Question for the women vapers!

[the_maiden_fair]

I have had only one symptom from switching to the e-cig, I don't know what it is from, the e-cig or from quitting smoking. I was just hoping maybe someone else had this issue and it cleared up after a time. The 2 menstrual cycles I have had since vaping have gotten painful. I am hoping someone out there can show me the light at the end of the tunnel, I don't think I can stand going through this every month. I have resolved to give it 6 months before I consider not vaping anymore. I will schedule a doctor visit, but summertime is my busy time, so I will schedule for the fall. I am not sure if a doctor can help me as most don't know anything about the e-cig.
So, for now, I will not blame the e-cig, I will give it time, and will go through the proper channels and get a doctor to check things out. Has anyone else had this type of issue?

 

[db13berry]

Interesting. I have noticed irregularity that I haven't seen since I was a teenager. But I have not seen more pain.

Are you taking in more nicotine and/or caffeine since starting vaping? These little stinkers can cause more breast and menstrual pain with increased intake.

It could be your body adjusting to not having the cigs. There's no telling what all of that stuff in the cigs was masking.

Please see your doctor soon if the issue doesn't resolve.

 

[the_maiden_fair]

I will, I just don't trust doctors. I see them as barkers for the pharmaceutical companies. I haven't seen them cure any disease since 1950 (and that was by vaccination, not necessarily a cure for those already suffering!). So, no, I don't trust them, but I will go if things get worse. I have had some strange pains during menstruation before, but nothing like the last one I endured!

I may be consuming more nicotine, as one can't be sure how much they were ingesting with smoking, and how much they ingest with the e-cig. The caffeine is not an issue for me, I got myself over the addiction to that years ago, now I only have maybe one soda a week (when I am extremely tired!).

I will also give it time. It may be an adjustment period (no pun intended!) for my body without cigarettes, and the new nicotine delivery method. Thank you for your input. I will keep this updated each month so if anyone else has this issue, they will know how it turned out for me at least!

 

[hairball]

I haven't had any problems as of yet. Could it be a PG reaction? I don't know. I could see more nic being the culprit but none-the-less, please see a doctor. You may have something else wrong.

My 21 year old daughter was having painful cycles but she has never smoked/vaped. She found out that it was due to enlarged cysts on her ovaries caused from birth control. Once she was off the BC, everything straightened itself back out.

For some of you gals that don't know this, everytime you have your monthly, you develop cysts on your ovaries. Once it ends, the cyst goes away so please don't panic. It's perfectly normal. Just with my daughter, the BC made her's bigger than normal which caused some severe pain.

 

[oleslie0o0]

Hmmm... Not sure because of a iud I no longer have a menstrual cycle

 

[sam.8]

I've only had one since vaping only. Due any day now. I've never had any issues other than mine goes 7 days with a 1.5 day break in the middle. I think my last one was shorter come to think about it, and less all round. Maybe I'll have a better idea as I get more non-cigarette time. As mentioned above though, if you don't normally have painful periods and have had two....I'd go get it checked out personally.

 

[MissP]

Removing the toxins in your body can cause ALOT of physical reactions. Pain being one of them. Several things can cause heavier/painful cycles. I am not an expert.... BUT, with that said... dehydration can cause more clotting in the uterine lining causing painful cycles.
It can take several cycles for your system to re-regulate itself after a physical stress of detoxifying. I do not have periods anymore, I had my uterine lining removed in October. BUT, I still have an ovary, and after I quit cigs... I noticed an increase in the cystic symptoms of my remaining ovary. It has been three months for me now, and my ovary is settling down nicely.
If it does not clear up in another cycle or two, I would have it checked out. In the meantime, two to three days BEFORE the cramping starts, you can start taking ibuprofen every 4 to 6 hours to help minimize the cramps when they start.

Good luck!!!!! And make sure you stay hydrated

 

[Tracy68]

Hi, while I'm not sure exactly how, I have read that smoking has an effect on our hormones so it makes sense to me that after giving up smoking there would be a period of adjustment on our hormone levels. I certainly feel like my hormones have gone completely haywire!
I suggest you do some googling on this subject and also ask your doctor about it if things don't start to settle down after a few months.

