Tight Chest Problem ?

[wbrooks4]

It is always nice when a shop offers different levels of PG/VG

 

[ReacT]

I've found VG to cause me EXTREME problems with my breathing -- and considering that I have asthma, that's not anything I want to happen. If I either 1) dilute high-VG juices (anything that's at least 40 percent VG is a high-VG juice to me) with distilled water, at least a 10% dilution, or 2) stick to at least 75% PG, I have zero problems.

It's true that high-PG can cause a "scratchy" throat, a lot of folks have mentioned that. But you kinda have to weigh them: scratchy throat, or inability to breathe? I'd prefer the scratchy throat, myself, but I've never had that problem with PG, probably because I've been accustomed to PG for over 30 yrs in my asthma inhalers.

Also bear in mind that BOTH! PG and VG will dehydrate you EXTREMELY, which could make both problems worse -- if the stuff in your chest is thick, it will be harder to cough up, and make it harder to breathe; if your throat is very dry, it could easily feel scratchy. A lot of new vapers apparently shrug off the warnings about dehydration, but it's a very real and very serious issue; if it goes on for too long, you then get into electrolyte imbalance problems, which are a great deal more serious. But everytime you exhale vapor, from vaping? That water vapor is made from the water in your body, which both PG and VG grab to make the vapor, so you're losing water with every puff. Drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol will also make the problem worse; you need real water or fruit juices, or something like that, if you want to truly replace the water you're losing with every puff. Sports drinks are also not a good choice, because they tamper with electrolyte levels, which could actually bring on the electrolyte problem. For myself, I've found coconut water to be the best possible choice, both to correct my electrolyte issues, and keep me hydrated.

Andria

Thanks for the information. Today, I was vaping bobas %100 VG whole day as i was thinking my problem was all about "fa irish cream" flavor i use in my mixes. It looks like it is not only irish cream, yes my itchings and red spots are gone after i remove irish cream from my mixes but today i vape whole day bobas and at night, I got serious breathing problems like you had Andria. Even i dont have asthma or any other chest issues that are confirmed by doctors last week. It looks like i need to make %50 pg/vg mix to test. However, it can be also cinnamon or graham cracker causing the issue that are in bobas if i am not mistaken. Right now, i have a little pain in the chest, breathing is normal but there is a pain and discomfort in the chest.

About dehydration, it was the reason for me to move higher VG juices. PG was drying me so much even i was drinking 2 LT water per day. But I believe i was happy with %50PG since when i started and before i moved to high vg, there was no problem except dehydration.

Right now I am going to make 12mg nic, %50PG mix without any flavor and i will use it for at least 48 hours to see what will happen.

 

[AndriaD]

Thanks for the information. Today, I was vaping bobas %100 VG whole day as i was thinking my problem was all about "fa irish cream" flavor i use in my mixes. It looks like it is not only irish cream, yes my itchings and red spots are gone after i remove irish cream from my mixes but today i vape whole day bobas and at night, I got serious breathing problems like you had Andria. Even i dont have asthma or any other chest issues that are confirmed by doctors last week. It looks like i need to make %50 pg/vg mix to test. However, it can be also cinnamon or graham cracker causing the issue that are in bobas if i am not mistaken. Right now, i have a little pain in the chest, breathing is normal but there is a pain and discomfort in the chest.

About dehydration, it was the reason for me to move higher VG juices. PG was drying me so much even i was drinking 2 LT water per day. But I believe i was happy with %50PG since when i started and before i moved to high vg, there was no problem except dehydration.

Right now I am going to make 12mg nic, %50PG mix without any flavor and i will use it for at least 48 hours to see what will happen.

Well apparently VG is every bit as dehydrating as PG, you just feel it differently; both chemicals "grab" water, and that is the water in the water vapor you exhale. In fact VG might even grab *more* water, considering that VG vapor is much thicker. The only thing I've found to alleviate the chest problem with VG is diluting it with water; I was actually diluting it about 25%, my problem was so severe, but a 10% dilution would also thin it considerably, and that seems to be the key, making the ejuice thinner. Also, VG can be diluted with high-proof vodka or pure grain alcohol (everclear or golden grain) and that will give you a better throat hit, as it's harsher than water, but if your throat is irritated, you may not want more throat hit. But just changing from Pg to Vg or vice-versa won't affect the dehydration one iota; both chemicals dehydrate you by grabbing the water in your mouth/throat/nose and using it to make vapor. Coconut water is a godsend!!! My electrolytes were so out of whack that my ankles had turned into fat "cankles" (and I was always vain of my slender ankles!) and my feet were lumpy and very painful, and no amount of water I could drink was doing the least bit of good -- but within a week of starting the coconut water daily, the problem was completely GONE.

