Anyone else's Dr support their e-cig use?

[mezzio]

This morning has been very weird for me. I woke up with a horrible case of heartburn, so I've been just sitting here staring at the wall thinking about things until my meds kick in. Unfortunately I'm unable to vape or smoke when my acid reflux gets this bad, so its been a long and anxious morning.

One of the things I was thinking about is my Dr. I've had several primary care doctors over the years, and it seems they all support the use of e-cigarettes. My newest primary doc took things a little further asking me 'advanced' questions, like how much mg/ml I use, flavors I like, and don't like, how much juice per day, setup questions (vv or single volt), pg/vg mixture,and where i order my juice from. It looked like he had his own excel document he recorded the information in, not a VA form or anything. I gladly answered the questions, but he wouldn't tell me why he was interested in the specifics. I guess I could hope that he's gathering the information to make a case to the VA to get them to start using PV's in their smoking cessation clinic.

If so many MD's support this as a cessation tool (literally every doctor I've talked to inside the VA, and all but one outside the VA), why don't they ever stand up and side with us. I hear over and over how "there isn't enough research" for some organizations to take a stand, but it doesn't seem that hard to be able to conduct your own research like my Dr seems to be doing. He completely supports my use of it, never regurgitated the "bad publicity" we hear so often, and even offered to help with suggestions on what to try if I find myself going back to analogs.

Now before anyone looks at my signature and asks how I can do so much in so little time, I vapes for a few years (since around 2008/2009) to about June of 2012, and recently started vaping again this month. My reasons for relapsing back to analogs after so long are kinda dumb and aren't really an excuse at all to quit vaping.



Sent from my Google powered personal data extraction device

 

[Amish Ed]

My GP doesn't support vaping as it's "concentrated nicotine". I didn't bother trying to have a dialog after I told him you get less nicotine than with a cig for the same time "smoked". He just wouldn't listen. My psychiatrist thinks it's great and asked to see mine. Both are Kaiser doctors.

 

[Butters78]

None of my doctors know honestly. I always answer questions with a yes or no answer.

Are you a smoker?

No

Were you a smoker?

Yes

When did you quit?

Jan, 2010

That is the end of it. If they ask what tools I used to quit I'll be more than happy to answer but I've never been asked.

 

[CommaHolly]

my doc supported it, but was happy when I went to 0mg nic,,,,

apparently, there's some evidence you heal better (wounds, surgeries, etc) when you avoid nicotine. IDK how true that is, but apparently, lots of docs won't do elective surgeries if you're on nic.

 

[OlDogNewTricks]

Ours supports it as a replacement to analogs.

 

[GypsySyx]

The one doc I ever mentioned it to (not my regular doc who was out on maternity leave) was a total butthead about it and said it was the nicotine that was evil and it would cause lesions in my brain (I had just had an MRI and was only there for him to tell me my brain is totally normal and lesion free (after smoking more than a PAD for over 25 years)...LOL). I told him I quit smoking and he was surprised I smoked.

Then he went on a rant about nicotine. He was younger than I am but looked 100 years older, was in a walking cast, was addle-brained and had just gotten through telling me that he smoked for 25 years too and look at him now after having quit 10 years ago.

Then he tried to give me Chantix. Big surprise...all their "forms" have pharma sponsorship all over them.

But this was at Kaiser, and they seem to be brainwashed into thinking that smoking is the root of every single ailment a human can possibly show up with...including broken bones and cuts...I kid you not. I have tried them this year but am totally switching out of there for next year's medical insurance. They are ridiculous.

Anyway...not yet. Good to hear your doc does. I'm almost sure more will as they see the results and benefits and success stories. Those not in pockets or brainwashed anyway.

 

[GypsySyx]

Kaiser strikes again. I didn't see your post as I was still typing mine.

 

[Recon Number 54]

I've had a long and detailed conversation with all of my MD's regarding vaping. While none of them are "thrilled" that I am ingesting an addictive stimulant, they are all open and accepting of the fact that I've chosen a delivery system with the "least apparent risk".

They'd also like me to cut/stop my caffeine intake too. But they accept that I self-medicate with both caffeine and nicotine, that I don't abuse or over-medicate, and that my quality of life is improved by the beneficial aspects of those substances.

I am fortunate that all of my healthcare providers are not "old-school" in the aspect of "I am the doctor, I give/place orders and it is your role to follow my orders" but are instead very collaborative, open-minded and willing to discuss and when they don't know something (doctors are people too and the good ones know that there are things that they don't know and that a medical degree doesn't make them "all knowing") they are willing and eager to research it for themselves.

I would like to think that my willingness and eagerness to discuss the matter with my MD's has not only helped them in how they provide care/advice to me, but also helped them when treating/talking with other patients who are in similar situations.

