Vaping and pneumonia

[Ravensfan]

After a little over two weeks vaping I started to have some slight right side chest pains. They progressively got worse and after a couple days I went to the ER. They ran cardiac tests and a chest x-ray and said that everything was fine and that I probably pulled a muscle. They gave me some muscle relaxers and some anti-inflammatory medicine. After a couple days the pain continued to get worse and spread. It was now the right side of my chest, my right shoulder blade, under my right arm, and down my right arm. It was excruciating. If I walked up a flight of steps I would collapse from the pain and being completely winded. I had a friend take me back to the ER and they did a CT scan and told me that I had a slight case of pneumonia. After a couple days of antibiotics, I am now feeling better. I asked the doctors if vaping could have caused it, but they didn't seem too familiar with it. One did tell me that it may have been caused by quitting smoking, but I have quit smoking in the past for months at a time and never had any issues.

In the week and a half since this started, I have only had a couple puffs from my MVP. For a few days it was just far too painful to breathe air, much less vapor. I have a brand new ProVari mini that was delivered while I was laid up that I haven't gotten to try yet. I'm a little gun shy about vaping again. Has anyone else had a similar experience? I have never been in so much pain in my entire life, and I've broken numerous bones, including ribs. I really felt like I was going to die for a few days there.

 

[antequinox]

Sorry you had that bad experience, but I doubt it was due to vaping (perhaps just coincidental timing?) I've only felt better since vaping... two-weeks in the cough was gone and the sense of smell returned... a couple months in I had what felt like more lung capacity. Overall I can't think of one bad experience since switching - well aside from a nasty-flavored juice or the occasional burnt wick

 

[kdragn]

I heard that once you're compromised by infection (like pneumonia), the extra moisture in your lungs from vaping can cause problems. It's probably safest to keep away from vaping until you're fully recovered from the infection.

 

[Vchick]

I feel your pain, hopefully you're on the mend.

I think it was coincidence, this winter being what it is, seems lung/breathing issues have been rampant. I went through this last month, crazy winded and hard to catch my breath, severe pain and coughing. There are 2 types, one is contagious and once you've had it they say you are more prone to it. The first time I had walking pneumonia and it was before I quit smoking, this time it's been almost 3 years since I've smoked.

Thankfully I diy and I ended up going to 100%vg because even the slightest throat hit sent me into a coughing tizzy. I'm at 50/50 now but I doubt I'll ever go back to the 80/20 I used to do.

 

[chellemmm]

I hate to say this. but it "could" be caused by vaping poor quality juice that is made with no/poor sanitary conditions. There are several different causes of pneumonia, a common one being aspiration, breathing food particles or gastric juices into your lungs. Another common cause is bacteria breathed into your lungs...which would seem to correspond with an unsanitary juice production practice or inferior/substandard ingredients. You can also be susceptible to harmful bacteria that is always in the air because of a suppressed or compromised immune system, due to illness, disease or age.

DO NOT vape with pneumonia, as your lungs are already overtaxed and full of mucous. If you are having breathing difficulties, switch to a patch, gum, etc, if you need the nicotine. Pneumonia can be a killer if not properly treated.

I hope you feel better soon.

Also, not a doctor, but an Xray tech. They teach us a LOT about pneumonia. What I really wanted to say was that there are MANY causes of pneumonia, and don't vape while you are still sick...even if you feel better, WAIT until you are cleared via xray and medical practitioner.

 

[redmadder]

i'm not a doctor but i am a respiratory therapy student (graduating this may!) and i can tell you that pneumonia is a bacterial infection where your lung tissue gets inflamed (well virus can also cause it but viral pneumonia is more common in children) and smokers do have a higher chance of contracting pneumonia. also, pneumonia is very contagious (were you around anyone who may have had pneumonia?) but if your immune system is fine, you might just get a cold or flu or maybe nothing at all. however, if your immune system is already compromised, like say you're already sick, or you already have an underlying disease such as COPD or even diabetes for example, or you're taking immunosuppressant drugs, then you'll have a higher chance of contracting pneumonia (from others or from your cold, etc. etc... too many variables).

i also think if you really have a severe cold/flu, that could potentially turn into pneumonia.

can vaping cause pneumonia? i really don't know but anything is possible. i mean i was a smoker for 12 yrs and not once have i caught pneumonia. i've been vaping since last november and no problems either. i had a cold last week and i still vaped everyday and no pneumonia. everyone's just different when it comes to things like these. as far as your concern about vaping again, only you know your body's limit. anyway good luck and glad to hear you're feeling better.

