Back on regular cigarettes.

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kittycatt

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Jul 1, 2009
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After 3 years on the e-cig, I've had to stop. I had major breathing problems with it. On singulair and needing rescue inhaler several times per day, and waking up in the middle of the night trying to breath and wheezing. I thought I was doing a good thing and didn't touch a cigarette for 3 years. However, I found myself vaping constantly because it was just too easy. I was not a heavy smoker, 5 cigs per day at most, and never had asthma or any breathing issues. It was getting worse and worse, and I felt awful. After thinking about it a lot, I realized that my breathing problems started about 2 months after switching to e-cigs. I decided to stop the e-cigs but my nicotine addiction was too much so I went back to my 3-5 cigs per day and within a week, my breathing is back to normal. It's been a month now and I don't need the singulair or the inhaler anymore at all. I don't wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and wheezing, and I don't get out of breath after going up the stairs. I feel like myself again. I'm disappointed because I wanted the e-cigs to be a healthy alternative for me but it really made me sick. I'm not saying this will happen to everyone but I did want to put it out there just in case someone is having the same problem. Believe me when I tell you it was really bad and quite scary. I will continue smoking for a bit longer and then try to quit again with a patch or something like that. I honestly feel like I became more addicted to nicotine with the e-cigs. Please just be aware that this could be a side effect. Pay attention to your body and how much you are vaping. Don't go overboard. It's just as hard to quit e-cigs as it is to quit regular ones.
 

Nago Suka

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Wow, sorry to hear you have had that experience. Hope that doesn't happen to me. I've smoked 2ppd for 24 years. Been vaping for @ 2 months and have cut waaayyy back on real cigs. Like 2 a day. Just recently ran across a juice I really like and haven't had a real cig for 2 days.

I'm really curious about what happened to you. Would you mind providing details about what liquids and pv's you used?
 

kittycatt

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Jul 1, 2009
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Wow, sorry to hear you have had that experience. Hope that doesn't happen to me. I've smoked 2ppd for 24 years. Been vaping for @ 2 months and have cut waaayyy back on real cigs. Like 2 a day. Just recently ran across a juice I really like and haven't had a real cig for 2 days.

I'm really curious about what happened to you. Would you mind providing details about what liquids and pv's you used?

I was using the mini e-cig with Totally Wicked liquid or flavored liquid from Vapor Kings. I was very good about cleaning and changing cartridges and atomizers.
 

DaveP

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This affects some people. Some find it to be PG or VG allergic reactions and switch to one or the other and solve their problem. High voltage can aggravate it by producing more of the vapor that causes the reaction. I can sometimes sense a difference if I crank up the voltage too much and vape heavy and a return to normal if I go back to 3.4v or 3.7v. It's not a showstopper for me, but I can tell when I vape too much, just like I could tell when I smoked too much.

I vape 100% PG and have considered going to a mix with a lower PG content. I just have to find one that suits me.
 

MiamiMom63

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I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you. I did know of a girl that realized after awhile that she was allergic to the filler inside the cartos, so she switched to clearomizers and was totally fine after that. I'm not sure if you ever tried clearos or atomizers, but that could be a possibility for you if you ever feel like testing it out. As far as the nicotine goes, all I know is that if I smoke an analog, I get dizzy and high from it so I know for a fact my nicotine intake is lower than when I was smoking. And that was even when I was vaping at 16 mgs. Now I am vaping at 8 to 10 mgs, so I think I'm okay with the nicotine. I do think some people that maybe vape 24 mgs should watch their nic levels because my friend started vaping at 24 mgs. and got sick from it and realized she was intaking more nicotine than she did smoking, so she backed it down on the nic and was fine after that. I think some people might start vaping at 24 mgs and get sick and not realize that maybe they are intaking more nic than they are used to.
 

kittycatt

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Jul 1, 2009
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I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you. I did know of a girl that realized after awhile that she was allergic to the filler inside the cartos, so she switched to clearomizers and was totally fine after that. I'm not sure if you ever tried clearos or atomizers, but that could be a possibility for you if you ever feel like testing it out. As far as the nicotine goes, all I know is that if I smoke an analog, I get dizzy and high from it so I know for a fact my nicotine intake is lower than when I was smoking. And that was even when I was vaping at 16 mgs. Now I am vaping at 8 to 10 mgs, so I think I'm okay with the nicotine. I do think some people that maybe vape 24 mgs should watch their nic levels because my friend started vaping at 24 mgs. and got sick from it and realized she was intaking more nicotine than she did smoking, so she backed it down on the nic and was fine after that. I think some people might start vaping at 24 mgs and get sick and not realize that maybe they are intaking more nic than they are used to.


