On every occasion that I have tried to use e-cigarettes, I cough and choke. I can smoke a pack of regular cigarettes a day and never cough or choke at all. Any ideas as to what I might try? I have used both menthol and non-menthol varieties, same result.
Coughing, Choking
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It takes a short bit for your lungs to adjust (remember smoking was the same, but with vaping its MUCH faster).
How are you inhaling the vapor are you direct lung inhaling or mouth then lung inhale, and how long are the pulls youre taking?
Also a description of your equipment could possibly help.
How are you inhaling the vapor are you direct lung inhaling or mouth then lung inhale, and how long are the pulls youre taking?
Also a description of your equipment could possibly help.
same brand or different brands? same nic levels?
The nic level could be too stong and causing too much throat hit
or you could be having a reaction to either pg or vg depending on the brand of ecig/e juice you are using.
try a different brand, try different nic levels
unlike a cig try to not take as deep of a draw to fill your lungs at first....
you may be able to smoke without hacking now but how true was that when you first started?
The nic level could be too stong and causing too much throat hit
or you could be having a reaction to either pg or vg depending on the brand of ecig/e juice you are using.
try a different brand, try different nic levels
unlike a cig try to not take as deep of a draw to fill your lungs at first....
you may be able to smoke without hacking now but how true was that when you first started?
You should get over it pretty quick. I coughed the first time i tried an ecig. Almost every smoker i know coughs when i let them try a puff.
Were you trying cheap carto-based systems, like Blu or Sky? That tends to happen with the cotton-based models, I find - at least, for first-time, or novice users.
That being said, I've had a lot of people who've tried various set-ups of mine (w/ clearomisers/tanks), and a lot of them - all smokers, btw - have coughed, and asked me "how I handle it". Truth be told, I think it just takes a few gos to get the hang of the throat hit.
Also, with the right set-up (a variable voltage device), you can adjust the amount of warmth, and with the right juice combo (less PG perhaps), you can control the amount of throat hit.
That being said, I've had a lot of people who've tried various set-ups of mine (w/ clearomisers/tanks), and a lot of them - all smokers, btw - have coughed, and asked me "how I handle it". Truth be told, I think it just takes a few gos to get the hang of the throat hit.
Also, with the right set-up (a variable voltage device), you can adjust the amount of warmth, and with the right juice combo (less PG perhaps), you can control the amount of throat hit.
I get a weird feeling in my throat after chain vaping. I just need to remember to take it easy. It's not a cigarette. I used to smoke almost 30 a day.
Generally speaking, what you are experiencing is not far off from normal for brand new vapors. Vapor is different from smoke. It took your body a long time to adapt to smoke in your lungs (how soon we forget those early days), it will take your body some time to adjust to vapor.
Realize that we absorb the nicotine from vapor differently than we did from cigarette smoke. Nicotine from vapor is absorbed in the mouth, throat, and nose - its not necessary to inhale into your lungs to get your nicotine.
I have no way of knowing how you inhaled cigarette smoke. Some inhaled directly into their lungs, others sucked smoke into their mouth, and then inhaled. For vaping, the last method is recommended. A slow, gentle draw of 3 - 6 seconds into your mouth, hold it to allow it to cool, and then inhale (or exhale through your nose if you choose to not inhale).
Over time, your body will adapt to the vapor, and you will be able to increase the amount of vapor that you can inhale. Just remember to drink plenty of water while you vape, as the Pg and Vg in the e-liquid drys the mouth and pulls moisture from the body.
Realize that we absorb the nicotine from vapor differently than we did from cigarette smoke. Nicotine from vapor is absorbed in the mouth, throat, and nose - its not necessary to inhale into your lungs to get your nicotine.
I have no way of knowing how you inhaled cigarette smoke. Some inhaled directly into their lungs, others sucked smoke into their mouth, and then inhaled. For vaping, the last method is recommended. A slow, gentle draw of 3 - 6 seconds into your mouth, hold it to allow it to cool, and then inhale (or exhale through your nose if you choose to not inhale).
Over time, your body will adapt to the vapor, and you will be able to increase the amount of vapor that you can inhale. Just remember to drink plenty of water while you vape, as the Pg and Vg in the e-liquid drys the mouth and pulls moisture from the body.
