Questions on Heat Levels & Coughing

[IndigoChild]

So the flavors I ordered from Mt Baker came today. (Pear, Guava, Honeydew, French Vanilla - and they threw in a free Dream Tea). The first three are really good, the French Vanilla and the Dream Tea I haven't tried yet. It was a relief, really. The orange dreamsicle that I was using yesterday (which was the first and only fluid I had when my unit arrived) was absolutely disgusting. I'm really glad these other flavors are better.

I noticed though, that the 24mg vaporizes really quickly, but with the 36mg (everything that came today), I have to hold the button down longer, a little bit at first in order for it to vaporize. Is this because of the nicotine level or the fluid being different? The orange dreamsicle's make I am not sure of - these new flavors are 70%VG/30% Distilled H20. They also vaporize much more quickly and I have refill more often than with the orange dreamsicle 24mg.

And then I'm also wondering about the coughing… The vapor is harsh from both the dreamsicle and the new flavors. Will I adjust to this and stop coughing eventually? I've noticed if I hold it in my mouth for a second or two before inhaling that it gets easier, and that if I keep sucking after it's done vaporizing and get some oxygen in with it that it's also less harsh that way. Any info, hints or tips?

Oh yeah, the 36mg is working much better for me than the 24mg. I still have an urge to light up and this feeling of needing something but not knowing what it is. Yesterday I caved a couple times and smoked a cigarette, but that was mostly because of the horrible flavor I had. I'm still having that feeling today and I don't think it's nicotine. I think somewhere within the 4,000 chemicals and additives in the cigarettes that there's something else that's addicting besides nicotine that I'm kicking right now - I'm hoping it doesn't last longer than three days...

 

[bacc.vap]

I don't think the nic level has anything to do with how quickly a liquid vaprizes, probably more to do with the liquid makeup itself.

 

[happydave]

30% Distilled H20
is a lot of H20

the water vaporizes at a lower temp it also moves though the wick faster than say PG or VG and this is why you are going through the high water content e-liquid faster.
when i use distilled water i use about 6-12%
12% being the absolute max i would use IMO.

when i make e-liquid for my protank 2 or mini 2, i use about %8 distilled water.

 

[kjbro]

I think the "vape delay" also varies on device and battery level. When my 18350 batteries start getting low it takes a second or two for it to really get going.

RE: harsh juices: nicotine level will affect your throat hit, and certain flavors are just stronger than others. Try a more subtly flavored juice, perhaps?

 

[happydave]

ok so i would recommend taking one the flavors your not so fond of, and heating well mixing it up.

you can use a smaller glass cup but you will need eye protection and some oven mitts as well as food thermometer.
e-liquid goes in the pyrex up. water goes in the pan. throw it on the stove on low and check the temp of the water regularly.
keep the temp of the water below 140°F and above 120°F. heat at stir it for 20 minutes in that temp range. this will remove a lot of the excess distilled water. you might need to repeat this process a few times before its perfect but stop every 20 minuites load some e-liquid in rig and test it out.

 

[Buggainok]

Oh yeah, the 36mg is working much better for me than the 24mg. I still have an urge to light up and this feeling of needing something but not knowing what it is. Yesterday I caved a couple times and smoked a cigarette, but that was mostly because of the horrible flavor I had. I'm still having that feeling today and I don't think it's nicotine. I think somewhere within the 4,000 chemicals and additives in the cigarettes that there's something else that's addicting besides nicotine that I'm kicking right now - I'm hoping it doesn't last longer than three days...

It could be some of the other chemicals, but I suspect from my own experience, that it is your mind more than chemical addiction that is talking to you. If you think about how many maybe millions of times we smokers got out a cigarette, lit up and smoked, that has to be some very powerful habit patterns formed in our brains.

In the first few weeks, when I knew that I was getting my nicotine requirement, I just told myself it was the "Ghost Habit" messing with my mind, and vaped like crazy. It worked for me, and I smoked 2 packs a day for over 40 years. Good luck and hope it settles down for you, too.