Okay, so I would like to give electronic cigs another try. Regular cigs stink and are expensive. I've been thinking about this and would like to try the clearomizers. Which ones would you recommend? Also, I was using totally wicked 18 mg liquid. Is there something else that might be better for me? I need to start all over, and don't know where to begin. I don't want to spend a lot of $$$ on a kit that I know nothing about and might not like. I need suggestions please.
 

Zelphie

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Sorry to hear about your symptoms, that does sound scary. And regardless of the cause, even if by ecigs, its gotta stop. You can try other things as you meantioned (different filler material), but in either case please lower your nic especially if you are vaping more than you smoked, better yet slow down on that too.

18mg of frequent vaping seems as if it could make the addiction worse compared to 3-5 cigaretts. I smoked 1.5 pks a day and vape 18mg.

At the end of the day, we dont know the definitive cause but it may well be that your system cant function properly with the continuous pg and/or vg. But it could also be something else such as flavorings, or other componants in ecigs/eliquid (I also wonder about what goes into the construction of devices), but I find chronic use of pg/vg and certain flavorings especially suspect even though I use them and hope they are less bad Did you only use Totally Wicked, if so what line of eliquid and what flavor? Did your doctor know about your vaping when treating your breathing problems?
 

Zelphie

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Thanks for the quick reply, best place to get them?

If youve been content with a mini and your not in search of an ever increasing throat hit, dont mind recharging, or prefer a small and simple setup maybe a volt kit from smokless image would work for you, but if you wanted to try the tank system, they are a no go.

What the op suggested can be found at many diffferent places, but litecigusa.net is pretty cheap.
 

salemgold

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I am so very sorry to hear that you are having these issues. I too have been having trouble with shortness of breath and have suspected for awhile that it may be something in the vape. I think that VG may actually be at least part of what is causing it but the problem is that I have other issues with PG.

I tried vaping 100% PG and also 100% VG and neither really seemed to help much. I am a firm believer that we are better off to keep our flavoring amount as low as possible since that is the one ingredient that we know the least about when it comes to inhalation. I DIY my own liquids so I know exactly what is in them. I am hoping to find a fillerless option that does not mute the flavor soon to rule out or confirm the carto being the cause of my symptoms. I have been vaping for 2 years and 3 months. I do have allergies to many other things so I am not going to say with certainty that the vaping is to blame for my shortness of breath until I do further testing.

I am wondering if the TW eliquid contained PEG? I do know that I bought some TW flavorings once that contained PEG and I never used it because of the PEG which is said not to be safe for inhalation.

Anyway, I appreciate you sharing your story and please keep us updated as you go. Vaping has got to be safer than smoking and I wish you much luck this time around :)
 

salemgold

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salemgold

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(((debb))) I had no clue that you were having issues too :( I read somewhere here on the forum that VG is not the thing that you should be vaping if you have respiratory/lung issues.

I was using a 50/50 blend but recently went to a 70/30. I think that I see a slight improvement but really too soon to tell.
 

opal

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I'm new to vaping but noticed instantly that when I have PG in the mix, my throat and chest get tighter (not in a good way)
I've had a round of pulmonary embolisms too - scary stuff. Did they tell you that when they break up it might hurt? They didn't tell me and geeze - that was awful - but I digress
I vape a LOT more than I was smoking and as soon as I discovered my vaping was almost constant, I got several zero nicotine juices - to augment my 6's and 12's. The zero nic menthol flavor (more minty than menthol) in all VG is good for me.
 

salemgold

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100% VG would be good for folks with a PG sensitivity but not so for folks with emphysema, asthma, COPD, etc. I am looking for the thread that I read it in and will post a link here when I find it.

I remember it very well because my mother has emphysema/COPD and I had just mixed some 100% VG juice up for her because the PG was irritating to her.

