Allergy Rant

[ohai]

So I've got all kinds of stupid allergies, and for the most part, I just ignore them, but every time they mow the field behind my house, my inner ears itch like mad and my nasal/sinus congestion gets so bad I lose my sense of smell completely, and I have to take something for it. Clariton helps with the itchiness and the swelling, but it doesn't return my sense of smell, and that is what's killing me.

Without being able to smell it, I can barely taste my vapor at all, even really strong flavors, like Black Licorice. I ordered some Atomic Cinnacide, because it's supposed to be pretty powerful stuff, but in the meantime, everything just tastes like nothing, and my e-cigs are leaving me feeling pretty unsatisfied.

Anybody else suffered through this? Any tips?

 

[AttyPops]

Super Bummer!

Well, the only tip I could give you (and you have to take the safety of it with a grain of salt) is to DIY your own e-juice. You could then double the flavor or some such.

Now, that said, the wisdom of doing that for someone with allergies is kind of complicated. For example, I DIY my own e-juice, in part, because I have some food sensitivities. And some juices can give me hives if I vape them. And it's the flavorings.

By doing DIY, I know what's going into my jucie (at least, I kind of know. I know the flavors. The base stays the same. So I can swap out offending flavors next time.)

Once I know a flavor doesn't bother me, I could consider making it stronger. The other issue is that we don't know much about e-cig safety in general and don't have 20 years or more of data on them. So up flavors at your own risk. Who the heck knows on that one. But it may help your taste problem.

You'll never know the exact recipe of a vendor's juice. Trade secerets and such. So you could find a juice that gives you problems too.

Also note that some "taste loss" is common and temporary when switching to e-cigs. That doesn't sound like what you're dealing with from your description, but I note it since the taste comes back after a week or so. It's a phenomenon experienced by new vapers.

Good Luck!

DIY E-Liquid

 

[Malduk]

By taking super strong flavors or increasing amount of flavoring, you're taking more health risks than necessary. Without the smell, I doubt it'll help much anyway.
If I were you, I'd look into obtaining a genesis style atty. They deliver flavor (and nicotine) MUCH better than stock attys or carts.

 

[AttyPops]

Well, you'll get as many atty/carto recommendations as there are fanboys. Probably won't change your equation much, and if you don't like having to rebuild them (for the rebuildable ones) it could even irritate you and cost you a lot of $$. Also, no flavorings have ever been evaluated for vaping as far as I know, so by that argument you should only vape unflavored e-juice. Also, some flavors are just more intense (like you mentioned...Atomic Cinnacide being one). Also, it may be the "dreaded taste loss" thing. If so, it will come back. IDK how long you've been vaping.

I'd up the flavor before I'd give up e-cigs and go back to smoking.

2 cents more.

 

[Iffy]

Make lemon ade from da lemons! When you're in the taste doldrums, have some ¢heap flavorless joose around.

 

[Malduk]

Really, its not a fanboyism, I didn't even specify a device. Its pretty much a fact that gen-style atty delivers more and stronger flavor, and most people I know HAD TO cut down on nic after using them. Its a sound suggestion, no need to call me a fanboy because of it.

 

[AttyPops]

The fanboy reference isn't a personal insult (and it was a plural generalization). It just means that another guy will come in and claim that a hybrid atty (non-genesis) is the bomb. And a third will come in and claim another. No atty will solve his problems, IMO.

Anyway, please don't take the comment to be directed at you exclusively. I only mean that the atty is probably not the solution as long as his device is performing correctly. Yes different atties/cartos have different flavor profiles. So do different voltages and atty ohms. No matter who pops in with what atty/carto suggestion, or what device, he could spend the next 3 years trying all combinations of devices and atties and not solve the problem.

Particularly (when you look at his join date) that it could very well be "temporary taste loss time" on top of his allergy problem...which should also be temporary (well, better or worse days).

