shortness of breath?

[grvthang]

I'm a new user after 40+ years of cigarette smoking. I've been using a KR808D1 and with medium level-nicotine (11mg), and I've had good results giving up a pack-a-day habit for about a month now.

The problem is that I'm experiencing a higher level of shortness of breath now than when I was smoking analogs. Is that normal? I'm glad that I'm able to not be smoking, but I'm actually feeling physically worse than I did before.

 

[swedishfish]

It is sort of unusual because you don't really absorb the nicotine in your lungs the way you do cigarettes.

I get a slightly heavy feeling in my chest with too much VG.

Possibly something in the juice that doesn't agree with you? Maybe try cartomizers from a different company or try buying empty cartomizers and filling them yourself.

Where did you get the cartomizers?

 

[frosting]

Could be too high VG like swedishfish said.

Maybe going for a walk daily, just for some extra activity might help?

Shopping around doesn't sound like a bad idea either.

 

[Tersur]

Too high vg. Banana. Or cinnamon flavors will do the same to me.

 

[swedishfish]

Halo sells cartomizers. Maybe try a different brand of juice and see if that helps.

This is a light juice
Malibu Menthol Cartomizers

 

[swedishfish]

Found this in the health section-

4. Allergic Reaction to Eliquid Ingredients
There have been a small number of cases reported where some of the symptoms were similar to #V4 but in addition there were one or more of the following: chest pains, dizziness, severe skin tingling, a feeling of electric tingling on the scalp, headache, and a general feeling of being very unwell. These symptoms may or may not be related to use of a new e-liquid.

If you think you may have experienced a reaction to an e-liquid ingredient then do not use that liquid. This is one reason to buy small, sampler pack bottles first, before buying larger amounts.

5. Specific brand VG intolerance
There are cases now being noted of severe intolerance to specific brands of VG. This may be because there are several different ways to manufacture VG, and some products may not be suitable for inhalation as a result. Or, it may be an issue with an additive of some kind.

The symptoms are shortness of breath, wheezing, congestion, bronchitis-like effects. This indicates that another brand should be used immediately. The symptoms quickly clear up after changing to another brand.

Here's the whole thread--

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...hen-quitting-tobacco-changing-ecigarette.html

 

[S1m0n]

Maybe to do with withdrawal from analogs too, its often said u can feel worse for a while after giving up before u feel better, is probably a good idea to go see your doctor just to be sure. I'm sure that whichever way you will soon start to feel so much better

 

[grvthang]

Thanks for the responses. It's great that this forum is available, but it's is so huge it's kind of overwhelming to look for help with a specific issue. Thanks for the heads-up on the "Health" section - I hadn't noticed it.

I've been using different juices from 3 different suppliers - mad vapes, phantom vapors and myvaporstore.com, so I can't really pin it down to any one juice or supplier. I guess I should look into the VG-content aspect.

I have COPD; actually early stages of emphysema, so it's imperative that I give up smoking cigarettes. Like I said earlier, I'm very glad to be able to stop smoking by vaping, but I'm actually breathing much worse at this point than when I was smoking the analogs. And it's not like I'm vaping a lot either; I'm probably taking fewer "puffs" per day than when I was smoking the real ones.

I'm hoping it's the VG-content thing. I'll see if I can research that issue further. I haven't noticed suppliers giving that information on their juices, but maybe I haven't been looking hard enough.

 

[swedishfish]

That's a good idea to see a doctor. It's a shame because you're doing so great! I'd first try a different brand of juice, see if that helps.

 

[swedishfish]

Thanks for the responses. It's great that this forum is available, but it's is so huge it's kind of overwhelming to look for help with a specific issue. Thanks for the heads-up on the "Health" section - I hadn't noticed it.

I've been using different juices from 3 different suppliers - mad vapes, phantom vapors and myvaporstore.com, so I can't really pin it down to any one juice or supplier. I guess I should look into the VG-content aspect.

I have COPD; actually early stages of emphysema, so it's imperative that I give up smoking cigarettes. Like I said earlier, I'm very glad to be able to stop smoking by vaping, but I'm actually breathing much worse at this point than when I was smoking the analogs. And it's not like I'm vaping a lot either; I'm probably taking fewer "puffs" per day than when I was smoking the real ones.

I'm hoping it's the VG-content thing. I'll see if I can research that issue further. I haven't noticed suppliers giving that information on their juices, but maybe I haven't been looking hard enough.

My mother has COPD and had issues with all VG. This seems to not be the norm though. I hear about more people having issues with PG than VG. She started with ecoPure juice which I got her because it's supposed to be very pure juice and because she has lung issues I was concerned about the type of juice she vapes.

Looking at where you're getting your juice, I think most of those juices are PG. So, maybe the PG bothers you. Do you drink a lot of water? I think the Halo juice is 60pg/40vg, something like that. It's their own formula but I think I remember someone posting that.

Does your pv have an easy draw? My mom because she has compromised lungs had issues with her first pv because the draw was hard and it gave her problems. She got a Riva and it was easier for her to have a pv where it was an easier draw.

Did this just start to happen or has it been this way since you started vaping?