This was taken from here http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...hen-quitting-tobacco-changing-ecigarette.html


CAUTION: E-Cigarettes and Emphysema

Persons with emphysema are at increased risk of pneumonia, and there is a possibility that e-cigarette use may increase this risk further. We have only heard of one case where this may, possibly, have been a factor, after many millions of ex-smokers using e-cigarettes for 7 years, so it is clearly not a major issue.

Nevertheless, emphysema patients are at risk of pneumonia, so any increased risk is not advisable. Smokers with emphysema (or stage 3, stage 4 COPD) should switch to Snus, not an e-cigarette, since inhalation of anything that might negatively affect an existing, serious lung disease is not advisable.

The thoracic consultant MUST be informed of any decisions in this area.

Our advice would be :
(a) Snus would seem a better choice, in the circumstances.
(b) You must consult your doctor about these issues because some patients with serious lung diseases caused by smoking are at risk of pneumonia.
(c) This is one of the very few areas where 100% VG e-liquid does not seem advisable. A percentage of PG seems preferable as it it has a bactericidal and virucidal action, which seems desirable here. The use of all-VG does not seem the optimum choice by persons with emphysema.

Conclusion
Snus is the best choice for smokers with emphysema who cannot give up tobacco/nicotine.
An all-VG e-liquid does not seem the best choice, some proportion of PG seems advisable.
Consult your doctor - there is an increased risk of pneumonia with emphysema, and it is not yet clear if e-cigarette use may, rarely, exacerbate this.
 
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dhdonline1

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I have issues with 100% vg. I've gone to 50/50. Heavy chest is better, but still there if I vape too much.

What I do if I'm vaping a lot, is I just don't inhale the vapor. Hold it in your mouth, that's all. I know its not as satisfying, but then its not getting to your lungs.

One thing to remember if you're vaping higher nic leves with this method too. Your mouth absorbs a lot of nicotine. So even though you might think you're not getting much nic because you're not inhaling, its easy to over do it!
 

Racehorse

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After 3 years on the e-cig, I've had to stop. I had major breathing problems with it. On singulair and needing rescue inhaler several times per day, and waking up in the middle of the night trying to breath and wheezing. I thought I was doing a good thing and didn't touch a cigarette for 3 years. However, I found myself vaping constantly because it was just too easy. I was not a heavy smoker, 5 cigs per day at most, and never had asthma or any breathing issues. It was getting worse and worse, and I felt awful. After thinking about it a lot, I realized that my breathing problems started about 2 months after switching to e-cigs. I decided to stop the e-cigs but my nicotine addiction was too much so I went back to my 3-5 cigs per day and within a week, my breathing is back to normal. It's been a month now and I don't need the singulair or the inhaler anymore at all. I don't wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and wheezing, and I don't get out of breath after going up the stairs. I feel like myself again. I'm disappointed because I wanted the e-cigs to be a healthy alternative for me but it really made me sick. I'm not saying this will happen to everyone but I did want to put it out there just in case someone is having the same problem. Believe me when I tell you it was really bad and quite scary. I will continue smoking for a bit longer and then try to quit again with a patch or something like that. I honestly feel like I became more addicted to nicotine with the e-cigs. Please just be aware that this could be a side effect. Pay attention to your body and how much you are vaping. Don't go overboard. It's just as hard to quit e-cigs as it is to quit regular ones.

Really sorry this happened to you and that you had to give up vaping. What did your doctor or pulmonologist think?

I pretty much wouldn't go back to smoking analogs, or give up vaping, unless I had a full work-up with a Pulmonologist to get to the root of the problem. That is because as we age, people often develop adult onset asthma and other sensitivities to allergens, and I would want to nail down what they are.

I know Vapor kings mostly sells Halo, and there are a number of people who can't vape Halo.....there are posts about it here somewhere.

Here's what I think you should do, there was an excellent post on this from one of the forum head guys ROLYGATE:
Read Post #3:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ask-veterans/340020-those-sensitive-pg-what-do-you-do.html


You HAVE to go about this scientifically. this post should be a sticky, IMHO. Let me know what you think.
Despite the title of the article, it's NOT just about VG or PG, it instructs you HOW to determine which it might be, if anything, and gives you a formal way to do those tests yourself. :)

And, if you are dripping on an atty, you are not vaping wicks or polyfill or anything else that also might be feeding an allergy or sensitivity. In addition, it may be the juice FLAVORINGS that are causing you a problem. You do this step by step, patiently, you will have your answers.
 
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