Hi All,
I thought it could be great if we compiled a list of common symptoms you've all gone through when switching to e-smoking. This would really help some of us newer e-smokers when trying to determine if we are experiencing things that would be considered relatively "normal symptoms" or something more.
For instance, many people list acne breakouts as normal if you switch to e-smoking completely - as you body starts expelling toxins. Another person mentioned sneezing and a tingling sensation sometimes when the vapor goes up their nose. And since PG breaks down to lactic acid, it would seem that muscle soreness might be experienced by some and still be considered normal.
If we could start posting with our experiences of common symptoms, then we could compile a list for the newer members - which would help take some of the anxiety away from making the switch.
I'm offering to compile these, as unfortunately I don't know yet if my symptoms are normal or allergy related - so I can't contribute yet.
So if you can list your common symptoms / reactions, and if you have any idea of how long it lasted, etc. we can start this list. Here are two that everyone seems to agree on (please correct me if I'm wrong):
1.) Dry Throat and / or Sore Throat - PG is a humectrant and when vaping the back of the throat gets coated. You can find that after sleeping, you wake up with a sore throat. Things that can help are drinking a glass of water before bed, gargling with a mouthwash to cut the PG coating before bed, drinking water throughout the day, using hard candies and drinking liquids with honey liquid thru the day to keep your mouth moist.
2.) Acne breakouts - Many e-smokers find that if they switch completely they experience small breakouts of acne. This seems to be a reaction to the body expelling toxins and is consistent with the symptoms found when quitting smoking.
What else have folks experienced ?
(Can't edit original thread myself, but CaSHMeRe is going to merge this into the first post for us)
3.) Hiccups - Hiccups are common among smokers and tobacco users. They're a result of swallowing nicotine. Hiccups are most common among those who use chewing tobacco, snus, dissolvable tobacco tablets. They swallow tobacco juice and hiccups can result. They are not common among pipe and cigar smokers, who neither swallow nor inhale smoke, or users of nasal snuff. If you tend to "gulp" your vapor or let it sit in your mouth and then inhale sharply - you're sending part of the inhalation to your stomach, part to your lungs. The stomach part produces hiccups from the nicotine you put there.
4.) Headaches, Nausea & Shakiness - These are common nicotine withdrawal symptoms. If you are using a low dose of nicotine and not taking in as much as when you normally smoked, you can experience these withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms typically last only a few days to a week.
5.) Muscle Cramps and Aches - some people report increased muscle pains. The PG in most nicotine mixtures breaks down into Lactic Acid, which needs to be eliminated from the body. Increasing water intake usually addresses this problem. Not reported as much when using VG (vegetable glycerin) mixtures.
6.) Night Sweats - a few people have reported this and they have generally found out that they have an intolerance or allergic reaction to PG. There are a few pre-packaged liquids available with VG instead, but most people end up making their own liquid if they suspect a PG reaction (see the DIY forum for more information).
7.) Diarreah - this is another symptom that seems to be most commonly reported by people that have a reaction to PG and switching to VG seems to solve the problem.
8.) Coughing - this is very typical, and the severity and duration will depend on how heavy a smoker you were before switching, and how many real smokes you still have while e-smoking. Even when quitting smoking without using e-cigs, people find that their body starts coughing up all the junk they've been putting in - tars, chemicals, etc. When e-smoking, some folks find they start coughing up this junk within a week or two - some faster. The duration will vary, but most people were finding that the morning cough went away in the first week and the rest of the junk came up within the first month - but it's very common.
9.) Mouth Ulcers / Canker Sores - multiple folks have experienced this. Oral ulcers are a common result of ceased cigarette smoking, affecting about two out of five quitters. The nicotine being absorbed through your mouth can also exacerbate this, as folks using nicotine gum also have experienced these mouth sores. After you vap, drink something to rinse your mouth out. This will get the nic out of your mouth and not give it a chance to sit there and irritate your mouth tissue and cause a sore.
10.) Racing Pulse, Dizziness, Slurred Speech - these are very common with a nicotine overdose. Sometimes we overestimate just how much nicotine we were getting with regular cigarettes, and underestimate how much we are vaping - particularly at the beginning. Racing pulse is the most common, slurred speech less so - but usually too much nicotine. Try cutting down the dosage in your cartridges or liquids or vaping less frequently. However, some people experience this even with a low nicotine liquid and find that switching to Vegetable Glycerin (VG) solves their problems.
11.) Heartburn - some folks have reported heartburn / acid symptoms. Not enough information yet to guess why - but these symptoms seem to come after a couple of weeks of e-smoking and then go away again. Could just be an adjustment symptom, but users have reported it happening.
---- AND SOME GOOD "SYMPTOMS" ----
Since we don't want to focus on just the negatives, I wanted to put in some positive words from our experienced users.
First, most people adjust in the first week to symptoms. Dry throat and sore throat are easily remedied, and things like headaches or gas tend to go away quickly.
Sinuses clearing up - this is a wonderful thing when it starts happening. Your sense of smell starts to come back, stuffiness goes away, etc. You start noticing the smell of other people's smoke, or more subtle smells you've forgotten about as a smoker. The downside is you also start to smell the nastier smells too.
Smoker's Morning Cough going away - most people find that the annoying first thing in the morning coughing session goes away. Depending on how bad that was for you as a smoker, this is a definite milestone.
Deeper, Clear Breathing - as your body clears all the toxins away, you start breathing deeper. Some folks actually find they get dizzy initially, as they are taking in more oxygen. Many smokers actually breathe really shallow, especially if they've been smoking for a long while - so the change can be quite dramatic.
Smoke Smell Begone - no more stale smoke smell in your hair, your clothes, your home, your car. Downside is once your sense of smell comes back, you're prone to go on a massive cleaning spree - especially if you smoked in your home because you suddenly realize how bad it smells.
(if anyone else wants to add some good or bad symptoms, keep replying to this thread and we'll keep merging into one list)
it hurts my throat so much!!! so i puff away at it a bit, not inhaling, just letting the vapor float around my face. 
as i have been too sick and my partner can't come near me for fear that he would get this. 