 

[blue8091]

I am SO glad someone made this post. I'm having some weirdness in this department. For two months prior to beginning vaping, I was having some seriously painful periods. To the point of making me sick my cramps were so bad. I'm 48 yrs old. After the 2nd month of this, I did a lil bit of research and found that smoking and weight can make a difference for painful periods.

Then by coincidence - I was off and vaping. I should also note that I dramatically changed my focus on water intake and I've always been terrible about it and when I was expecting my initial kit, I saw how important water would be - so I started drinking no less than 70oz per day. I didn't quit drinking soda..but this has just happened - I don't want one and I used to drink alot of them. As a result - I'm down about 13#'s.

Now, due to being so ill for 3 days the previous 2 months, I started calendaring the timeline so I was sure not to make plans around this time - since I got so sick - I didn't want to have to cancel on someone. So I've been expecting that hag Aunt Flo since Thursday. She is such a BIA**H. This time, I've had all the same painful symptoms - I've felt really ill since Friday and NO FLO!!! She flippin sent me the symptoms. Just FYI - being pg isnt remotely possible.

Maybe I've just freaked my body out? Maybe I'm pre-meno? No idea on this one.

 

[UntamedRose]

Umm personally no, havnt had any changes but I've got BC thats basically stopped that mess anyway....off me


Smoking DOES mess with your menstrual cycle and hormone levels Research Page: Effects of tobacco smoke exposure on hormones and fertility

So it makes sense coming off of smoking, that things get a little weird for a bit as things readjust.

Also this (very small) study came to the conclusion that Nicotine had no effects on women's cycles Influence of menstrual cycle on cytochrome P450 2A... [Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2005] - PubMed result

 

[blue8091]

Umm personally no, havnt had any changes but I've got BC thats basically stopped that mess anyway....off me


Smoking DOES mess with your menstrual cycle and hormone levels Research Page: Effects of tobacco smoke exposure on hormones and fertility

So it makes sense coming off of smoking, that things get a little weird for a bit as things readjust.

Also this (very small) study came to the conclusion that Nicotine had no effects on women's cycles Influence of menstrual cycle on cytochrome P450 2A... [Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2005] - PubMed result

Thanks so much for the information! Jealous you don't have to deal with all of this..but happy for you at the same time. I'll just wait and see what happens over the next few months. The worst part is I have to be traveling on business this same time next month -

 

[the_maiden_fair]

Thank you all so much for the info. I will check the study out, and try to increase my water. I vape a 50/50 mix, so I could cut it, try maybe 70/30. I did used to have very painful periods, then the bc pill took that away, then off bc for about 5 years now. I do believe there is an adjustment time for our bodies. I did get awful angry on the first cycle (so much so, I just wanted to walk off the job!!). The second was just downright painful, only I had pain where I am not used to getting it during that time...in my tailbone! Sitting down was hard, standing up, and bending over!! Ibuprophen helped, so I will start using it early this next cycle. I usually do drink enough water (about 80 oz a day) during my work week, but I forget on the weekends. I should be more diligent to constantly drink my 80 oz.

Keep up the good info, everyone. Lets hope those of us who have the issues have them go away just as quickly as they came.

Yes, we do have cycsts each month, that's what happens when we pop out an egg, which usually occurs in the middle of our cycles. I am unsure on whether the cycst remains for the rest of the cycle or not. Can you clerify Hairball? I do notice some pain during that time as well, almost like mini cramps. I know, I'm all messed up!!

 

[blue8091]

Well guess who finally made an appearance in the middle of the night??!! I guess she sent symptoms well ahead of her arrival - while she partied for the holiday weekend and crawled in around 3AM - but ruined my weekend - and now what the heck - let's just rain on your Tuesday-Thursday too!! I'm tellin you - Flo is not a kind lady! On top of everything else - she eats all the chocolate.

 

[telsie]

Hi, while I'm not sure exactly how, I have read that smoking has an effect on our hormones so it makes sense to me that after giving up smoking there would be a period of adjustment on our hormone levels. I certainly feel like my hormones have gone completely haywire!
I suggest you do some googling on this subject and also ask your doctor about it if things don't start to settle down after a few months.

This has been true for me as well (hormones going haywire). I feel like quitting smoking threw me into peri-menopause. My PMS symptoms (physical and emotional) started getting much worse and my periods started getting heavier and closer together. It could just be coincidence, of course (I'm in my early 40s), but the timing was certainly suspect. If smoking can affect hormones, I guess it makes sense that quitting smoking would also affect our hormones.

