Need help..have friend with COPD.

[wolflrv]

I have a buddy that has been watching my progress with e-cigs and has really wanted to start them. He has COPD and has lowered his analog smoking down to about a pack a day or less, but just has not been able to give up the rest of it. He normally smokes Marlboro Ultra Lights(shorts).

I fixed him up with a 510 kit and hand-mixed him some 20mg and 10mg juice using 70%PG/30%VG and FlavourArts Maxboro Ultimate at 2 drops per ml. He tried using my Mini Vapestack and also my FogLog, but he found the hit too hard with the full 3.7v batteries. He did like the regular 510 batteries though.

He vaped for about a week while I was on vacation in Texas and I just talked to him this morning to see how he was doing with it. He said he had been able to cut down to about 2-3 analogs a day and was really liking the vaping, but had to stop because he felt like his lungs were tightening whenever he tried to take a hit.

I'm trying to figure out what might be wrong. Here are my theories so far:

1) The 510 just has too strong a throat hit and I may need to let him try the 901 instead.

2) The VG may be a bit too "heavy" for his lungs in their weakened state. I'm mixing him some straight PG juice to try out.

3) The PG may be the problem. I've ordered some nic juice in VG for him to try out.

4) There is really nothing wrong, except that his lungs are trying to clear out and he's just hyper-sensitive at the moment?

5) His exact COPD condition may not allow him to vape? I really really hope not...cause he's a good guy and is really needing and wanting this to work for him.

Any help or thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Bekinder]

Hi Wolf, I do have COPD. I think the first month or two is difficult to make the change
over off of analogs. I found using PG alone I could not handle. I use a 50/50 mixture.
I went through a blood pressure issue early on, and resolved it with using lower nic. milograms (14-18) and the 50% VG added. I think your friend can expect some reactions and ridding his body of all the other junk in analogs is serious business. I would imagine, like me, he has been a long time smoker. If he will stick to it, I believe his pulmonary Dr. will see some significant changes in his lungs. Bronchial Asthma symptoms that he is seeming to have now...will likely fade over time. If his condition is
extremely serious; of course he would be better off without any foreign matter in his lungs. I was diagnosed with a 48% lung capacity early this year, and just last week
my pulmonary specialist saw improvement. This percentage does not require oxygen so
I have not had to use that. Hope it all works out for him; and bless your heart for helping him.

 

[Xenite]

About 3 weeks after I began vaping I started having shortness of breath, was very annoying and was concerned that it could be vaping. I spoke with my doctor and she said lung discomfort and shortness of breath are all common side affects of quitting and it sometimes hits people harder then others.

I've smoked some bad crap over 15 years including some nasty generic brands so I can only imagine what muck must be in my lungs over the years. Also the reason I believe that it is not the vaping is I have day's where I feel fine, then I have periods where it feels like my lungs are full of phlegm that I can't cough up and that's exactly what our lungs do to remove tar, create phlegm.

COPD is a serious problem and it can be worse for some people then others. I think most smokers of any real length have COPD to some extent whether they realize it or not. We have all done damage to our lungs and while they begin to heal quickly the damage can persist for years.

My advice would be to have him cut back on vaping and I would NOT use VG at all while he is having issues. He also needs to cut out those last few cigs and then give it 3-4 weeks only vaping when you need a nicotine fix. My doctor said for most the lung issues resolve in about 1 month when you quit cig's although it can last longer depending on how long you smoked.

It's also worth to note that their seems to be an adjustment period when it comes to vaping. Some have leg cramps, some get excess gas and stomach cramps, I got horrible dry mouth in the mornings that is only just now starting to resolve itself.

Easier said then done, but just my two cents. I would also suggest consulting a doctor but that advice will vary. My doctor has been very interested in e-cigs but I imagine their are many who will be outright dismissive.

 

[wolflrv]

Thanks Bekinder and Xenite for the responses. This really is a tricky situation and I think he's just trying to come to terms with the fact that his lungs are pretty bad. He may have been over zealous with the vaping and the few extra cigs a day were just too much.

I plan to get him both some straight PG and straight VG juice to try and I've also got a spare 901 he can try too. I did do some other research today and lung tightening does seem to be a symptom of nicotine withdrawal and clearing the lungs...so maybe he just has to take it easy and go through this a bit slower.

I'll update as we find out more...thx again for the help!

 

[Xenite]

Also one thing to keep in mind that I thought of is the fact that nicotine is absorbed much differently with vaping. I know for awhile I had my e-cig welded to my lips, I then bumped up the mg and I am fine. If he is/was constantly puffing away to get a fix you may consider a slightly higher nic content.

Anyways I wish him the best, I honestly believe for many vaping could improve their quality of life, especially when they can't seem to kick the habit totally.

 

[Dane]

It's nice that you help your buddy.

I had smoked cigarettes for 52 years, when I one day went over to digital cigarettes. It offers many withdrawal symptoms to drop the analogs. I had also problems with violent throat scratch from digital to begin with.

I currently use clean VG with 20% water and taking less than 12mg of nicotine, and it goes fine.

I hope you will find a solution for your buddy, if he has the will, it will also succeed.

 

[Adik Ted]

I've got COPD and had to change over to 100% VG (I use intellicig ecopure juice) as I couldn't handle the pg. I don't think the nicotine strength matters. I'm using very high.

 

[maryl]

I don't know ..... we are all so very different aren't we? I have COPD and have only ever used PG with 26mg since last September and I am doing just fine.
Mary

 

[wolflrv]

Just a small update...finally had a chance to catch up with my buddy and we went over everything I've learned here and elsewhere to see what we can do about his symptoms. I also made up some 20mg and 10mg Maxboro juice with straight PG for him to try. After talking more with him, he feels like it might indeed be his lungs trying to clear. He was also not drinking enough fluids and I also suggested some decaf hot coffee or tea during the day to keep his throat/sinuses and lungs more moist(it helped me alot in the first month).

He did say he's totally psyched to keep trying though because he really likes it better than smoking, so we'll keep working till we find a solution.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas and suggestions...if anyone thinks of other stuff to help out feel free to post...I'll update again later!!

 

[wolflrv]

Another quick update...I got the PG juice to my buddy and I'm happy to report that he's doing great with that so far! He says it's much lighter on his lungs and more comfortable to vape. So let's hope he has no more episodes! Thx much for all the help folks!!

 

[WerkIt]

He normally smokes Marlboro Ultra Lights(shorts).

and hand-mixed him some 20mg and 10mg juice

YIKES! I was an ultralight smoker for all but 3 of the 28.5 years I smoked. E-liquids beyond a 4-6 mg strength were FAR TOO MUCH for me. Even now with snus, the minis, containing 4 mg of nic are a bit too much for me. Maybe it would help to turn down the volume on the strength of the e-liquid?