Chest Burn Issues

[Fallynn Knivez]

Hey all, long time lurker but I decided to sign up to ask this question. I've done some searches and my situation seems different then what I have found so I needed to post to see if I could pinpoint the cause here.

So, my issue is that every so often, I will build a new coil, vape on it for a day or two, and by the second day my chest hurts. If you have ever had bronchitis it is similar to that. My chest/lungs feel tight, burn and I develop a little cough. It feels as if I am burning my lungs and I have to rebuild my vape (wasting whatever juice I have left in my tank) and a few hours later, my chest is back to normal.

So now is when this question gets strange... I transitioned from cigarettes and have been vaping now for about two years now. I started at 24mg nic and am now at 6mg, and this has occured at each nic level. This happens about every third or fourth build and I can't match it up to anything specific.

I use an ipv v2 (50watt) typically set at 7w (2.6v) but every once in a while I'll have it at 20-30w. I also occasionally use a stingray, a cherry bomber, and a beacon.

I use a kayfun lite clone (I have two different ones) and an eleaf lemo 2 (with the 5ml tank) primarily. I also occasionally use a freakshow, 450 bigblock, and most often out of the drippers a plume veil.

My everyday builds are 0.8 to 1.0 ohm, 6 or 7 wrap 26g Kanthal using Japanese cotton. Same wraps for drippers but usually double coil so 0.4-0.5 ohm. I also used same wrap count 28g for 1.0-1.2ohm.

The juices I use most are 50pg/50vg two peas in a pod strawberry flavors. 30pg/70vg kilo tru blue, and 40pg/60vg Schwartz downside. Again, I stepped down from 24mg nic and currently vape 6mg nic

As you can see it's very easy for me to rule out most of the common things, plus I am not new to vaping, nor are my builds on a 7w setting particularly hot. This has occurred with any combination of all the above. It only happens maybe every third or fourth build, and It really seems somehow those builds are just hotter or, I dunno.

Sorry this was long but I am really lost on ideas as to what's going on. Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[Ryedan]

In leau of the last post... figure it wouldnt hurt to post these, maybe someone may spot something *shrugs*

This is the last build i had when my chest started hurting. My original post was made JUST after building my kayfun to replace this. Sorry i am not the best photographer, and the pics where the wick is out i only rinsed it with water if there are any wick strands left, that is why.

Pics are always a good idea

I see what looks like a hot spot on the wire, circled it here:

If that happened to the wire while you were setting up the coil, it's fine. If that happens while you're vaping, it can degrade juice.

Or it could just be the the light ... But I thought I would mention it

 

[Ryedan]

I actually believe that was during the first fire while building (before wicking) tryin to get hotspots out. (Cant remember if it was the Lemo or Kayfun build that got hot on one leg)

Quick Update: So i got through 2/3rds of a tank, refilled it, and i its not the wicking directly that is the cause. I'm not letting it get bad this time since i can recognize it now, and at this moment switched from the lemo back to my kayfun, tomorrow i will keep it as is, dry burn, re-wick and try it with a different ejuice and see if that doesnt fix it.

The thing is if you dry burn, re-wick and try it with a different ejuice you won't know which of these things, or which combination of them is responsible if there is a change afterwords. Also, there might be something else that's changing that you're not looking at.

I was involved in plastic molding for decades. That process involves a bunch of interrelated variables. For example if you reduce screw back pressure and increase barrel temperature, they pretty much cancel out and nothing significant changes. OTOH if you change one of them at a time you'll see a change in the plastic part. OTOH, if your raw plastic changes in some way between molding trials and you miss that change, that can mask any change you've made to the process yourself.

Because of these complexities the plastic molding industry has become quite scientific the last couple of decades. You don't need to do that, but a few basic troubleshooting concepts could help. Here are a few that have helped me over the years.

1) Make one change at a time. If the change affects things, you know what caused the change. Yes, this is a boring way to troubleshoot things and it takes longer, but it can really help when the problem isn't obvious.

2) If you didn't knowingly make a change to the process and the process changes, something that you're not watching (not aware of) changed. Then all you need to do is figure out what changed but that can be difficult.