 

[Ravensfan]

The juice I've been using has all been high quality 50/50 stuff bought from a B&M shop, but not made there. Stuff like Pink Spot, Vixen, etc..

Here's the thing, I didn't have any other symptoms of pneumonia, like fever, chills, cough, etc.. All I had was extreme, and I mean extreme, pain in the right side of my chest that eventually spread to my entire upper right torso. The first chest x-ray was clear as was all the blood work. It took a ct scan 5 days later to pinpoint the "slight case" of pneumonia.

 

[caligirlINky]

I've had pneumonia before when I was a smoker, have asthma, and have a daughter that had pneumonia/bronchitis every month for the 1st 3 yrs of her life. If you've had it before, the scarring is there and can reoccur easier the following time. It could have started before you used the ecig. They didn't see anything on the xray but only on the ct scan? Seems too me that if its that minor, it may not be what is causing your chest pain but im not a dr or anything related so its just guessing. also with pneumonia, its not just chest pain. shortness of breath and fever usually go with it.

since i started vaping 2 months ago, I have an increase in caughing and clearing my throat. I notice that when the ejuice is thicker (but high quality ingredients) both get a little worse but not enough to be a big problem. ive heard from ppl that have quit smoking and didn't vape instead, they caugh alot for 6-18 months afterwards because all the coating in the lungs has to come out in the healing process. I suspect that is where my caugh is coming from. The vapor that we inhale and exhale when vaping is the same as what is inhaled/exhaled when using a nebulizer (breathing machine used for asthma). so im not sure its the vaping itsself but the juice (thickness and/or quality) or its something other than pneumonia or the illness started before your vaping. unless the drs find something difinitive for you and can treat it effectively, you may not know what is causing the chest pain.

 

[_more_]

Good thing you went to a Doctor

I read up on vaping and you don't have to inhale. So I stopped inhaling and only sometimes blow the vapor out of my nose. ymmv

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/337017-inhalation-technique-e-cigarette.html

 

[tenshi]

Hope you feel better soon. It sucks to have pneumonia, I used to suffer from bronchitis often, and that was bad enough.

The most common causes of pneumonia is due to your environment (bacteria/viral). It doesn't make medical sense that one could get pneumonia from vaping. I've noticed many posts, like yours, that if they have a health problem they think it's due to vaping, which I feel is unfortunate since there is already an uphill battle right now concerning vaping. If it makes you feel better, in hospital conditions, when PG was used in humidifiers, it significantly cut down the amount of acute respiratory infections compared to humidifiers without it (132 cases in non-PG conditions down to 13 in PG conditions in one study).

I do hope you're feeling better. My dad just recovered from pneumonia, and I know how painful it can be.

 

[chellemmm]

Not to belabor a point, but if the substance being inhaled has staphylococcus pneumoniae bacteria present (whether it is in the AIR, HUMIDIFIER, VG/PG, etc.) it will expose you to the disease. Pneumonia: Causes - MayoClinic.com

 

[JENNIFER_GAIL]

I dont know if any of you remember this, but a few weeks ago there was a post about a study done on PG that claims that PG helps to rid the body of pneumonia. Does anyone remember this... I cant get search to work for me right now.

 

[JiGGLiN]

The PG in a nebulizer would only be found in the medication solution and very minute if that. Bronchodilators are diluted with several ml's of normal saline and broken into aerosol form aka mist via air/oxygen pressure against a baffle or ultrasonically.

Inhalation of anything contaminated with bacteria/mold/viruses, etc can lead to pneumonia, especially those with preexisting conditions or on immunosuppressive therapy. Ie- steroids.

I personally prefer to vape PG because of the properties mentioned above to err on the side of caution.



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