Getting Doctors Involved

[Soulchef]

I have been lurking on the forums for the last couple of weeks and just got my first PV's in the past Monday. I've had 2 analogs over the week compared to 100 I would have smoked in the last 5 days. What a relief to know I have a found a substitute to the cancer sticks I have puffing on for the last 20+ years.

I looked through the Campaigning section and have not seen what I am about to propose. If it already has been, my apologies.

For my personal information, I'm going to see my Doctor next week and get him to x-ray my lungs so I can see the damage done to myself. But I was thinking if I go back in 6 months and get another shot done to see the difference, that it might be a viable tool to swing favor in our direction for PV's.

I keep reading how there is little to back up the claims except for our own personal experience. But if people new to vaping got before and after shots of their lungs and it showed them clearing out and becoming healthier than I believe it would certainly be a positive step in the right direction. It would also be backed up by multiple trustworthy sources. The doctors don't even have to come to a conclusion as a group.

Imagine hundreds of us with before and after shots showing the positive influence of vaping on our health and lungs, coming from hundreds of different doctors across the country. This info could then be presented as a whole, along with any petitions and other means to get the FDA to drop the ban.

Thats just my thoughts and would love to hear any others on this please.

Thanks to you all for the info on the forums. It has been a huge blessing.

Soulchef

 

[surbitonPete]

Hi Soulchef ..we do get a 'few' reports of people who regularly visit their Doctor having verifiable improvements in their physical health. I would certainly like to see more. It's nice getting any real confirmation of what we 'believe'.

 

[Bones]

I have been lurking on the forums for the last couple of weeks and just got my first PV's in the past Monday. I've had 2 analogs over the week compared to 100 I would have smoked in the last 5 days. What a relief to know I have a found a substitute to the cancer sticks I have puffing on for the last 20+ years.

I looked through the Campaigning section and have not seen what I am about to propose. If it already has been, my apologies.

For my personal information, I'm going to see my Doctor next week and get him to x-ray my lungs so I can see the damage done to myself. But I was thinking if I go back in 6 months and get another shot done to see the difference, that it might be a viable tool to swing favor in our direction for PV's.

Soulchef

Hey -
I think this has been discussed if my memory is right -
You can find many doctors saying that PV's are without a doubt a much better way to go than Tobacco - I have yet to see any doctor say otherwise. While still waitng for solid data it is almost certain that there are no cancer causing agents and that alone makes e-smoking a heathier option - Any negatives that have been found seem to be related to the PG formulas and do not seem to be present in the Vegetable Glycerine formulas - Even at the that the PG negatives are mild and do not apear to be of real health concern from what I see - Still, until I see hard evidence of PG's saftey I will stick to the VG formula - Even though I have worked in the entertainment industry for years and have already inhaled gallons of PG via fog machines -

I am 43 yrs old and had been smoking tobacco from age 14 (29 years)
I was at nearly two packs a day and about 9 months ago I decided to have a chest x-ray just to see what was up in there. I was very pleased and amazed to find that my lungs were crystal clear - No signs of damage at all!

I told my wife that if this was the case I would stop smoking - If not - What the hell - Damage done - Why quit - LOL -

While my doctor was very pleased and a little surprised himself with the results - He also cautioned that often the evidence of damage does not show up until later in life (60's or so) and that just because I am clean now does not mean I am totaly free from concerns - Try as I might to keep my promise to my wife I was not able to stop until I discovered e-cigs 2 weeks ago -

I would suspect that any "corrective" effects of e-smoking would not show up in such a short time frame - Although I KNOW that I FEEL BETTER - I smell better - and my happy wife says I taste better

Bones

 

[Soulchef]

Hi Soulchef ..we do get a 'few' reports of people who regularly visit their Doctor having verifiable improvements in their physical health. I would certainly like to see more. It's nice getting any real confirmation of what we 'believe'.

I guess if there was a single place to view this kind of information about the benifits to the analog smoker of these devices it would really help.