3) If you can't figure out what is changing and #1 doesn't help, you can try eliminating everything non-essential and then introduce one thing at a time until a problem happens. Really helpful for computer problems, but also for general problem solving.

Item #1 is really powerful and what I always do first when I want to troubleshoot something that doesn't have an obvious solution. Sometimes a problem can be caused by multiple things working together, so neither variable causes it by itself, it's two (or more ) working together. Those are a lot tougher to figure out.

You've tried a bunch of things so far and nothing has worked for you. If I got really stumped with my vape, I would go back to one atty, one mod, one juice, one build, one power level and move forward slowly from there. I don't think you're quite there yet, but a more diciplined approach could well help

 

[Fallynn Knivez]

hey all, so i decided today to test the wicking theory... I hadnt pulled the coil from the Lemo 2 yet, so i cleaned it up and re-wicked it (as you can see with less wicking). This is still an 0.86 build (will keep it between 7watts and 13 for the day, so still low), with the schwartz darkside juice (not the same juice from the tank, its fresh) i was using with it a couple days ago, so in essence its just less wicking. Will vape on it and see if it changes anything. Plus its a time stamp on starting with it. Will update later.

 

[Fallynn Knivez]

I saw something posted about this already, but have you been evaluated recently for any cardiac/respiratory disease by a doctor?

Yeah, shipyards are pretty hardcore about respiratory, physical stress, and blood and everything. Passed everything with flying colors as of October.

I hope i get it figured out as well, it is annoying but at this point a little concerning as well. I wrote a few juice companies hoping maybe i could get to see some ingredients, maybe see if i can 1 by 1 rule out ingredients, will see how that goes... I know what i would think if some random person asked me for my secret recipe lol... trying all avenues.

 

[cincocc]

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[jambi]

It's possible you're experiencing some sort of intermittent health issue (maybe related to vaping, maybe not) and just overthinking its correlation to the particulars of your builds. Easy to do that when one is stumped and searching for answers. The only way to test that theory is to stop vaping for awhile and see if the issue still surfaces, then go from there.

 

[Ryedan]

I have had the thought that perhaps something with the way i build them, either i get something perfect or wrong and just for whatever reason that particular coil heats up more, or maybe theres less wick causing the heat to just go straight into my lungs and burn them.

The vapor is not hot enough to burn your skin by the time it reaches your mouth, even vaping at very high vapor temps. The vapor drops are so small they cool down fast. Even a burnt hit doesn't burn your mouth when it happens. The vapor would be even cooler by the time it gets into your lungs. There could though be something in the vapor that is irritating your lungs.

crxess in post #5 gave you great info on how to troubleshoot these problems. I'll just add a couple of thoughts.

If you had hot legs on the coils sometimes you would taste it and after a couple of years of vaping I'm sure you would know if that was happening. OTOH, it can be subtle so I would give the build a long burn while it's wet with juice before you close the atty and check for that just to eliminate it. Definitely check for that with a build that is causing you issues.

If you aren't cleaning your wire before wrapping a coil I would try that from now on. Use a paper towel wet with alcohol or dish soap and give it a good wipe down. Alcohol will evaporate in a minute but you'll have to use water to get dish soap residue off. That will remove any oils left on it from the manufacturing process. You might be sensitive to that and it might not be distributed uniformly on all of the wire.

That's all I've got. Best of luck with it!

 

[Racehorse]

Hey all, thanks for the replies, i really appreciate it a ton...

I have actually noticed it with all combinations of builds and setups. That is why i am confused about it.

doubt it has anything to do w/the builds. Sounds like reflux to me. Are you getting eliquid in your mouth at all?

I had to stop vaping bobas bounty 2 years ago because it gave me terrible reflux. I think there is some cinamon in there or something, another thing I can't vape.

The more concentrated the ejuice became in my clearo, the worse it got (like the last 1ml for instance).

ALSO KEEP IN MIND: our bodies are not operating in a perpetual state of stasis...adults develop allergies all the time to things they were once able to eat/drink. It is possible there is something in the flavoring giving you burning feeling which I still think is reflux....it feels like it's in your lungs but its not.