 

[mwa102464]

It's also only been a month, your lungs are clearing up, you have a ways to go before there healthy again and get much clearer, like some others said try experimenting with other cartos/Atty's maybe try a 510 with 510 cartos, try some different juices from different vendors. Experimenting and finding things you really like and that work for you are key. Just like you enjoyed your brand of the cigs its very similar with ecigs and finding your preferred hardware and liquids. A trip to the Dr couldnt hurt as well if your having some shortness of breath just to be 100% sure that's all it is. 40+yrs of smoking is a long time, it will take a while before those lungs recover as well, stick with the vaping whatever you do over those cigs.

 

[grvthang]

I had been flirting with vaping since the summertime - I had bought the nJoy setup at 7-11 stores, and was using them part of the time. Then the weekend of November 12 I started vaping (I had had gotten pneumonia the week before, so now I knew I had to get serious with this). I bought a starter kit from Phantom Vapors - I don't even know how I found them on line, but it's sort of like a KR808, but the battery has a female fitting and the cartos have the male threads. I bought their refill kit with three different tobacco-like flavors (I smoked Parliament analogs), and have been using those flavors plus their French Vanilla.

I was getting over the pneumonia, so my breathing was already compromised. After about 2 weeks on those, I found myvaporstore and their KR808D-1. I wanted to try a manual battery, so I sent for their starter kit and swithced over because I like it better. I also bought their RY4 juice.

I noticed that the myvaporstore.com KR808 have a much easier draw than the first kit I had (it had auto batteries). I thought the shortness of breath might have to do with drawing so hard on the auto battery unit, but it didnt make a difference when I switched over.

I'm making an appointment with my pulmonary doctor this week. It's a drag that I'm doing so well with this, but not feelling better. Thanks so much, swedishfish, for your input - I'm going to order some of that Halo juice.

 

[swedishfish]

Let us know how it goes with your doctor!

 

[grvthang]

It's also only been a month, your lungs are clearing up, you have a ways to go before there healthy again and get much clearer, like some others said try experimenting with other cartos/Atty's maybe try a 510 with 510 cartos, try some different juices from different vendors. Experimenting and finding things you really like and that work for you are key. Just like you enjoyed your brand of the cigs its very similar with ecigs and finding your preferred hardware and liquids. A trip to the Dr couldnt hurt as well if your having some shortness of breath just to be 100% sure that's all it is. 40+yrs of smoking is a long time, it will take a while before those lungs recover as well, stick with the vaping whatever you do over those cigs.

I hear you. Thanks. I'm going to read up on the juices and see - are there such things as 100% vg juice and 100% pg juice? If there are, than I can try one for a few days and know for certain.
I'm sticking with this, in any event. I know it's got to be better for me than smoking, regardless of how I feel. My dad died from emphysema and my mom from lung cancer. I need to stop. I just gave my sister my first kit tonight and she's giving it a shot, too.

 

[grvthang]

Let us know how it goes with your doctor!

Thank you. I will.

 

[zenoland]

VG did the same thing to me. At most I can vape 80/20 PG/VG without the problem.

 

[swedishfish]

I hear you. Thanks. I'm going to read up on the juices and see - are there such things as 100% vg juice and 100% pg juice? If there are, than I can try one for a few days and know for certain.
I'm sticking with this, in any event. I know it's got to be better for me than smoking, regardless of how I feel. My dad died from emphysema and my mom from lung cancer. I need to stop. I just gave my sister my first kit tonight and she's giving it a shot, too.

Most do. You can get a little sampler bottle at Vapor Bomb of 100% vg and 100% Vg. You might need to add a little distilled water to the 100% vg for your cartos.

 

[grvthang]

Most do. You can get a little sampler bottle at Vapor Bomb of 100% vg and 100% Vg. You might need to add a little distilled water to the 100% vg for your cartos.

That's just what I'm going to do now - order one of each. That's the best way to find out.
I'm so glad that this forum exists. Thanks again to everyone for your input.

 

[mariposa224]

Something my doctor told me on one of my previous "quits"... I have asthma and had noticed a month or so, maybe 6 weeks, after I quit smoking, my asthma was a LOT worse than it had been when I was smoking (this was several years ago, WAY before ever vaping). She told me that because of all the tar and crap that are in the tobacco cigs, the cilia in the lungs were all gunked up and basically kinda lying down while I was smoking. Once I stopped, they started working their way free again... And in that process, all the tar and gunk was breaking loose, making my breathing condition temporarily worse. I'm not a doctor, of course, so I can't say this is the same thing you're experiencing, just saying that it's a possibility. And it DOES get better, but it takes time, of course. And, obviously, having just recovered from pneumonia may play into it as well.

 

[Denise D]

I read on ECF that most of the nicotine in the vape is absorbed in the mouth, not the lungs. Since my lungs are somewhat fried, I try to hold the vapor in my mouth and not draw in to the lungs. It is NOT easy! But it seems to work and satisfying enough if I do it 9 out of 10 times.

Yes, you can get 100% PG or 100% VG flavors. I prefer the VG but it seems to collect in my lungs (hence the not inhaling deep).

I second the idea of trying different flavors, or you can get Unflavored - not as much fun but leaves out one possible source of irritation.