Doctors visit regarding COPD

[txtumbleweed]

Great to hear Skeeter! Sounds like we went down the same trail. In fact I see you are from Rancho Cucamonga. I went to FOHI in 1957 and worked at the Stater Bros Mkt at Foothill and Sierra. Small world!

 

[Skeeter T]

Yup, it is a small world. Stater Bros is still there. I pass it almost once each month on my way to a meeting on Sierra, just south of Randall. The area (West End) has grown tremendously over the years. If you haven't seen it for a while, you wouldn't recognize it. But it's home and I like it.

Today, I just received my first 12ml of Boba's, GJ & Hype from AVE. I can't wait to try them, but I'll let them steep for a while. This vaping is a constant adventure searching and planning ahead for supplies. It'll drive a person nuts.

 

[Baldr]

In the mean time, I still carry analogs everywhere I go and have maybe one or none a day, which doesn't bother me in the least, because the taste is getting worse and I know I'll eventually quit. Someone told me, it's not how much I smoke, it's how much I don't smoke. That is really, really comforting to me.

I bought my eGo about 3 months ago, not really expecting it to work, and had great results. I had been a very heavy smoker, over 3 PAD average, and had smoked for 30+ years.

When I got down to about 10 a day, the problem I had was major cig cravings right after meals. Even heavy vaping didn't seem to help with those. Last week, I bought some juice with a higher nic level. I had been using 24mg nic, and I got some with 30. My plan was (and is) to use 24 most of the time, and to drip the 30mg when I have cravings.

As *soon* as I started doing that, I quit smoking, with no problems. It was easy. Now I use the 24 all day long, and when I find myself wanting a cig (it's still after meals that I notice it) then I drip some 30mg and vape that, and the feeling goes away. My last cig was 9 days ago, and I wasn't really planning on quitting at the time. Last night, I gave away a half pack of cigs (and a business card for the local brick-n-mortar where I bought my eGo.)

So it sounds like you're in a similar situation - you've cut out most of the cigs, but you still smoke a few now and then. You might try a higher nic level for those occassions. I know it worked for me.

 

[johnathan777]

Baldr
Glad to read you are having sucess and 100% analog free !

Skeeter I
Don't punish yourself over a few analogs ! Like your friend said look at how many you haven't smoked ! Great news is you are almost an x smoker and have plans to be ! Most if not all smokers would be amazed at your progress ! Stronger nic can qwell the analog urge especially if you find yourself chain vaping. I just use 18mg nic level and bought some 60mg nick to step on some of my juice to tide me over during the hard times. Think I am smoke free for over 60 days now.

 

[MegaBee]

Wow this thread was amazing to read! Very inspiring. I just hope I stopped early enough to avoid COPD and other lung issues. I did smoke for 23 years on and off but never really developed a smokers cough and didn't get bronchitis or pneumonia etc. I was starting to wheeze a little at bed time sometimes though. I'm 41 now so here's hoping I got smart in time to avoid it, if not at least my lungs might have a chance to get stronger before any more damage is done! One month smoke free yay! Thanks for sharing your stories.


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[Spenelli]

You know what, I had chronic bronchitis too. I dunno if it was actually COPD. But I'd get it when the seasons changed, when it turned Fall, then when it turned winter. I'd get it a few times. My doctor prescribed me an inhaler and said I needed it everyday, even in the summer. I ended up stopping using it, cause it made me dizzy a lot. But here it is the middle of November, and I still haven't got it.

 

[txtumbleweed]

Wow this thread was amazing to read! Very inspiring. I just hope I stopped early enough to avoid COPD and other lung issues. I did smoke for 23 years on and off but never really developed a smokers cough and didn't get bronchitis or pneumonia etc. I was starting to wheeze a little at bed time sometimes though. I'm 41 now so here's hoping I got smart in time to avoid it, if not at least my lungs might have a chance to get stronger before any more damage is done! One month smoke free yay! Thanks for sharing your stories.


It sounds like you quit soon enough and good for you. I kept pushing the envelope and thought I could quit again if my lungs started getting bad but it was too late by then. I had already developed COPD and then I couldn't quit anyways until I tried vaping. I'm still doing very good and only use my inhaler before bedtime.
Congratulations on your one month anniversary it only gets easier and better as time goes on. It will be two years for me in Dec.

 

[MegaBee]

Thank you tx! It's stories like yours that help me stay strong, I am so happy that your health is improving too. Cheers mate


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[johnathan777]

Hello Tex
Good to hear your still doing well ! Wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.Sad to report my brother didn't stick with vaping.But I still have high hopes for him.God bless everyone and their families on the holiday of thanks !I am still vaping strong I think today is day 100 for me analog free ! Yee haw .

 

[txtumbleweed]

Thanks 777 and I hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving too! Congratulations on the 100 day mark! It is all downhill from there.

