Doctor's Opinions On Vaping

[EIHYPI]

Does their opinion matter? That's a question that I got in my head when I visited this doctor for the first time today. She asked me if I smoke cigarettes so I told her not for about 3 and a half years. Although I did mention after that I had been using electronic cigarettes for about 3 and a half years. Her reaction upset me very much. She said I should seriously think about quitting e-cigarettes too. I asked her what's safer, cigarettes or e-cigarettes and she says, well you read in the news all the time how unhealthy they are so you can't say one is better than the other.

I got really mad inside. If I was ignorant and listened to her, I would have felt terrible because I'd think to myself that my body is Still unhealthy. I actually felt dreadful inside for a moment but then reminded myself that vaping is 95% safer than smoking.

I feel that if a doctor is going to give their 2¢ about vaping to me, they should do it from research and studies or basically hard facts. Something to give them a say on the matter. Don't just pop out of your mouth what every other e-cigarette critic is saying, be it from the paper, the news or your friends. Your label is Doctor for a reason so keep what you tell your patients at that same level.

 

[Beamslider]

I have spoken to my primary care doctor, a urologist and a cardiologist about my vaping. They all told me it was better than smoking.

 

[EIHYPI]

I have spoken to my primary care doctor, a urologist and a cardiologist about my vaping. They all told me it was better than smoking.

I must add that I agree that many doctors do approve of vaping and are not ignorant in this area. It's just that this doctor is a Neurologist, someone who specializes in something that on her level of expertise should know the truth about e-cigarettes.

 

[Tonee N]

I have spoken to my primary care doctor, a urologist and a cardiologist about my vaping. They all told me it was better than smoking.

^^^Same here.
My doctor didn't get her schooling from watching TV.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[ScottP]

Threads with this same basic topic pop up all the time. Print out some of the real reports, like the ones from Dr. F, or the new one from Scotland where real Dr's are saying that vaping is 95% safer than smoking. Take these print outs with you when you go in again. Or better yet drop them off asap.

Every person her ignorance convinces to keep smoking instead of vaping is a person she condemns to death.

 

[dennism]

After I told her 4 years no smoking but vaping for the same time, she gave me a high five.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I must add that I agree that many doctors do approve of vaping and are not ignorant in this area. It's just that this doctor is a Neurologist, someone who specializes in something that on her level of expertise should know the truth about e-cigarettes.

So did you educate her?

 

[EIHYPI]

So did you educate her?

Unfortunately I didn't. She seemed the type that was a little hard headed. Plus it was my first time seeing her so I didn't want to possibly get into an argument with her about it. I definitely thought about educating her but my intuition told me it's not a good idea.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Unfortunately I didn't. She seemed the type that was a little hard headed. Plus it was my first time seeing her so I didn't want to possibly get into an argument with her about it. I definitely thought about educating her but my intuition told me it's not a good idea.

Maybe next time (if there is one) you will be more prepared. Like the last poster said have some info handy or in your head to back up what you are telling her. And you are living proof that vaping is better than smoking. Tell her how your health has improved.

 

[ScottP]

Unfortunately I didn't. She seemed the type that was a little hard headed. Plus it was my first time seeing her so I didn't want to possibly get into an argument with her about it. I definitely thought about educating her but my intuition told me it's not a good idea.

If a Dr. is "hard headed" about learning medical facts, perhaps you should remind them of their Hippocratic Oath to "do no harm". Them being ignorant on a medical topic and giving bad advice as a result is a direct violation of that oath. I would then offer to send them links to actual studies, for his/her review if he/she wanted to get educated. Don't try to give them facts from your head, b/c to them you have less evidenciary credibility than MSNBC but if you can send them links to real studies by real Dr's that are experts in their field, that can make a difference.

 

[EIHYPI]

Maybe next time (if there is one) you will be more prepared. Like the last poster said have some info handy or in your head to back up what you are telling her. And you are living proof that vaping is better than smoking. Tell her how your health has improved.

You're very right, I really should do that. I have to admit that I was very shy with her. I think that's what prevented me from wanting to educate her. But like @ScottP said, I shouldn't give her facts from my own head, so obviously today I came unprepared but how would I have known. Next time I'll have printouts from the Dr.'s that are experts in the field. My only issue is where to get the material.

 

[rob33]

To me the medical profession has turned into a "faith based" business. It up to you on how much faith you have.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

You can look here for some info

CASAA

 

[SupplyDaddy]

I would have told her then and there that she isn't the doctor for me if all she knows about vaping is what is in the news. I expect my doctors to keep up and actually know something about things that affect brain chemistry.

 

[smacuser]

My doc was okay with it.

 

[ScottP]

You can tell her to start here:
E-cigarette Research
Cancer risk from e-cigarettes > 50 000 (thousand) fold lower than smoking

Also look up Dr. Gopal Bhatnagar who is a Canadian cardiac surgeon, and the Head of the Cardiovascular Surgery unit at the Trillium Health Centre.

 

[puffon]

There is a reason doctors say they "practice" medicine.
I would have asked how's that Chantix working out for her patients.
My doctors are Ok with my vaping, but say nothing is better than breathing clean air.

 

[mcclintock]

I was more bothered by uninformed doctors when I first heard of it. But if I was getting surgery, original or diverse thought would be less important than them doing what they have learned.

 

[ScottP]

...nothing is better than breathing clean air.

Too bad there isn't any of that in Houston...or most metro areas for that matter.

 

[ScottP]

I was more bothered by uninformed doctors when I first heard of it. But if I was getting surgery, original or diverse thought would be less important than them doing what they have learned.

Oh I agree, but if they are not informed on a subject they shouldn't be giving advice on it.