Coughing and vaping: possible explanation

[KurtVD]

A few weeks ago, someone posted here, he was trying to get his elderly mother to quit smoking, but vaping made her cough, and there were a lot of possible explanations mentioned in the thread. Well, since then it has happened to me too (the coughing), and I happen to know exactly why, so maybe it helps someone out there: In my case, it’s only a question of the temperature of the vapor. I vape with TC activated, and with both of my devices and all my juices, my limit is about 220 degrees C. Much hotter than that and I start coughing. It’s not like the vapor feels uncomfortably hot, not at all, it just makes me cough.

 

[vBDKv]

From my personal experience, a lot of stuff can factor into coughing. Over time you'll probably experience;

- Coughing when vaping: Pretty normal as your lungs are getting used to it. I'm sure you were coughing when you started smoking as well The amount of wattage applied to the coil can also be a huge factor as it will intensify the vapor and flavor. Some ejuice do have a lot of acid in them and your lungs will react to that by coughing.

- Lungs "cleaning" themselves after years of smoking: This usually happens after around 3 months of non smoking. You'll have to clear your throat constantly and you will cough up nasty bits of phlegm. No worries, it's all part of the 'cleaning' process.

- Coughing because you are a dual user: Basically you smoke and vape at the same time. A bit of caution here because it can build up phlegm in your lungs and you can have trouble breathing if you are not coughing it out.

 

[Eskie]

Coughing can also occur from a higher PG juice or even a sensitivity to PG as a mild irritant. Some folks might be more sensitive to particularly flavorings containing things like limonene, used for a lemon in some juices or cinnamon.

Sometimes it might be hard for a person to sort out they're own issue, but it usually can be done and a smooth vape obtained. And yes, higher temperature can also cause coughing.

 

[KurtVD]

I should have added in my OP, that I have been vaping for 6 months, so I’m not just getting used to it.
Concerning the PG, I actually am almost allergic to it, I get headaches and hay fever like symptoms immediately. That’s why I vape a mixture of mostly VG (with nicotine) and water and a few drops of e-juice to get a hint of flavor.
So again, in my personal case, it’s really the temperature that makes me cough. Surely this won’t work for everyone, but it’s something to try at least, to reduce the wattage (or the temperature, if you’re in TC mode).

 

[Coyote628]

If i just hit my vape wrong ill cough my guts out. Sometimes it just goes down "wrong". Ive been vaping a year now and this still happens occasionally. I blame 42 yrs of marlboros for it. Just glad i quit them when i did. Everybody is different in the way they react to vaping.

 

[ppeeble]

I find the more air i take in with a hit the more likely i am to cough....
The volume of vapour inhaled and the ratio of chemicals has little bearing of when i (rarely) cough. Sidestreaming is guaranteed to get me spluttering though

 

[vBDKv]

I always forget pg sensitivity because I dont have them. That could lead to coughing as well naturally, like Eskie pointed out.

 

[r77r7r]

Temp? I don't know, people have been coughing since we started here. 4.5-5watts sounds cool enough. And very little actual vapor. A lot of pg though.
Don't remember many quitting or complaining.

 

[DaveP]

Nic brands vary in throat hit. As others have said, High PG can be a throat irritant. Various flavors contribute to throat hit and irritation.

@KurtVD
You might try some unflavored juice with nic to see if it's flavors or PG-VG-Nic that's the problem.

 

[Jebbn]

Mightve been one of my threads. 80yr old mother 60+yrs smoker, coughs a lung up vaping, doesnt even blink an eye gut dragging a Rothmans full strength?
She gave up vaping, not for her. Honestly its a tough one at that age, shes lost friends to smoking related diseases along the way but even her aunts were still smoking at 98 and 99. Shes 80, I think she reconciled it for herself.

