illness/surgery as vaper rather than smoker

[AndriaD]

Glad to hear you are on the mend!

A couple words of warning from someone who watched a friend go through some seriously nasty aftereffects...

Be careful with that hydrocodone or you may end up with an additional dependency!

Not to worry, I'm an old hand at recovery -- 22 yrs sobriety. And I can't say I really enjoy that heavy-eyed feeling anymore, though used to, I would just about kill to be totally blotto yet still walking around. I've gotten used to, and fond of, being in control of my own body -- which is just another reason illness/pain like this is so aggravating -- this is MY body damn it, it ought to do what I tell it -- and I sure didn't authorize THIS!

But, I'm not so "stick-in-the-mud" as to refuse medicine like this when I really need it -- just getting out of bed is agonizing, but sometimes I do need to visit the facilities. I'll take this medicine as long as I really need it, and be very glad I have it, and also be very glad when the need for it is over.


Andria

 

[AndriaD]

Glad you are OK, Andria. I had what was left of a ruptured appendix removed when I was 5 years old because the doctor misdiagnosed my condition when I went in for acute appendicitis.

Even if you quit smoking and switched to nicotine vaping it's a good idea to let doctors know that you use nicotine if things get serious. Just how serious things have to be before disclosing this is a judgement call.

I let the orthopedic surgeon know I was vaping nicotine before surgery for a broken leg last fall. I had a metal rod and screws installed in my right tibia. Nicotine will slow down healing of bone injuries. I vaped zero nicotine for a month after surgery.

It might be wise to let your doctor know that you are vaping if you have vascular problems. Nicotine IS a vaso-constrictor. However, you should also let him know if you drink coffee. It's that sort of level of wariness that you need.

Yes, when I go Monday for my follow-up visit to the surgeon, I probably will let her know that I'm a vaper; I just didn't feel like getting into it with the whole hospital staff -- lots of ANTZ in hopitals, and I was really not up to THAT kind of argument at the time; just wanted to let them know that yes, I was a former smoker, and not so long ago, which seemed to be the info they most needed, for my care. I don't really anticipate any problems from the nicotine in my recovery, but what I learned about how much easier it is to avoid vaping, than avoid smoking, is great info to have, and lets me know that even if I ever do need to lay off, for whatever reason, it most likely won't be a problem, and certainly not a "panic" situation like being to lay off smoking always was.

Andria

 

[DaveP]

AndriaD, I went through the same thing about 6 years ago. I worked for a couple of days with what felt like a gas pain that wouldn't go away. Finally when I experienced dry heaves at work I knew something else was wrong. When I got home from work my wife took me to the doc in a box. They diagnosed Appendicitis and sent me to the ER downtown. After morphine and a cat scan, they took me up to surgery and did the Laparoscopic removal procedure. I spent a night in an outpatient room and went home the next morning. What a way to spend a weekend!

 

[Myk]

Wow, outpatient abdominal surgery? That's amazing. Glad you're OK, even if in pain.

That's how my ER is set up, private rooms. Much better than the ERs I remember as a kid.

I fear I'll get appendicitis and ignore it as my usual ileum pain. The only reason I went in with the high fever was because I just happen to have a doctor appointment 3 days after it started and he told me to go to the ER.

About 7 hours in the ER and the only thing I craved was flavor. If I had a Tic-Tac or some gum I would've been fine (my usual vape is doublemint and 3ml of 18mg a day).
After they gave me antibiotics my lungs started feeling the pneumonia and I couldn't inhale vapor for about 3 days. I didn't jones for nicotine but it did worry me because I know I need nicotine to keep from flaring (which I am doing now probably a little from antibiotics and a little from lack of nicotine) so I tried to get enough by mouth inhaling. Thought of mixing up some stronger but didn't think it would be wise to be mixing while producing pneumonia germs.

I told the ER doctor I vape and quitting smoking is what got me diagnosed with IBD. She said "Uh-oh" about the vaping, I think sarcastically. Nobody tried to blame pneumonia on vaping.

