Does Anyone Here Have COPD?

[Ken_A]

Shortness of breath is horrible Kena! Having problems with it....I've only been vaping for 5 1/2 weeks, no analogs, so there hasn't been too much time to notice a big difference. Hopefully it will come!

It should get better. It takes longer for some people than others. I was very lucky it only took about a month or so.

My Mom was diagnosed and I converted her. She can laugh, now, without hacking up a yuck nugget.

Your breathing will improve. You'll feel better and smell better.

glad your mom is better. And you are right about it getting better.

My Doc recently told me that if a person has any wheezing it means COPD/emphysema. So since I at least have the beginning symptoms (if thats an accurate description) I know it was only gonna get worse. The only thing he said about using e-cigs is that some research shows the flavorings have toxins and I may want to use only unflavored. I'm not too worried about it unless in the future I find out there are real concerns with e-cigs and their flavorings. But then again, I was into allot of bad things for many years and have put them all down, so I'm pleased with myself as is for now. I just hope the ignorant lunatics of the world don't make vaping really expensive and its necessities hard to acquire for us.

Not necessarily full COPD. Like you, I had beginning symptoms but I'm feeling much better now!

Oh I'm the suspicious type too when it comes to the big drug makers. I surely don't claim to know all the facts on Lung health. I'm just glad to have e-cigs, and to feel better about myself for giving up tobacco.

Many people would be amazed to hear that we got better without prescriptions that have terrible side affects.

 

[aikanae1]

The only thing he said about using e-cigs is that some research shows the flavorings have toxins and I may want to use only unflavored.

That is so funny. Hasn't your doctor heard about the side effects from Chantix (drug used to help people quit) or the $300 million settlement in 27 states (individuals were settled with out of court and not included in the public settlement fees).

I don't think vaping causes heart problems or suicide and depression, or requires a black box safety warning. One reason I'm tempted to go with organic flavorings would be to avoid pesticides and fertilizers, GMO's, etc. Some of that can be bad news even when ingested daily. The point that no one knows what happens when it changes form is good. But on a scale of daily evils, I don't think e-juice flavorings are in the top 1,000 or so.

Maybe I just have a sick sense of humor. I'd probably ask for a script of Chantix and then hand it back, saying something about this improving the quality of what life I have left unlike the other "helpful" aids.

 

[patkin]

I missed that part about flavors being "toxic." I guess we should stop eating too then? Being flip there but, if that's true, then the FDA should ban the flavorings use in food because they're exactly the same ones. The vendors buy them from food flavoring places like Loranns, capella, etc. But I guess, since he said to just use unflavored PG and VG, we can all rest assured that they're safe. Sorry... couldn't resist... the thinking just defies all logic.

 

[pfaber11]

i only vape unflavoured juice these days. still has plenty of nicotine in it though. its ok when you get used to it. works out much cheaper. my reason for vaping unflavoured. have not felt out of breath in a long time.

 

[DC2]

I missed that part about flavors being "toxic." I guess we should stop eating too then? Being flip there but, if that's true, then the FDA should ban the flavorings use in food because they're exactly the same ones. The vendors buy them from food flavoring places like Loranns, capella, etc. But I guess, since he said to just use unflavored PG and VG, we can all rest assured that they're safe. Sorry... couldn't resist... the thinking just defies all logic.

FDA flavorings are considered GRAS to take into the digestive tract.
There is really not much data on inhalation.

Diacetyl is an example of the potential problems with inhaling flavorings.
Just Google "popcorn lung" for more information.

As far as I know most e-liquid vendors have worked to remove Diacetyl from their product.
And the question of whether or not we would even be inhaling enough for it to be toxic in the first place is still up for debate.

 

[middleborn]

I don't have COPD and I hope that I never come down with it.
I just felt the need to post a reply to say that I can not even begin to imagine what you all must go through.
One of my phobias is the fear of being in closed in spaces or being suffocated, so to even think about having a condition like losing the ability to breath would scare me to death.
The best to all of you.

 

[Ken_A]

well... you are vaping now, so you have an excellent chance to never have COPD yourself.

