Couple questions for the pros/vets

[LiquidElectron]

Been 23 days since I switched directly from analogs to vaping.

How long did it take for all of you to notice your breathing start to improve (if it did)...I don't feel any different, I still need a shot of an inhaler every couple of days, and I haven't started coughing anything up...I still wheeze at night, but not as much. (That might be reflux, though.)

Also, has anyone with anxiety/panic disorder pulled off stepping down their nic to 0? I tried that and it was apparently too soon. Major attacks after dropping from 12 to 6, so I went back to 12 and feel better, sort of.

This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I have some withdrawal symptoms, and I can't step into a convenience store without staring at the little boxes on the wall.

Mostly I just wonder what the average time frame for any apparently breathing improvements is from people that switched over. It's starting to worry me a bit that I'm nearing a month and feel the same, except with higher anxiety.

 

[GaG8tor]

It might depend on how long you smoked and your health in general. I smoked for almost 30 years and never really had any breathing issues such as asthma or bronchitis. I hacked up stuff starting about a week after I quit smoking and that lasted probably about 3-4 weeks. I'm no doctor just speaking from experience.

 

[GaG8tor]

Hang in there. You'll get better.

 

[LiquidElectron]

I only smoked for 16 years "only"...but yeah I was just curious. I do feel like it's slightly better after going up a flight of stairs, for example, but I still have the same 'blah' lung feeling...it's hard to explain. It might be my anxiety too. It's just a rough ride so far, I guess.

 

[Rickajho]

I have to echo what Lee said: Everyone is different and you were already on an inhaler for some reason (didn't say) before you started this so... how much improvement you will get and when is a very individual matter. Remember: when you quit smoking you don't grow a new pair of lungs - all the more reason to quit - but you do get them working as best they can once all the tar and "goo" is cleared out.

As a former 30 year 2 PAD smoker, when I switched to vaping I didn't go through any significant hacking up crud phase - but I was also at the point where any uphill climb was a major short-of-breath challenge. The SOB problems slowly improved over about 3 months - it wasn't a sudden change.

 

[LiquidElectron]

Yeah, had mild asthma since I was a kid, have always had an inhaler. When I started to use it too often is when I decided to throw away the ciggies. Yes, I realize how smart it is for a person with asthma to pick up smoking, but we've all had 'that moment'.

It's just reassuring to know it will happen eventually. Thanks

 

[zoiDman]

Been 23 days since I switched directly from analogs to vaping.

How long did it take for all of you to notice your breathing start to improve (if it did)...I don't feel any different, I still need a shot of an inhaler every couple of days, and I haven't started coughing anything up...I still wheeze at night, but not as much. (That might be reflux, though.)

...

First of all... Right On for 23 Days!

I wouldn't be in a Huge Hurry to drop your Nicotine mg/ml level. If you feel good at 12mg/ml, I would stick to it for at least another Month. Maybe Longer.

I was a Pack-a-Day (PAD) Smoker for about 30 Years. I saw Immediate benefits of Sleeping Better and more Energy when I Switched. But I didn't see Real Big Benefits in Breathing till about 90 Days.

That is when I noticed that Running up a flight of stairs didn't shorten my breath. And that I could Ride a Bike for Much Longer than before I Switched.

Everyone is Different. And some see Benefits more Slowly that Others. Some More Quickly.

The Key is to just Not Smoke. And I can Guarantee that things will Keep getting better.

 

[Kevin littell]

33 years....90 days...

 

[Rat2chat2]

I did not have your health issues (evidenced by the use of inhalers) but I noticed changes almost immediately after I smoked the last cigarette. I first noticed that I was smelling things that I am not smelled in a long time. Some of them were not all that pleasant.

Because of the improvement in smell, I also quickly noticed things had a better taste to them. I had more stamina. I began walking simply because I felt better in general.

I agree that everyone is different and it takes time for the toxins to get out of your body. I hope you will be patient and give yourself more time to realize the benefits. I do wish you well and look forward to reading how you are doing. I just know at some point you will see positive results. Happy vaping to you.

 

[dashreeve]

Took me about two weeks before the weezing went away. Also took me several years and many setups to get the vaping where it really satisfied my smoking cravings. I tried to get to lower (0-3mg) nic too soon as well, and am now back at 6 (from 18 - 12 initially).

 

[69CamaroSS]

Been 23 days since I switched directly from analogs to vaping.

How long did it take for all of you to notice your breathing start to improve (if it did)...I don't feel any different, I still need a shot of an inhaler every couple of days, and I haven't started coughing anything up...I still wheeze at night, but not as much. (That might be reflux, though.)