 

[AndriaD]

Wow, outpatient abdominal surgery? That's amazing. Glad you're OK, even if in pain.

That's how my ER is set up, private rooms. Much better than the ERs I remember as a kid.

I fear I'll get appendicitis and ignore it as my usual ileum pain. The only reason I went in with the high fever was because I just happen to have a doctor appointment 3 days after it started and he told me to go to the ER.

About 7 hours in the ER and the only thing I craved was flavor. If I had a Tic-Tac or some gum I would've been fine (my usual vape is doublemint and 3ml of 18mg a day).
After they gave me antibiotics my lungs started feeling the pneumonia and I couldn't inhale vapor for about 3 days. I didn't jones for nicotine but it did worry me because I know I need nicotine to keep from flaring (which I am doing now probably a little from antibiotics and a little from lack of nicotine) so I tried to get enough by mouth inhaling. Thought of mixing up some stronger but didn't think it would be wise to be mixing while producing pneumonia germs.

I told the ER doctor I vape and quitting smoking is what got me diagnosed with IBD. She said "Uh-oh" about the vaping, I think sarcastically. Nobody tried to blame pneumonia on vaping.

They did talk about maybe keeping me overnight, but I just kept reminding them that I had no insurance, and any in-patient stay would likely add $10,000 to the total cost. I know there's no way I'll be able to pay the whole thing, but they're pretty decent about taking your whole financial situation into account, knocking off most of the fee, and setting a reasonable payment plan. That's the only possible way I can handle it.

That "uh-oh" is why I didn't bother getting into the vaping subject with ignorant people, who presume to pass judgement on something they know absolutely NOTHING about. These are the same people, of course, who tell you stupid things like "don't smoke", as if there's some kind of switch in your brain you can use to turn off the addiction. Idiots, one and all. They also think that nicotine is the sole thing a smoker is addicted to, so why not use a patch instead? I repeat -- idiots. What I discovered for myself is that nicotine is really not all that addictive -- it's just the crap that the EVIL tobacco companies evilly put into the tobacco, in order to keep their customers more evilly addicted. And now the FDA is "concerned" about the "poisonous" nature of e-liquid? It's wonderful that CASAA's 3rd CTA is to request congressional investigation into the EVIL FDA's EVIL misrepresentation of the "dangers" of e-cigs, and I'd really like to know why there hasn't been an investigation of BT long before now, for putting that EVIL stuff into tobacco.

It's just plain EVIL, all the lies about e-cigs -- where is superman when you need him? I saw a funny on Twitter recently: a pic of Kiefer as Jack Bauer, with the caption: "Jack Bauer wouldn't put up with this [caca]" (ECF would censor the actual word, but you get the drift).

Andria

 

[Lurch]

Sorry you had to go through that and hope you are feeling much better!

I had to serve a two day sentence in the hospital last month and completely understand how you feel about being able to do it smoke-free!

BTW: If you still feel the need to cough and it hurts, clutch a pillow tightly against your chest and cough. It really helps. They gave me a pillow for that purpose when I had heart surgery several years ago.

 

[Myk]

They did talk about maybe keeping me overnight, but I just kept reminding them that I had no insurance, and any in-patient stay would likely add $10,000 to the total cost. I know there's no way I'll be able to pay the whole thing, but they're pretty decent about taking your whole financial situation into account, knocking off most of the fee, and setting a reasonable payment plan. That's the only possible way I can handle it.