 

[AndriaD]

doubt it has anything to do w/the builds. Sounds like reflux to me. Are you getting eliquid in your mouth at all?

I had to stop vaping bobas bounty 2 years ago because it gave me terrible reflux. I think there is some cinamon in there or something, another thing I can't vape.

The more concentrated the ejuice became in my clearo, the worse it got (like the last 1ml for instance).

ALSO KEEP IN MIND: our bodies are not operating in a perpetual state of stasis...adults develop allergies all the time to things they were once able to eat/drink. It is possible there is something in the flavoring giving you burning feeling which I still think is reflux....it feels like it's in your lungs but its not.

I didn't even think of reflux, but you're right, it could easily be that.

The thing about allergies is something that very few seem to get; say anything about allergy and people will so often go "I'm not allergic to anything." You have to be sensitized to something to become allergic to it; I took penicillin until I was 9, when it suddenly gave me hives. My son ate coconut till he was about 20, then suddenly he develops anaphylaxis if he eats it.

But really... when you know that you run a risk of something like this with any new build, yet you continue to build new coils that really aren't necessary... you're just asking for it! It's like you just WANT something bad to happen!

So go to the doctor and find out if you have some physical problem that you never had before. And stop building new coils when the old one still works just fine. Even when you change the juice, a dry-burn and rewick will get rid of the taste of the old juice just fine.

Andria

 

[sparkky1]

Hey all, thanks for the replies, i really appreciate it a ton...

I have actually noticed it with all combinations of builds and setups. That is why i am confused about it.

The health issue thing i contemplated, and at first confused it for getting a chest cold, continued to vape and it got worse till i finally realized that vaping was causing it to hurt more. It really is a thing like "i'm going to rebuild this" and hours later i am fine. It also starts the day of or after the build (but it takes at least 12 hours (estimated) of vaping on the new build before it starts - its not instant). I've tested the theory when it starts hurting a bunch of times now, and a new build always clears it up... but i build the same way each time.

I have had the thought that perhaps something with the way i build them, either i get something perfect or wrong and just for whatever reason that particular coil heats up more, or maybe theres less wick causing the heat to just go straight into my lungs and burn them.

Its strange and i am at a loss. I seem to be the only one, and cant seem to get any local help (friends or shops). Thats why i turned here for help.

Side Note: I notice it less often with the drippers and more often with the lemo 2, which was confusing due to the increased airflow in the lemo (as opposed to the Kayfuns). I also know the kayfuns are more forgiving with builds and wicking, and with noticing it happening less with them is another reason i have thought perhaps its something with my builds causing it.

When i posted last night i had just finished a build to replace one that was causing it, and i am fine now, i was about two hours after posting last night. All day yesterday it started with a "meh, chest kinda hurts" and by last night it hurt to vape. Two hours after switching tanks+build i am fine... Three builds or so from now (maybe 2-4 weeks) it will happen again, rebuild, it will get worse through the day, new build, i am fine again... between now and then, everything will be fine.

Have you tried any other juices besides custard / yogurt / blueberry / strawberry?
My suggestion would be to try a diketone free juice and give your same ol' flavors a brake or better yet try some unflavored for a few day's possibly even a week to test the theory ?

 

[Hans Wermhat]

Lots of good advice above, but one more thing to add...
You said your Plume Veil is your most-used dripper. I had some issues when I first started using RDA's with a tightness/soreness in my lungs. I found that taking long, hard pulls off a dripper (or any other topper) with a restrictive airflow made my lungs sore. I think it was from making them work too hard to pull through the smaller air flow attys like the plume veil. I grabbed a few RDA's with much bigger air holes and found my lungs didn't get sore like that anymore.

 

[crxess]

ALSO KEEP IN MIND: our bodies are not operating in a perpetual state of stasis...adults develop allergies all the time to things they were once able to eat/drink. It is possible there is something in the flavoring giving you burning feeling which I still think is reflux....it feels like it's in your lungs but its not.

Yes and no

Yes, we definitely go through changes, not only through Age, but changes unmasking issues once stopping smoking.

