Ordered to stop using my PV by my Doctor

[paulc35]

Hi, whilst smoking my pv late last night (i have a dse 901), i was taking a long draw and suddenly my chest felt like it had shut tight.
As i was unable to breath, i was taken to hospital where i was told that id had a severe bronchial attack (asthma attack). This was quite a surprise seeing as though ive never suffered from asthma.
As a result, my doctor has told me never to use my e cigarette again
She'd never heard of e cigarettes but was far from impressed with what id told her about them, so im not sure if that plays a part in her putting a ban on me using them.
Problem is, i still want to use my pv. I think what happened was maybe my own stupid fault, id taken far too long a puff . But im not sure whether to disobey my doctor, cant see her being pleased.
Last night did scare me, but part of me still wants to persevere with the pv. This is the first time id ever had any problems like this.

I was wondering if anyone has ever had any problems similar to mine, or if they'd ever disobeyed a doctor and continued to use one.

Many thanks x

Being a Respiratory Therapist I can tell you there are many things that can cause this type of attack. First off how many yrs did you smoke analog cigarettes and you say you have never had an attack
(Asthma) before. The amount of pure poison you take in from a cigarette is enormous. Its around 4 thousand different gases. This would lead me to believe its coincedence (timing), which means you could be developing problems as of years of smoking, or it is posible you had a reaction to PG, or VG. These are the only to components that are not in a regular cigarette. Something in production of the juice could be a problem.
I would try a different supplier and if you were by chance vaping something of a candy flavor I wouldn't touch that one again.

Everyone that smoked analog cigarettes that switches to vaping 100% should start to see an improvement in their health. Breathing, overall feeling better in a matter of months. I'm not so sure about these weird flavorings as to what their ingredients are. (watermelon,bananna cream pie,etc.) I would think that may have some other ingredients that could cause an attack. Reactive Airway Disease.

If you want to keep on trying vaping don't vape whatever flavor you were using when this happened and pay attention to your body things such as increased heart rate, getting shakey, nausea, which are signs of nicotine overdose.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[Katya]

Actually, ironically, PG is present in cigarette smoke. Just different concentration.

 

[orville99]

Actually, ironically, PG is present in cigarette smoke. Just different concentration.

True, it's one of the additives to the tobacco to keep it from drying out.

 

[paulc35]

True, it's one of the additives to the tobacco to keep it from drying out.

PG is present in many things. That wasn't my point, except to say something in the flavoring probably caused a reaction rather it be PG higher concentration, VG, or something in flavoring if it wasn't tobacco flavor, or it could have been like she said . She was taking in large inhalations and that amount of any component could have triggered it.

Sometimes you just need to change brands. Like I could never smoke a Winston cigarette without developing a massive headache

 

[CtryBoy]

To everyone ranting about HIS doctor. Remember this is an ER Doctor. Not to discredit ER docs in anyway, but they are really not there to hold someone's hand. They address the PROBLEM first. Once you are good to go, back to the house, and FOLLOW UP with your own physician.

Now if your GP cant be bothered to discuss the differences between smoking and vaping I wholeheartedly agree, find another doctor. Then again if you go in to the doctor with the flu and come out with a prescription for antibiotics, you might want a new doctor too. (Baring a secondary infection of some kind) Again difference between cookie cutter prescription writers and real doctors who take the time to build a long term relationship and understanding of patient and patient's underlying issues.

But remember it works both ways. If you dont take your meds, change your diet, etc that your doctor recommends, dont blame them if you still have HBP, always feel rundown, etc. Two way street people. ER doc will get you back on your feet, GP will get you over the bumps down the road.

 

[nowhereman]

.......Agreed !

 

[Rocketman]

I did a quick blip through this thread and I recommend that anyone with any serious preexisting condition, or the presentation of new symptoms consult with their health care professional and heed their advise.

If you find that your doctors are unfamiliar with e-cigs then present them with a short but accurate description of how they work, and what is in them. An absolute must is documentation to negate the "antifreeze" and "carcinogen" hype. IN PRINTED FORM, DON'T JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP.