That "uh-oh" is why I didn't bother getting into the vaping subject with ignorant people, who presume to pass judgement on something they know absolutely NOTHING about. These are the same people, of course, who tell you stupid things like "don't smoke", as if there's some kind of switch in your brain you can use to turn off the addiction. Idiots, one and all. They also think that nicotine is the sole thing a smoker is addicted to, so why not use a patch instead? I repeat -- idiots. What I discovered for myself is that nicotine is really not all that addictive -- it's just the crap that the EVIL tobacco companies evilly put into the tobacco, in order to keep their customers more evilly addicted. And now the FDA is "concerned" about the "poisonous" nature of e-liquid? It's wonderful that CASAA's 3rd CTA is to request congressional investigation into the EVIL FDA's EVIL misrepresentation of the "dangers" of e-cigs, and I'd really like to know why there hasn't been an investigation of BT long before now, for putting that EVIL stuff into tobacco.

It's just plain EVIL, all the lies about e-cigs -- where is superman when you need him? I saw a funny on Twitter recently: a pic of Kiefer as Jack Bauer, with the caption: "Jack Bauer wouldn't put up with this [caca]" (ECF would censor the actual word, but you get the drift).

Andria

Luckily I had good insurance when I was first diagnosed and became someone who has to go to doctors and take meds for the rest of my life. Insurance for me is a necessity.
Just the ER charges were close to $10,000, I paid $125. I'm sure it went well over after you throw in the tests and other items that are no co-pay.

My year to date medical
Total billed charges $16,608.40
You pay $275.00

That's just doctors and hospitals, for meds
Total billed charges $5,131.49
You pay 363.76

It's crazy how much they charge.
2012 was worse. 2013 wasn't bad. 2014 could end up worse than 2012 considering it's only half over.

If I have to be admitted I think I figured up it would take less than a week for me to hit my max out of pocket and have no more co-pays for the year (hospital stays have bigger co-pays than everything else so they add up quick).

I haven't really had a problem with ecigs at the hospital. I've had some who were happy, some who were indifferent, some who were curious. I'm pretty sure the "Uh-oh" was a joke.
At my GP he went from clueless to recommending them. He did mention the FDA cracking down which put me into a rant about their junk science ways of doing things and how I'm an ecig activist trying to fight them.
My Gastro CNS is the one who complains and she's just an anti-nicotine zealot who buys into everything Mayo says in spite of knowing nicotine helps me and having seen the tests proving it.

 

[AndriaD]

I haven't really had a problem with ecigs at the hospital. I've had some who were happy, some who were indifferent, some who were curious. I'm pretty sure the "Uh-oh" was a joke.
At my GP he went from clueless to recommending them. He did mention the FDA cracking down which put me into a rant about their junk science ways of doing things and how I'm an ecig activist trying to fight them.
My Gastro CNS is the one who complains and she's just an anti-nicotine zealot who buys into everything Mayo says in spite of knowing nicotine helps me and having seen the tests proving it.

My own doctor, the guy I see yearly for my asthma, is very much in favor of ANYTHING! which gets people to stop smoking. I saw him in January, and told him I was about to give e-cigs a serious try; he said it had worked miracles for some of his patients who had completely given up on quitting -- as I had done -- and before leaving the room, he turned around again and wished me luck with e-cigs, said he hoped they worked as well for me as for some of his other patients. He's an internist, and his practice mostly geriatric; I may be the youngest patient he sees, and I do see a LOT of "blue-haired ladies" out on the sidewalk huffing down cigarettes, before going back inside to huff on their oxygen -- so he knows very well how damaging cigarettes are, and how ANYTHING is a much better alternative. So despite the total lunatic ANTZ, there *are* a few health professionals who totally get that cigarettes are worse than ANY alternative.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

I ran into some post-op complications last week that I hadn't anticipated; a LOT of nausea, and let's not even get into what that led to, and it meant that Wed, Thurs & most of Fri, I did not vape at all -- which means that when I attempted it Satruday, it tasted WEIRD to me, and not pleasant at all -- no longer my "perfect substitute" for smoking. But, that doesn't mean that cigarette cravings have gone completely away, as I had thought -- they were only gone as long as I was vaping regularly. Now I find I'm beset with them almost constantly, to the point that I'm even considering purchasing a pk of smokes and re-transitioning to vaping. I have no interest whatever in returned to being a smoker, but I have a great deal of interest in maintaining my contentment with vaping.

