I have been a smoker for 40 years. My wife is also a smoker.
I have no lung disease or "normal" heart problems. I say normal because I have a somewhat rare condition called Neurogenic Bradycardia. Essentially, it is kind of a disconnect between my brain/nervous system and my hear/vascular system. I have an extremely low heart rate and very low blood pressure. Even if I do something strenuous, my heart rate might go up to 70 and BP to something like 100/60. Normally, my HR is about 42 with BP at 80/50. I pass out alot, but to the positive side, I can eat all the salt I want, fatty foods and other things because I have almost no risk of a heart attack.
The things that keep me going are stimulants and vaso-restrictors (things that constrict blood vessels). I refuse to take things like amphetamines, so I'm left with caffeine and nicotine. There is one medicine that they tried on me, and it almost killed me, so back to the "natural" stuff. I quit smoking for about 3 months and was having constant episodes of blacking out, so back onto cigarettes.
My wife, who is also a smoker, needs to quit smoking cigarettes, as she has high blood pressure. It is almost impossible for one person to quit if the other is smoking. I tried nicotine gum and patches, hated them both. So for her to stop, I needed to stop, but if I stopped, then my HR and BP would drop through the floor and so would I, literally.
Then I found e-cigs and vaping. It has become the answer to both problems. She smokes menthol, I smoke regular. From the first puff on an e-cig we knew we found our answer. Since there is essentially no smell, then when she quits, she isn't lured back by the smell. With the ability to use lower and lower ranges of nicotine content in the carts, down to 0%, she can slowly drop her nicotine intake, while maintaining the menthol flavor. I on the other hand, get my nicotine stimulant (hey, you can only drink just so many cups of coffee or diet cokes for the caffeine side) and don't pass out so much. In fact, since switching to the e-cig, V2 Red 12mg, I have only had one pass out episode in a week. This is a vast improvement over how I am normally.
I've even tried flavors and am really surprised. I like the cherry. And the way we figure it, she could even keep vaping menthol or other flavors at a 0% nicotine. That in itself will reduce her blood pressure.
So here is a case, rare that it might be, where nicotine is actually good for me and I've found a "delivery system" that I enjoy and is cost effective while at the same time a way to eliminate nicotine from my wife's life and making her more healthy.
dave
I have no lung disease or "normal" heart problems. I say normal because I have a somewhat rare condition called Neurogenic Bradycardia. Essentially, it is kind of a disconnect between my brain/nervous system and my hear/vascular system. I have an extremely low heart rate and very low blood pressure. Even if I do something strenuous, my heart rate might go up to 70 and BP to something like 100/60. Normally, my HR is about 42 with BP at 80/50. I pass out alot, but to the positive side, I can eat all the salt I want, fatty foods and other things because I have almost no risk of a heart attack.
The things that keep me going are stimulants and vaso-restrictors (things that constrict blood vessels). I refuse to take things like amphetamines, so I'm left with caffeine and nicotine. There is one medicine that they tried on me, and it almost killed me, so back to the "natural" stuff. I quit smoking for about 3 months and was having constant episodes of blacking out, so back onto cigarettes.
My wife, who is also a smoker, needs to quit smoking cigarettes, as she has high blood pressure. It is almost impossible for one person to quit if the other is smoking. I tried nicotine gum and patches, hated them both. So for her to stop, I needed to stop, but if I stopped, then my HR and BP would drop through the floor and so would I, literally.
Then I found e-cigs and vaping. It has become the answer to both problems. She smokes menthol, I smoke regular. From the first puff on an e-cig we knew we found our answer. Since there is essentially no smell, then when she quits, she isn't lured back by the smell. With the ability to use lower and lower ranges of nicotine content in the carts, down to 0%, she can slowly drop her nicotine intake, while maintaining the menthol flavor. I on the other hand, get my nicotine stimulant (hey, you can only drink just so many cups of coffee or diet cokes for the caffeine side) and don't pass out so much. In fact, since switching to the e-cig, V2 Red 12mg, I have only had one pass out episode in a week. This is a vast improvement over how I am normally.
I've even tried flavors and am really surprised. I like the cherry. And the way we figure it, she could even keep vaping menthol or other flavors at a 0% nicotine. That in itself will reduce her blood pressure.
So here is a case, rare that it might be, where nicotine is actually good for me and I've found a "delivery system" that I enjoy and is cost effective while at the same time a way to eliminate nicotine from my wife's life and making her more healthy.
dave
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