How to inform your doctor?

[asharp22]

So I was reading another person’s chatter on here about their doctor visit and I thought I would share my experience from last Friday. I was at the doctor’s office, getting a RX refill, and the nurse came in to check me out. Everything was fine, but I wanted to let her know I quit smoking completely. She said, "That's great, I wish I could..." Which lead to my excited speech about how she could too, if she used the ecig. One thing lead to another and I was letting her try some flavors, and play with my Joye 510. So she goes out of the room after we finish talking and I can hear her talking to someone about it. She is explaining how exciting vaping is, and what an amazing thing, she wished she would have heard of it before. Well, low and behold, it's the doctor she was talking to. When the doctor comes in, she asks me questions about it as well. I explained what was in it, how it 'smoked' and how I was amazed that I hadn't picked up a cigarette in a month.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!! As well as I thought this was going, she said she wouldn't write on my chart that I quit smoking because there was still nicotine in my PV. Um..... didn't I just explain to you that it's not tobacco, and the risks are COMPLETELY different than smoking???????? She'd never heard of them, is willing to look at information if I bring it by, but she say's I’m still smoking. Well that just burns my biscuits!!!! Here I was so proud of myself for staying away for something that ran my life for over 9 years, and she couldn't even write down that I was off the tobacco?

So other than being annoyed, where can I get some info for my doctor? She won't go to the forum, I've tried. Like a brochure to give her or something.....??

 

[jimk55]

In the strictest terms you may not be smoking but you are still consuming nicotine. It's still better for you thn smoking but if you try to change your health insurance you will find that the test they perform is for the presence of nicotine. I'm not surprised that your doctor acted like he did. They are programmed to only recognize abstinence, from all nicotine products, as the true measure of a non-smoker. They usually consider anyone using the patch, nicotine gum, or any other product directed towards cessation as in the process of quitting but still consuming. Take heart that all of us here who do not consume combustible nicotine consider ourselves as non-smokers, even if we don't benefit, other than our health, from tobacco abstinence.

 

[jsmz]

Many doctors are ignorant. you should have asked your doctor if you chewed tobacco if she would put you down as a smoker because it contains nicotine. Its pretty simple, if you dont light a cigarette.. you cant smoke it. lol

 

[Stevew443]

So, are vegetarians considered smokers since many veggies contain nicotine?
FORCES Tavern View topic - The Nicotine Content of Common Vegetables

 

[jimk55]

If it showed up in their blood test, YES !! As far as the insurance companies are concerned.

 

[v1John]

My doctor actually smiled and was glad to hear I quit smoking. While explaing to the doctor, I almost called it smoking, but I corrected myself explaining that 'I was about to say smoking, but I'm no longer smoking.'

I like my docotr, I guess people need to choose their doctor (and insurance company--which I have none)

 

[Shortstuff116]

The time will come in the not-so-distant future that there will be considerable debate and concerns as to whether insurance companies are going to define exactly what smoking is. We know that it is the burning of tobacco and that we are far from that. In my eyes and opinion, we who only vape have quit smoking - period, and there is no comparison between smoking and vaping other than the nicotine we absorb into our system.

Bottom line is however that Money & Politics are going to dictate the results.

 

[jimk55]

Unless there is a huge swing politically, either in Canada and the US, for support of electronic cigarettes as a non-smoking activity the insurance companies will dictate how they address the health risk of vapeing. Like I said earlier, they scan for the presence of nicotine which is delivered in both methods. If there somehow becomes a study that separates the risk of nicotine in your body away from all the tars and crap of cigarettes then we may see a change in policies. There are not enough of us that vape only to push this without political clout on our side. I don't think it's fair but without proof, that vapeing is closer to non-smokers than to smokers, you can hardly expect any type of change in the near future. I for one know that my health has improved in the last 5 months of vape only and bristle at having to pay the increased premiums for health and life insurance.

 

[asharp22]

In my eyes and opinion, we who only vape have quit smoking - period, and there is no comparison between smoking and vaping other than the nicotine we absorb into our system.

Thank you! I don't smoke. Am I still using nicotine? yes. But I think they should write that down, as they would if you were using the gum or the patch to quit. They don't tell someone who hasn't touched a cigarette in 60 days, but uses the patch that they are still smokers do they?

I feel as if I have uit smoking. I tell everyone that I have gone over a month without the 'nasty habit', so I feel as if it counts.

I think it just goes to show just how little people know about vaping. Even doctors.

 

[Nyxie]

I was recently looking for insurance quotes. I don't know why I would think I could afford them now, I couldnt last yr LOL.
I noticed one of them said, although I can not remember which one. On the questionnaire "nicotine use in the past 12 months" with the check box for yes or no. It use to say "used tobacco in the last 12 months".
I guess they realize people are now getting nicotine from patches , gum, lozenges and pv's. They can no longer just say tobacco and have it all covered.

I personally don't say I have quit smoking to anyone. I just say I havent had a cig in 27 days or whatever it is now. The minute I do say I quit I will sure as heck run out and smoke a whole pack.

 

[ricky59]

As a physician myself, I can tell you that most Electronic Health Records (EHR) which are going to be the norm as mandated by government, simply ask for tobacco products usage. We ARE still technically using a tobacco product, since to my knowledge, the nicotine we get in our ejuice is tobacco derived.