Just wondering if anyone else had faced a similar situation, and have found other alternatives to basically going back to square-one to make the transition to the taste of vapor. I'm pretty sure I could do the transition again, that isn't really that big a worry at this point -- I love being a non-smoker! -- but if could avoid that, obviously I'd be better off.

Still a bit sickly but trying to hang in...
Andria

 

[Tom Fuller]

I ran into some post-op complications last week that I hadn't anticipated; a LOT of nausea, and let's not even get into what that led to, and it meant that Wed, Thurs & most of Fri, I did not vape at all -- which means that when I attempted it Satruday, it tasted WEIRD to me, and not pleasant at all -- no longer my "perfect substitute" for smoking. But, that doesn't mean that cigarette cravings have gone completely away, as I had thought -- they were only gone as long as I was vaping regularly. Now I find I'm beset with them almost constantly, to the point that I'm even considering purchasing a pk of smokes and re-transitioning to vaping. I have no interest whatever in returned to being a smoker, but I have a great deal of interest in maintaining my contentment with vaping.

Just wondering if anyone else had faced a similar situation, and have found other alternatives to basically going back to square-one to make the transition to the taste of vapor. I'm pretty sure I could do the transition again, that isn't really that big a worry at this point -- I love being a non-smoker! -- but if could avoid that, obviously I'd be better off.

Still a bit sickly but trying to hang in...
Andria

I would be willing to bet your wanting the cigarette for the habitual comfort it provides. You have been through a lot with the surgery and stuff. Maybe try something new in a flavor outside your comfort zone. Also remember you need to stay hydrated while healing. Your body may be telling you to layoff vaping till your healed up.

Best of luck. Stay strong.


Live Long and Vape!

 

[Myk]

I ran into some post-op complications last week that I hadn't anticipated; a LOT of nausea, and let's not even get into what that led to, and it meant that Wed, Thurs & most of Fri, I did not vape at all -- which means that when I attempted it Satruday, it tasted WEIRD to me, and not pleasant at all -- no longer my "perfect substitute" for smoking. But, that doesn't mean that cigarette cravings have gone completely away, as I had thought -- they were only gone as long as I was vaping regularly. Now I find I'm beset with them almost constantly, to the point that I'm even considering purchasing a pk of smokes and re-transitioning to vaping. I have no interest whatever in returned to being a smoker, but I have a great deal of interest in maintaining my contentment with vaping.

Just wondering if anyone else had faced a similar situation, and have found other alternatives to basically going back to square-one to make the transition to the taste of vapor. I'm pretty sure I could do the transition again, that isn't really that big a worry at this point -- I love being a non-smoker! -- but if could avoid that, obviously I'd be better off.

Still a bit sickly but trying to hang in...
Andria

I don't know if my experience applies because my issue is probably Ulcerative Colitis (is IBD) and whatever it is smoking helps it, nicotine only helps in conjunction with meds. The issue is in the same area but there hasn't been enough testing to know why smoking helps, perhaps it's the area.
My guess is the meds I'm on are anti-inflammatory, when they hit a spot they remove the protective inflammation and I get pain. So I'm on these meds for about a year doing pretty good and start a flare and getting pain. When I get back to gastro I get a different form of the med to reach an area that hasn't been reached before, but an area that has probably had inflammation since before I was diagnosed. Pain, and almost 2 years since I switched I was strongly craving a cigarette, and I mean strongly, like day 1 of a cold turkey quit when you go to a bar and end up giving in and making up for all the cigarettes you didn't smoke earlier in the day.

I just ignored it and vaped, kind of like when first switching. The craving eventually went away as I got better.

Since pneumonia and antibiotics my vaping tastes have been off.
My tastes were extremely off when I couldn't inhale. I'd try the mouth puff and blowing out the nose to get more area lined with nicotine and it was almost putrid.

 

[Lurch]

Hope you are hanging tough! You have been through too much to go back to smoking! I hope you find something that helps!

