breathing issues

[Wickedwench]

Here's your warning: any questions about your ability to breathe properly need to be discussed with your doctor! Quiting smoking is one of those major lifestyle changes a doctor should know about! Any apparent allergic reactions, chest tightness or restricted breathing needs to be medically explored! Breathing is not optional!
This is written after my doctor and I reviewed symptoms, ran tests, and found no medical complications.
September 11th will be my 1 year analog free anniversary. In that year I have had bouts of several symptoms. Lightheadedness, racing breathing, tightness in my lungs, inflamed throat, even heart palpitations. I let myself get scared about it, but my husband insisted I get medical help. My doctor ran minor tests over a prolonged period and I kept a journal so she and I could keep an overview. The answers were very simple.
I smoked for 30 years, starting when I was 13. For 30 years, I taught my lungs to breathe wrong. Remember when you started smoking and had to fight coughing? That cough was a message from your lung tissue telling you to stop. You ignored those signals and damaged the tissues.
Now as you quit, the damages begin to heal. The little hairs in your airway that are supposed to trap dust and pollen are no longer stuck down and may take a long time to send proper signals about when to cough and when not to. In my case, I keep overbreathing, getting too much oxygen in my blood (hyperventilating), then underbreathing (hypoventilating) to try to even out. I climb stairs without panting, then walk into the kitchen winded. I have to reteach my breathing reflexes.
Breathing exercises are available almost everywhere. What seems to work for me is to "sing" a song several times a day. I love to sing but couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, so I don't use my vocal chords. I only mouth the words and breathe as if I were singing. All of my symptoms are easing.
I hope this helps someone! Thanks for the time! Good livin', good lovin', good vapin'!

 

[meli.]

Excellent to read you're healing and it's all working out for you.
Thought I'd add some lyrics for your Sing a Song along, thank you for making me smile,

Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud, sing out strong
Sing of good things not bad
Sing of happy not sad

Sing, sing a song
Make it simple to last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song

La la la la la
La la la la la la...

 

[Wickedwench]

Thanks, Meli! Sesame Street haunts forever!

 

[mooreted]

Sing like no one can hear you;

 

[JENerationX]

I have asthma, so definitely was something I discussed with the Dr. The good news is since I've been vaping, I'm down from a nebulizer and inhalers to only a rescue inhaler which I've used a handful of times in the past year and only because I had a cold and bronchial spasms from coughing. The Dr. advised to lower my PG level after the first few weeks... I found out 60 to 70 VG 30-40 PG works best for me. Any higher VG and I get a little congested, any higher on the PG and I get a little irritated. DEFINITELY see a Dr. for any breathing issues.

 

[damthisisfun]

Thanks for taking the time to post this. I smoked for abt 25 years - and 3 months ago quit and started vaping. I feel the same way - sometimes I feel winded for no reason. Mow my yard and I feel more winded than I did when I smoked. I am like - wait a minute - I read all these people saying they breathe better and feel better and stuff - but not everyone is the same. I dont cough at all. I have been wanting to see my doctor but have been putting it off for several reasons - mainly because I am acting childish about what she may say about vaping. I feel she may say the same thing some of my friends have been saying - "you still addicted to nico - you still harming yourself - you need to quit - it is the same as smoking". I need to be mature and go get a physical. Dang I didnt listen to doctors for years when they kept telling me to quit smoking - why should I let the fact she may not approve vaping bother me. Again -thanks for the post - it definitely has made me decide to see the doc.......

 

[Ralikar]

You don't have to see a doctor when you quit smoking.

That's absurd.

Stop encouraging people to seek medical advice. This is a hypochondriac psychology.

 

[JENerationX]

NO, you don't need to see a Dr. when you stop smoking, but you should if you're having worse breathing issues than when you were smoking. I started with 100% PG juices because that's what's in all my inhalers. I didn't think it would bother me. My asthma got worse. I quit smoking and was having more issues. Am I a hypochondriac for going to the doctor?

 

[vsummer1]

NOT seeing a Dr. when you have breathing issues because someone on a forum told you it was a hypochondriac psychology is the stupidest advice taken I can imagine.