Also, has anyone with anxiety/panic disorder pulled off stepping down their nic to 0? I tried that and it was apparently too soon. Major attacks after dropping from 12 to 6, so I went back to 12 and feel better, sort of.

This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I have some withdrawal symptoms, and I can't step into a convenience store without staring at the little boxes on the wall.

Mostly I just wonder what the average time frame for any apparently breathing improvements is from people that switched over. It's starting to worry me a bit that I'm nearing a month and feel the same, except with higher anxiety.

Wonderful advice already given to you. Yes, you WILL feel, taste, and smell better (and you won't stink!).

As mentioned, prior health conditions play a large role, however...NONE of us woke up and felt like Superman the next day. Years of abuse to the lungs and bronchial passages take time to heal. You'll feel noticeably better each day. Also realize that cardio and respiratory conditioning plays a large part in the "flight of stairs" thing.

As far as your nicotine level....realize that it's not the nicotine in cigarettes that is the most harmful chemical(s)....it's the tar and the other 3900+ chemicals and carcinogens from the COMBUSTING of materials that harm you. Take your time lowering your nic level....that's for you to worry about LATER.....you're doing AWESOME so far! Don't jeopardize it trying to change too much too soon....if your not smoking, you winning the battle...PERIOD!

FYI: Did you realize there is measurable nicotine levels in tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, cauliflower, peppers and tea?
cruisingtips .net/mbc/?p=3330
6 Common Foods with Nicotine Content » Marmaris Bay Cruisers


Side note: When you're ready to try to drop your nicotine level, you can always mix some 6mg and some 12mg half-n-half to get 9mg.
Going from 12mg down to 6mg is a BIG jump (-50%) to make unless your device, tank etc gives you MUCH more power and vapor with the 6mg than you were using with the 12mg....you WILL FEEL IT!

Hang in there, hang in here and ASK QUESTIONS!

 

[AndriaD]

To be honest... although quitting smoking cleared all the phlegm out of my chest... vaping actually made my asthma worse. I had been using *only* a rescue inhaler for many, many years, and even with smoking a pk a day, unless I got a cold or something, my asthma was pretty well controlled. But vaping made me lose that control, and now I have to also use Advair inhaler twice daily, and still use my 8 puffs a day of the rescue inhaler.

I'm hoping that after a few years, my lack of smoking might turn it around, and I can go back to the minimal medication that worked before. It's worth it to me, for a lot of reasons, but certainly for the long-range benefit; I'm probably still at very high risk for developing lung cancer, after 39 yrs of smoking, but at least I'm no longer increasing that risk with every puff.

Andria

 

[LavaLampHero]

I've been smoke free for almost 2 months. It's not a huge amount of time but enough to see the health improvements. I was a pack a day smoker for 7 years. Again, not a huge amount of time smoking. Only 47,000 cigarettes. Isn't that crazy? Anyways, I am an avid runner and smoking and running don't mix. I usually dipped when I ran. Running now is much easier and my distance has improved a little. I don't stink and I can smell things better. I don't feel tired all the time now either. The morning hack is slowly going away still. Can't speed that up.

Overall I'm feeling healthier. I don't chew anymore either. I quit that before I quit smoking. Horrible on your gums IMO. Hang in there man, try and find a store that doesn't sell tobacco like CVS.

Recently a few chain stores have quit selling tobacco due to the "No smoking" movement or something like that. Might be called Truth I'm not sure.

 

[LiquidElectron]

To be honest... although quitting smoking cleared all the phlegm out of my chest... vaping actually made my asthma worse. I had been using *only* a rescue inhaler for many, many years, and even with smoking a pk a day, unless I got a cold or something, my asthma was pretty well controlled. But vaping made me lose that control, and now I have to also use Advair inhaler twice daily, and still use my 8 puffs a day of the rescue inhaler.

I'm hoping that after a few years, my lack of smoking might turn it around, and I can go back to the minimal medication that worked before. It's worth it to me, for a lot of reasons, but certainly for the long-range benefit; I'm probably still at very high risk for developing lung cancer, after 39 yrs of smoking, but at least I'm no longer increasing that risk with every puff.

Andria

Yikes! I'll keep my fingers crossed on that...so far I haven't needed more than one inhaler shot every few days. Knocking on wood. Fingers crossed.

I sincerely hope you feel better sooner than later!

 

[AndriaD]

Yikes! I'll keep my fingers crossed on that...so far I haven't needed more than one inhaler shot every few days. Knocking on wood. Fingers crossed.

I sincerely hope you feel better sooner than later!