 

[TropicalBob]

The reality is that most doctors cannot ethically recommend an unregulated, unapproved product imported from China. They have no assurance that it is safe and efficient. They will only recommend the NRT products that have failed us -- but at least have undergone clinical trials and FDA approval.

E-smoking has promise, but lacks proof.

My own doctor is like many others quoted on this forum: He's just glad I'm off cigarettes. He doesn't care if I use snus, chew toothpicks, or blow funky vapor rings. Just do not inhale tobacco smoke and he's happy. I showed him my e-cig and his reaction could be summarized with a shrug. So? Keep off cigarettes, my man!

If these ever become certified devices, then and only then can we hope for recommendations to e-smoke from doctors. We're a long way from that day.

 

[taz3cat]

Tbob, if they ever get approval my family doctor and my heart doctor will be twisting arms and passing them out. My Family doctor is really supportive.

 

[webtaxman]

I think we have the same Doc, Tropical Bob

 

[Jules22871]

My family doc is really pleased with them. He has ordered some of the disposable ones from Deal Extreme to give them and had me bring him a bottle of juice and show him how to load carts.

After August 1 I will be seeing a pulmonologist. I already know I have what is called chronic atelectasis, which is partial collapsing of of lobes of the lungs. I have it in both lower lobes. Since starting ont he ecig my family doc is starting to hear air movement in them though so it should show improvement with whatever tests the pulmonologist does. I will be more than happy to post any and all reports I get or send them to whoever needs to see them to help get the ecig ball rolling even faster.

I will also be seeing a cardiologist and a neurologist in this time span too so we'll see what they have to say. I do know that since I've quit smoking and started vaping my BP has dropped from 230/110 with a heart rate of over 150 bpm, while on medication, down to very normal numbers now. No one can convince me that the ecig has not saved my life so I'll do whatever I can and make whatever medical records I have public to help however I am able to.

 

[taz3cat]

Jules, how does a person stand a 150bpm pules rate. When mine got to 117bpm it drove me crazy. I am so glad that yours has come down, bless you.

 

[Jules22871]

Jules, how does a person stand a 150bpm pules rate. When mine got to 117bpm it drove me crazy. I am so glad that yours has come down, bless you.

I swear this is true, before I was able to go to a doc to get it checked, I didnt have any insurance so couldn't afford a doctor, it would run a solid 190 bpm. It all started after one of my pelvic reconstruction surgeries in August 2007. Once I got to see a doctor about it, in Ocotober 2008, he was floored that I hadn't had a heart attack yet. He put me on some meds and warned me that I would feel run down as my heart rate slowed. He said I was so used to running wide open that being normal would make me feel like crap and boy was he right,lol Now it runs about 80 bmp which is still at the high range of noraml but I dont have chest pains anymore. I swear I slept for two weeks after it started coming down. I Just felt drained. But I am loving feeling normal again and I know my ecig is the reason. If I was still smoking we would still be trying to find a med that would work for me. So I will do whatever I can, let whoever needs to see my medical records see them, just to keep it out there to people like us that need it.

 

[taz3cat]

Jules, I believe it, I just hated to hear about anyone having that problem that bad. Mine stared after surgery also.

Your Doctor should be a real believer in the use of the e-cig and real supportive of your using it. If he/she isn't we need to kik some A**.

 

[Jules22871]

He really is. He has had me come in and show him how they work and how to fill carts and all,lol He is actually recommending them to other patients now that he has seen the difference in my numbers.

 

[Kate51]

He really is. He has had me come in and show him how they work and how to fill carts and all,lol He is actually recommending them to other patients now that he has seen the difference in my numbers.

BLESS YOU for the postings here. Please keep us advised. Your Doc is a gem. I'm a 3 pack a day smoker, the last few years, have smoked 44 years. I quit them the day I got my NPRO, never had another. See below!