 

[daisyd]

I have had painful periods on and off through my life. They have never been as bad as they were for me as a teenager. Some things I have learned over the years are, drink water (lots of it, or Gatoraide), avoid salty foods and excess caffeine. A neat little painkiller trick I learned when Ibuprofen stopped having any effect was to get a shot of milk in a glass and mix a spoonful of Cayenne pepper in it. Have a chaser ready, and take it all in one gulp, followed by chaser. It's not pleasant but the combination of that and a bottle of water cured my "make you puke from pain" cramps under control on many occasions. Another thing I've tried is Aloe Vera Juice in the couple of days right before my period. I do a shot of Aloe Juice in a tea cup, fill the cup the rest of the way with water then squeeze some lime in. The water and lime are to help the taste because even though I can make myself choke down Cayenne and milk, I can't make myself swallow straight aloe vera.
I hope this next part isn't TMI, but the one thing that has done wonders for both the length of my period and the pain is to stop using tampons. Some people switch to pads, but they drive me nuts so I got a Diva Cup. I understand this isn't a solution for everyone, but for me it has really helped. Not to mention it is so much more convenient. I don't ever have to run to the store in the middle of the night anymore, or make sure I carry an extra with me all the time. Just sayin'.
You will likely balance back out in the next couple of months. I do feel your pain. Hopefully it'll all be done with soon.

 

[Linden]

Quitting smoking certainly DID effect my bodily hormone levels. For 3 months I experienced severe cystic acne. And after reading the report that untamedrose linked to, it does seem possible that your FSH levels may be normalizing.

 

[muleygirl]

I'm off the try some milk & cayenne. Thanks Daisyd.
The only change I have noticed is my pms is through the roof. You know how people turn into werewolves on a full moon...That's me. I think there might be a silver bullet out there with my name on it!

 

[blue8091]

I'm off the try some milk & cayenne. Thanks Daisyd.
The only change I have noticed is my pms is through the roof. You know how people turn into werewolves on a full moon...That's me. I think there might be a silver bullet out there with my name on it!

ROFL - OMG I needed that laugh. Here I thought I was the only one who was contemplating burying the next person that talks to me in my backyard!!! TOO funny!!

DaisyD!!! Milk and cayenne - who knew!!! Here I've been mixing ibu and aleve!

I went to the see my dentist today - who is really super cool. I must have looked like I felt..so he treated me to *gas* with a peach scented mask..it was an awesomely relaxing 1.5 hours! I was sad when it was over! He was SUPER glad I quit smoking and revealed he was a former smoker himself! Funny huh!

 

[the_maiden_fair]

I've read that cayenne can help you if you have bleeding issues (think thin blood and a paper cut!), when put directly on the wound. I had never heard of drinking it for pain! What a neat idea (although, a bit on the painful side going down!!). My mother used to make us all drink aloe vera juice as kids, which caused me severe motion sickness. To this day, I can't stomach it!! I will keep the cayenne in mind, however! Aloe vera reminds me of the gallbladder cleanse I have done, drinking lemon juice mixed with olive oil---yeeeuch!! I can't stomach that anymore either!

 

[shanagan]

Bear with me here, I promise this isn't going to turn into a diet thing! I went on Atkins a few years back and learned how very sensitive my body is to the whole glucose reaction that is triggered when you eat a carb heavy diet. (Carbs to glucose, glucose to fat.) Several women I knew from the Atkins boards online were doing low-carb on the advice of their doctors to help control poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, and while I don't have PCOS, I do think I have the beginnings of it - when I eat very carb-heavy now, my periods go haywire. I'll spare the details, but suffice it to say, it's no picnic. If I am 'good' and ease off the potatoes and bread, they calm back down. But, if I'm being low-carb strict, my periods are crazy stealthy - I never know they're coming from physical symptoms, only by the day on the calendar - I don't get any cramps, grouchiness, water-weight gain beforehand, none of it, and they're lighter and shorter, on top of everything.

SO, the point to all of that is that in the time I've been vaping I haven't done a "strict" run of low-carb, but I've really wondered if the VG/PG messes with my glucose/insulin response. The only way to answer that seems to be to go back on Atkins for a while and monitor my ketone levels to see if the vg/pg seems to interfere with it. Which I don't want to do, because I'm too old for this .....