Anxiety/Panic?...not again. Say it ain't so!

[RavenII]

Ok, well a bit of a background (you could skip this). I broke my leg when I was 18, had Norco painkillers (different dosage of vicodin). Later that year after my leg healed, I got addicted to the painkillers for about 6-8 months. They affected me in ways I didn't think they would. My sleep, my outlook towards even OTC meds. etc etc. I've become strangely paranoid with what I put into my body, ever since my Norco days, I'm especially weary of things that affect my sleep. Eating to late, sodium intake, so many other things. I don't even take nyquil anymore.

I posted a thread about feeling a pressure in my ears twice after what seemed to be heavy use of my ecig. Well, these past 2 nights, I've gotten this panic/aniety feeling that I used to have when I was a kid (<16 yo)...I'm really hoping it's all in my head, and no one responds with "Yeah! that happened to me to!..." because I really want ecigs to help me quit. Which reminds me, I should mention that I'm not fully off of my analogs, I only cut down. Any input?....Keep vaping?

 

[ramblingrose]

I posted a thread about feeling a pressure in my ears twice after what seemed to be heavy use of my ecig. Well, these past 2 nights, I've gotten this panic/aniety feeling that I used to have when I was a kid (<16 yo)...I'm really hoping it's all in my head, and no one responds with "Yeah! that happened to me to!..." because I really want ecigs to help me quit. Which reminds me, I should mention that I'm not fully off of my analogs, I only cut down. Any input?....Keep vaping?

To much nicotine can result in these symptoms. Are you using a high nic liquid? Between that and the additional nicotine from the analogs, it would easily account for what's going on.

 

[RavenII]

Really!?...that's strange...if you read my reply in the "pressure in the ears" thread...it describes what I thought was the result of very high nicotine intake. I didn't know that Anxiety/panic would be one of them. You know what, that actually makes me feel a bit better.

I sometimes chain smoke, and usually smoke 1 to 1 1/4 pack of Marlboro Lights per day. I didn't think that vaping 18mg/ml would do that...maybe I shoulda stuck to the 11mg. Hmm...

A simple google search got me to this link...

 

[Kit]

I feel for you mate i suffer with manic anxiety from years of drug abuse

im good now but my nervous system is shot at!

i have suffered with mild anxiety when i have over smoked 36mg so be

carefully if you use this strength.

but the answers to your question is yes anxiety can be brought on by

e-smoking i have also experienced an aching ear canal bit similar to what

you are describing.

Kit

 

[RavenII]

Ok, so it seems a matter of adjusting my intake, and learning my limits with the ecig. I would have gone completely off of analogs, but one of my batteries was shot, so I can't make the one M403 battery last all day. I can't wait to go through the withdraw when I completely quit my analogs.

 

[Kit]

so are you trying to give up with e-smoking?

 

[RavenII]

No no...not at all...I actually love it. The prospect of being able to breathe!?!...I'll deal with a bit of anxiety/panic (as long as it goes away) to quit analogs. I really want this to work.

 

[RavenII]

My paranoia leads me to ask...is it possible that another ingredient in the liquid is causing this?...you know the whole PG vs. VG vs. G thing?

 

[sheilalynn]

Totally familiar with this thread...I've been taking Celexa for years to keep the anxiety/panic attacks from happening. That stuff is amazing for controlling the attacks. Not saying I've been totally anxiety free, but now I can keep them from happening pretty much all of the time. One of the biggies with panic attacks is when you start hyperventilating, which of course gives you the fuzzy feeling and puts your whole body into that "fight or flight" mode and you start panicking more. What I do when I feel that starting is to start breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Once you start concentrating on that, it usually will calm down very quickly. If it doesn't work, I lay down and ride it out since I know I'll be fine, and yes, still continue with the breathing. Just give that a try the next time you start in and it just may help it a little.