 

[Rar]

Hi Folks......I have an earlier post on this this thread and thought I would update you all. I am now 62 years old and have been smoke free for about 8 months and vaping for almost 10. When I made the decision to quit smoking, I was so short of breath, I had to sit down several times while I was getting ready for work. Anyway, many years ago, the doctor said I probably had COPD, though I never had any pulmonary tests. I continued to smoke, though I did have maybe an accumulation of 10 smoke free years in my 40+ year smoking career. My breathing and health began to improve. I golfed this summer and in September I joined a gym and started dong water aerobics. Suddenly about 3 weeks ago, I suffered what the doctor is calling a COPD exacerbation. He gave me an albuterol inhaler, 6 Prednisone pills and 2 Z-packs. He wanted to do pulmonary tests last week, but my lungs still aren't up to snuff enough to get a reading on their 'normal' state. He informed me I have emphysema, but since he couldn't do the pulmonary tests, I don't know what stage I'm in. Fortunately, my chest X-ray didn't show anything but 'hyper-inflation', indicative of COPD.

I don't know what triggered my first "exacerbation". The only different thing I did was I began to use cartos. Maybe I was vaping burnt filler. Also, I was vaping a juice containing mostly VG (which, presently, is the only thing that doesn't give me
Anyway, after 3 weeks, I don't seem to be getting better - in fact, my breathing is more labored and I'm scared. My e-cigarette gives me coughing fits, though I am able to vape a juice having mostly VG. I have difficulty going from one room to the next.

Oh - regarding the e-cigarette. My doctor is extremely supportive of it as a means to quit smoking. I'm hoping this exacerbation will go away soon and I will be as much of a success story as you, Tx.

I don't know why I'm posting. I guess because I'm scared and, along with Tx, there are several posters on this thread who have COPD and emphysema. If any of you have ever had these exacerbations, how long do they last? What type of juice is easiest on your lungs? Any advice?

 

[Sundrinkr]

Rar -- maybe trying completely unflavored juice might help. Also using a low nic might help? Just thinking here. I'm sorry you are having such difficulties and I know it is scary. I haven't had any of these problems before so I can't tell you how long it might last. I think you would know if you were vaping burned filler -- it tastes burned and you know it! Have you thought of a temporary alternative like snus? If you want to read about it on this forum you can follow the path below.
Forum
Health and Medical Issues
Other Alternatives to Smoking
Smokeless tobacco
Beginners Guide to Snus

Sorry I couldn't be more help to you and I hope you are feeling better fast. Keeping you in my thoughts today....

 

[wizard10000]

...I don't know why I'm posting. I guess because I'm scared and, along with Tx, there are several posters on this thread who have COPD and emphysema. If any of you have ever had these exacerbations, how long do they last? What type of juice is easiest on your lungs? Any advice?

Sorry to hear about the exacerbation and am sad to tell you that you'll probably learn to loathe Prednisone.

When I have an exacerbation I get IM steroids in the doctor's office and am on Prednisone for at least five days (usually about eight) along with the z-pack. For me Prednisone causes insomnia and mood swings that last while I'm taking it and acne that lasts for at least a month afterward. Prednisone is a nasty, nasty drug.

Normally for me an exacerbation begins to resolve after two or three days with treatment. What your doc gave you was standard emergency room treatment for an exacerbation - IMO you really need a referral to a pulmonologist as it's been my experience that primary care physicians aren't really up on treating COPD.

My primary care doc put me on Advair and gave me an albuterol inhaler for the days where things are a little tougher, but I wasn't really getting any better. She referred me to a pulmonologist who gave me a fairly extensive pulmonary function test and switched me from Advair to Symbicort - and I started feeling a lot better.

Normally with an exacerbation you need either steroids or antibiotics but most docs give you both because they can't tell whether your exacerbation is caused by inflammation or infection. Also, inflammation and infection aren't mutually exclusive - you can have both. The last one I had my pulmonologist had me do a course of Prednisone but wrote me a script for a z-pack in case I didn't feel any better and told me not to do the z-pack unless I felt I needed to.

Well, I did need to. The Prednisone made me feel a little better but not great, so when I finished it I started the z-pack which cleared things up for me - so maybe next time I can do without the Prednisone

There are quite a few people here who have COPD worse than me (although I was also blessed with adult-onset asthma) and hopefully some of them will weigh in - but if I was going to give any advice at all it'd be to get a referral to a real lung doctor. You'll feel much better if you do.

Hang in there -

 

[Rar]

I'm on my 3rd week. I still had coughing fits on forced exhale breathing last week, so wasn't well enough to do the pulmonary tests. I can't believe this happened so suddenly. I was doing water aerobics and everything. Now I can't even walk room to room. If I can hang on until Monday, I'll give my primary a call and maybe I can get some Advair. We recently moved, so my Primary doc is 60 miles away. I have to switch, I know. As you say, hopefully he will refer me to a lung doc. With some of my juices, I can't even put them close to my lips before I start coughing from the vapor.

Thanks you Wizard and Sun for your responses. I feel a bit better and not quite as scared.

Oh - I liked my 6 Prednisone pills, though I know long term usage is bad.

