Frustrated

[Erised]

Well ladies I am frustrated! I ended up in the hospital today with my blood pressure shooting through the roof (no idea what is causing it as I don't have blood pressure problems), and my heart rate was depressed ... with meds they were able to bring my blood pressure back down into a more acceptable range, but here is the kicker -- vaping is making me feel worse ... even Omg and 6mg liquid (My usual is 24mg - 36mg, and I do the 0mg-6mg when I am doing mindless vaping at the computer). So, while I was at the pharmacy I broke down and got a pack of analogs. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I am almost to the 2 month mark of giving analogs ups, so even having to smoke a couple while I get this straightened up is driving me nuts -- not to mention that they taste like powdered ashtray now! Dammit.

Erised

 

[Kate51]

Erised, my gosh, what in the heck is going on there.....but, 36mg/ml juice???? Wow, that would have me laying on the floor. Wretching.
Then to go from 36 to 0 -6, what a shock your system must be having.
If you can smoke, and tolerate cigarettes, I don't know why you should be having to quit vaping, unless you also have an intolerance for PG???? Wouldn't it be ok for you to go to say, an unflavored VG with a milder density of nic? That's not a bad smoke, VG by itself isn't so bad. Like eating sugar, but not bad.
This is just an opinion, you know that, but I would sure not go back to cigarettes as a solution.
What if anything do the Doc's decide what brought this all on?? Another reason the medical field better "bone up" on vaping, this thing is getting more common all the time and maybe people will need some "expert" advice at some point. We don't have experts, only experienced!
I'm gonna go take my BP, now that I think about it. >>> back again, Mine's 125/80, little high for me..usually runs 118/72 or so, but had a Pepsi awhile ago, sugar does it for me. And I'm 62 years old, no meds! Do you know what your numbers are? Adding another thought: after about 2 months I also developed an intolerance to PG...no problems really until then, so switched to VG, all is well.

 

[BARENETTED]

Erised,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, but geez - I have to agree with Kate. You are vaping pretty high nic. You should try sticking with the low or zero nic. I don't think those analogs are going to help.

What did you smoke before vaping?

 

[Mary Kay]

Erised, make them check your thyroid..I am getting a PHD in Thyroid medicine (Endocrinology) between mom and hubby! And of course my diabetes.
Here are two posts I found in one minute of googling High Blood presur and low heart rate.
Since you are a former smoker, I highly doubt you have nicotine to thank for this. You probably don't feel well vaping because it takes more lung power to vape the to smoke. The flavors are not helping nor is the LACK of nic..most of our nic goes up in vapor not into our lungs..the rest of it gets absorbed in the mouth lining.
Talk to an Endo Dr. or your primary Dr. about tests now!
Good Luck, good thoughts coming your way! Mary

************************************************


This ability to regulate the width of the blood vessels is called the peripheral resistance. Most of the resistance to blood flow in the circulation occurs in the small-diameter arteries called arterioles.

These arterioles are especially important in the immediate regulation of blood pressure. That's because they contain specialized smooth muscle in their walls that can relax or contract, allowing the blood vessel to get wider or narrower.

These changes are caused by:

Nervous system stimulation (for example, stress, caffeine, or tobacco)

Hormones

Proteins

Substances derived from the inner lining, or endothelium of blood vessels

Substances released during the body's inflammatory response, called inflammatory chemicals

Certain medications

Various diseases



*********************************************

Low heart rate will not cause high blood pressure It could be related as a presentation of cerbrovascular disease, or thyroid disease. I would also look into the cause of your dizziness and whether it were low heart rate related.

 

[Kate51]

Mary Kay, thank goodness you were on duty!! I think you should qualify at least for a PHD by now...you could even put in a PayPal link for your expertise! You're right, too, about the low heart rate, nicotine would be raising it ?? along with raised BP ?? Or no ?? Last couple days I've been adding plain VG to my juice, down from 24mg/ml to approx 18mg/ml, doing ok so far.

 

[Mary Kay]

If we have any illnesses or disorders we need to take this nic thing down very carefully. I know all those patches, gums and lollypops have one thing in common..they step down slowly. They may not work for smoking, but they do work to remove the nic dependancy. Too bad we are addicted to more then Nic. If they could make something like that , that you could step down nic slowly in a cigarette..it would work!
WAIT! They did, it's called an Electronic Cigarette!

 

[Kate51]

You know, that's kind of intriguing, the nic level...with fewer ingredients in the vapor, would you ever guess that it would be easy to start dropping the nic density without so much as a glitch in doing so? Is it the nicotine, or is the nicotine in whatever substance it is a part of?? Are we now addicted to the Pg or VG that it's in? Or is the nicotine just the catalyst for addiction?
** I know you say that you use 0 nic a lot, it seems far-fetched to be able to do that without some up-tick in "the panic factor"!! This e-cig thing may just work

I just checked my BP again, 1 hour after Pepsi, it is now back to 116/72. That's a big difference in only an hour. That's a pretty good BP for an old person, eyh?
***Wonder where Erised went, hope ok..poor kid.

