The art of NOT inhaling...

[Briar]

Hi, folks. I need some advice...

I need to move from inhaling the vapor to vaping without inhaling. I have asthma, and, unfortunately, vaping aggravates it more than smoking does...

This is my second go with vaping, and it's the same story. I love it, it takes care of my nic cravings, I can get off the cigs, but eventually I start feeling like an elephant is sitting on my chest, especially as the weather gets colder.

I know some folks vape without inhaling, and I need to learn how to do that "properly".

Right now I vape like I used to smoke - just pull the vapor into my mouth, with my tongue back, then inhale, and then blow it out. Doing this, I get no taste on the inhale at all, it's all on the exhale. Oh, and I exhale through mouth, not nose.

So I tried just pulling vapor into my mouth and blowing it out through my mouth. I get no taste whatsoever. I tried blowing it out through my nose. Ouch. Major instant irritation and the "taste/smell" is horrid.

At this point all I accomplished is irritated tongue, mouth and nose - probably due to nic? (I wonder if it would help if I try 0 nic for most of my vaping, and just hit high nic several times a day to satisfy cravings...)

So is there a "proper" form for not-inhaling?

 

[orachel]

Hmm... That's pretty much how you do it. I inhale whilst vaping, but i used to spend a lot of time in cigar bars, so got pretty good at the not inhaling thing. Have you tried doing a few baby puffs, back to back, cigar style, then blowing out?

BTW, totally off topic, but have you tried a variety of types of liquid? I used to get that 'elephant on chest' feeling (I don't have asthma, but I have a history of respiratory problems) when I was vaping liquids with PG in em. Ever tried any good 100% VG liquids, perhaps with all natural flavors/colors/sweeteners? I switched to Virgin Vapor liquids, 100% VG, 100% organic, and all that tight chest feeling went away. Not sure if that would help you, but it sure wouldn't hurt. Inhaling PG can dry out your mucous membranes, and inhaling sucralose and artificial everythings could definitely be exacerbating the problem. I like the VV juices, but Ahlusion, Vaperite and Copper Creek all offer VG juices that are either Organic or all natural. Maybe give that a whirl? Good luck! There's nothing worse than labored breathing. Talk about exhausting!

PS. the organic liquids also don't have that burny sensation when you exhale thru the nose, at least not in my experience. When i was vaping PG with artificial stuff, it absolutely hurt to do that, plus i got that weird chemically smell. But with the organics, i rather like to exhale that way from time to time because they smell so good. Oh, and my nic is rather high... 18 to 24, and I don't get irritation from it. Might be your issue with exhaling thru the nose, but might not.

 

[Str8V8ping]

Theres nothing your doing wrong there with not inhaling . If not inhaling i vape it into my mouth and either let it right out while puffing or breath in through my nose so basically you be taking the vapor from your mouth to your nose and bac out your mouth . Not inhaling would mean your not getting nic anyway so i gues you can try no nic juices . Maybe try vg no nic juices if it irritating your mouth .

Maybe Nhalers lung juice although i havent tried it and dont know if theres any difference on the lungs .

Lung Juice

 

[yo vapo]

Have you tried moving the tip of your tongue into the incoming vapor stream? Might be worth a try. I do that with cigars to get the maximum flavor.

EDIT: Just tried this, and I am tasting all the sweet flavor of the juice that I wasn't noticing before.
Also, you should still be getting some nicotine. If not enough to satisfy your cravings, maybe up the strength of the juice, if you're not inhaling?

 

[frosting]

I had the same idea as yo-vapo, somewhat. You could move your tongue upwards so the vapor hits under your tongue. You should be able to get your nic-fix as it goes partly into the membranes.

 

[pnc81498]

I move my toungh like wiper blade. Amazing you can notice a difference from 1 side to the other. Practice nose hits fill mouth push out nose.
Takes practice but you will be a pro in a week.

Sent from the road... Don't text drip and drive.

 

[ambientech]

I have asthma and I too find vaping causes me more problems than smoking did. This wasn't the case when I first started smoking it too bothered my asthma but I just got used to it I guess. Lately we have had a bit drier air blow in and that is when it hit me. I was having to use my inhaler every 4 hours. What I did was find a juice that had no throat hit. If I find I am really craving an analog I go for the juice with th but going back to no th asap. This seems to have solved the heavy chest feeling for now. When the air is moist I don't have this problem so hopefully it will only require a short time of adjustment.

 

[Briar]

Thanks for you help and input, folks. Appreciate it. I've been experimenting with different things suggested.

So far, the best way it works for me is stick my tongue into the vapor stream, do a few quick mouth puffs, exhale from the mouth, pull in vapor through the nose, and let it out through the mouth again.

Nothing goes down the trachea, thus no elephants on my chest. Joy ensues.

This is kinda complicated though for me the primitive smoker type. I need practice. I've forgotten to breathe, hyperventilated, and severely irritated everything doing this. Like I said - need practice. Rhythm of some kind.

I also think I need to lower my nic severely, or eliminate it altogether, save for a few times a day. My tongue is numb. Of course, maybe I'll get used to it. I read that most nic from vaping gets absorbed in the mouth, not the lungs...

On the other hand, I've discovered that doing it this way is a lot more flavorful, and uncovers nuances of flavor I never even knew were there. Fascinating.

Regarding VG and all-natural juices... I've thought about that. I've been looking at Virgin Vapor for a while now. I don't think it's going to solve the problem though. I use EcoPure for mixing all the time. And vape it alone occasionally. Love the stuff. It's what VV uses for a base. It aggravates the elephant even more.

I suspect this doesn't have to do with ingredients so much as with the particle size. Smoke particles are much smaller than vape droplets. And VG has higher surface tension than PG, so VG droplets are larger than PG. Thus I react worst to VG. Unfortunately. I like VG.

But it was a good thought.


P.S. I should add, for the sake of completeness, that a 50 year old lady, sitting in front of her 'puter reading directions, huffing, puffing, and doing face contortions (and occasionally turning blue from lack of oxygen), is not a site for the faint of heart...

 

[kinabaloo]

Just to point out that in vaping, the nic is mostly absorbed in the mouth and throat, so there's no need to take the vapor into the lungs deliberately (a little will still get there).

 

[orachel]

LOVED your visuals, Briar! Too funny! Well, whatever the solution, I sure hope you find your answer! Crossing fingers for ya. And remember to breathe!