Asthma and Vaping

[Stepherz]

I've had asthma my whole life. It was severe as a child, I spent a lot of time in hospitals-- always had complications from asthma like bronchitis and pneumonia. Ironically I started smoking as a teenager, stupid kid. I didn't really have more than moderate asthma at that point though, young lungs and all. But the older I got, the more funk I built up in my lungs, the sicker I got. When I first seriously quit smoking, I was taking my inhaler after every cig, and was on a heart monitor for heart issues I was beginning to have. I quit for 3 years. I was 28 at that point.

After I had a couple of kids, I started having postpartum depression and felt like nicotine would help me. So I started dipping. It didn't really "suit" me, as I am very girly-girl and a big priss pot. I don't think someone would ever look at me and imagine me with a big wad of tobacco in my lip! I was terribly embarrassed by the dipping. I wouldn't tell anyone about it-- dipped in the bathroom or in hiding. I was "in the closet". Sad, really. tobacco is a drug.

So after 3 years of no smoking, I started dipping. I dipped for about 3 years, closet dipper. A couple of years ago I started smoking again, quit for a few months, dipped for a few months, smoked again. My asthma always got really bad when I'd have my smoking binges.

So, I've been vaping for 5 days now. I haven't taken my inhaler once since I started. I'm in total awe! I wondered if any of you had asthma and have similar success? Tell me a little bit about your story!

Thanks!

 

[minx]

I too have asthma, I started smoking in my teens, and had never made any serious attempts at quitting. I was one of those hard core smokers, pack a day +. If I had a cold or bronchitis, would hit my inhaler and have a cigarette. I am a nurse and I am fully aware of the damage I have done, but I am also aware of the damage this step (pv) is preventing.

I received my starter kit (joye 510) last Monday, I have been analog free since then. I have only used my inhaler once since, I'm not wheezing, I have no "monkey's sitting on my chest" feeling. I am trying out different juices, and I have found that some make me feel a little wheezy, I am working on the right pg/vg mix for me (not sure but I think more vg than pg is better for me).
I don't miss my cigarettes, I truly am enjoying my vaping. My goal when I started vaping was to cut down my cigarette consumption, I am hopeful that I have found a permanent replacement for my nasty habit.
I have already ordered upgrades to my pvs, (ego, and passthrough, drip tips, carto). I have juice samples in many flavors on the way (so exciting).
Thank you Stepherz for sharing your story and opening discussion on the subject. Best of health to you

 

[Stepherz]

Thank you too! I just can't help but think there are other asthma sufferers that smoked and found their way to e-cigs. I thought it would be interesting to see if they are all seeing improvements. I'm glad you are seeing some changes in your inhaler use too. I wish you the best in finding juices that don't bring the wheeze. I have had really good luck so far with PG, and I thought I might have problems since I'm prone to sensitivity. But I've tried pg, pg/vg, and vg--- they seem to agree with me so far.

Thanks again & best wishes! Keep me posted on how things go!

 

[PVPuff&Stuff]

Asthma, and some breathing problems associated with being in the sandbox for a few years.

Used to smoke 2 packs a day, and went through inhalers like they were nothing. Since vaping has come along, I use my inhaler on a weekly basis instead of an hourly one. VA doc says my lungs are clear and he's marked me down as a non-smoker in my record. He approves of my PV use, and has spoken about them to other patients.

You're probably going to have some effects show up soon that come with no more cigarettes. Those lungs are going to start to clear themselves...and you may have some tightening from that. Give it a few weeks, it gets better.

 

[emanguba]

Hmmm...my buddy has asthma and has said that vaping aggravates his asthma more than analogs...

 

[MizChappy]

I was diagnosed asthmatic from about 5 years old. I spent so much time in the E.R. growing up the nurses knew me by name and just told me what room to go to. Just like others I stupidly started smoking at 14 and kept at it even when I was prescribed other meds outside of my Albuterol inhaler. I smoked anywhere from 1 pack to 3 depending on where I was working, how bored/stressed I was. Even with my insurance I was paying $80-90 a month in asthma meds. I started taking one of the "miracle" quit smoking drugs in August and yeah...I quit smoking for about 3-4 months and drove my family nuts with crazy mood swings the entire time LOL. During my "quit" time I managed to stop one asthma medication. Then I started smoking again on the sly for about a month and then found the e cig. since then I have come off of ALL my asthma medications with exception of my inhaler with my doctors monitoring and have as of yet to even need the inhaler. *knocking on wood*

 

[Jessara]

I actually discovered e-cigs *because* of my asthma. For several years now I've had a *lot* of trouble with my breathing. I was always too afraid to go to a doctor (and knew what they were going to tell me anyway - "you need to quit smoking", duh?). So I just never went to the doctor about it. Then about a year ago my chest tightened up and the pain was horrendous and I couldn't breathe (couldn't exhale). I went to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. After a week in the hospital, they told me it wasn't my heart and sent me home. Then back in early November of last year, the same thing happened again. Back to the ER, was told it wasn't my heart and to see my regular physician.