 

[txtumbleweed]

Sorry to hear about your exacerbation. I guess I haven't ever had that problem so I can't offer any advise except my prayer and well wishes. I vape 80-20 PG and mostly tobbaco and menthol. I haven't vaped much VG so I don't know how it would affect my breathing. I did get a little short of breath this weekend after carrying my suitcase up a couple of flights of stairs while hurrying but nothing like I would have been before I started vaping. It will be two years for me in a couple of weeks since I quit smoking.

 

[Rar]

I was hoping you would respond Tx. Before my exacerbation, I was using cartos and vaping a juice that was 30pg/70vg; I had never used cartos and somehow I have it in my mind that a singed filler triggered this. Of course, it could have nothing at all to do with it. It could be similar to eating a certain food and then getting the flu. Somehow the food is associated with the sickness, though it has nothing to do with it. This came on so suddenly. I was happily vaping for almost 10 mos., doing aerobics, etc. Now I can barely go from one room to the next. I might switch back to mostly pf (70/30), even though it makes me cough.

 

[MegaBee]

Hi Folks......I have an earlier post on this this thread and thought I would update you all. I am now 62 years old and have been smoke free for about 8 months and vaping for almost 10. When I made the decision to quit smoking, I was so short of breath, I had to sit down several times while I was getting ready for work. Anyway, many years ago, the doctor said I probably had COPD, though I never had any pulmonary tests. I continued to smoke, though I did have maybe an accumulation of 10 smoke free years in my 40+ year smoking career. My breathing and health began to improve. I golfed this summer and in September I joined a gym and started dong water aerobics. Suddenly about 3 weeks ago, I suffered what the doctor is calling a COPD exacerbation. He gave me an albuterol inhaler, 6 Prednisone pills and 2 Z-packs. He wanted to do pulmonary tests last week, but my lungs still aren't up to snuff enough to get a reading on their 'normal' state. He informed me I have emphysema, but since he couldn't do the pulmonary tests, I don't know what stage I'm in. Fortunately, my chest X-ray didn't show anything but 'hyper-inflation', indicative of COPD.

I don't know what triggered my first "exacerbation". The only different thing I did was I began to use cartos. Maybe I was vaping burnt filler. Also, I was vaping a juice containing mostly VG (which, presently, is the only thing that doesn't give me
Anyway, after 3 weeks, I don't seem to be getting better - in fact, my breathing is more labored and I'm scared. My e-cigarette gives me coughing fits, though I am able to vape a juice having mostly VG. I have difficulty going from one room to the next.

Oh - regarding the e-cigarette. My doctor is extremely supportive of it as a means to quit smoking. I'm hoping this exacerbation will go away soon and I will be as much of a success story as you, Tx.

I don't know why I'm posting. I guess because I'm scared and, along with Tx, there are several posters on this thread who have COPD and emphysema. If any of you have ever had these exacerbations, how long do they last? What type of juice is easiest on your lungs? Any advice?

Hi Rar, I hope you feel better soon! My grandmother has servere COPD and she cant inhale anything into her lungs except air, she cant tolerate any perfumes or even strong smelling soaps, body washes etc. Maybe until this flare up subsides it migh be best to not inhale anything. Once everything calms down you might be able to try again? Again Im not an expert by any means your Lung Specialist would be your best mentor right now. I hope you improve quickly.

 

[txtumbleweed]

I was hoping you would respond Tx. Before my exacerbation, I was using cartos and vaping a juice that was 30pg/70vg; I had never used cartos and somehow I have it in my mind that a singed filler triggered this. Of course, it could have nothing at all to do with it. It could be similar to eating a certain food and then getting the flu. Somehow the food is associated with the sickness, though it has nothing to do with it. This came on so suddenly. I was happily vaping for almost 10 mos., doing aerobics, etc. Now I can barely go from one room to the next. I might switch back to mostly pf (70/30), even though it makes me cough.

I meant to say I vape 80 pg 20 vg. Good luck Rar and keep us posted!

 

[toto1013]

Rar, First off I am not a medical professional. We are all different, on different medications, etc.

I think of what my Asthma/Allergy Specialist told me about 9 years ago when I was first dx'd with severe asthma/allergies, amongst other things in a few months time. "It doesn't matter what caused your exacerbation. You just need to know when you are getting in trouble, and follow your treatment plan when you are." Which they had me use a peak flow meter daily because it would reflect a problem before I was even aware. With that being said, I do the same thing because I like to avoid exacerbations if possible-as wizard said, Prednisone is the drug you have a love/hate relationship with. I do feel like pg does cause me problems, but in same token that may be because I know that pg is a known respiratory irritant.

As wizard stated, please get a pulmonologist. Have lung functions, x-rays, ect. when you get back to normal, so that there will be a baseline of where you are. Don't be scared, and don't be concerned with what stage you are in. I know that is easier said than done. Be glad that you have been feeling healthier, getting exercise, etc.(no longer smoking). Exercise, healthly diet, attitude, support system, meds, good medical team help with the progression of COPD.

 

[wizard10000]

...I do feel like pg does cause me problems, but in same token that may be because I know that pg is a known respiratory irritant.

I quit vaping PG some time ago as either my body doesn't like it or it doesn't like me