 

[Soberrider]

I missed that part about flavors being "toxic." I guess we should stop eating too then? Being flip there but, if that's true, then the FDA should ban the flavorings use in food because they're exactly the same ones. The vendors buy them from food flavoring places like Loranns, capella, etc. But I guess, since he said to just use unflavored PG and VG, we can all rest assured that they're safe. Sorry... couldn't resist... the thinking just defies all logic.

I guess you're missing the major difference between flavorings in food and vaping the flavorings. Heating those same flavors and causing a chemical reaction, and then inhaling them may be very different than eating some of it. I don't understand all the science, but I'm pretty sure its different. Either way, I'm ok with it for now. I understand your skepticism though.

 

[Soberrider]

That is so funny. Hasn't your doctor heard about the side effects from Chantix (drug used to help people quit) or the $300 million settlement in 27 states (individuals were settled with out of court and not included in the public settlement fees).

I don't think vaping causes heart problems or suicide and depression, or requires a black box safety warning. One reason I'm tempted to go with organic flavorings would be to avoid pesticides and fertilizers, GMO's, etc. Some of that can be bad news even when ingested daily. The point that no one knows what happens when it changes form is good. But on a scale of daily evils, I don't think e-juice flavorings are in the top 1,000 or so.

Maybe I just have a sick sense of humor. I'd probably ask for a script of Chantix and then hand it back, saying something about this improving the quality of what life I have left unlike the other "helpful" aids.

I guess you're missing the major difference between flavorings in food and vaping the flavorings. Heating those same flavors and causing a chemical reaction, and then inhaling them may be very different than eating some of it. I don't understand all the science, but I'm pretty sure its different. Either way, I'm ok with it for now. I understand your skepticism though.

 

[HK-47]

Well, I for one am going into this with the expectation and knowledge that the risks are not fully assessed. I'm not pretending that it's at all 'safe' but it's pretty hard to argue against the large amount of anecdotal and some physical evidence so far that points to the fact that it is definitely MUCH SAFER than inhaling analog cigarette smoke.

Not saying it's safe, but reading stories about people who have been 50+ year smokers with bad hacking fits (like my old man) regaining some of their breathing capability, having the hacking coughing go away after a short time and having more energy and sleeping better..seems worth the risk to me.

YMMV as with anything there is going to be a small percentage of the population who has a bad reaction to anything. PG allergies, for instance. There are still a great many unknowns especially as to the long-term effects of vaping. We're all, to some extent, guinea pigs in this. Smoking = certain death and known conditions and ailments. Vaping = unknown long term (and short-term) risks with a lot of anecdotal and testimonial evidence that it seems to be at least safer.

 

[patkin]

I understand the thinking on ingestion but, really, the flavoring molecules are absorbed by the tongue, throat, lips, mouth pallate/roof and even nose and bronchial tissues unless you don't breath while eating. I, seriously, don't think being absorbed by tissues anywhere in the body whether those minus gut/intestinal walls through vaping puts them into different bodily systems. Its still via tissue absorption and "toxic" means into the blood stream. If anything, I would be more leery eating them actually as then I know they are fully or 100% absorbed by the tissues in the gut into the blood stream... if looking at the flip side.... at least vaping many of them are just exhaled quickly. But that's my thinking and it just seemed ironic to me that unflavored vg was deemed, supposedly, okay when its not normally inhaled either (only ingested) but the flavors are "toxic." On second thought, maybe the doc is just against flavorings period... even eating them. Maybe he/she's seen the affects they have on some kids. And I suspect I could be getting more of them chain vaping than I would ingesting but that's only because I, most likely, vape more than I eat but, then again, there is so much artificial flavoring in everthing we eat and in greater quantity to produce the taste that that might not be the case. I drink flavored soda, koolaide, etc more than ever to stay hydrated. Its no big deal to me though. As others have said, I'm happy doing anything safer than smoking.

Edit: I don't know why "reply with quote" doesn't work for me sometimes... oh, well... sorry, to those I replied to.

 

[HK-47]

If it doesn't pass the common sense litmus test, I require proof before I start accepting something.

Agreed on the eating so many things argument. There are some ingredient lists that have more ingredients than I have hair on my nuts. And that's a lot.