Members with COPD

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AngelsBreath

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Mar 15, 2013
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Before I quit smoking I was diagnosed with COPD. I couldn't climb a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing and then hitting my inhaler when I got to the top. I couldn't do anything without getting winded. I have been quit for a month and a half and while my breathing is sooooooooooooooo much better now I was wondering, will it still improve or have I just destroyed myself for good?

I would appreciate anyone with COPD to chime in and give me some pointers.
 

Mac

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Jun 5, 2009
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All up in your grill..
Currently, COPD is not curable. The symptoms however can be eased. (As you have already experienced.) If you do not put any more smoke in your body, the symptoms may vanish all together and you will likely not progress to the later stages or other related illnesses like emphysema. I have seen people with severe COPD who were on oxygen make the switch and within a few months reverse the symptoms to the point of practical non existence. This has nothing to do with vaping and is all about not smoking.


Whenever you are diagnosed with any disease it is important to learn as much about it as possible. Although it is believed that COPD is primarily caused by the high number of free radicals in tobacco smoke there can be other less obvious risk factors that can contribute to or irritate the condition. Avoiding nail salons with poor ventilation would be a good idea. Limiting your exposure to fumes of any type in general really. That means no painting your living room without some sort of mask. That means you don't want to work at a toll booth where you will be inhaling copious amounts of fuel exhaust. Generally speaking you want to avoid putting yourself in environments where you are exposed to an overpowering smell of fumes. At 1.5 months it is probably reasonable to expect further improvement. But everyone is different. This is a serious medical condition and you should definitely continue to see a pulmonary physician even if your symptoms vanish completely.
 
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Staffman28

Moved On
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Jun 23, 2013
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Springdale, AR, USA
I have 50% lung tissue death due to COPD in both lungs. What I have learned is there is no cure, the lung tissue will not regenerate and will only get worse over time, but it slows down immensely when you quit smoking. You need to see your pulmonary physician once a year for a checkup. Mine was very happy I quit smoking and started vaping. Only time will tell if vaping continues to cause the tissue death or not but it can't be worse then what I was doing to myself with analogs. I do know I breath easier then I have in a long time and lost 30 pounds because I am more active then I was due to being able to breath. Oh and I don't need to use my CPAP anymore either. I am very happy about that. :D Be happy, Vape on!!!
 

Dave379

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Sep 11, 2013
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Independence, Mo.
I was recently diagnosed with moderate/severe copd after having a chest x-ray and taking a pulmonary function breathing test. I haven't actually seen a specialist yet to get all of the details but I do have an appointment. I started vaping a few weeks ago when I found out that I have copd. I'm 55 years old and I still do a fairly physical job but I do experience some breathing issues and I get fatigued a lot easier nowadays. I've bounced back and fourth from analogs to vaping during the last few weeks because I've had some issues staying stocked up on vaping supplies which wont happen again. As long as I'm stocked up on supplies I don't feel like I'll ever go back to analogs. My main concern with vaping so far is that I notice that my breathing seems to be a little constricted while I'm vaping as well as for a while afterwards. Since I've been bouncing back and fourth between analogs and vaping I really haven't experienced the full benefits of giving up analogs yet but I am concerned about the breathing issues that I experience while vaping. I'm curious if anyone else has experienced breathing issues like I have while vaping? I'm a firm believer that vaping has to be a much better option than analogs but I'm just concerned that I'm giving up a terrible habit and picking up another one that just isn't quite as bad. I notice that some people say that a higher VG mix might be a better choice but I hate giving up flavor and getting less of a throat hit. Any input would be highly appreciated and thanks ahead of time.
 
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SilentVapidity

Senior Member
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Mar 14, 2011
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Minnesota
Hi Dave379! For the first week of vaping and smoking cigarettes I experienced constriction and shortness of breath. It may or may not be similar to what you feel. When I stopped cigarettes and only vaped, the shortness of breath went away. However, I don't know that it's related. It was really humid here in MN. I was stressed at work. I wasnt sleeping well etc etc. Not all things are related to vaping. Also FWIW I don't inhale. I hold the vapor in my mouth to absorb the nicotine.
 

Iffy

Vaping Master
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Feb 3, 2011
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A couple of months ago my doctor ordered a chest x-ray to see if I still had the first signs of emphysema discovered five years ago. I guess vaping for 30 months has been good for me in that nothing out of the ordinary was found!

BTW, lung cilia, unlike the inner ear stereocilia, do recover/regenerate given the chance (no 'bakky). Sorry I can't give the source of that info. But it's out dere in cyber land.

I have no misgivings as to the damage I did to my lungs prior to vaping. If I was diagnosed with the big C tomorrow, there's no way way I would fault vaping! OTOH, I haven't felt better in many a year (66 years young).

Vape on!!!
thumbsup.gif
 

Dave379

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Sep 11, 2013
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Independence, Mo.
Iffy, I've only been vaping for 3 weeks. In no way am I faulting vaping for my copd. Smoking Tobacco for 35 years is what caused my copd plus it runs in my family. The reason I'm vaping is to help manage my copd but there is no doubt that when I vape I do notice a breathing constriction that goes away shortly after I stop vaping for a while. Its not a huge breathing constriction but it is definitely noticeable. I also have no doubt that my copd is the reason I experience the breathing constriction while I vape. If my lungs were healthy I doubt very seriously that vaping would have this affect on me. Obviously, getting away from tobacco is a great thing but I just hope that I'm not making a mistake by vaping instead of just quitting both but we all know that quitting both is a lot easier said than done. I'm just a little concerned about the breathing constriction while and shortly after I vape. The long term affects remain to be seen at least for me but it is encouraging to hear people talk about how much their copd/emphysema symptoms have improved since switching from tobacco to vapor. Hopefully with in a few more weeks of straight vaping I will start to feel the affects of being tobacco free and I will be more confident that I'm doing the right thing.
 
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SilentVapidity

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Mar 14, 2011
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Minnesota
Hmmm.....I think it was during and right after vaping. Every once in a while the topic emerges here on the forum, and some people will comment about pg and vg ratios, that sensitivity to pg could cause that constricted feeling. I just stopped inhaling and stopped smoking cigarettes and one of those things did the trick.
 

Thepinfamily

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Jan 18, 2013
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I was diagnosised with a very slight case of COPD about 4 years ago. By December 1st 2013 I was really feeling the effects analogs and the COPD. On December 22nd 2012 I started vaping Blu ecigs. They gave me the same restricted breathing your described. I quickly moved on to eGos and APV's while trying different flavors and pg/VG ratios. I realized that juices with higher VG content caused my breathing restrictions. For me vaping VG is like breathing in a very hot, steamy shower. It's a very thick and dense vape. I have now have been analog free since that first Blu ecig back in December. I vape 70pg/30vg and have no restricted breathing when I vape. I feel 100% better 100% of the time. The damage I've done to my body is in no way gone completely BUT, I don't feel like I've been smoking for 18 years anymore. Instead I feel like I only smoked for 5years and a that's pretty good turn around in 6 short months.
Keep on vaping. Vape through the learning curve, vape through the urges and vape through the tight breathing. In a few months you will come out on the other side and it will be a wonderful thing. You will have found a juice or two your in love with. You will have found your favorite device and mastered it. You will be smelling and tasting things you forgot you could. You will nolonger be surprised you made it up the flight of stairs without breathing hard. You will be the one on EFC answering questions for noobs. And you will feel 100% better 100% of the time.
 
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