Long story, somewhat shorter, the pulmonary specialist I got sent to had a technician in his office that used an e-cig and he told me all about it. I was diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis and given inhalers to use twice a day and some other asthma medication. My husband and I haven't smoked in the house or truck for several years. So even with the inhalers helping my breathing, the cold air made smoking really uncomfortable (coughing, wheezing, tightness in my chest, etc). Then we got our Yeti 510 Starter Kit and stopped smoking that day.

Since using the e-cig, I've only had to use my inhaler a handful of times over the last month. I do have one juice that seems to hit my chest harder than my others. I use it pretty sparingly. The coughing is gone, the wheezing all the time is gone, the chest tightness/pain is gone. The only times I wheeze a little bit is if I hit the pv WAY too much, LOL.

 

[Stepherz]

Thanks for sharing your stories, guys. Very interesting. So it sounds like not only are we saving money by not buying analogs, but also by not using as many asthma meds or seeing the dr. as often.

 

[classwife]

Allergic asthma and cold air asthma here......Have hardly hit the inhaler at all since last March !!!! (the allergies aren't near as bad either !)

 

[toriL]

I've had asthma since I was 10 yrs old. I have been using an inhaler for about the last ten years, several times a day. When vaping I do not wheeze nor need the inhaler as often. Until Dec I was still smoking an occasional cigarette and still wheezing and coughing a lot. Since stopping the analogs (about a month now) my lungs are clear and wheezing has stopped.

 

[t9c]

I developed asthma as result of my 39 yr < 2 PAD smoking habit. Smoking induced asmtha I think they call it-Probably a precursor to emphysema.

A few years ago, I had actually quit the stinkies while on Chantix, but a couple of mos in, for about a week I was having difficulty breathing and tossed in bed all night. Finally about 5am one day, it got so bad I had to have my wife at the time rush me to the ER. I thought I was gonna die on the way. But once they got me on the Albuterol, I was feeling fine again, although they did admit me for a couple of days. I remember most that EVERYONE in the hospital thought I was a smoker, yet I hadn't in over 2 months. Once I was out I bought a nebulizer, got a huge script for liquid albuterol and had to treat myself a couple of times a day. I was feeling better than ever. Then after a month went by I started smoking again. Yeah, I know pride before the fall and all that (and I couldn't afford the Chantix anymore!).

So FFWD to summer of 2010 and I've found rescue inhalers from overseas (and freebees from a buddy who gets 2/mo from the VA) for cheaper than going to the Dr. and getting a script. I'm huffing these things at over 2/month. I hardly used them though once I switched to PV's for a few months, but I still need a huff or two during my sleep and after strenuous exercise-But I find that if I exercise more regular, my need decreases.

Bottom line is, I now buy Primatene Mist OTC (for now...they are discontinuing them by the end of the year). Who knows, I may need an inhaler forever. I remember trying some menthol juice a couple of times and had the same sensation of my lungs opening up, so maybe I should just vape some menthol a few times /day.

 

[Stepherz]

Awesome! After 9 days, I haven't used my inhaler either. It will be a shame for folks like us if e-cigs get banned. I really hope there are more studies done because I think this is a healthier alternative.

 

[fallon74]

I had bronchial asthma for about 20 years due to my smoking I would keep myself up at night with all the wheezing I was doing I always had that rattling in my chest. I've been vaping now for 6 months and have not had a problem with my breathing since.

 

[Prodigal441]

Hmmm...my buddy has asthma and has said that vaping aggravates his asthma more than analogs...

This may be to a slight allergic reaction that some have to PG. Some have to use VG only liquid to get around this. It may not be the case here but I figured I would put it out there in case your friend wanted to try again.

 

[reverendg]

Hi my name is Jerry, and I'm recovering from c.o.p.d.

I was a 2 pad+ smoker for about 35 years or so. Even as a kid before I started smoking, my story echoes many of the previous poster's. Every year around allergy season, I would come down with asthma bronchitis and the crupe,

Went through the hoarse coughing and the oxygen tents and then of coarse every year had to get the series of allergy shots, which I guessed must have helped somewhat.

So, being how it was pretty antiquated care back then, I still managed to get it bad enough every year that in my late twenties to early thirties I also got acquainted with pneumonia. Not a very friendly acquaintance

Then I started getting the pneumonia vaccine, and thank God, I haven't gotten a full blown pneumonia in years. need another shot every 4 I think.

But anyway, to get to the gist of the story, MY LUNGS WERE BAD!! but then I started vape'ing. and after a month or two into it, my doctor was listening to my lungs and he couldn't beleive how clear they sounded.

I am so happy to be able to check no - I am not a smoker on the forms you have to inevitably fill out at the doctors

Not to mention no more wheezing, huffin and puffi, bad breath, stinky clothes (another thing the doc made me and my wife laugh he said on another visit "I can't beleive how you don't stink at all anymore L.O.L , if we didn't know this guy as well as we do, that might have been insulting. But it just cracked us up.

I know how bad the analogs stink now that I've been a non-smoker for about ten months now.

I encourage everyone to stick with it, if they really want to quit smoking. I.M.H.O