Your only way around this is to either lie and stick with 0 nicotine juice for 72 hours prior to any testing, or just be honest and accept that the insurance companies can charge you higher premiums because you are a tobacco user.

Sucks, but it is the current way of things.

 

[chrisl317]

So I was reading another person’s chatter on here about their doctor visit and I thought I would share my experience from last Friday. I was at the doctor’s office, getting a RX refill, and the nurse came in to check me out. Everything was fine, but I wanted to let her know I quit smoking completely. She said, "That's great, I wish I could..." Which lead to my excited speech about how she could too, if she used the ecig. One thing lead to another and I was letting her try some flavors, and play with my Joye 510. So she goes out of the room after we finish talking and I can hear her talking to someone about it. She is explaining how exciting vaping is, and what an amazing thing, she wished she would have heard of it before. Well, low and behold, it's the doctor she was talking to. When the doctor comes in, she asks me questions about it as well. I explained what was in it, how it 'smoked' and how I was amazed that I hadn't picked up a cigarette in a month.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!! As well as I thought this was going, she said she wouldn't write on my chart that I quit smoking because there was still nicotine in my PV. Um..... didn't I just explain to you that it's not tobacco, and the risks are COMPLETELY different than smoking???????? She'd never heard of them, is willing to look at information if I bring it by, but she say's I’m still smoking. Well that just burns my biscuits!!!! Here I was so proud of myself for staying away for something that ran my life for over 9 years, and she couldn't even write down that I was off the tobacco?

So other than being annoyed, where can I get some info for my doctor? She won't go to the forum, I've tried. Like a brochure to give her or something.....??

Find a new doc. She's supposed to be up on all the latest and greatest medical procedures, treatments and health aids, and yet she won't find out for self-benefit.

 

[JustMeAgain]

Find a new doc. She's supposed to be up on all the latest and greatest medical procedures, treatments and health aids, and yet she won't find out for self-benefit.

Not to mention that she should at least be encouraging any effort to not smoke, even though she may not be well informed personally on this particular subject.

And it is too much to ask a doctor to learn about something on their own? To say they won't go to a website seems a bit closed minded. It's her JOB to continue to educate herself.

Sounds like if it doesn't come to her via a pharmaceutical rep's rolling suitcase, it's not worth pursuing.

I agree with chrisl....you need a new doctor.

 

[vip0802]

so if your doctor had suggested using the patch or gum to quit, i wonder if she would've considered that you were "still smoking".

technically speaking, you're not smoking since you're not burning anything.

 

[bestthingever]

OT: I want a kinkachoo !

 

[Wafflestomper]

I can see why she wanted to chart "something". If they were to ever need a baseline history, you are still inhaling "something"... I know thats weak.. What she really should have done was make a note that your are using e-cigs instead.

Smoking is a no-no after surgery, for example, its known to decrease peripheral circulations and perfusion in healing tissue... whether or not that's attributed to Nicotene or the other eightysix million chemicals in analogs is debatable.

I see why she did it, but she should really be more thourough, and it would help set a precedent in separating vaping from smoking as well.

Like Dr. Rick said, I know some insurances that test use nicotine as the proof...at least they did at one time... is it still a saliva test?

 

[CaptJay]

My doctor was pretty nonplussed about it - no real reaction other than congratulating me on stopping smoking. She didn't say 'stop doing that' or 'thats a bad idea' or anything negative - she didn't whoop for joy either lol But her non judgemental reaction I took for acceptance; we've also noticed a change in my thyroid condition after I stopped smoking (and my pills have been reduced to one or zero, depending on symptoms). I just came out and told her when she asked the standard 'has anything changed since last I saw you'.

 

[juicefreak]

i saw my doctor about a month ago (he knows i use an ecig) and the first thing out of his mouth, "are you still not smoking?" nope! he replied excitedly "it's been almost a year!!".

he's a young doctor and totally hip to ecigs. i show it to everyone. Had a carotid test recently and vaped it in the ultrasound room to show the tech. Some in the medical profession will say, "but you're still smoking". i just correct them and tell them it's a vaporized nicotine product, not smoking. I don't sweat it when they don't understand. I just keep showing them how it works and tell them i haven't had a cig in almost a year after a 2pk a day habit for 40+ years.

the chick that did my ultrasound was amazed that i had smoked that much for that long and laid them down with the e-cig. oh yeah and not a spec of plaque in my arteries she couldn't believe that, considering my blood cholesterol is high.

 

[Grenage]

I can see where people like that are coming from. Instead of inhaling known bad smoke from cigarettes, we're inhaling unknown vapour. When I say unknown, I mean that there are no long term effects charted for this stuff, it's too new; I'm also incredibly dubious as to some of the stuff they put in the liquid. Sure, it's safe to eat, but to lay in your lungs? I'd bet my home that it's a lot, lot safer than smoking - bit it's a hunch.

A colleague has frequently referred to e-cigs as 'just water vapour and nicotine' and 'totally safe', and it pisses me off no end.

I still consider myself a smoker; if I was a doctor, I'd view vapers as smokers until such time as real studies are done.

 

[CaptJay]

I know you may think its semantics but how can you be a smoker when you dont have anything that smokes? Would you say people that use zero nic liquids are smokers?
I'm not having a go btw - Im just sayin'

I consider myself a nicotine user fyi - so Im not fooling myself on that front