I'm fine now, since I got the Advair, but the couple months leading up to it were pretty scary -- using my inhaler 12-15 times a day, when I'm supposed to use it no more than 8. In fact, though I do sometimes still use 8 puffs a day of the rescue, more and more often it's gotten to be only about 6 puffs a day, so maybe, slowly, it is getting better. 39 yrs of damage won't be mended very quickly.

One thing I was doing, before I got the Advair, to try and stay on top of the asthma, was vaping slightly higher nicotine than I previously had been using, so I didn't sit around chain-vaping; it worked pretty well, and more or less broke my chain-vaping habit. Now I'm back down again to the 10mg I was using before (I went up to 11.5mg), and still don't chain-vape to any great extent -- I might take 2 puffs in a row, but hardly ever 3.

Andria

 

[rolygate]

Try raising the nicotine strength to a point where it is noticeable and not pleasant, then go back down one step. This can help to reduce the amount you vape, and therefore the amount of impure air you are inhaling. For some people this won't make any difference, but in your case it might.

Try changing the type and the vendor of the refills you buy. It is very common for people to have an issue with too much PG, or even too much VG in some cases. Flavourings are another problem area. Change vendors and see what happens.

 

[rolygate]

FYI: Did you realize there is measurable nicotine levels in tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, cauliflower, peppers and tea?
cruisingtips .net/mbc/?p=3330
6 Common Foods with Nicotine Content » Marmaris Bay Cruisers

That article contains unadulterated junk written by a very, very stupid person. Of course vegetables contain nicotine, it's an active nutrient and has a similar role to its sister compound nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) which they also contain.

Propaganda is extremely effective and we don't need to help spread it. Please.

 

[Pictor]

To be honest... although quitting smoking cleared all the phlegm out of my chest... vaping actually made my asthma worse. I had been using *only* a rescue inhaler for many, many years, and even with smoking a pk a day, unless I got a cold or something, my asthma was pretty well controlled. But vaping made me lose that control, and now I have to also use Advair inhaler twice daily, and still use my 8 puffs a day of the rescue inhaler.
Andria

I have that problem, but didn't have any problem whilst smoking!
For me, PG causes the breathing problems most, so I try to use as little as possible, but VG gives me a bit of congestion too. I find Ventolin helps a fair bit, and usually only need to use it once a few times each week, or sometimes for a few days in a row.
Do you know if Advair works better than Ventolin for these PG/VG related breathing issues?

 

[Maiar]

To be honest I never really noticed that my breathing was clearing up. It happened so slowly that I totally missed it. It's when you find yourself not being winded after doing something that usually leaves you winded. Then it's like "Hey ....er! You can breathe now!".

 

[AndriaD]

I have that problem, but didn't have any problem whilst smoking!
For me, PG causes the breathing problems most, so I try to use as little as possible, but VG gives me a bit of congestion too. I find Ventolin helps a fair bit, and usually only need to use it once a few times each week, or sometimes for a few days in a row.
Do you know if Advair works better than Ventolin for these PG/VG related breathing issues?

I'm just the opposite; anything more than 20% VG, and I can't breathe at all. Even at 80PG/20VG, I get the congested-throat problem, feels like my vocal cords are coated and thick with phlegm; if I stick to 83%-84% PG (84 is better), then I don't get the problem at all.

Advair and Ventolin are very different medications, for a different purpose -- Ventolin is a rescue inhaler, it starts working immediately; Advair can take up to an hour to show any particular signs of working, but you only need to use it twice daily. I still use 6-8 puffs of Ventolin a day, although a couple of those are pre-Advair -- if my bronchioles are fully open when I use the Advair, I get the most benefit from it. Before I started using the Advair, I had gotten up to 12-15 puffs a day on the Ventolin, about 50%-100% more than I was really supposed to be using (8 puffs a day).

My doc was after me for years to use a maintenance medication, but when I smoked, I really didn't need it, unless i had a bad cold or the flu. I did have a lot more congestion to constantly cough up, thanks to all the tar from smoking, but something in cigarette smoke was actually kinda soothing; it kept my bronchioles fairly open. I think the topical anesthetic they put in cigarette tobacco is part of it; if the lungs are partially anesthesized, they aren't so tetchy to every little thing.

Since I started using the Advair, my asthma is back under control. I still think it makes more sense, for an asthmatic, to use a maintenance med for their asthma, than to go back to smoking. In my own case, I think part of the problem might be that I was never a non-smoking asthmatic, until recently -- when the asthma was diagnosed, I had already been a smoker for 10 yrs, and another 29 yrs of smoking just meant my lungs were completely accustomed to it; quitting, and adding vaping, destroyed the fragile homeostasis, so I had to find a new way to deal with the asthma.

Andria