Lung/Reflux
Sorry, been on both sides of that fence many times - have had (2)esophageal Surgeries due to acid Damage.
Prilosec for Life sux. - But there is a definite difference in what one feels when the lungs are inflamed.

Let a Qualified Dr decide.

 

[NOVA jon]

Have you tried different wicking materials? Some of the cotton I've tried give me a little different reactions. Just a thought......

 

[Caterpiller]

@Fallynn Knivez

You have way too much wicking material in that picture.

I've no idea if that's related to the issues you're having with your chest, but I would expect that build to spit liquid into your month and be an unpleasant vape.

 

[NOVA jon]

Give cotton bacon a try, seems to have stopped the problems I was encountering with the pads and balls!!!!

 

[Nimaz]

Yes, I've experienced a worsening of my asthma control, and I wonder if it's not just a greatly magnified (because of the asthma) healing process, from nearly 4 decades of smoking. I dunno; lately it has seemed improved, with occasional bouts of being more breathless than I really ought to be, but those seem to be growing less severe and less frequent, as time goes by without smoking. Maybe it just takes longer to get over the smoking damage, if you have some sort of dysfunction in how the lungs work. I really hope that ultimately I'll get back to good equilibrium and control though, it's really a pain, being out of breath all the time. I feel like that kid in the wheelchair in Malcolm in the Middle - that - little - gasp -- every- few - words.

Andria

Again, I feel you! Many of us are taking simple things like breathing for granted and forget to be thankful for these gifts. My chest tight up nervously, when I see a love one out of breath during some of these episodes. I experienced these myself, for different reasons than chronic inflammation of the respiratory track but I've noticed very significant improvements since I stopped smoking and working on my breathing through running and swimming, just one step after another, one back, two further. Yes, I can feel that my lungs are healing at least partially but it takes me a great deal of work and faith to re-build a balanced rhythm, eventual muscles that I'm totally ignorant about... I learned from many other threads elsewhere that chess tightness, shortness of breath, chest burning sensation are systematic physiological responses in smoking cessation. Even non-smokers feel the same way during respiratory stresses such as during running, biking especially when out of shape, but it gets better with consistent training. It makes sense that these symptoms result from lung healing, restructuring and adjustment processes. I don't think that anyone know in depth how this is happening except few elements such as the return of cilia for instance. I truly hope that you will improve further in getting an good respiratory rhythm, so you can focus your battle in tackling down the issue of asthma without other interference.

 

[sparkky1]

First off, love your avatar... sent me on an hour long google image session, first to verify that was who i thought it was, then more pics of him vaping, then just all the celebs pictured vaping...

I feel ya, i have looked at the DIY stuff, and was actually interested in starting for a time but had no real idea how to start. Sure i looked at guides but when they all vary so greatly all you can get is a general idea to start from, would still love to do my own juices *shrugs*

I am sort of starting to think this is me reacting to juice, be it allergy or whatever. Will have a better idea when i re-wick this tank tomorrow and start over with a different juice.

Here's a cheap start to DIY and possibly helping with what ails you, 3mg/mL - 36mg/mL Nicotine Base - Nude Nicotine that and a check up with a pulmonologist specialist just to be on the safe side, both of these are cheap insurance for a happy life ..............

 

[Fallynn Knivez]

Hey guys, so yeah, last night i was cleared up before sleep. I just used my Kayfun today, so im feeling fine, will probably switch back to the trial build here (with the same kind of juice thats in my kayfun) and give it another go to see if its juice related.

Here's a cheap start to DIY and possibly helping with what ails you, 3mg/mL - 36mg/mL Nicotine Base - Nude Nicotine that and a check up with a pulmonologist specialist just to be on the safe side, both of these are cheap insurance for a happy life ..............

Thanks a bunch for that, i saw it linked earlier in the post but forgot to look into it. I think im going to drop the $30 on that average beginner kit and play around with it, figure out the basics and try different VG/PG and Concentrate ratios to get a better idea of if i want to, and what to get... Maybe its about time i start the DIY thing, i have no excuse other then laziness tbh.

If it doesnt help with the issues im having at least i will have full control over it all, and what flavor i want *shrugs*

 

[cincocc]

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