 

[klynnn]

You need to cut your nic level and just vape more often. The heat will make you cough more and dries you out. You may think you need that high but you don't... it's your mind playing tricks on you. Been there.

 

[mkbilbo]

One thing is that a deep inhale (into the lungs) is not even necessary with vaping. If it's making you cough, don't do it.

See, in smoking, the nicotine is absorbed primarily in the lungs. Smoke particles are much smaller than vapor droplets so they can get down into the tiny spaces where gas exchange takes place. With vapor, the absorption is primarily in the mouth and nasal passages. I don't inhale deeply at all. I can but don't. When I first started vaping, I flat couldn't, I'd cough my head off. Lungs don't seem to care much for water.

Try holding in your mouth, taste the flavor, then blow it out. More like, oh, cigar smoking? Or a pipe?

You can try exhaling nasally which picks up more nic and flavor but I'd skip trying to inhale deeply. It's actually a little counter productive as you won't absorb much more nicotine that way, you'll just make yourself cough.

And don't beat yourself up over "caving" once in a while. Not everybody a stops smoking cold right off. Took me a good six (ish?) weeks to stop completely. Seemed for quite a while I needed the quick "hit" of a cig once in a while then I could "coast" with vaping. Eventually, vaping took over completely and it's been, oh, a year and a month since my last smoke?

You're still exploring juices. When you hit on your first OHMIGAWD juice, cigs will star to taste nasty by comparison.

Also, it may seem backward but lowering your nic and vaping more can help some folks. Seems to me most folk go through a "chain vape" period. I'd bet it's because nicotine absorption in vaping is slower and we're trying to "maintain" the level we're used to with smoking. Smoke delivers nicotine fast. As in it gets to the brain in seconds and you get that "ahh" feeling. Vaping, it's slower and different and your habits will shift around to adapt. Seems, though, it's not at all unusual to vape like a maniac for a while.

 

[IndigoChild]

I think I figured it out… What's making me cough is how spicy the 36mg of nicotine are, plus possibly the high VG content ...? I had been given a sample of Dream Tea from Mt Baker that I really liked, but was chain vaping. It was 12mg nicotine with 80% PG. I ended up ordering 100% PG at 18mg nicotine. Hopefully that will be less harsh, especially without the VG in it - but maybe I'm wrong on whether the VG or the PG is more harsh - we'll see… I figure it's a personal thing. I ordered 15ml Blueberry, Coconut, Grappler (fruit mix), Stawberry, Cheesecake with an extra flavor shot and (Yellow) Cake with an extra flavor shot - it seems that the baked flavors aren't as flavorful as the fruit flavors… Feedback?

 

[IndigoChild]

One thing is that a deep inhale (into the lungs) is not even necessary with vaping. If it's making you cough, don't do it.

I noticed this, too, and have been going a bit easier on things. At first I really wanted that huge plume of vapor, but I just don't think it's that necessary or important and I'd rather not cough

 

[IndigoChild]

Oh and guess what? Today makes day three now without ANY cigarettes or Snus! w00t!

 

[edyle]

I think I figured it out… What's making me cough is how spicy the 36mg of nicotine are, plus possibly the high VG content ...? I had been given a sample of Dream Tea from Mt Baker that I really liked, but was chain vaping. It was 12mg nicotine with 80% PG. I ended up ordering 100% PG at 18mg nicotine. Hopefully that will be less harsh, especially without the VG in it - but maybe I'm wrong on whether the VG or the PG is more harsh - we'll see… I figure it's a personal thing. I ordered 15ml Blueberry, Coconut, Grappler (fruit mix), Stawberry, Cheesecake with an extra flavor shot and (Yellow) Cake with an extra flavor shot - it seems that the baked flavors aren't as flavorful as the fruit flavors… Feedback?

More PG with more nicotine will give stronger harsher throat hit.

 

[glointhedark]

Congratulations on three days! That is great news.

