up when I start chain vaping my 12 mg juice in the evening. To correct it I go to 6 mg. I also remember similar issues when I first started vaping. They subsided in about a week or so.

 

[jayj]

thanks Pescondo. yeah I'm going to try to vape 0mg nicotine.

thanks jclifford ! yeah really love my golden. i also have a husky. I think my pulse is quite normal. been doing some lifestyle change like controlling my temper (not that i'm a short fused person) been doing walking and jog in the morning with my dogs. anyway my pulse rate is around 75-80 last I checked.

 

[tcgenius]

It sounds like you are experiencing some anxiety due to the circumstances of your friends death. I am sorry for your loss. When my sister was killed three years ago I experienced very similar issues. I had quit analogs for three months and started smoking again after her funeral. That and my inability to sleep greatly worsened the problem. Situations like this are a shock to the system. Like StarDose said, nicotine and caffeine don't help. Haber's suggestion of deep breathing sounds like an excellent idea. It is also a good idea to talk to someone about your feelings. I know.... sounds cheesy, however, talking to a friend or sometimes even a stranger at a bus stop can prove to be a big help. The panic and anxiety will subside, just try not to let it hurdle you into artificial coping mechanisms like abusing drugs and alcohol (a mistake I had made for a while after her death). That would be so much worse than vaping. Let us know how the breathing thing works. If you need to talk to someone you can always send me a PM.

Thanks for your reply Haber I really appreciate it.


I'm 34 now and my BP this morning was 130/80 so I guess its not that bad. Sorry my knowledge in medical thing is really not that great.

Actually last week after the guy I know passed away. I started having heart palpitations and having trouble sleeping... Went to see a doctor and had ECG and 2D Echo and blood test. The doctor said everything is normal.

I never really had a panic attack or anxiety attack. so this is quite new to me. I've been stressed since March up until the 3rd week of May coz some of my dogs got sick and so on...

 

[jayj]

Thanks tcgenius! My sister told me I think I should seek professional help about my anxiety. I already set up an appointment on Thursday with a doctor. Thou its not yet affecting my daily life but I'm afraid it might.

Also the question lingers in my mind is I know there is withdrawal symptoms if you stop using analogs... I just don't know if there is a withdrawal also if you stop using e-cig or vapes.. its been almost 5 days now and I'm still experiencing this drowsiness.

 

[tcgenius]

As far as withdrawal symptoms from nicotine go, it doesn't really matter whether they are caused by stopping vaping or analogs. They are the same. Hang in there. You will work through this. You have a beautiful companion in your dog Meadow. She is there to help. My dog Justin is a great listener.

Thanks tcgenius! My sister told me I think I should seek professional help about my anxiety. I already set up an appointment on Thursday with a doctor. Thou its not yet affecting my daily life but I'm afraid it might.

Also the question lingers in my mind is I know there is withdrawal symptoms if you stop using analogs... I just don't know if there is a withdrawal also if you stop using e-cig or vapes.. its been almost 5 days now and I'm still experiencing this drowsiness.

 

[jayj]

ohhh I thought the withdrawal would be different. (proof that I really suck at medical stuff) Anyway thanks for clearing that up.

Ah yes Meadow and her sister Maya (a husky) is keeping me company. They have been extra sweet this entire time.

As far as withdrawal symptoms from nicotine go, it doesn't really matter whether they are caused by stopping vaping or analogs. They are the same. Hang in there. You will work through this. You have a beautiful companion in your dog Meadow. She is there to help. My dog Justin is a great listener.