How to inform your doctor?

[Grenage]

I still view it as smoking because I'm still filling my lungs with plumes of chemicals (be they bad or not), although I have suspect I view it as smoking so that I don't freak out about not having a cigarette.

Years ago, when I was trying to quit cold turkey, I managed a lot longer if I still considered myself a smoker who just hadn't had a smoke in a while. Funny how it works; once a smoker, always a smoker, as they say.

 

[chrisl317]

I still view it as smoking because I'm still filling my lungs with plumes of chemicals (be they bad or not), although I have suspect I view it as smoking so that I don't freak out about not having a cigarette.

Years ago, when I was trying to quit cold turkey, I managed a lot longer if I still considered myself a smoker who just hadn't had a smoke in a while. Funny how it works; once a smoker, always a smoker, as they say.

I disagree. The reason being how I felt when smoking and how I feel now. There's no comparison. This definately isn't smoking.

 

[Grenage]

I didn't say it was smoking, I said I view it as smoking.

I felt much better after switching from cigarettes to vaping, but I'd be an idiot to blindly think that it was risk-free.

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

Physicians can be given a copy of the report which was conducted by Dr. Murray Laugesen at Health New Zealand Ltd which tested filled cartridges from Ruyan. It gives detail about the safety of inhaled aerosol from e-cig vapor.

Brief information on the study:

Method. Health New Zealand Ltd contracted with seven leading government, university
and commercial laboratories in New Zealand and Canada to independently perform
various tests on the Ruyan cigarette’s nicotine refill cartridge.
Findings. Ruyan® e-cigarette is designed to be a safe alternative to smoking. The various
test results confirm this is the case. It is very safe relative to cigarettes, and also safe in
absolute terms on all measurements we have applied. Using micro-electronics it
vaporizes, separately for each puff, very small quantities of nicotine dissolved in
propylene glycol, two small well-known molecules with excellent safety profiles, – into a
fine aerosol. Each puff contains one third to one half the nicotine in a tobacco cigarette’s
puff. The cartridge liquid is tobacco-free and no combustion occurs.
Competency. The author has authored or co-authored over 30 research papers and
reports in national and international scientific medical journals since 1995, on smoking,
and latterly on testing of cigarettes and cigarette substitutes.
Dr. Murray Laugesen's Publications
Financial disclosure. This report is funded by Ruyan.
Disclaimer. Apart from research Health New Zealand derives no financial benefit from Ruyan

The full study report is here:
http://www.healthnz.co.nz/RuyanCartridgeReport30-Oct-08.pdf

If a physician doesn't get it after being handed this... they're an Anti and never will get on board. In that case, I'd get a new Doctor. I'd want my date that I stopped using cigarettes and started vaping in my medical history file, especially for insurance purchases. Eventually, the insurance industry will catch up.

At this time, Prudential is probably the leader in insuring users of smokeless products for Life Insurance since they cater to cigar and smokeless tobacco product users. Most who use nicotine but are non-smokers fall under the insurer's second- and third-level plans and are considered "nonsmokers"— people who have smoked cigars or use smokeless products but not cigarettes for at least the past 12 months.

Differentiating between these two groups will depend on the frequency of use, as well as a whole list of other factors (blood pressure, family medical history, personal medical history, occupation, residence, etc).

If you still smoke Cigarettes, you'd go directly into the two "smoker" categories and are subject to the same additional factors.

It is my understanding that they include e-cig users in the 2nd and 3rd categories. Ask your Prudential insurance agent.
http://www.oberlanderdorfman.com/cotinine.pdf

Worth checking out to save some money on insurance if you have been vaping a year.

 

[jj2]

Ask her if a person stopped smoking, but is using Nicorette, is he still a smoker?
I told mine and he fetched another doctor so I could show him.
My chart now says non smoker.
Just saw him too and he was surprised I hadn't used my inhaler once since my last visit 8months ago.

 

[Grenage]

Ruyan® e-cigarette is designed to be a safe alternative to smoking. The various test results confirm this is the case. It is very safe relative to cigarettes, and also safe in absolute terms on all measurements we have applied. Using micro-electronics it vaporizes, separately for each puff, very small quantities of nicotine dissolved in propylene glycol, two small well-known molecules with excellent safety profiles, – into a fine aerosol. Each puff contains one third to one half the nicotine in a tobacco cigarette’s
puff. The cartridge liquid is tobacco-free and no combustion occurs.

That's great for those smoking Ruyan e-cig liquid, but it doesn't seem to be the most in-depth of studies. For example:

Note: Flavors and fragrances have not been tested. See Appendix 1.

I have no idea what any of these companies are adding to the PG and Nic, nor the possible long-term effects.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy vaping, and will continue to do so.

 

[DaveP]

I've used my 510 in public and have had no one notice since they didn't smell tobacco. I usually try to hold it in a few seconds so that I don't blow out a plume of vapor.

As far as smoking categories vs E-cigs, I think that once (and if) we get some FDA testing that isn't skewed by big money tobacco and pharmaceutical companies interests, the acceptance level will rise. After all, we have seen the positive results of using e-cigs in our own lives in terms of increased lung function, lower blood pressure, and physical stamina during exercise. After only vaping for a little over a week, my lungs are clear, I don't cough as much, and I can walk stairs without huffing and puffing! That, in itself, is proof proper that something good is going on and your doctor should honor that as a healthier method of ingesting nicotine without the harmful lung damage that tobacco causes.

Time will tell if the big gun companies aren't able to squash E-cigs. Numbers of users will be critical in the acceptance of non-combustible sources of nic.

 

[crashinbrn]

i took my e-cigs and juice to my doctor. he not only approved them, he said he is recommending them.

 

[asharp22]

Se this is awesome! I think that's how it should be.

i took my e-cigs and juice to my doctor. he not only approved them, he said he is recommending them.

 

[RestrictedAccess]

So by her logic if you're smoking a clove cigarette, or a nicotine free cigarette, you're not really smoking, are you? That would be the logic of insurance companies as well.

My lungs could be completely blacked out from tar and combustible by-products, yet as long as there's no nicotine in my bloodstream, I'm not really a smoker. Some logic there. We pay these people way too much.

 

[DaveP]

There's a threshold for classifying a person as a smoker due to nicotine blood levels. I can't find the post I'm looking for but it was entitled something like "Are we getting it - nicotine?" One of the posters had a lab test and posted the results. She was a heavy vaper who also used snus. Her levels for continine were just at the low end of being classified as a smoker due to nicotine content. She remarked that she had been vaping heavily and also using snus right up to the lab test sample point.

If anyone finds that post, please post the link.

 

[StephLK]

My doctor didn't react like that at all. She was thrilled for me - she's been trying to get me to quit for awhile! I showed her how it worked and she proceeded to parade me around the entire office (4 or 5 doctors and their nurses, receptionsits, etc.. are all there) getting me to show everyone how I was 'smoking' and it wasn't hurting me.

I wrote the web address where I buy them for several of the nurses and for Dr. Benjamin (so she could give it to her other patients who were struggling to quit. She made me feel amazing about the switch!

She acknowledges that nicotine is not much more harmful than caffeine. Of course she doesn't love regular consumption of either nicotine or caffeine and she wants me to work my way down to no nicotine - I'm down to 9mg now. I've also cut down soda and coffee to no more than once every other week or so. But, she loves that I've found something to satisfy the emotional hand-to-mouth addiction in a non-harmful way.