 

[ohai]

Well, you'll get as many atty/carto recommendations as there are fanboys. Probably won't change your equation much, and if you don't like having to rebuild them (for the rebuildable ones) it could even irritate you and cost you a lot of $$. Also, no flavorings have ever been evaluated for vaping as far as I know, so by that argument you should only vape unflavored e-juice. Also, some flavors are just more intense (like you mentioned...Atomic Cinnacide being one). Also, it may be the "dreaded taste loss" thing. If so, it will come back. IDK how long you've been vaping.

Little over a month now, I started vaping about a week and a half after I quit smoking. I could be having the taste loss thing, but I'm pretty sure it's just my nose. Forgive me for being graphic, but when my nasal passages aren't completely dried out/swollen shut, vaping still tastes fine to me, for example, if I've been chopping onions, or eating spicy food that gets my nose running, lol. (TMI?)

That's kind of why I thought the Atomic Cinnacide might help. I don't want to resort to vaping rooster sauce. I don't know if I'm ready for DIY from scratch, but I've seen vendors selling or offering to add extra flavor.

I'd up the flavor before I'd give up e-cigs and go back to smoking.

I'd vape burned out cartos before going back to smoking. Seriously.

 

[AttyPops]

There's another thing that happens with tobacco-quitting. It's kind of a cold-allergy thing as your mucus membranes heal up and clear out the tars and such. So, that could also add to your very unfortunate situation.

Flavoring is a risk. Most of us take it to some degree (I can't stand vaping unflavored juice... so I feel for you. My mom, OTOH, vaped unflavored due to decreased risk perception. She eventually gave up e-cigs too! Now tobacco and vape free. WTG Mom! There were other factor besides flavoring, however.)

DIY can be as easy as you want to make it. It could be just ordering unflavored e-juice in the desired strength and PG/VG ratio, then adding a few drops of flavor A or flavor B.

Also note that 1) Nic is a nerve agent (can deaden taste). 2) VG mutes flavors (but is smooooth and produces a lot of vapor. PG has flavor and TH).

Anyway, that's about all I can think of at the moment. Gives you lots of stuff for your equation. If you were vaping for 6 months, we could eliminate the new-vapor stuff. As it stands it's probably 99% what you said (allergies) and 1% futz-factor.

Risks of extra flavor...are yours. The double flavor options are often offered by the vendors because some people vape, say, 12 MG juice and order 24 and cut it in 1/2. That's not the only reason, but they do it. It's less expensive that way.

EDIT: lol. P.S. Eat/drink the rooster sauce. Vape the e-juice. Hmmm. I wonder if anyone sells Thai Food e-juice? Or Crispy Taco e-juice? Bet there's a "hot wings". Of course, careful with allergies!

 

[ohai]

There's another thing that happens with tobacco-quitting. It's kind of a cold-allergy thing as your mucus membranes heal up and clear out the tars and such. So, that could also add to your very unfortunate situation.

This allergy season seems particularly unbearable to me, and that's probably the reason. Add the new vaper/quitter taste loss thing, and that's likely why I'm feeling so sorry for myself lately, lol.

Flavoring is a risk. Most of us take it to some degree (I can't stand vaping unflavored juice... so I feel for you. My mom, OTOH, vaped unflavored due to decreased risk perception. She eventually gave up e-cigs too! Now tobacco and vape free. WTG Mom! There were other factor besides flavoring, however.)

Proud of your mom, too!

DIY can be as easy as you want to make it. It could be just ordering unflavored e-juice in the desired strength and PG/VG ratio, then adding a few drops of flavor A or flavor B.

Also note that 1) Nic is a nerve agent (can deaden taste). 2) VG mutes flavors (but is smooooth and produces a lot of vapor. PG has flavor and TH).

Anyway, that's about all I can think of at the moment. Gives you lots of stuff for your equation. If you were vaping for 6 months, we could eliminate the new-vapor stuff. As it stands it's probably 99% what you said (allergies) and 1% futz-factor.