 

[AndriaD]

Yeah, the taste being so off is what's bothering me the most; for me that was really about 95% of the battle, finding an ejuice so similar to the taste of the cigs I smoked. With all the non-eating and other far less pleasant activities my mouth has been engaged in, NOTHING tastes good, with the slight exception of my White Cherry PowerAde -- my son once observed that when you're not dehydrated or just kinda borderline, all that stuff tastes awful, but when you are really dehydrated and really need it, it doesn't taste too bad at all, and I find that's at least somewhat true.

I took Tom Fuller's advice and grabbed some of the Pineapple/cool hit that I had previously reserved for mornings, which is probably the best choice I could make; it's got about zero-TH, which is good after a full week without it, the cool hit makes it easier on my throat, and it's a slightly higher nic level than I normally use, I think maybe about 10mg-ish. It doesn't really taste that great, since really NOTHING does right now, but it does seem to have *slightly* eased my cigarette craving. At least, I just sent the other half off to the store for some apple and grape juice, to help me get back to some kind of normal hydration, and I didn't panic and pull the trigger on a pk of smokes. Maybe I'll be able to get thru this without needing to resort to anymore cancer sticks, to prove to myself yet again how awful they taste -- at this point, they have a lot of competition for awful-tasting!

Thx
Andria

 

[DavidOck]

That's not good news, Andria. Hopefully you're over the worst of it now?

Yes, totally different flavors might help. Or maybe just a higher nic and a shorter vape time to get over the hump?

And even if you do get some cigs, it's not the end of the world. Just keep thinking of all the ones you haven't smoked, power through and get back on the "wagon."

 

[AndriaD]

I don't know if my experience applies because my issue is probably Ulcerative Colitis (is IBD)
.
.
Since pneumonia and antibiotics my vaping tastes have been off.
My tastes were extremely off when I couldn't inhale. I'd try the mouth puff and blowing out the nose to get more area lined with nicotine and it was almost putrid.

I have struggled with IBD or IBS or whatever they're calling it this year, for many years, though it's not the ulceritive type, for which of course I'm very grateful, but I think the reason for all this post-op nausea is that any little thing -- laxative, stool softener, prunes or plums with skins on -- that significantly affects my colon, just aggravates my colon so much it can't stand it, and it always responds with nausea. If they'd been listening adequately to my medical history, they'd have known to send me home with some powerful anti-nausea medication; on Thursday I finally called the doc and got her to call in a scrip for Phenergan, but that seemed to do little if anything -- something more powerful, like what they gave me in the emergency room, would have been far more appropriate.

I've always had to deal with the constipation-side of this ailment with double-fiber bread and lots of water, low-fat cheese (and not too much of it) and occasionally prune or plum *juice* -- without the high-cellulose content of their skins, I can handle those, especially in juice form.

For the other side, the stress-induced ........, I've never found any adequate measure, other than just to try and handle the stress as best I can. I think the appendectomy gave me a double-whammy on both sides of the problem. Being "all cleaned out" as I am, I'm sticking with whole-wheat bread, which has some fiber, but not a huge helping as my normal bread does. Also got some Activia yogurt, so I can try to get things back to normal in my guts.

Maybe after a few days of eating solid food again, my tastebuds will get back to business as usual too. I sincerely hope.

Andria

 

[wheelie]

sorry to hear but glad you are on the mend. Wife spent 5 days in critical care unit. Much easier visiting being a vapor. Vaped in her room and just exhaled down my shirt. Spent a lot more time with wife and no one even batted an eye coming in and out of her room constantly. LOL

 

[AndriaD]

That's not good news, Andria. Hopefully you're over the worst of it now?

God bless America, I hope so.

Yes, totally different flavors might help. Or maybe just a higher nic and a shorter vape time to get over the hump?