 

[monkeygod]

Hydrate yourself before vaping

 

[IndigoChild]

Oh dear… Oh well, I'll just have to put up with the harsh throat hits and either get used to it - or rather, I will, until next month when I can order something different. So, should I be looking at PG or VG for a less harsh hit? And how does Distilled H20 fit into all this?

 

[mkbilbo]

Oh dear… Oh well, I'll just have to put up with the harsh throat hits and either get used to it - or rather, I will, until next month when I can order something different. So, should I be looking at PG or VG for a less harsh hit? And how does Distilled H20 fit into all this?

Two things make for "throat hit", PG and nicotine. Your nicotine level is pretty high. I was a heavy smoker and never go above 12mg. Most of my DIY mixes are around 9mg. In part because I like to vape a lot so I cut my nic back. I find 24mg and up to be irritating.

More VG yields a "smoother" vape. You might prefer a 50/50. I tend to stay around 60/40 to 50/50 myself. Heavier PG carries throat hit and I didn't care for that even as a smoker. I lean more toward VG as it tends to produce more vapor and that mimics smoking. "Blowing smoke" seems to matter to me.

I don't know Sacramento but it's a city of some size. You must have some vape shops. I mean, nearest town to me is all of 8,000 and we have three. Austin proper, they're popping up like weeds now. Many (the good ones) allow sampling. And you could talk to somebody face to face and hash this one out.

If you're having this much trouble, slash the nic. A lot. Drop to 12mg (and 50/50 PG/VG). You can dilute the ones you have by ordering 0 nicotine versions of the same flavor and mixing, cutting the nic in half. Might want heavier VG in the 0 nic version too.

 

[glointhedark]

Distilled water can be used to "thin out" high vg eliquids so that they work a little better with your coils.

My daughter and I found that high pg was a little harsh for us. My solution was to do the "mad scientist" routine and mix the 100% pg eliquid with some eliquid I had on hand that had vg in it and would compliment the flavor. The 100% pg eliquid was a chocolate mint, so I mixed part of it with some Chocolate Frost from Mt. Baker Vapor. Nice, and made it more vapable to me. The rest I mixed approximately equal parts with Mt. Baker Vapor Vanilla Custard. Very nice - I got that chocolate mint taste with hints of vanilla. That being said, you may really enjoy the 100% pg at 18 mg nicotine. We are all different, and react differently.

 

[amoret]

Oh dear… Oh well, I'll just have to put up with the harsh throat hits and either get used to it - or rather, I will, until next month when I can order something different. So, should I be looking at PG or VG for a less harsh hit? And how does Distilled H20 fit into all this?

You might also look at getting some plain VG -- Vegetable Glycerin at a local drug store or big box store, just make sure it is USP or food grade. Then you can experiment both with the VG level and lower nicotine level. It is very much an individual choice. Personally I prefer high PG and high nicotine.

The best and easiest thing to do for now is stop the direct to the lungs inhaling. As stated above it isn't necessary when you are vaping instead of smoking.

 

[IndigoChild]

I hold it in my mouth before taking it into my lungs - like, opposite action of smoking a cigarette unless you were trying to blow smoke rings. And yeah, this is definitely a personal thing. I noticed that the higher VG stuff I have is less harsh for me - that's why I just ordered 100% VG. Hopefully it'll all be good. If not, I can just "sip" off it. I also have noticed I'm getting more and more used to it as well though. The first morning hits are always a cougher, but by the end of the day I can just inhale without problems. I should note that part of my quitting was because I was getting asthma, and then that because asthmatic exacerbations that required nebulizer treatments at the hospital. At my last treatment the respiratory therapist told me I'm probably in stage 1 COPD. I have not had any pulmonary function tests done yet but I will be doing so soon. Regardless, I still intend to vape nicotine even if it's ill-advised. I LOVED smoking cigarettes and this is the one alternative that's working for me that I think won't be nearly so bad. I also think I'm coughing up a lot of junk from quitting 1.5-2 packs a day and some of this may just be expectorating and clearing out.

 

[IndigoChild]

I'm 27 by the way and have smoked for about 13 years.