Can heavy vaping cause pneumonia?

[Demoness]

OK- so this is for my sister- she has recently started vaping. She has had a couple people tell her that heavy vaping can cause pneumonia- and they are VERY adamant about it- probably the kind you just don't argue with... Anyways- has anybody ever heard of this or have it happen to themselves or someone they know? I think it is BS myself, but to ease her mind (since she hasn't asked this question on here yet) I thought I would do it. It would be great for her to have some info to debate the subject when she runs into these people again or others in the future. I did search pneumonia in the search feature but didn't come up with any threads (or maybe I'm just to lazy to read through all the threads that might mention this word). So anyways- some opinions would be great or any links to the subject of vaping and pneumonia. Going to Google it too

 

[Demoness]

I did find a thread on it!
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/health-safety-e-smoking/55170-pneumonia.html

anyways it would still be interesting to hear more thoughts since this thread dates back to 2009 i believe...

 

[hairball]

I'm heavy vaporer and I can tell you that what your Sis has been told is BS. Infact, I haven't been sick since I've quit smoking. Usually, I would have had at least 3 colds by now. I read somewhere that PG actually has an anti-bacterial effect on us. I don't know how true it is but like I said, I haven't been sick yet.

Propylene glycol is quickly metabolised and excreted. Its metabolic pathway is comparable to that of sugar: propylene glycol is rapidly converted into lactic acid, just like what happens with the sugar (energy) in the muscles when being exercised during sports. The lactic acid is then excreted via the urine. This would explain why some people have cramping muscles. However, the more water that you consume, the better. VG is absorbed and passes out the same via urine. I don't see how either would cause pneumonia. Pneumonia is caused from a primary infection, not from inhaling vapor.

 

[Valhalla1]

I don't believe it causes pneumonia, but I'm no doctor. I can tell you I've been vaping daily for over a year, and I might have gotten sick once last winter, briefly, but I don't think it had anything to do with vaping. However I got over it quickly and it wasn't as bad as when I would get sick while still a smoker.

 

[leannebug]

Knock on wood

I haven't been sick (by a bug) since I started vaping ...nothing like what I usually get..... Kids, low immune system, I normally would have had a couple of doozies.


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[5vz]

Here is list of causes from the Mayo Clinic:

Pneumonia: Causes - MayoClinic.com

Hope it helps, and really hope your sister gets better.

 

[Nomoreash]

I've had a few people tell me that also. When I asked for factual data to back it up.....well the conversation stopped. I don't now where it started but there are people out there that take it for gospel without looking any further. Probably was printed somewhere by an organization that stands to loose money.

 

[Demoness]

Here is list of causes from the Mayo Clinic:

Pneumonia: Causes - MayoClinic.com

Hope it helps, and really hope your sister gets better.

Thanks 5vz- she isn't sick- just had some people tell her it causes pneumonia so she was concerned. Thankyou tho for your concern if she was sick

Thankyou all for your comments- I too thought it was BS... I will direct her to this thread when I talk to her next. I will tell her to ask those people about factual data- that always seems to shut the ignorant up! LMAO!

 

[WomanOfHeart]

These people sound like ignorant, alarmist drama queens. The odds of getting pneumonia from vaping are about the same as getting AIDS from touching a door knob or sitting on a toilet seat...zero.

 

[Elendil]

Moving to health forum.

 

[Aaeli]

I've had pneumonia and was put on breathing treatments. You know the vaporized med used to treat asthma, etc? Yeah, the medication is vaporized with the help of good ole PG. Seems like it would be pretty silly for a doc to put me on these medicated PG treatments every four hours if it would cause pneumonia?

Complete nonsense.

 

[StarsAndBars]

I just look at it this way. When I vape alot, I get crazy dry mouth and throat. The dry mouth and throat doesn't come from all the 'water vapor' I am inhaling. The question I have is "Is vaping drying out my lungs?"

 

[chelstar]

I just look at it this way. When I vape alot, I get crazy dry mouth and throat. The dry mouth and throat doesn't come from all the 'water vapor' I am inhaling. The question I have is "Is vaping drying out my lungs?"