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Vapor molecules are thicker than smoke molecules. Just as you likely coughed when first staring to smoke cigarettes, you'll tend to cough when you begin e-cigs. You can get used to it, though, and believe it or not, might find some juices don't give you enough sensation "going down" once you're acclimated to e-cigs.
That said, many people don't inhale. The nicotine is absorbed much better through your mouth and nasal cavities than through your lungs with e-cigs. It goes back to how vapor is thicker than smoke. Your lungs just don't get the nicotine very well from vapor.
I inhale, though, and many do. It's a personal choice, but if you want to get used to inhaling, it just takes some time like when you first started smoking regular cigarettes.
Welcome to the forums! Vape on!
EDIT: Wow! From staring to type my post to hitting "enter," seven, yes, seven people posted. There were no replies when I started this post, now there's SEVEN! I love this place!
EDIT 2: Well, eight counting mine. I can math!
That said, many people don't inhale. The nicotine is absorbed much better through your mouth and nasal cavities than through your lungs with e-cigs. It goes back to how vapor is thicker than smoke. Your lungs just don't get the nicotine very well from vapor.
I inhale, though, and many do. It's a personal choice, but if you want to get used to inhaling, it just takes some time like when you first started smoking regular cigarettes.
Welcome to the forums! Vape on!
EDIT: Wow! From staring to type my post to hitting "enter," seven, yes, seven people posted. There were no replies when I started this post, now there's SEVEN! I love this place!
EDIT 2: Well, eight counting mine. I can math!
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I prefer the latter. Lungs seem to be kinda touchy about getting water in them. Weird that. I don't inhale into the lungs at all. Do exhale through the nose (well, sometimes like to blow big clouds around for the heck of it, but who don't?
).I have read that it's pretty pointless to inhale vapor into your lungs anyway. The absorption of the nic doesn't work in the lungs well at all. Something about the size of the droplets verses particles in smoke. The nasal exhale is supposed to pick up more nicotine (and flavor for that matter, smell being such a big part of taste) and my experience fits that. I've lowered my nic level by a considerable degree without having any "cravings" start up.
Are you inhaling into your lungs? That'll make you cough. Did me.
In vaping, the nicotine absorption is in the mouth and nasal passages (if you exhale through the nose). It's smoking that you get the nic by inhaling into the lungs.
You ever smoked a pipe or cigar? You know, you "puff" but don't inhale into the lungs (well, not usually at least). Try doing it more that way. Slow the whole thing down. Hold the vapor in the mouth longer. Many (myself included) exhale through the nose. You pick up more nic and flavor. But lungs don't seem to like water. And vapor is water vapor.
If it's being caused by something "hitting" the back of your throat, that's "throat hit". Some like it. Me, I don't. Even as a smoker, I didn't care for it. I preferred "smooth". A lower nicotine level can make a difference there.
Most likely, it's your inhale. Nobody tells you about the inhale when you get your first e-cig. I liked to coughed up a lung my first time.
Ayup. Busy place ECF. You ever checked the stats at the bottom of the front page? Here's a snippet:
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Place is huge. ECF is coming up on it's 10 *millionth* post in the not too distant future...
Vaping isn't smoking. 
There - I said it.
What you experience isn't uncommon. There are several things going on that you need to understand when switching.
You lungs are already irritated from smoking. For many people PG in e-cigs is irritating too. Put one on top of the other and... If it's a really bad problem you can try switching to a VG based liquid, which is generally less irritating.
Almost everyone first exposed to an e-cig tries to use it just like a regular cigarette. (See: Vaping isn't smoking...) Again, for most people new to vaping "lung inhaling" - drawing off it just like you did with cigarettes - will send them into fits of coughing. And as already pointed out you don't need to. Nicotine from vaping is absorbed in the mouth same as Nic-O-Gum. The better technique for newbies is to vape like you are smoking a cigar: pull vapor off the e-cig into your mouth and to the back of your throat and no more. You can try inhaling into your lungs with experience, but a lot of us don't find it necessary or pleasant.
There - I said it.What you experience isn't uncommon. There are several things going on that you need to understand when switching.
You lungs are already irritated from smoking. For many people PG in e-cigs is irritating too. Put one on top of the other and... If it's a really bad problem you can try switching to a VG based liquid, which is generally less irritating.