I am glad you saw the doctor, and more so that nothing was really wrong. All of us ex-smokers need to wait a few years before our cancer risk is back to a non-smoker, so I encourage anyone who has symptoms to get them checked out. Even if you are a hypochondriac

 

[Ralikar]

What you fail to understand is real breathing issues like asthma and inhalers is far different than normal issues from stopping smoking.

The OP "let myself get scared about it" and had nothing wrong with them and had a panic attack. Recognizing symptoms of quitting smoking may result in breathing issues is important.

Genuine asthma and real medical issues are not the same as a panic attack. So my point is a panic attack lets-go-see-the-doctor-why-not-it's-not-my-money just encourages others to panic over smoking side effects. You do see the OP had nothing wrong with them, right? And wasted their time, money and the physician's time with nothing.

Anyone over 17 with some common sense should have an inkling of the effects of stopping smoking vs serious breathing issues. I'm not saying don't go to the doctor if you can't breathe, I'm saying that a post about a panic attack with no medical issues can make people think they need to see a physician over trivial things.

If you agree, then you can pay their bill for them...

This is a mistitled, misleading post about hypochondria, not the effects of vaping/quitting smoking. The OP didn't have to go to the doctor THEY HAD NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. THE DOCTOR DID NOTHING. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. THE DOCTOR PROBABLY THOUGHT: "I COULD HAVE BEEN HELPING SOMEONE WITH ASTHMA WITH A REAL BREATHING PROBLEM INSTEAD OF SOMEONE THAT FORGOT TO TELL ME THEY QUIT SMOKING AND WASTED ALL MY MEDICAL RESOURCES."

 

[cags]

....................The OP didn't have to go to the doctor THEY HAD NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. THE DOCTOR DID NOTHING. IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. THE DOCTOR PROBABLY THOUGHT: "I COULD HAVE BEEN HELPING SOMEONE WITH ASTHMA WITH A REAL BREATHING PROBLEM INSTEAD OF SOMEONE THAT FORGOT TO TELL ME THEY QUIT SMOKING AND WASTED ALL MY MEDICAL RESOURCES."

I'm just curious.........are you a doctor?

 

[vsummer1]

I'm just curious.........are you a doctor?

Someone remotely concerned with the health of others would never try to diagnose a mental or medical disease with so little information. The op clearly stated she was having problems and that she did not want to seek medical help but her husband pushed her to. This somehow translated into her being a hypochondriac which is a psychiatric disease.

So, no, this person cannot possibly be a medical doctor. And if they are, they need to find a profession to match their uncaring attitude because they are gonna kill a patient when they form an attitude and fail to listen to what the patient is saying.

 

[damthisisfun]

Someone remotely concerned with the health of others would never try to diagnose a mental or medical disease with so little information. The op clearly stated she was having problems and that she did not want to seek medical help but her husband pushed her to. This somehow translated into her being a hypochondriac which is a psychiatric disease.

So, no, this person cannot possibly be a medical doctor. And if they are, they need to find a profession to match their uncaring attitude because they are gonna kill a patient when they form an attitude and fail to listen to what the patient is saying.

Hmmmmm - I always thought a hypochondriac was a person that always concerned they have a serious disease and may keep visiting the doctor - not the other way around.....but then again I am not a doctor either......

 

[Ralikar]

Perhaps you people need to actually read her post instead of applying an over-emotional knee jerk response. She states her doctor found no problems and the following is what was "wrong" with her:

_______________________
The answers were very simple.
I smoked for 30 years, starting when I was 13. For 30 years, I taught my lungs to breathe wrong. Remember when you started smoking and had to fight coughing? That cough was a message from your lung tissue telling you to stop. You ignored those signals and damaged the tissues.
Now as you quit, the damages begin to heal. The little hairs in your airway that are supposed to trap dust and pollen are no longer stuck down and may take a long time to send proper signals about when to cough and when not to. In my case, I keep overbreathing, getting too much oxygen in my blood (hyperventilating), then underbreathing (hypoventilating) to try to even out. I climb stairs without panting, then walk into the kitchen winded. I have to reteach my breathing reflexes.
Breathing exercises are available almost everywhere. What seems to work for me is to "sing" a song several times a day. I love to sing but couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, so I don't use my vocal chords. I only mouth the words and breathe as if I were singing. All of my symptoms are easing.
I hope this helps someone! Thanks for the time! Good livin', good lovin', good vapin'!
___________________________________

That's the point of the post: it was NOT A MEDICAL ISSUE IT WAS JUST QUITTING SMOKING.