Actually, you are inhaling "PG vapor" (or VG or a mixture.) This substance is not the same thing as water. PG/VG vapor actually absorbs some of the water from your airway passages because the vapor contains less water than your body. (To learn why this happens, look up osmosis.) It isn't a big deal, just know that vaping can actually dehydrate you and drink more water.

 

[rothenbj]

A year and a half here with two colds. One lasted two days, the other had me hacking for a week and a half. Compared to pre-smoking years, normally I'd have an early and late year cold that would take weeks (months) to stop the cold symptoms. The people spouting the pneumonia myth really should bring some evidence to the table. More than likely impossible to do.

 

[chelstar]

Also, as a very informed non-professional (future professional) when it comes to medicine, I have to say I'm pretty certain vaping does not "cause" pneumonia. Considering that Pneumonia is only "caused" by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. However, it is possible that vaping increases risk in certain people. Seeing that as I explained above, vaping dehydrates you. A dry airway passage is a nice place for bacteria to grow. (Especially because you have antibacterial compounds in your saliva.) In most people with a healthy immune system this probably wouldn't increase the risk of pneumonia. (Just bad breath lol.) There also could be other reasons vaping could be a potential risk factor for pneumonia, but I don't think it is very likely as it doesn't seem there are many people complaining of pneumonia on this forum..

 

[Aaeli]

I still say that it would be illogical to use a component for inhalant medicines that would "cause" pneumonia. Why on earth would you have an asthma patient inhale a known cause of pneumonia every 4 hours?? I'm not a doctor, but it doesn't take a doctorate now or in the future to figure out that makes absolutely NO sense. I could see the flavoring irritating you once you're already sick. But that doesn't make it the cause.

You are much more likely to get pneumonia while smoking. Ask any long time smoker. You get a cold and it is a guarantee that you will end up with bronchitis or worse. It's very hard on your respiratory system. Vaping has the ability to dehydrate you, that's true. However, dehydration doesn't necessarily mean pneumonia, or upper respiratory infection. If you're already sick, drink more. Fluids, like moms have been "prescribing" for years.

If you're chronically dehydrated you're more likely to have issues at the other end. UTIs, Kidney Stones, etc. However, I don't think I would say that vaping causes kidney stones. That's making a giant leap as well.

Drink while you're vaping. At the very least you won't be thirsty anymore LOL.

 

[ImJustAvg]

I did have a case of pneumonia a month ago and I brought up that I had stoped smoking and was vaping and asked him if it could be a cause of it. After chest exays and all the other tests he ran, he insured me that it had nothing to do with vaping! He said there had been some lung improvement since my last physical (January 2010) which was surprising since I had only been vaping 3 months at that time. He even got literature on ecigarettes and asked me all about them when I went in for the follow up. He wants his wife and daughter to switch to them instead of analogs.

 

[StarsAndBars]

Actually, you are inhaling "PG vapor" (or VG or a mixture.) This substance is not the same thing as water. PG/VG vapor actually absorbs some of the water from your airway passages because the vapor contains less water than your body. (To learn why this happens, look up osmosis.) It isn't a big deal, just know that vaping can actually dehydrate you and drink more water.

I know, this is why I placed the word "water" in quotation. It's just funny that so many people think it is a water vapor (which I am guessing is what spawns all the Pneumonia questions). Guess I could have made that a little more clear in my post. I'm not the world's best at sarcasm it seems.

 

[dee5]

There actually is water (in vapor form) in what we exhale while vaping. PG bonds to your own moisture in your mouth, throat and lungs and that's what gives us dry mouth and makes the vapor visable. Chelstar has it right.

 

[UntamedRose]

Quitting Smoking can cause pneumonia, or at least thats what my doc told me the last time I tried to quit before ecigs, and got it. She explained it had to do with all that tar and junk leaving your lungs, basically leaves raw open lung tissue which is more vulnerable to infections.