Almost everyone first exposed to an e-cig tries to use it just like a regular cigarette. (See: Vaping isn't smoking...) Again, for most people new to vaping "lung inhaling" - drawing off it just like you did with cigarettes - will send them into fits of coughing. And as already pointed out you don't need to. Nicotine from vaping is absorbed in the mouth same as Nic-O-Gum. The better technique for newbies is to vape like you are smoking a cigar: pull vapor off the e-cig into your mouth and to the back of your throat and no more. You can try inhaling into your lungs with experience, but a lot of us don't find it necessary or pleasant.
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Never really liked cigars, not inhaling into the lungs doesn't feel right at all.
I'll continue to pass the vapor to the lungs, they deserve it.
I'll continue to pass the vapor to the lungs, they deserve it.
As others have said try just pulling it to the back of your mouth and holding it, then let it out through your nose. That's all you need to get the nic. Now if, like me you simply like the lung inhale, that does take some getting used to and, it certainly isn't needed to get your nic.
+1. Totally agree. After reading your description, it sounded like a technique issue. Bad nailed it, I think. Vaping is not smoking, and deep lung inhales from vaping will have me coughing too. Again, Bad nailed it. It could be the nic, and you might tone it down and see if that helps, but try a slower, less intense, mouth draw and see where that gets you first. Good luck.
I just got a new flavor (Sour Spectrum) from a brand called "Jet Fuel"...
I'm a regular 18mg vaper, and recently decided to step down to 12mg.
So, I bought the 12mg. It makes me cough. Very hard.
I'm a lung inhaler (pull to mouth, then into lungs).
This cough hits on the exhale. Every time.
And only this flavor.
I contacted Jet Fuel, and they recommended dropping to a 6mg.
I did. Same cough.
Anybody have any thoughts?
This is a damn good flavor, and it makes big clouds...me likey.
I'm a regular 18mg vaper, and recently decided to step down to 12mg.
So, I bought the 12mg. It makes me cough. Very hard.
I'm a lung inhaler (pull to mouth, then into lungs).
This cough hits on the exhale. Every time.
And only this flavor.
I contacted Jet Fuel, and they recommended dropping to a 6mg.
I did. Same cough.
Anybody have any thoughts?
This is a damn good flavor, and it makes big clouds...me likey.
Well first of all it's a "Sour" something so if it contains a high level of a tart or acidic flavoring - whatever they are using to make it "Sour" - that can be an irritant.
And again, if this is a new liquid from some place you haven't used before: As said previously, if this new liquid is high PG and your other liquids weren't that would account for a new source of irritation too.
If it's the flavoring that's bothering you - you just have to put it aside and try it again later. If it's a PG irritation problem - you will need to find out what the PG/VG ratio is in that liquid. If it's 100 PG or 80% PG you need to find out if they make it as high VG instead.
Honestly, with e-cigs, I think it's important to be cautious with what you use and how you use it. For instance, I tried a non-vegetable based cartomizer once, and I had such a bad reaction that I couldn't swallow without searing pain for a week. Test results say I didn't have strep throat, and nothing else really causes those symptoms. (It could have been a reaction to bad wick material too, as the cartos I tried all tasted like acidic burnt metal.)
Then I switched to Blu, which uses v-based juice. No reaction, but so far, my lungs have felt full of fluid and I've been wheezing and coughing. Many of Blu's carto's have been burnt though, so it may be the effects of bad wicks again. Now I'm gonna try switching to clearomizers that don't have wicks that commonly burn.
Also, I have noticed that I only get the "Ahhhh, nicotine head buzz" feeling when exhaling through my nose. Inhaling through my mouth or lungs doesn't do mess. Also, I quit smoking a month before I started e-cigs again. so this newfound cough and wheezy feeling seems to be because of the vapor....
Then I switched to Blu, which uses v-based juice. No reaction, but so far, my lungs have felt full of fluid and I've been wheezing and coughing. Many of Blu's carto's have been burnt though, so it may be the effects of bad wicks again. Now I'm gonna try switching to clearomizers that don't have wicks that commonly burn.
Also, I have noticed that I only get the "Ahhhh, nicotine head buzz" feeling when exhaling through my nose. Inhaling through my mouth or lungs doesn't do mess. Also, I quit smoking a month before I started e-cigs again. so this newfound cough and wheezy feeling seems to be because of the vapor....
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