 

[wbart]

Mine supports my E-cig "Habit" after 10 years of smoking he had given up on telling me that they were bad for me. One day I was puffing on an E-cig while I was waiting and he came in to congratulate me. He is a younger Dr so that might be a reason for it

 

[alisa1970]

I just started seeing a naturopath because 2 months after quitting smoking, my untreated/undiagnosed Hashimoto's disease took over. She actually is a director of a smoking cessation program and advocates the use of e-cigs to those who want to quit, although she appeared dubious regarding long-term use. She stated that she had never seen one like mine (spinner/evod combo), and also stated that even if I didn't plan to quit vaping it was still magnitutes better than smoking (and until she sees research stating any real harm, she'll continue to suggest ecigs to smokers).

Then I started snusing sometimes with swedish snus and she took some notes on it, saying that she's amazed at how many smoking cessation/harm reduction products are out there.

So yeah, I get no grief from my doctor about it.

 

[Robino1]

I haven't been to a doctor since I stopped smoking and started vaping. A year now. It will be interesting when/if I have the need for a doctor visit.

 

[wv2win]

I am with Kaiser and both my GP and Cardiologist are supportive of vaping. I just got my physical a few weeks ago and my GP stated he regularly recommends vaping to his patients who smoke and have not been able to quit using the ineffective NRT products. I tell them about CASAA as a good resource for unbiased information on vaping. I was my GP's first patient who vaped.

 

[CommaHolly]

on a side note,,,,,,,I had to go to the doctor for a UTI last week,,,,,,

and the doctor listened to my lungs (as usual) and noted that my lungs sounded clear,,,,,,,,,then added "REALLY clear",,,,,,with an emphasis on REALLY.

 

[fourthrok]

Unfortunately for my husband and myself, we both have some health issues that were pretty well entrenched before we discovered vaping. My husband in particular has a very serious condition. At any rate, our GP knows we quit smoking using vaping (2 years ago for me, 1 1/2 years ago for hubby) and hubby's specialists and also the surgeons and doctors at the local hospital and at Mayo Clinic know, too.. My heart specialist knows about my vaping, as well. While none of them are jumping on board with enthusiasm, all are supportive and mostly approving of e-cigs. Definitely NO negative response from any of them.

 

[Mattnatti]

Both of my cardiologist support my vaporizing. They would rather I didn't have any nicotine at all but since I have reduced my intake from 18mg to 6mg they are happy and encouraged me to get to zero. After my 2x bypass in May of this year they both would rather me vaporize than smoke analogs. They said if I didn't stop smoking analogs then they would crack my chest open again in 3-5 yrs if I lived through the next heart attack.

 

[Butters78]

I'm surprised you guys just offer off the information. I want to get out of the Dr's office asap and if during my visit if it's pertinent to know how I quit smoking I'm sure they would ask.

 

[alisa1970]

I want to get out of the Dr's office asap

Considering why you see your doc, I don't blame you.

I volunteer the info because I think it's important for docs to see the success rate for ecigs (if they're not already aware). The more the medical community supports us, the more likely the ANTZ can't fill their heads with propaganda. At least that's my

 

[Butters78]

Didn't think of it that way Alisa

Good point, I think part of the fact is that my wife is usually with me at the appointments for support and with my luck the Dr I see is against vaping and then I won't hear the end of it from her ha.

Considering why you see your doc, I don't blame you.

I volunteer the info because I think it's important for docs to see the success rate for ecigs (if they're not aware of them). The more the medical community supports us, the more likely the ANTZ can't fill their heads with propaganda. At least that's my

 

[peterforpats]

I'm surprised you guys just offer off the information. I want to get out of the Dr's office asap and if during my visit if it's permanent to know how I quit smoking I'm sure they would ask.

I sure hope your quitting smoking is "permanent"- it might also be pertinent for the doctor to know........
my doctor is thrilled after 45 yrs. I finally quit and was totally encouraging and supportive......

 

[montara]

I got a great Kaiser GP, a year + ago he asked if I still smoked, replied no "I vape" and pulled out a cig-a-like. He looked with curiosity and asked if I'm still getting nic. Told him I was, just no more lighting up. His reply "awesome! knock yourself out, nothing wrong with nicotine"

Well just had my annual... he asked if I was still using ecigs. This time I whip out a real mod and blew a cloud. Needless to say he was impressed and started to quiz me about my source of info. (ECF CASAA) He went on and say that he has many patients that are closet smokers (no one smokes in silicon valley... right) and are asking him about ecigs. He admitted Kaiser does recognize ecigs as a better alternative to smoking and is leaving it up to individual doctors to determine whats best for their patients.

https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.or...1M0ythJ-cQKP43LenfbQs7zuPZScL4fK8dZ1f4pu1kg!/