From the mouth of an ER doctor

[DkGanz]

I ended up taking my girlfriend to the ER yesterday. She was having intense abdominal pain. The good news is she's alright. The bad news is that she has three stones in her gallbladder and needs a fairly minor surgery.
What was really interesting was what the ER doctor said. During the intake process she was asked, "Do you smoke?" Her response, "No, I quit three months ago and now I vape."
The doctors response, "Good for you!"
I was flabbergasted! I was thinking, "Oh great, here comes the lecture!" But there was to be none of that. Rather he asked us some really interesting questions like, "How's that working out for you?", and, "Do you feel any better? Because your lungs sound completely normal."
We told him that vaping has COMPLETELY changed out lives and that we have never felt better or had more energy. We even sleep better too. No more waking up several times a night to hack up chunks of tar and phlegm.
We even had a short discussion of what exactly is in ejuice. He stated that he didn't see any immediate problem with inhaling PG and VG. As long as that's all there really is in ejuice. But, as far as long term use, he admitted that no one really knows the effects, but its probably not the wolf in sheep's clothing that so many others have made it out to be. He concluded our short discussion with, "Well, whatever you do, don't go back to real cigarettes. We all know those things kill you."

WHAT A TRIP!!!

 

[erictho]

that's really awesome!

 

[brock957]

I like hearing these type of stories. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Iffy]

Great episode!

Hopefully, more medical professionals will understand/appreciate our choices/successes and spread da word.

 

[degnr8]

Outstanding!

 

[UncleChuck]

This really shows in a perfect light how doctors work on OPINION not fact or medical knowledge a great deal of the time.

I don't mean your doctor, I mean all the other doctors we hear horror stories about who attack vaping. You can't argue with a doctor, they are cocky and thick headed. They won't admit they were wrong (actually one time an ...... doctor wrote me an apology note after I wrote a complaint letter because the guy was accusing me of being a drug seeker when I asked them to up my pain medication for surgery I had ONE WEEK prior where they installed several titanium plates into my body, there was lots of swelling and extreme pain that Vicoden wouldn't touch)

Anyway, WE can't argue with doctors, but other doctors sure as hell can. The fact that many doctors approve and support vaping shows that we are not wrong when we argue with thick headed doctors. If I'm ever in that situation I'll tell him that, no, I don't have the medical knowledge he does, but many people with equal or greater medical knowledge support vaping.

I'm happy you have such a great doctor, and I hope your significant other heals up soon!

 

[Myk]

Similar to my experience at the ER last year at a hospital that bans ecigs.
Except my most excited medical personnel was a triage nurse.

 

[Smokachino]

Great testimonial! Thanks for sharing, and I hope your girlfriend feels better soon

 

[metrabolic]

Great to hear, I am reluctant to say I vape, for fear that my doctor would feed me a line of bull .....

 

[nicetucu]

Lol I told my doctor about it during an exam and he was very curious. I pulled out my twist with a tank on it and showed him. He also was very positive and encouraging.

 

[ElConquistador]

I participated in an American Heart Association fund raising event (sporting clays shooting) a few months ago. A heart doctor gave a short address prior to the start. He gave all the usual stuff you would expect from a heart doctor, lose weight, exercise, don't smoke, etc. Then...he said if you smoke, switch to e-cigarettes.

 

[Myk]

Great to hear, I am reluctant to say I vape, for fear that my doctor would feed me a line of bull .....

If he gives you complete bull do you really want a doctor who'd rather believe propaganda than science holding your life? (I realize some insurance leaves no real options.)

Some do actually keep up on things having to do with their patients. My GP went from as skeptical as I was about nicotine and Ulcerative Colitis to telling me it wouldn't hurt to add it back in once I was diagnosed.
He went from oblivious about ecigs - pretty much, "it's better than smoking but not ideal" to telling my roommate, "That's great. It's not the nicotine that is the problem, it's the smoke." a few months later.

I'd tell him, if he feeds you some line about the vast dangers of nicotine for everyone, at least you know what you're dealing with on other issues (a quack). If he says for your health nicotine isn't good, you should listen if you have those issues.
Maybe work it in by asking how your lungs sound. It would be pretty hard to give you a heavy lecture after he gets done telling you that your lungs sound clear.

 

[soba1]

Nice thanks for sharing, I too like hearing these types of stories.
Best to your g/f

 

[Rat2chat2]

I love, love, love stories like this. Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear about the stones though. Bless her heart. Good luck and speedy recovery.

 

[Hotwire]

My psychiatrist (lol) was happy to see me switch over to e-cigs. This is a guy who is chair of psychiatry at one of the most prestigious international private clinics in Shanghai with 25 years experience as a hospital psychiatrist in Boston.

 

[Dvx67]

My doc has always been very anti-everything. He always tells me not to drink anything, used to give me a hard time about smoking.... I went for my annual physical a few weeks ago. He asked me about smoking and I told him I quit several months ago and was using an e-cig. He said... Great!! So you're getting the nic without all the tar. He was very positive about it. I was surprised.

 

[Ken_A]

Just another example of how Doctors and the AMA disagree... the American Medical Association is against PVs and doctors are for them.

great story!!

 

[RosaJ]

There are doctors who vape and they're in the forum also. Great story OP! I'm glad your girlfriend is all right and that the surgery is a complete success.

 

[lynch]

My Drs are split on it, one said thats great and the other said it would be better if I didnt use either one. So I told him it would be better if he lowered his bills but we both know thats not going to happen, he just chuckled.

 

[Vale46]

great thread. As most of us already know this to be true. Fell of the wagon a couple of weeks ago and bought a pouch of tobacco to smoke some flowers with, and started coughing and phlegm appeared, and worse still, went back on my asthma inhalers. Kicked that into touch and have been only been vaping for last couple of weeks. Cough gone, no phlegm and no more asthma inhalers. It's true this vaping is great.