Couple questions for the pros/vets

[AndriaD]

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!".

It does kinda sneak up, doesn't it? I noticed back in the summer that I was walking quite easily up a fairly steep hill, and when I got to the top, I wasn't winded, just pleasantly exercised -- and it was even extremely hot and humid, which always plays hell with my asthma. I guess what I'm learning is that the asthma is always going to be there, some days better, some days worse, but it really is much easier to deal with now, without all the tar to cough up all the time; now that I'm on proper medication and don't smoke, I can do things like walk up a hill without feeling like I'm about to die!

Andria

 

[LiquidElectron]

Well, it turned out alright. I've dropped caffeine since about 3 days ago, I've gone down to 0mg nic with the occasional 3mg in there, not often. I discovered I can walk on a treadmill and worry more about my sore legs and my terrible heart rate than I do my lungs...that was a weird thing, it's always been my lungs stopping me, but they don't seem to mind anymore.

It's a strange and wonderful thing.

 

[BigEgo]

I am an asthmatic as well. I haven't had any real episodes in over a decade and those were always spurred on by antagonists (like pet dander). I smoked for about 20 years and have been vaping on and off since 2013. I have noticed that I have a bit more asthmatic symptoms when I vape. So far it hasn't been anything out of control, but it is odd that smoking burning tobacco didn't bother me but vaping can.

I think it's the flavors. I have found one vendor that I can vape without much problem. Other juices give me chest tightness and wheezing. The vendor I use now uses a higher PG content (50/50 or 40/60 I think). So perhaps VG is the irritant for me. Or, as I said, it could be the flavoring. I don't really know and I am not sure there is any way to know considering the cocktail of flavorings used in most juices. I really don't want to resort to unflavored juice, but I might give that a go at some point.

Either way, I would rather vape than smoke. If I have to, I will go to the doctor and get put on asthma meds so I can continue. Otherwise I will go back to analogs and I really don't want to.

I have heard some people say their asthma improved dramatically when they stopped smoking and began vaping. The human body is mysterious and people react to the same stimuli in different ways.

 

[AndriaD]

I am an asthmatic as well. I haven't had any real episodes in over a decade and those were always spurred on by antagonists (like pet dander). I smoked for about 20 years and have been vaping on and off since 2013. I have noticed that I have a bit more asthmatic symptoms when I vape. So far it hasn't been anything out of control, but it is odd that smoking burning tobacco didn't bother me but vaping can.

I think it's the flavors. I have found one vendor that I can vape without much problem. Other juices give me chest tightness and wheezing. The vendor I use now uses a higher PG content (50/50 or 40/60 I think). So perhaps VG is the irritant for me. Or, as I said, it could be the flavoring. I don't really know and I am not sure there is any way to know considering the cocktail of flavorings used in most juices. I really don't want to resort to unflavored juice, but I might give that a go at some point.

Either way, I would rather vape than smoke. If I have to, I will go to the doctor and get put on asthma meds so I can continue. Otherwise I will go back to analogs and I really don't want to.

I have heard some people say their asthma improved dramatically when they stopped smoking and began vaping. The human body is mysterious and people react to the same stimuli in different ways.

I don't think it's the flavoring; most of my DIYs use 32%-36% flavoring. But if I vape more than 20% VG, I can't breathe at all; even 20% gives me the throat congestion, vocal cords coated with phlegm. The best ratio I've found is about 83/17 or 84/16.

When I first started vaping, my asthma did improve rather dramatically, but the Virginia I was vaping then was a very low-flavor, high-PG (85%) blend. Later when I went to WTA, at first I used one of the flavored "WTA-infused" juices from Aroma, and within 2 wks, I could barely draw breath. I finally had to just stop using that, it was killing me, and I've seen gradual improvement since then, but it's been very slow, and I had to start using Advair. Now I get my WTA unflavored from WholeCig or mothersmilkwta.com, and mix my own, and have no problems, even with the high-flavoring mixes.

Andria

 

[LiquidElectron]

I've been at 0mg nic for a week-ish now, and besides the 'feel icky', my lungs are terrible the last week. I think maybe I should just stop vaping. Not that I won't be forever grateful to it. But yeah, it might be best for me.

 

[Katmar]

I've been at 0mg nic for a week-ish now, and besides the 'feel icky', my lungs are terrible the last week. I think maybe I should just stop vaping. Not that I won't be forever grateful to it. But yeah, it might be best for me.

Did you try a higher PG balance?

 

[LiquidElectron]

Yes, I've done flavorless 100% PG, flavorless 100% VG, and endless flippin' combinations in between.

 

[Katmar]

Yes, I've done flavorless 100% PG, flavorless 100% VG, and endless flippin' combinations in between.

I wish you well, then, whatever your decision.....Let us know.

 

[ShelaghDB]

My husband smoked for 30 years heavily and when we gave up last year, I believe it took him a couple of weeks before he began to feel better and it wasn't night and day. It happened slowly but I think it was around the 30 day mark. He began to cough up flem with black dots in it...LOL....yes for some reason he loved showing it to me....lol....but when he began to notice then it just got better a bit by bit every day. It wasn't as if he was hit over the head and suddenly felt wonderful but it was slow enough but enough daily for him to be positive that he had made the right choice.
Take it slowly, it will come.

In my case it was a bit less noticeable but I just remember suddenly noticing at the 2-3 month mark how much better I felt but to be honest, I wasn't aware I felt terrible before i gave it up so for me it was a bit more subtle.

The one thing that really stands out for me is how quickly I began to get a sense of smell back again. In fact, it was overpowering and we both kept laughing and remarking how everyone smelled awful.
It was heightened for about 3 months and that was the one negative of it all. Yes, it was nice to smell things again but it wasn't pleasant at first being so hyper sensitive to every smell 20 miles away from me


Hang in there, you will soon notice.
That said, I wouldn't rush off e-cigarettes..
Id take it all slowly........

 

[ShelaghDB]

I've been at 0mg nic for a week-ish now, and besides the 'feel icky', my lungs are terrible the last week. I think maybe I should just stop vaping. Not that I won't be forever grateful to it. But yeah, it might be best for me.

Good Luck.

My advice?
Don't give away or throw away your gear.
Play it safe.
Throwing it away and thinking you might never need it could be a big mistake.
Keep it lest anything stressful hit out of the blue.

 

[Deeo]

I can't really remember when I stopped needing my inhalers all the time. I do know that I never noticed an improvement with my breathing until months later. That just creeped up on me and still to this day gets better and better. I also remember that I would wheeze a day or two each time before more yuck coughed up. But not everyone has that happen either. Some people never cough up yuck. Everyone is different.

Edited: I forgot to post that I do have anxiety and I was able to lower my nic. Just lower it when you are ready , don't rush it. I was able to lower it because I chain vape and I swear my heart would beat really fast. therefore I would lower my nic and each time I was fine with it. I am now down to 0 nic but about twice a week I vape 3 mg. I still vape 6 mg if we have company over for hours and they are smokers.

 

[ShelaghDB]

Curious, are you a sub ohm user?
Just curious to know what type of e-cigarettes make you your gear?
What sort of vaping...?