Shortness of breath and trouble breathing after vaping

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Vapoor eyes er

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It could be the PG, VG or the flavoring. Asthma inhalers have PG in them- used as a carrier. Some have reported a "heaviness" in their chest from VG.
I smoke Marlboro Reds - about 4-5 a day normally. The eliquid I'm vaping right now is an 18mg product called Cell Block Four by "The Standard"
Normally people that smoked 1-2 PAD begin @ 18 or 24 mg. For yourself 18 mg is far too high IMO. I would think either 12 or 8 mg. Are you getting any headaches, heart palpitations or dizziness?
 

Joanna878

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I smoke a pack or slightly over per day and started out with 18mg juice. Wound up overdosing on nicotine after only four hits. It was not fun at all. Apparently some people are more sensitive to nicotine than others, but in my opinion , you started out way to high since you only smoke 4-5 cigs per day normally. My doctor told me it's better to start at a low level and slowly increase to figure out the level you need.
 

mkbilbo

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I purchased my e-Go C twist 4-5 days ago and within the 3rd or 4th day I noticed that I started having trouble catching my breathe/not getting enough oxygen. I smoke Marlboro Reds - about 4-5 a day normally, but I've only smoked 1 since I purchased my vape. I surfed for forums for a bit and some members have recommended higher PG and others have recommended higher VG. I'm not sure which direction to take. The eliquid I'm vaping right now is an 18mg product called Cell Block Four by "The Standard" - a creamy citrus flavour. I have about 4-5 sessions where I draw 5 times each. I read on a website where a tester guessed the ratio to be 50/50 or 30/70, but there is no known ratio for it.


I've never had trouble catching my breathe before when smoking cigarettes. The first day of vaping seemed just fine. I was chain-vaping and didn't notice it any breathing problems. I also read somewhere on the forums that the tissue in my lungs were coming back to life I thought my breathing may possibly be a reaction to the vapor after a few days of not smoking cigarettes.

Some background: I also have a history of Asthma when I was younger.

Does anyone have any suggestions or insight into this? Thanks.


Could easily be an allergic reaction. And I can't find anything on these people. This bunch doing "The Standard" or whatever. Maybe somebody else knows who they are but anybody that won't tell me what they're putting in their juices, I don't do business with.

You could try (as I see Fizzpop suggesting) getting a sample of 100% PG and one of 100% VG to see which one may be giving you trouble.

Though it could also be something these people are using in their juice. Some folks have reactions to different flavorings.

If it's causing you distress, stop using it definitely!

You have a vape shop somewhere in reach you could go by and try samples in person maybe?
 

MamaTried

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Only 4-5 Marlys a day? Why not just quit? Why complicate your life, if I read that right?

on the other hand...

if i ever got down to 4-5/day, i might have never even considered vaping, as sacriligious as that may sound.

i was a 3 pack-a-day smoker...

if OP is trying to kick 4-5/day, that is freakin awesome either which way. my hat is off.

it's ridiculously easy to overthink this stuff soon after starting vaping. my guess is if OP just backs off a bit, because over-vaping at first is common, then all the pretty bricks will fall into place
 

QTPie

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Just my experience. I tried many 100% PG disposables, then got other juices that were 80PG/20VG and was fine. I got a 70PG/30VG juice and had bronchitis, asthma and was miserable the next day. I found that I am sensitive to VG anything over 20VG and I'm sick. I just get the standard mix 80/20 on everything now and feel great!
 

Wow1420

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mare: I don't know, I just smoke cigarettes, I'm trying to cut down/quit with the vape thing, but the breathing problems are coming up.

Vsta: Could it be that I'm adding some juice into the cartomizer for flavouring and it's clogging up the filter/airway?

Racehorse: Thanks for the suggestions, I'm a little reluctant to go try all that out because of the expenses. Hopefully the vape shop that I go to will give me some samples to try until I figure it all out

If you can't find them at a local shop, here's a cheap online source for 100%VG and 100%PG unflavored
Flavorless 100% VG - eLiquid - ECBlend
Flavorless eLiquid - ECBlend
5ml should be plenty for testing considering how much you vape. You could also pick some flavor and get it in both 6 and 12mg to see if you do better with lower nic.
 

cvedrick

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3 pack a day more on weekends while drinking....

woke up 3 times in one night jsut to spend 10 minutes coughing each time....

glad I stopped by Dan Coonans booth and spent enough time chatting him up to to notice those funny battery/mouthpiece thingies in his pocket and ask him about it.