Unless you can come across as an expert, take the words of an expert with you. The "watervapor" explanation demonstrates a lack of knowledge (granted you were in a stressful situation) when supporting your position against the obviously more knowledgeable Doctor person

Obviously the M.D. in this case based his diagnosis on lack of information.
It's a real shame that most get new info from the medical journals they subscribe to, and little else.

Don't show up to fight empty handed.

 

[Zapp and Roger]

You're right, they didn't. Nor did I say they did. In fact, I said that I know everyone means well. But the fact remains that this is not the best place for the OP to be asking advice about this. I'm not trolling at all, BTW.

But seriously, if your doctor told you that being a vegan was bad for you, would you think it was the smartest thing to then go straight to a vegan forum asking for advice? It's just not smart to seek second opinions from people who are biased when it comes to your health.

But if you read the original post, it is a description of an experience that may or may not have been associated with PVs. She did not ask for advice, or help at all. What she did ask, was whether anyone else has had a similar experience, or defied a Dr. order. This isn't looking for advice, it is looking for experience of others to make a direct comparison, or to be more informed.

Using your example, if my doctor told me to stop a vegan diet, then there is nothing wrong with going to a vegan forum and asking others if they had a similar experience that brought them to the doctor. Asking how the life change affected or whether they continued against Dr.'s advice also is not seeking advice, it is for comparison to make a decision for one's own self. She is looking for self determination, and not to be led by others. If she had worded it differently then I would totally agree with you.

 

[7thCabal]

Just go find a doc that agrees w/ you, if the others don't... Sorry, THAT sounds ridiculous. Heed the advice of your medical professionals. Trying to pass unsolicited info to someone in their professional business environment, sounds like a good way to get 86'd from an establishment... more so when going with "I right, you wrong, besides my internet info is bulletproof compared to 8+ yrs of med school."

 

[trailblazer6]

Can you say second opinion?

I have to agree. SECOND OPINION PLEASE !!!

 

[HeatherC]

They CANNOT refuse to care for you. The Hypocratic Oath....First do no harm.

 

[esdel]

Just go find a doc that agrees w/ you, if the others don't... Sorry, THAT sounds ridiculous. Heed the advice of your medical professionals. Trying to pass unsolicited info to someone in their professional business environment, sounds like a good way to get 86'd from an establishment... more so when going with "I right, you wrong, besides my internet info is bulletproof compared to 8+ yrs of med school."

I'm sure most of us know people whose lives have been saved because they got a second (or a third, fourth...) opinion. Doctors have 8+ years of medical school, and yet they disagree with each other all the time. To pick out one ER doctor, who only saw the OP briefly, and declare that this doctor speaks for all "medical professionals," is ludicrous. Furthermore, the OP stated that this doctor had never even heard of e-cigs. I don't care how many years of med school she's had, it didn't teach her to render instantaneous, always-correct opinions on things she's never heard of. You don't have to be a medical professional to see that and to point it out.

 

[Stephra]

I personally would seek a second opinion any time a doctor completely blew off what I was telling him. If a physician is unwilling to enter into a discussion of symptoms and causes with his patient, he isn't giving the patient the treatment they deserve.

As an example, some illnesses manifest in very strange, hard-to-pin-down ways. Lyme disease can exhibit transitive symptoms which appear and disappear. Brown Recluse bites can go unnoticed and result in weird ulcerations in areas nowhere near the original bite. A victim might know that SOMETHING is wrong, but not know what. All the doctor has to go on is the symptoms presented and INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE PATIENT.

If a doctor is unwilling to listen to their patients, they can (and will) miss things that could lead them to a correct diagnosis and treatment. There are lots of stories out there of people who spend years feeling "not right", going to doctor after doctor who tell them "it's all in your head", and then finally finding that one doctor who believes them and is persistent enough to get to the bottom of things.

In the case of the OP, the advice was given by an ER doctor who probably wasn't taking the time to think outside the box. I think the advice to see another physician, especially one who is more receptive, is valid.