PG and flavours make me cough, and worse. I borrowed some flavoured juice off a workmate tonight, about 60/40 vg/pg, because I forgot to top up before I left for work.
I normally vape unflavoured VG/DW and dont cough at all, tonight after vaping the borrowed juice I was coughing and spluttering like a newb and my sinus's are shot to ribbons. My forehead and cheeks are bright red and Ive got a head ache.
I shouldve known better than to even try that stuff let alone continue vaping it. Dumb move on my behalf. IT TASTED SO DAMN GOOD!!! Thats the only reason I kept going with it Some times when you vape flavourless all the time a few hits of flavoured juice is a pretty great thing.
I generally vape at 7-10watts whether I use a 0.5 or 1.8ohm coil, a cool vape, regardless of what juice I use.

 

[Canadian_Vaper]

It's all about how you inhale, a lot of people try inhale it like a cigarette expecting it to feel the same but it doesn't, it's a minuscule difference but it's different, a lot of people will have psychosomatic response because of this thinking they need to cough because it feels different but looks like smoke.

You need to train yourself not to cough, hold it in and then you realize it's not going to make you cough like smoke would, as the saying goes it's hard to make an old dog learn new tricks.

Cigarettes on the other hand were completely predictable, didn't matter what brand, hell even unfiltered was all kind of the same..

 

[JCinFLA]

IMO, like with many things about vaping...there is no "one size fits all", as far as causes for coughing while vaping either. There's a large variety of reasons why some people cough when first starting to vape and even afterwards at times, and others just don't at all (I'm one of those people). I smoked 1-1.5 PAD for 42+ years, and dual used for almost 2 full months. However, I never coughed when first starting to vape, nor while dual using, nor while vaping only for the past 4 years. I also never hocked up a bunch of "gunk" from my lungs, though within just 4 months of quitting the smokes...my PCP said my lungs sounded totally clear during my examination.

People can have different tolerances and/or sensitivities to what's in the eliquid they're vaping; or maybe they're possibly vaping in a totally different way than they smoked (MTL smoking, DTL vaping); or the wattage and/or temp. they're vaping at is irritating to their throat and/or lungs, etc., etc. Anyone who has a recurring coughing problem while vaping, needs to hopefully figure out what's causing it for them, and make adjustments accordingly if he/she wants to continue vaping.

 

[KurtVD]

shot to ribbons. My forehead and cheeks are bright red and Ive got a head ache.
I shouldve known better than to even try that stuff let alone continue vaping it. Dumb move on my behalf. IT TASTED SO DAMN GOOD!!!

Have you tried what I do? I get headaches and running nose from PG and most flavors, so I vape about 70% pure VG (with nicotine, from the vape shop), and the rest water and e-juice (very little e-juice, less than 10%). The sweet, fruity juices can be added in very low concentrations to the VG, and will still give amazing flavor. Some juices are really good after heavy dilution with VG and a little water, others less. It’s worth a try!

 

[stols001]

Tons of reasons for coughing, to many to go over again (although I am PG sensitive and too much makes me cough).

Unless you have a sensitivity to something and don't know it, new vapers especially detoxing or transitioning ones, should expect to cough, period. Unless it's extreme (in which case I guess different setups, liquids, heck even TC could be tried) I think new vapers should expect to cough a bit.

I also found, via my most recent relapse, that even a VERY few amount of cigarettes combined with vaping will make me cough usually only first thing in the morning and not all that much, but yes, coughing.

It was kind of a useful motivator to get rid of that "oh so harmless "one" cigarette of the day," because it was pretty consistent, and if I didn't smoke one day, I would not cough. If I smoked even ONE cigarette, it was wise for me to expect some early a.m. coughing period.

I know my lungs are probably far from the most robust lungs on the planet, due to my almost COPD but I was realizing I was undoing all my progress, etc.

Two weeks in and not smoking and still coughing a ton? Well, you can certainly make experiments with eliquids, nic, flavors, setups and temperature BEFORE then if you want to see a difference, but the first few weeks or so I'd almost expect it.

Anna