 

[Jules22871]

BLESS YOU for the postings here. Please keep us advised. Your Doc is a gem. I'm a 3 pack a day smoker, the last few years, have smoked 44 years. I quit them the day I got my NPRO, never had another. See below!

You are doing great!!! I was at 2+ packs per day and I still have one analog a day when I first wake up. I just cant seem to get rid of that morning cig,lol I've smokes for 31 years and now I cant figure out why. They really taste nasty!

 

[Soulchef]

The reality is that most doctors cannot ethically recommend an unregulated, unapproved product imported from China. They have no assurance that it is safe and efficient. They will only recommend the NRT products that have failed us -- but at least have undergone clinical trials and FDA approval.

E-smoking has promise, but lacks proof.

I guess what I'm getting at Bob, is that we, as the supporters and users of PV's, start collecting our own proof and data based on before and after conditions of our own health. It will take some time for there to be any conclusive proof but what better way to help the cause than to show visual proof of benifits of switching from analogs to PV's?
Maybe after a enough data is collected, then doctors will be able to recommend PV's as a safer alternative for smokers or as a bonified way to quit smoking. Its not like we are not already doing 'human testing'

 

[Jules22871]

I guess what I'm getting at Bob, is that we, as the supporters and users of PV's, start collecting our own proof and data based on before and after conditions of our own health. It will take some time for there to be any conclusive proof but what better way to help the cause than to show visual proof of benifits of switching from analogs to PV's?
Maybe after a enough data is collected, then doctors will be able to recommend PV's as a safer alternative for smokers or as a bonified way to quit smoking. Its not like we are not already doing 'human testing'

I have been a guinea pig for so many procedures since my accident it's unreal. I really didnt think about being one now but you are so right. We are the guinea pigs of vaping.

 

[Spikey]

This has been discussed before.. I think a few of us need to sp0eak to our Drs and see what tests they would rec. If we all do the SAME tests at the SAME intervals THEN the data might be useful. I will see if I can get a list of tests and how often we need to do them.

 

[TropicalBob]

Yes, we've run around this bush many times before. We are guinea pigs, but no collection of our data is being made. Nor might it be useful, since controls cannot be assured with such a random population sample.

It is not our job to prove e-smoking safety. It is the manufacturers' job. Let them do their job if they want to continue profiting from their products.

 

[Soulchef]

Thanks Spikey. I couldn't get in to see my Dr. this week but will be seeing him sometime next week. I will ask him the same thing about what tests would be most useful and how often they should be recorded. My Doctor, as a smoker himself who had a heart attack the last time he tried to quit, he may be interested more so than some other doctors I've seen. I'm hoping so and that he may be inclined to use his resources to research any possible benifits.

And Bob, I agree with you that the manufacturer should be responsible, but if we leave it solely up to them, I think were screwed. Testing is usually done before products go on sale, and this isn't the case with the PV's. I have been adjusting to the decline in my nicotine intake over the past 2 weeks since I got my 510's but I have only smoked 4 analogs in that time. Normally would have smoked 200+. I don't want to go back to a pack a day+ habbit and am willing to try what I can to keep the PV's legal. If we could get a growing concious of Doctors across the country to see the benifits of PV's through their work with smokers then we may end up with a powerful voice on our side. I don't know how that would not be useful.

 

[Jules22871]

Spikey, I won't start seeing a pulmonologist or a cardiologist until after August 1st. I know I will be having the full battery of tests done though. EKG, pulmonary function test, stress test, the whole nine yards. With what I got going on I know these will have to be done on a regular basis. I have no problems getting copies of them and sending them to you or whoever is able to do the most good with them. Just let me know what you need and I'll do my best to get it done.

Soulchief, I completely agree with you. If we leave up to the companies nothing will get done and if it does it won't be in a timely manner. I can't go back to analogs. They will kill me quick, I know that for a fact and it won't be lung cancer that will get me either. I was just waiting on a heart attack or a stroke to hit just anytime until I started on the ecig. I have felt better in the last 6 weeks than I have the last 6 years and I want to stay that way.