 

[shanagan]

I think this is a lesson for all of us, really. You choose a doctor in most cases (non-emergency), and it is important to find one who is open to new and/or evolving information, and who values you as a patient as much as you value them as a healthcare professional. Several years ago I lost about 40lbs doing low-carb. I went for an annual visit to my lady-doc, fully prepared to defend my way of eating (this was back in the "omg, it's a fad, it'll kill you!" days). He noted my chart, laughed when I told him no-one ever died from avoiding twinkies, and told me to keep up with what made me feel best, not what reflects on a scale.

If you can't guess, I will happily be his patient for life. Finding a doctor that respects your intelligence and ability to manage your body is so, so important.

 

[kristin]

I just recently moved to a new town and my brother-in-law and his family highly recommended the nurse practioner that his wife works for. (Small town.)

We were all ready to go to her... until I got in a discussion with my BIL about e-cigarettes and he tells me that she said that nicotine causes cancer.

We're looking for someone else to go to now.

 

[Chiqa]

For what little it is worth when my husband was recently diagnosed with COPD he told the doctor about vaping, the doc had not heard of it, but told him to stop it asap even tho he threw away the cigs on the day of his diagnosis. The unfortunate part about it that now he is stressed about vaping in the midst of everything else.

 

[lmrasch]

For what little it is worth when my husband was recently diagnosed with COPD he told the doctor about vaping, the doc had not heard of it, but told him to stop it asap even tho he threw away the cigs on the day of his diagnosis. The unfortunate part about it that now he is stressed about vaping in the midst of everything else.

If he ends up going back to cigs will his doc be happy with him then? If he can't quit and has to make a choice of cigs vs vaping, it's a no brainer....are there risks with vaping, probably...but from what I've read about people with COPD and other breathing ailments, looks like the majority here have vastly improved since they quit cigs and started vaping.
I have mild COPD and haven't quite noticed the breathing easier effect yet...just 3 weeks in. But I have noticed many other wonderful side effects:
1) I can hear better, seriously...I heard the fridge running the other night and couldn't figure out what was going on...thought my PC was crashing or something, lol! Many other little things I can hear now....go figure.
2) I can smell things again, like my hubby and his awesome cologne...bad side of it, I can smell cigarette smoke now and my dogs breath....eww
3) I can taste better
4) I don't stink....well...at least I don't think I do, lol!
5) My car doesn't stink
6) I don't have to rub hand lotion on and chew on gum or a mint when I go out in public
7) I'm not ashamed of myself anymore for smoking
8) I have a new hobby and whole bunch of new forum friends
Tell hubby to stay away from the ciggys and if he can't completely quit, stick to vaping

 

[Poke]

It's kind of a dangerous substance to have around the house but I have Primatene Mist in my kitchen cupboard as i'm a very mild asthma sufferer, mostly from hayfever or extreme low pressure systems.

Primatene Mist is adrenaline (epinephrine) in liquid form which you take as an inhaler, I got mine from Walmart of all places. It's a handy thing for me to have though, when I smoked i'd use it once a day in the summer, now on my E-cig I havn't used it once, although I do feel like PG does cause some tightness in my chest, but I feel safer knowing I have adrenaline close at hand so I don't end up like the OP rushing to the ER.

 

[rayneinspain]

For what little it is worth when my husband was recently diagnosed with COPD he told the doctor about vaping, the doc had not heard of it, but told him to stop it asap even tho he threw away the cigs on the day of his diagnosis. The unfortunate part about it that now he is stressed about vaping in the midst of everything else.

I'm going to guess that this has everything to do with the doctor's personal bias and/or lack of information about nicotine.

I told both my regular physician as well as my gastroenterologist that I was now using the ecig...and both of them were thrilled.

I, too, have COPD, and I have noticed drastic improvements in my lung capacity, wheezing (disappeared), coughing, breathlessness and need for inhalers (have used twice in 2 mos instead of 4x/day, every day). I did have to switch to VG early on, as I do react badly to PG.

Physician ignorance angers me to no end.

 

[BlueMoods]

Sounds to me like that doctor has the same myopic misconception that most people in general have in my area - tobacco=nicotine=tobacco PERIOD so to most here, it's all the same, lighter involved or not.