I'm not a Doctor, but I can read which puts me ahead of many... READ! THE POINT IS TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR YOU QUIT SMOKING! Hooked on Phonics it...

More reading:

"This is written after my doctor and I reviewed symptoms, ran tests, and found no medical complications."

Reading again:

"I let myself get scared about it"

READ!

 

[cags]

Perhaps you people need to actually read her post instead of applying an over-emotional knee jerk response. She states her doctor found no problems and the following is what was "wrong" with her:

_______________________
The answers were very simple.
I smoked for 30 years, starting when I was 13. For 30 years, I taught my lungs to breathe wrong. Remember when you started smoking and had to fight coughing? That cough was a message from your lung tissue telling you to stop. You ignored those signals and damaged the tissues.
Now as you quit, the damages begin to heal. The little hairs in your airway that are supposed to trap dust and pollen are no longer stuck down and may take a long time to send proper signals about when to cough and when not to. In my case, I keep overbreathing, getting too much oxygen in my blood (hyperventilating), then underbreathing (hypoventilating) to try to even out. I climb stairs without panting, then walk into the kitchen winded. I have to reteach my breathing reflexes.
Breathing exercises are available almost everywhere. What seems to work for me is to "sing" a song several times a day. I love to sing but couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, so I don't use my vocal chords. I only mouth the words and breathe as if I were singing. All of my symptoms are easing.
I hope this helps someone! Thanks for the time! Good livin', good lovin', good vapin'!
___________________________________

That's the point of the post: it was NOT A MEDICAL ISSUE IT WAS JUST QUITTING SMOKING.

I'm not a Doctor, but I can read which puts me ahead of many... READ! THE POINT IS TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR YOU QUIT SMOKING! Hooked on Phonics it...

More reading:

"This is written after my doctor and I reviewed symptoms, ran tests, and found no medical complications."

Reading again:

"I let myself get scared about it"

READ!

I can't find in the opening post where she says she did not tell her dr she quit smoking.

it would seem that going to the dr. helped the op. what do you care, do you pay her bills?

it's important for people to not take medical advice from a forum (even your advice), if you want medical advice you should see your dr.

and I am so happy you are not a dr

and it would be nice if you didn't shout at us...............

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Another matter to consider - Anemia

Smoking can cause one to produce more red blood cells than non-smokers. The additional red blood cells end up ferrying around the carbon monoxide taken in when smoking. These higher levels can mask that one may be anemic. There is more to it than that, but my hemoglobin levels fell out of the normal range after I switched to vaping. I've been dealing with it for a year and 'we're not there yet,' as far as having it resolved. Some literature suggests that the 'low normal' hemoglobin and hematocrit indications might ought go be raised for smokers. I.e., if the minimum levels for hemoglobin and hematocrit are 14 and 42, they might need to be a few points higher for a smoker.

Symptoms include tiredness, fatigue, weakness, confusion, light-headedness and inability to concentrate.

 

[Ralikar]

First, the fact that people can not read is very disturbing.

Second, you have all changed my mind on the matter... I think you should go to the doctor at a moment's notice for everything. Why take a chance? You are right... Go every week minimum... Go if you climb the stairs and your heart rate increases--it could be a heart attack... Go if you vape a ton and feel dizzy--it could be an anurism. Go for reading this post -- the UV could blind you -- see an eye doctor. Go to the doctor all the time... You never know! I admit I was wrong--visit the doctor for everything.

Well, I'm off to see the Doctor. I was sweating today working out -- may be heart issues. I ate a cookie and got a sugar rush -- may be diabetes. My joints creaked typing his -- I may have carpal tunnel.

GO TO THE DOCTOR! EVERY DAY! EVERY TIME! GO! TAKE NO CHANCES! AND DRIVE UNDER 5 MPH AND WEAR A PLASTIC BUBBLE WHEN NOT AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE! I'M GOING NOW! YOU GO TOO!! DON'T EVEN REPLY TO THIS POST -- THE TIME IT TAKES YOU TO TYPE MAY BE TOO LATE IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL ISSUE!

RUN!
SEE THE DOCTOR!
NOW!

(for your safety! http://www.zorb.com.cn/zorbball.htm )