Have not had to smoke a cigarette in 5 weeks now.

get the cotton throat thing some, need to hydrate more and plan to vary mix in the near future.
 

cometinc

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I went in and returned the 18mg liquids for 12mg ones (without citrus). I also purchased the 100% VG and 100% PG flavourless 5ml liquids online to try in case it's the VG or PG that's causing the shortness of breath. I'm going to wait for them to come in before I open the 12mg Villain Vapor liquids I traded for today.

The thing I'm a little confused about is that I've heard people associate the needed 'mg' of nicotine to the strength the cigarette previously smoked i.e lights, mediums, reds, whereas others associate the 'mg' of nicotine needed to the AMOUNT (1,2 packs a day) previously smoked.

I guess as Joanna mentioned I may be more sensitive to the nicotine (so would 6mg do for my nicotine fix if I wanted to vape as much as I puffed while smoking a cigarette?)

It might also be the case that I'm over vaping. But over these next few days I'm going to drink more water and pace myself to see what works. Can't wait till the 100% pg and vg stuff comes in so I can start rooting out the problems
 
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cometinc

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I have to agree 4-5 cigs a day... Quit before its too late...

I understand your sentiment but I enjoy a cigarette after a meal(or nicotine?). I thought 4-5 cigarettes a day was common but I guess not. I also like the taste of vaping but if it keeps giving me complications after I try and sort out my issues, I probably will stop vaping.

Honestly I don't hear about people smoking a pack a day much. While I was in the vape store today some more experienced folks said they smoked 2-3 packs a day - for 40 something years! This is new to me, I don't even know how someone could find the time to smoke that much.
 
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1awesomelawson

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We would smoke about 1.5 packs a day and they gave us 24mg to start. We felt like we were going to OD on that (lol) so dropped down to 18mg. At 4-5 cigarettes (compared to 18-20 in ONE pack), I really think you're way too high on the mg, even at 12.

Now, I'm just as much a noob, and concede it could be either the PG or VG causing the shortness of breath, but if you didn't need that much nic before, I wouldn't be putting it in my system now. Just my .02 cents :)
 

mkbilbo

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The thing I'm a little confused about is that I've heard people associate the needed 'mg' of nicotine to the strength the cigarette previously smoked i.e lights, mediums, reds, whereas others associate the 'mg' of nicotine needed to the AMOUNT (1,2 packs a day) previously

I don't know anybody has figured out how much corresponds to what. I was a pretty heavy smoker but use 12 and 6 more than anything. I've run into vapers who had similar smoking habits that went the other way to higher nic. You have to experiment a bit and the only person who can actually tell you the right nic level is you.
 

Hulamoon

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Light headedness does sound like too much nicotine (remember those first cigarettes?) :) Try cutting a little of your current juice with 50% VG and try that. Or even better, if you happen to have a regular store in the neighborhood check out a lower nic juice.

I'm not getting any headaches or notable dizziness, just a lightheadedness.

I'm not 100% on the correct rhythm of my heart but I put my palm on it the other night just to check - it felt a little slower to me
 

Hulamoon

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6 and 12 sounds right. Don't inhale as you would a cigarette though. Try and mimic your pop or grandpop smoking a pipe in his deck chair on a pleasant summer evening. Slow inhale, hold in mouth, roll it round your tongue and exhale - through nose is recommended by some for the nic fix. Some inhale the vapor (I do for example). It takes longer to vape than to have that quick cigarette. As to how long one can vape, some people vape all day, others just a few puffs here and there. Depends on the person. Anyway, slow and leisurely - I'd suggest 6 mg and then 12mg for those "must have a cigarette" moments (like after dinner). And yes yes yes to the water. VERY important.


Thanks for the replies everyone. I went in and returned the 18mg liquids for 12mg ones (without citrus). I also purchased the 100% VG and 100% PG flavourless 5ml liquids online to try in case it's the VG or PG that's causing the shortness of breath. I'm going to wait for them to come in before I open the 12mg Villain Vapor liquids I traded for today.

The thing I'm a little confused about is that I've heard people associate the needed 'mg' of nicotine to the strength the cigarette previously smoked i.e lights, mediums, reds, whereas others associate the 'mg' of nicotine needed to the AMOUNT (1,2 packs a day) previously smoked.

I guess as Joanna mentioned I may be more sensitive to the nicotine (so would 6mg do for my nicotine fix if I wanted to vape as much as I puffed while smoking a cigarette?)

It might also be the case that I'm over vaping. But over these next few days I'm going to drink more water and pace myself to see what works. Can't wait till the 100% pg and vg stuff comes in so I can start rooting out the problems
 

jozef-3d

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I have the same issue. I found that it was the PG. I tried some 100% VG from virgin vapors and didn't have any issues. I ran out and went back to my 50/50 and I started having the stomach issues as well as the shortness of breath. So I'm concluding that I'm kind of allergic to PG so ill be doing 100% VG from here on out.
 
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