Yes, I took that suggestion earlier, and that's what I've been doing today; not trying to enjoy vaping, it seems quite out of the scale of possibility right now, but just taking a hit now and then of that 10mg pineapple/cool hit, and it does seem to be helping a little -- at least I'm not having dreams about peeling back that strip of cellophane, tap-tap-tapping that first one loose... I had 2 or 3 dreams just like that, over the last few days, and it was starting to really get to me.

And even if you do get some cigs, it's not the end of the world. Just keep thinking of all the ones you haven't smoked, power through and get back on the "wagon."

That's exactly my feeling, because I don't think it would take even a full pack for me to realize once again how much better vapor tastes than multi-chemical carcinogenic burning dead leaves. I really would hate to waste the $5.51, but if that's what it took to really get me re-committed to vaping, it would be well worth it.

But I'd still rather avoid it, if possible, which is why I came here -- to "my peeps". You guys are the only people on the planet who could hear a freshly-appendectomied recent quitter complain about cigarette cravings and really, truly, understand where I'm coming from, and I am so grateful.

It is such a powerful addiction, to still hold such power over anyone who's been quit for this long, has every possible reason not to go back to it (smoking really does hinder healing, I've heard, and I do still have asthma.. though that cast member has been strangely absent throughout the entire debacle), and even has a good substitute for the addiction... yet still feels that godawful call.

Thx guys
Andria

 

[e-pipeman]

"that godawful call" - the good news is that it lessens over time. Bump up your nic a bit if it calls too loudly!

 

[Myk]

I have struggled with IBD or IBS or whatever they're calling it this year, for many years, though it's not the ulceritive type, for which of course I'm very grateful, but I think the reason for all this post-op nausea is that any little thing -- laxative, stool softener, prunes or plums with skins on -- that significantly affects my colon, just aggravates my colon so much it can't stand it, and it always responds with nausea. If they'd been listening adequately to my medical history, they'd have known to send me home with some powerful anti-nausea medication; on Thursday I finally called the doc and got her to call in a scrip for Phenergan, but that seemed to do little if anything -- something more powerful, like what they gave me in the emergency room, would have been far more appropriate.

I've always had to deal with the constipation-side of this ailment with double-fiber bread and lots of water, low-fat cheese (and not too much of it) and occasionally prune or plum *juice* -- without the high-cellulose content of their skins, I can handle those, especially in juice form.

For the other side, the stress-induced ........, I've never found any adequate measure, other than just to try and handle the stress as best I can. I think the appendectomy gave me a double-whammy on both sides of the problem. Being "all cleaned out" as I am, I'm sticking with whole-wheat bread, which has some fiber, but not a huge helping as my normal bread does. Also got some Activia yogurt, so I can try to get things back to normal in my guts.

Maybe after a few days of eating solid food again, my tastebuds will get back to business as usual too. I sincerely hope.

Andria

They call them both, they're very different in the same area (and the names are often confused and mixed together).
Inflammatory Bowel Disease an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissue and causes ulcerations. Irritable Bowel Syndrome thought to be a miswiring issue between the gut and mind, no damage is done.
Both are often helped with smoking and nicotine.
That could explain it. If you have IBS, they messed with your guts and that's messing with your mind. Your mind knows what has helped in the past and it's craving the extra stuff that's in smoke.

I think they gave me Zofran in the ER. I don't know why, I wasn't complaining of nausea. I'd think it was because of having me drink the contrast except they've never given me anything for all the other crap they've made me drink. Since I wasn't nauseated I can't tell if it did anything. I did feel like barfing with some of the contrast but it could've just as easily been the Xanax I took before going that helped me lose that thought.

 

[Tom Fuller]

Stay strong girly. I would not admit this anywhere else but I still have the once a week urge to buy a fat well aged toro style cigar cured with cognac or brandy or bourbon. Instead I grab one of my hand crafted natural tobacco extracts and vape away. Thank you flavors apprentice. They have some killer booze Flavorings that blend well with natural tobacco extracts and I make it through the craving.


Live Long and Vape!