As far as the nicotine goes, I agree with the idea that you may just be using too strong of a juice in your e-cigs, especially if you're also still using analogs. Nicotine is known to cause anxiety so try using the lowest level you can, or dilute your juice with a little vg or pg until you find a level that doesn't set you off. It's also very easy to just give up the analogs and only vape. Went from 2 packs a day to just the e-cigs in one day and haven't had a bit of anxiety since I totally gave up the analogs. It's definitely worth a shot!

 

[RavenII]

See, I never got checked out for this, I haven't had a panic/anxiety feeling in a LONG while (I'm 25, last one was when I was 16)...And now especially with me being so paranoid about meds...I pretty much refuse to take anything but Advil.

It was a lot worse when I was younger...but these past 2 episodes weren't intense at all, but I think I fed into it and made it worse thinking it'll turn into what it was before. I think I'm just going to suck it up and stick to vaping...it's either I live with a little anxiety at night...or die because of cigarettes...I'll take the former. However, I'm not going to continue vaping until I get my next order in...3 batteries, and an extra charger. Thanks for all the replies, it's good to know you're not alone.

 

[seminolewind]

I take zoloft and xanax to control life long anxiety. I know that's not an option for you from what you said.

I have had more anxiety since I quit smoking and started vaping. I can say with me it's not the vaping because I don't have anxiety at night when I usually vape the most. I believe it's from giving up smoking, which was my crutch, habit, addiction for 35 years. I have not suffered any withdrawal symptoms from quitting analogs. But this may be one for me, never counted on that.

As for the amount of nicotine you're getting, if you smoked a pack a day of 15 mg cigarettes, for example, then that is close to the equivalent of 2 ml. of 15 mg juice. Please correct me if my equation is wrong.

 

[RavenII]

I'm throwing in the towel, and retracting my "I'll put up with a bit of anxiety" comment. Wow, I wish that on no one. I took a few pulls from my e-cig and BAM...anxiety attack...I'm done. I'm personally going back to analogs and trying to quit "cold turkey". I wish it worked for me...

 

[paladinx]

Raven, a big question you should ask yourself, Is it really the e-cig giving you the panic attacks, or your own mind and worries about the device itself. The mind is a powerful thing. And i am not one of these E-cig zealots that are only there to say ecigs are the greatest most safest thing. I chose to stop e smoking for awhile and reassess the situation because of the uknowns. But i mean if you got anxiety after a few pulls, im thinking it could possibly be your own mind causing it

You could also try snus. Its a tobacco product. Maybe u would feel more comfortable with that?

 

[happily]

As for the amount of nicotine you're getting, if you smoked a pack a day of 15 mg cigarettes, for example, then that is close to the equivalent of 2 ml. of 15 mg juice. Please correct me if my equation is wrong.

actually that would be 1ml..........but no one is the same as far as how vape affects nicotine intake. Everyone is different.

What u have raven may be a catch 22...anxiety about anxiety attacks, cause anxiety attacks. I am not trying to make light of it. Some options are try low nicotine, try vg. Thoughts of quitting smoking and what's in vaping can cause anxiety also. I personally never tried to quit smoking. I just let whatever happened happen. Although that worked for me. You do need to listen to your body and if it is too much for you. Then you are doing the right thing. Stress and anxiety are not good.

 

[ladyraj]

I'm throwing in the towel, and retracting my "I'll put up with a bit of anxiety" comment. Wow, I wish that on no one. I took a few pulls from my e-cig and BAM...anxiety attack...I'm done. I'm personally going back to analogs and trying to quit "cold turkey". I wish it worked for me...

Hey Raven, I'm not sure if you remember the head rush and slight buzz you experienced when you first started smoking cigarettes but the e-cig can be equated with that experience. I know if I go over 12 hours without a cigarette that I will get a buzz and feel panicky symptoms (because I feel high) once I light up. If I spend hours smoking cigarettes I still get a "head rush" and a slight buzz from switching to the e-cig.

As you know with anxiety one is usually advised to persevere and ride out the experience by altering one's own perception. Once you get used to e-smoking, homeostasis kicks in and anxiety is rendered null.

