Anyone getting sick more often since vaping?

[jeffree]

Hey, don't flame me. I'm usually just as pro-vaping as the next guy, but I've seen a two-year pattern of more illness since my first vape. I don't think it's the vaping itself, though, and here's why.

I work at a university and have a lot of contact with anything nasty going around. I wash my hands often and yadayadayada yet get a cold every few months, double the years prior. What I think may be happening is that I vape throughout the day--and rarely wash my batteries, let alone sanitize them. Was I a complete fool to miss the obvious connection until now?

Don't answer that. But I'd be happy to hear of any related thoughts or experiences. And do you sanitize your batts and with what?

Teach me, dear Family.

 

[JenJen]

I never sanitize my batts or cartos. I am one of those people who think that all this sanitizing is making people more susceptible to illness by killing off the "good germs" that protect us from the "bad germs" and by not allowing our immune systems to fight off illnesses. I work at an elementary school office and have contact with sick kids day in and day out. Once in a while I will pick up some virus, but I always tend to kick it pretty easily. The girl I work with uses hand sanitizers all day long and is always picking up something.

Don't get me wrong, I am a clean person - I just don't go for all the sanitizers and anti bacterial soaps.

 

[Morandir835]

Jeffree sir haven't been sick any more often than usual since the switch (in other words haven't been, save the migraines which doesn't count). Do clean my batts once a week with an alcohol wipe. With cigs you never had to worry about the filter collecting a bunch of germs thanks to them not being exposed to germs for long. Once used, thrown away. With an ecig constant reuse, which does lead to the potential of germs building up on the batts from whatever you've/they've come in contact with throughout the day/week/month/etc. Have a feeling if you start cleaning them you'll see an improvement in the sickness department sir.

 

[misplacedsooner]

im the same as jenjen, i also work at an elementary school and have seen no increase in sickness. i also feel the same as her about all the antibacterial stuff... we have to offer it to the kids and i see more kids sick now than ever since they started using it and preaching it. i still wash the same as i did 20 years ago before they started all that mess. i can count on a cold or 2 per year and a flu maybe....no i dont jack with flu shots either, ive done that 3 times and got badly sick each time...coincidence? perhaps but i do fine letting my body fight off whatever comes its way.

also, no i dont disinfect my vape stuff, if it gets nasty i clean it off..like drip tips.

 

[36tinybells]

I work with the public (dr's office) and I do sanitize my hands before vaping. People are nasty- and they go around touching everything and coughing everywhere.. Just saying. No increase in sickness here! But I never touch my face with my hands or touch my pv until I wash my hands!

 

[Lisa66]

jeffree, I use a lot of alcohol. On my vaping supplies, that is. I use drip tips and clean them constantly, inside and out. I use two carto condoms to store a drip tip in my case and when I attach the drip tip I hold the mouth end, still in that condom, then take it off, unless I'm getting sloppy or I'm at home and my hands have been recently washed. When I travel, I bring the little individually wrapped alcohol wipes that diabetics use. Sounds a little OCD, probably, but I can barely remember that last time I was sick with anything contagious. It's been over 10 years. You can control what you touch, but you still can't control aerosols (coughs and sneezes) unless you become a hermit!

Think about cigarettes. We used to pull out a fresh, new, clean one every time and the .... was thrown away. Now we handle the same stuff that goes into our mouths over and over......

 

[keyzygirl]

Well I dont count because I have an ongoing illness but I have not had more colds or stuff like that and if I get one it doesnt seem to last as long.

 

[SnowDragon]

I have a cleaning video and use Iso to clean the batteries. Drip Tips I place in a cup with a little dish soap, then rinse them out in hot water. I don't like using Iso on anything made of rubber because it will dry it out quickly. I was recently a little ill for a couple of weeks with Satan's Cough which I think would have become full blown asthmatic bronchitis if I were still smoking. Hard to know if there is a dramatic difference since I started vaping after I left the Toxic Waste Pit known as Silicon Valley. Where I live now you can't taste the air.....that's a good thing.

I had a friend that worked at a University and had the same problem. Now this is gonna sound weird, but he swears this cured him of constantly getting sick.......who am I to argue? He started carrying his own knife and fork since he ate on campus daily. This is so strange this topic has come up here.....we went out to dinner last time I was in Cali. So here we are at the Claimjumper, a relatively nice restaurant and he breaks out his own flatware. I couldn't help but laugh, I think I may have mentioned Howard Hughes, Howie Mandel, etc. etc. at which point he shared his story. I don't know...guess it makes sense if you are having immunity issues to try anything and everything.



I should add...when I show the inner workings of a battery you will see I have a drip tip in the glass of alcohol, but I have removed the O-Ring. I used to clean them that to make sure they were sanitized, but I have grown lazy over time.