 

[SueandCootie]

Interesting this came up tonite..just got labs back today and I've shot up HYPERthyroid again..my levels have been impossible to medicate or regulate in the past..half of my remaining thyroid is pretty much just dead..the meds cause terrible reactions with me. Hyper can cause rapid heart beat/head rush type symptoms, so Erised should have it checked, there is a nic/thyriod connection.
Now that I know what's up, I'm gonna start cutting the nic back gently..

 

[Kate51]

Sue, that's awful news...that is one problem I've never experienced, I think I'm Hypo (I blame weight-gain on that, couldn't be from too many carbs!)
What sort of meds, and you've had your thyroid partially removed??

 

[SueandCootie]

Three different meds over the years have caused my levels to bounce around like mad..and I get a full on auto-immune type reaction with swollen legs and bleeding kidneys. I'm still having surgery to fix the legs six years later! Had something called a thyroglossal duct cyst develop as well; not dangerous itself and since it was on top of my thyroid they didn't want to take it out and do more damage, but it got golf ball sized and was blocking my breathing, so I lost some thyroid when that came out. I usually just ride with the changing thyroid levels now..afraid of the side effects. Lost the thyroid weight-50 lbs- by body building. I'm back to my high school waist size with abs! Actually, Kate, the only weight loss with thyroid disease advise which worked with me was to cut out all grains..so there go your carbs!

 

[Mary Kay]

Are you addicted to toothpaste? Ice cream? Oh wait, bad example..I love ice cream! Those things have P.G. in them. I don't think we can be addicted to flavors, P.G., V.G. or Glycerine. It's just the Nic and the hand to mouth thing.
I am not so addicted to nic that I can't quit everything. But I am addicted to the hand to mouth. That's what I need!
I once quit using toosie pops! Not an option any more as they don't make sugar free. I used toothpicks, flavored tooth picks and straws..oh yeah flavored tooth picks in straws! same result..chewed up toothpicks and chewed up straws! Can we say splinters? yuck!
This works for me cause I can smoke. I like it a lot..but I am always on the look out for anything that doesn't require smoking/vaping but gives me the hand to mouth thing..thus my faux e-cig. I don't get paniced about Nic..when I am on the computer I mostly vape no nic..or low nic, because I am a serial vaper!
Sue, sorry to hear about your Thyroid meds, Mike has the same problem. His was radiated into nothing. But the meds are really tricky to keep balanced and on target. I can always tell when it's gone wrong, he gets very cranky...er. He gets tired and has trouble sleeping.
Feel better soon! You work out, doesn't that throw off your synthriod too?

 

[hsmamato2]

Hey Ladies,

Erised, I sure hope you are doing better. That's pretty scary!

SueandCootie, What is the nic/thyroid connection to your understanding? I have had my thyroid checked so many times. My levels always come back in the normal range. My weight shot up a few years back for no apparent reason at the same times I started having other weird things going on. I did the whole food journal thing and with what I eat I should not be overweight. The docs just blew me off after that. I think they thought I must not be completely honest. You know, a woman blaming her weight on something other than too many cookies.

Oddly enough since I have started vaping the weight is coming off without me changing anything else. The other great side effect is a 20% reduction in my pain levels. That's what is stopping me from going back to cigs even though when my husband smokes near me I want to rip that thing out of his hand and smoke it myself, lol

 

[Jules22871]

I have had an elevated heart rate, resting it is 190, and a BP that has been out the roof for a couple of years now when I dont take meds. On April 10th, 2009 I started vaping and things really got wild. April 17th I went to the doc for my monthly check and even on meds my BP jumped to 230/110 and my heart rate was 130. I was on some really strong meds and this was still happening. They tried to admit me but because I didnt have insurance the hospital decided it was an "elective admission" and wouldn't admit me. I kept vaping and got off the analogs in another week and now my heart rate runs in the 70's and my BP is much better, no more chest pains and no more wheezing.

Do you think that maybe your problem came from the shock to your system from not getting all the nasty ingredients from analogs? That is what my doc seems to think happened to me. It was just a shock to my system. August 1st I will have insurance and he said he is going to work me up for everything so we'll see. I do hope you start feeling better!