 

[RavenII]

You know what...I think it really is because I'm making it worse than it really is. I think that I'm just going to go back to my regular routine and give it another go in a few weeks or so, just to see what happens. After reading about nicotine overdose and so on, I came to the conclusion, that it more than likely was me making something out of nothing.

Both PaladinX and Happily make very good points..."or your own mind and worries about the device itself. The mind is a powerful thing." and "anxiety about anxiety attacks, cause anxiety attacks"...I think the lack of a...standard if you will, in how much nicotine to use, what mg, etc etc. How much is actually taken in, how does it compare to a real cigarette...I mean, so many speculative questions...no definitive answers. Going to my paranoia of what I put in my body, all these things are important to me. I think I dove in too quickly. I mean, in the first week, I spent $200 on my ecig supplies. I'll give it another go in a few...I'll just be more careful with how I handle and use the eliquid...or I might just quit all together, I don't want to spend more time thinking about it right now...I'll take it as it goes.

Ladyraj, "As you know with anxiety one is usually advised to persevere and ride out the experience by altering one's own perception"...very true...I kept thinking...."there's nothing to be afraid of...nothing to be flipping out about...".......went on a boat cruise with my girl...walked around downtown...and I forgot all about it. Woke up this morning, thinking "****, am I feeling normal? Am I going to be having anxiety all the time now like when I was younger? I wonder if I feel like this because I just woke up?"....etc etc...and BAM anxiety...as of this writing, I'm feeling fine, been having my normal cancer sticks and feeling...well like crap but fine at the same time.

I really wanted to thank you guys for helping me through this whole deal...I mean genuinely, thank you.

 

[paladinx]

I know what you mean. Since things seem a little unknown with these devices there is always room in your mind to wonder if it is really effecting you or not. That will cause anxiety in itself. Sometimes to combat this, you have to get used to something. If you kept using it and didnt get any ill effects I think the brain says ok. this is no longer an anxiety trigger. Same way you probably can smoke cigarettes and feel just fine. I dont even like taking cold medicines cause i feel it might get me dizzy or some stupid crap, but i can smoke my ... away with the cigarettes. Sometimes anxiety makes little sense.

but on the other hand. It could be something in the E-cigs not sitting with you right. IT is up to you to rule it out or not.

 

[Annastasia]

I wish I'd seen this thread a week ago!

I used to have panic attacks too, was on meds for it + counseling, eventually "got over" them about two years ago. When I quit smoking and started vaping, the attacks came back with a vengeance. I'd never experienced such intense, long lasting anxiety attacks before, and also linked it in my mind to vaping. I too was concerned with the untested/unregulated nature of PVs, and I think I showed it in my body's reactions.

After messing around with nicotine strengths and PG vs VG for a couple days, I figure it was a combination of waaaaay too high nic juice ( I was vaping 36mg when I started out!) and the loss of my pacifier, the cigarette. I quit vaping anything at all for two days, and still didn't go back to cigarettes. When I returned to vaping my lowest dose of nic juice -- about 11mg -- I was totally fine, and I've had no recurrence of the panic attacks since then.

 

[RavenII]

I dont even like taking cold medicines cause i feel it might get me dizzy or some stupid crap, but i can smoke my ... away with the cigarettes.

Dude, I feel the exact same way...strange isn't it? Ever since my (what I call) "Vicodin Days"...I can't stand anything that alters my state of mind in any way. I've become overly aware of what I take and don't take...I literally only take Advil...funny how certain life experiences change your outlook on stuff.

Annastasia, I feel the same way about the regulation, or lack thereof...I mean you read about all these people vaping 36, and you figure 18 is fine...but it's possible that 6! might do you good...there's just no way to know. I'll give it another go...in a while. But for now, I just want everything to go back to normal.

 

[Juggalo]

i vape 36 mg strait sometimes i feel like its 2 much but im not worried about overdose or anything should i be