Risks of extra flavor...are yours. The double flavor options are often offered by the vendors because some people vape, say, 12 MG juice and order 24 and cut it in 1/2. That's not the only reason, but they do it. It's less expensive that way.

EDIT: lol. P.S. Eat/drink the rooster sauce. Vape the e-juice. Hmmm. I wonder if anyone sells Thai Food e-juice? Or Crispy Taco e-juice? Bet there's a "hot wings". Of course, careful with allergies!

I've seen pizza, dill pickle, beer and bacon, so there's got to be someone working on jalapeno. I'll have to give in and try it when they come out with double cheeseburger with pickles and tomato.

Anyway, I have an update! The Atomic Cinnacide from Tasty Vapor arrived, along with my new Lea Kross, handily enough, and after feeling like I was chasing the dragon for days and days, I finally caught that bugger and vaped him. In fact, between the more power factor (I think that should be termed the Tim Allen Effect) and the more flavor factor, I'm even in a little over my head! I mixed the new juice with some snickerdoodle, and that one is easier to vape, but still not quite there flavourwise, so for now, its back to the AC. I'm having to take very judicious little puffs, but they are delishhhhous. Bonus- my sinuses are feeling pretty clear too!

So, problem solved for now, barring any sort of weird reaction to cinnamon oil. Cross your fingers for me, and thanks so much for all your ideas. I'm sure experimentation with DIY and atomizers are both in my near future, but for now, I'm all good.

 

[Spice]

Late as usual but just a fyi: ECBlend has Jalapeno!

And if the cinnamon doesnt work, why not try menthol? (Think Vicks vapor rub)

 

[ohai]

Late as usual but just a fyi: ECBlend has Jalapeno!

I knew someone would!

And if the cinnamon doesnt work, why not try menthol? (Think Vicks vapor rub)

I strongly dislike menthol. I do like peppermint and love black licorice, which have a similar mentholatum sort of effect. If I could get a black licorice flavor as strong as atomic cinnacide, I'd be in real heaven.

I must say though, I'm breathing easy, I've got a hot cup of chai spice black tea and vaping atomic cinnacide between sips has me in taste nirvana right now, which has to be at least as good as heaven. If smoking had been like this, I could understand why I did it for 28 years, but there's just no comparison. Crazy good stuff.

 

[bnrkwest]

I have had to take Allegra this year because my sinus/allergies were so bad. I can sympathize with no sense of smell. You can also take a natural product called spirulina, it is a natural antihistamine, you may need 3 a day, but it works great. You can find them at a health food store or online health/vitamin stores. I take those too when I don't need a big help like allegra. Good luck! bnrk

 

[Trilly]

Allergies, I totally sympathise with you, I'm the same when they start cutting the fields at the end of the summer but the worst time for me is when the trees start to bud (taking a little longer this year due to the bad weather we are having in the UK)
Anyhow, same as you when my sense of smell goes either through a cold or allergy everything is either tasteless or just tastes off, I'm only 7 months in but I have found that upping my water intake and switching to unflavoured juice for a day or so does me, not as enjoyable but I still get my nic fix and that's what it is about. At the minute I'm really bad first thing in the morning till my allergy meds kick in so vape unflavoured but by around 10ish (ok I have been up since 5am) I tend to be back to my normal self so switch out the carto to something I really like.

Hope you find a method to get through this.

 

[AuBadge]

This year allergy symptoms seem to be worse for me as well. To help alleviate the nasal dryness you're experiencing, you might try a nasal spray which contains saline.

 

[fcitrolo]

Same here my allergies are driving me crazy right now (this all started last August).

I never had allergies when I smoked. I used to love the smell of fresh cut grass and now a whiff of it stuffs me up instantly.

Currently taking allergy tablets and using saline helps.

Also found out that quercetin with bromelin seems to help relieve the symptoms too.

I am coping but I have had more bad days than good lately.