 

[Kate51]

OMG I just get crazy cravings over sweets, pastas, and my diet is really a carb-fest with my husband working weird hours. Just the quick-something-to eat... even a salad works but have to have croutons, etc. I'm 145lbs and fighting weight constantly, that's too heavy for 5'2" person. And it's all around my middle. Whole thing started with a hysterectomy and hormone therapy. I was 165lbs just six months into that, I cancelled my "doctor", she was totally oblivious, a pill pusher. I told her I was dying from all the dimply fat on my bottom and legs, and she said it was just part of life, you know, when we get older...I was 49!!...I won't tell you what I was thinking of telling her. Two words! So saved myself $300 every three months so she could write another synthetic hormone prescription that cost another $100 a month. Stupid. That's when I went to Soy-based Andrew Lessman "women's wellness" (ProCaps Lab), been on it ever since, works great for me. For $200 a year seems like a bargain, and I lost all that cellulite stuff. But still fighting the weight ticking up all the time.
Sorry, You have a lot more troubles than I do, feels guilty for ranting about my piddly pot! Or my portly pot, what ever!

 

[Jules22871]

I totally understand Kate. I am pretty much sedentary and I have to really watch what I eat and drink. I am 5'3 and stay right around 150-155. I know it's still to much but I can't cut any more carbs or cals or I'd starve to death,lol Right now I can't even exercise the little bit that I was doing. It gets really frustrating.

 

[Kate51]

I'm thinking maybe a treadmill. Na. But should walk more. I had a repair job at the hospital today, the place is huge and had to turn a bill in on the third floor. I took the stairs! I couldn't have done that 4 months ago, I would have had to sit down on every floor landing and do my resistance breathing thing for 1/2 hour. One thing that has improved are my breathing problems, for sure big time. Makes me so happy, it's just unbelievable. It was probably a mile I walked up and down and around and then back to the car.
Jules, I think the less we eat our metabolism is really screwed up too. I really watch portion sizes, too, but little by little it gets over that next pound or two. I hear ya starving!

 

[Jules22871]

I have a recumbent exercise bike but until I get the plate that is on my tibia fixed (a few screws have backed out of it) I'm not allowed to even think about getting on it. I had just gotten started good on it when it happened. Oh well, I'll get there someday and I have faith that we will all be in better shape because of vaping.

 

[SueandCootie]

We're all terribly messy!! Nicotine is an upper, which is why people who quit cigs, even if they don't eat more, put on a few pounds. If you search thyroid and nicotine together you'll get info..and for me, weight loss was 10% diet and 90% movement. I've always eaten lightly and well, and I've always had physical jobs..I had to really amp up heavy movement, and need to keep it going.

 

[Erised]

Ladies, thank you so much for all your good thoughts, ideas and advice. Sorry for disappearing last night -- I went back to bed as I am still feeling pretty lousy.

On re-reading my post I think I didn't do a good job of explaining the whole 24-36mg to 0-6mg thing, so I will try to explain a bit better ...
I smoked for over 30 years, 2 to 3 packs a day. I started vaping on June 5th --started out on the 24mg & 36mg, never had any problems. I still vape the 24 & 36mg, but I noticed that when I am at the computer, or having any other down time that I vape almost non-stop (the same way I used to smoke a ton during those times). It wasn't like I needed that much nicotine, then or now, so I recently started vaping the 0mg and the 6mg during those times so that I could satisfy my want to vape without overdoing it on the nicotine ... the rest of the time I still vape 24, with an occasional drop of 36 thrown in.

When I got sick yesterday I noticed that vaping made me feel even worse, especially on the nausea front. From what I have since found out -- any nicotine product would have that effect with such a high blood pressure reading. Added to it though is the sweetness of the vape -- I only vape tobacco & coffee flavors, but even those have that sweet aftertaste ... which has been a bit of an issue with me as I can't stand really sweet stuff, it makes me feel like I am going to vomit ... and so combined with already feeling so nauseated, it was just doing me in. So, even though I tried vaping the 0mg and 6mg to help cut my nausea down from nicotine, I was getting even more nauseous from the sweetness as it seems the less nicotine the more sweetness.

The Dr. was not able to figure out what has caused this sudden blood pressure spike -- they did EKG's, a CAT Scan, urinalysis, and full blood work up. I haven't been under any major stress, and the only other factor was that I have been battling a kidney infection. For the time being the Dr. has prescribed blood pressure meds, which I will take until I can get in to see a family Dr.
I will ask about thyroid testing when I see a family Dr. too. Mary Kay, do you know if a regular thyroid test is sufficient, or if a thyroid panel needs to be done?

Erised

 

[BARENETTED]

Dear Doctor Mary K,

You posted:
'You work out, doesn't that throw off your synthriod too?'

Can you please explain?


BTW - the other day - I was excersizing my upper arms by digging out some Edy's Mocha Almond Fudge. That was a hell of a workout!
Anyway, while digging, I was reading the side of the carton. There it was - PG - right in my dam ice cream! I had better fill my freezer with it before the FDA takes EDY's off the market. hmmm- sounds like a good vaping flavor!!!