 

[mwa102464]

Anybody that uses a bottom feeder that has a catch cup where the Atty connection is notices the crud buildup from juice just sitting in there after some days of use. It is without a doubt good vaping habit to unscrew your Atty and clean your connections on any unit or Bat you are using. It is also good clean healthy practice to spray down your drip tips with an anti bacterial spray or alcohol on the drip tips on a daily basis, I do mine every day and always will, both the connection and whatever mouth piece I'm using. You dont have to feel funny doing this either, it's safe, clean and the smart thing to do. I keep a small spray bottle filled with alcohol right on my vaping table with all my Mods.

 

[Iowa Gal]

Jeffree - I am alot like Lisa.... I actually have a hand washing feddish (sp) and sometimes have to use a cream as I cause myself to dry out.. I do regularly use alcohol wipes and/or qtips as shown in Snow's video to clean my batteries. I soak my drip tips in very hot/boiling temp water each week as well. To me... cleaning the batteries will extend their life... I think the real importance is in the drip tip..etc. that touches our mouths. Sometimes it's pretty gross to see how much 'stuff' I get when cleaning on a regular basis.

 

[mwa102464]

Right on Iowa Gal Right on !

 

[Iowa Gal]

Thanks...Jeffree..one thing I will add is that we would never flame you because we love you

 

[Kimmy]

I have deff noticed an increase in colds, but I bite my nails and am around the public all the time. I admit I could do a better job cleaning my batteries, keeping them somewhere other then my pocket or thrown in my purse, and washing my hands before vaping. I'm also weary of using too much hand sanitizer as well as others have stated.

Recently I was starting to get sick. Doubled up on my multivitamin, picked up this stuff called "Emergenc immune defense" that has a lot of vitamin C (studies show it's surprisingly efficient at fighting illnesses) and zinc. Kept exercising and it seems to be GONE. Super happy since I don't have the time to get sick right now. Colds are the worst.

If anyone read this thanks for holding on so long while I rambled.

 

[Mary Kay]

2 years and 7 months into vaping and have had less sickness then ever in my life. I used to get a flu or a cold now and again which would turn into brochitis..which in turn was scarring my lungs. Now I can say 2 colds in 2 1/2 years..no flu and no bronchitis at all. I still go shopping and have lunch/dinner with friends so I am not a recluse. Plus trips with hubby to the V.A., a hotbed for colds and flu!
I would say that being healthier is a good way to fight off sickness. But then again I don't live in the north and I don't work in an office..where closed heating and ventalation systems just spread germs around.
Also other then wiping down my P.V.'s when I refill..I don't sanitize my equiptment. (too freakin' lazy)

 

[JenJen]

People with immune system issues may need extra help. When Mario went through Chemo I was a nut case about sterilizing and keeping things super clean and keeping sick people away. When the immune system is normal, however, just regular common sense clean is more then adequate in my opinion. I do clean my batteries periodically because they work better when you do, but as far as sanitizing them, no, not so much. I am the only one who handles them and nobody is coughing in my pockets or purse.

Everyone has their own level of comfort though and has to do what they feel is best for them.

 

[sidetrack]

10 months now and not one cold. Before I started to vape I lived in dread of the annual cold that always turned into bronchitis (like Mary Kay said) that would last for at least a month and usually longer. I don't miss that dry unproductive cough at the end either! Now that I don't smoke anymore and the daily (am) dry cough is gone I think when I finally get a cold it will be much easier on me.
I don't alcohol anything down...ask any healthcare professional and they will all tell you the same thing, alcohol just moves the bacteria/virus around doesn't really kill anything. I use an ultrasonic cleaner with soapy water in it to clean my carts. Kinda like wasing your hands in that it doesn't kill all the bacteria just reduces the number of bacteria.

 

[Rick07]

Lisa66 said "I use two carto condoms to store a drip tip in my case and when I attach the drip tip I hold the mouth end, still in that condom, then take it off, unless I'm getting sloppy or I'm at home and my hands have been recently washed."

What a great idea!!! Thanks Lisa.

 

[jeffree]

Thanks for your thoughts, Family. I'll mull them over once I get past my current cold. Kidding.

 

[Desertfremen]

Hmmmm. I can't really answer this. Last year I did get sick alot and at first thought it might be the vaping but after a hospital stay at the beginning of this year I now know that vaping had nothing to do with it.

I really don't think sanitising the batt will make that much difference. I never sanitise my batts. I do keep them clean but do not sanitise.

ETA: Oops I forgot to say that this year I've only gotten one cold!

 

[JenJen]

Jeffree - take into consideration that some years are worse than others as far as what is going around out there too. I know that some years I don't get anything much and some years there are so many bugs out there that you can't help but pick one up. This year the cold and flu season started really early at our school - we have had lots of kids sick with cold and flu since August. Last year was a bad year too - it kind of goes in cycles.

A few years back my son picked up the swine flu in his senior year of high school. Because it was around finals, all the kids were coming to school sick and it spread like wild fire. Of course he brought it home and I caught it, as did my hubby. Some years are just like that lol!