If the problem in your chest is actually painful, then I'd have to say either go to 80%-90%-100% PG, or dilute the VG with water; those are really about the only options that I've found to relieve the chest problem, because 50% PG is still 50% VG, and that's a lot. Of course everyone is different, and I have asthma to deal with; my problem wasn't pain, but just being unable to breathe -- even a rescue inhaler won't help if you can't breathe it in to get the bronchodilator into the lungs. VG is just plain too thick to make it a good thing to inhale, unless you thin it down a little with water or alcohol.

Andria

 

[ReacT]

Well apparently VG is every bit as dehydrating as PG, you just feel it differently; both chemicals "grab" water, and that is the water in the water vapor you exhale. In fact VG might even grab *more* water, considering that VG vapor is much thicker. The only thing I've found to alleviate the chest problem with VG is diluting it with water; I was actually diluting it about 25%, my problem was so severe, but a 10% dilution would also thin it considerably, and that seems to be the key, making the ejuice thinner. Also, VG can be diluted with high-proof vodka or pure grain alcohol (everclear or golden grain) and that will give you a better throat hit, as it's harsher than water, but if your throat is irritated, you may not want more throat hit. But just changing from Pg to Vg or vice-versa won't affect the dehydration one iota; both chemicals dehydrate you by grabbing the water in your mouth/throat/nose and using it to make vapor. Coconut water is a godsend!!! My electrolytes were so out of whack that my ankles had turned into fat "cankles" (and I was always vain of my slender ankles!) and my feet were lumpy and very painful, and no amount of water I could drink was doing the least bit of good -- but within a week of starting the coconut water daily, the problem was completely GONE.

If the problem in your chest is actually painful, then I'd have to say either go to 80%-90%-100% PG, or dilute the VG with water; those are really about the only options that I've found to relieve the chest problem, because 50% PG is still 50% VG, and that's a lot. Of course everyone is different, and I have asthma to deal with; my problem wasn't pain, but just being unable to breathe -- even a rescue inhaler won't help if you can't breathe it in to get the bronchodilator into the lungs. VG is just plain too thick to make it a good thing to inhale, unless you thin it down a little with water or alcohol.

Andria

I just made %50PG mix and i dont have chest issues now. Actually, it also fixed the discomfort. I have a theory; I live in a city where the moisture is %75 - %90, so according to researches VG is holding the moisture in the body and when i reduce the VG and increased the PG(kills the moisture), it is balanced as i am already getting so much moisture from the air of my city. Interesting but it can be. Well, right now i am relaxed from pain and other chest issues with %50 PG, but it is too early to decide. Lets see 2-3 days or tonight, it usally gets worst at nights.

 

[Hawaii]

Great idea. I'm in the same boat. Going back to 60/40 or 50/50

 

[AndriaD]

I just made %50PG mix and i dont have chest issues now. Actually, it also fixed the discomfort. I have a theory; I live in a city where the moisture is %75 - %90, so according to researches VG is holding the moisture in the body and when i reduce the VG and increased the PG(kills the moisture), it is balanced as i am already getting so much moisture from the air of my city. Interesting but it can be. Well, right now i am relaxed from pain and other chest issues with %50 PG, but it is too early to decide. Lets see 2-3 days or tonight, it usally gets worst at nights.

Well that's cool. It's *!extremely!* humid here in Atlanta, but in the air conditioning, not much humidity at all, and I try to spend as little time outdoors as I can possibly manage -- that humidity is pretty rough for an asthmatic. Actually, *vaping* can be pretty rough for an asthmatic, but it's gotta be better than smoking! At least vaping isn't leaving smoke residue in my lungs.

Andria

 

[SilverHawk]

Well that's cool. It's *!extremely!* humid here in Atlanta, but in the air conditioning, not much humidity at all, and I try to spend as little time outdoors as I can possibly manage -- that humidity is pretty rough for an asthmatic. Actually, *vaping* can be pretty rough for an asthmatic, but it's gotta be better than smoking! At least vaping isn't leaving smoke residue in my lungs.

Andria

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I live in Atlanta too and have been having these problems as well. I have emphysema and since I started vaping the tightness scared the hell out of me. Any idea (anyone) a little trick that will help, other than blending your own juice? The shop I go to most will custom mix your PG/VG percentages.

 

[mmsjs5]

Nevermind

 

[mmsjs5]

I've found VG to cause me EXTREME problems with my breathing -- and considering that I have asthma, that's not anything I want to happen. If I either 1) dilute high-VG juices (anything that's at least 40 percent VG is a high-VG juice to me) with distilled water, at least a 10% dilution, or 2) stick to at least 75% PG, I have zero problems.

It's true that high-PG can cause a "scratchy" throat, a lot of folks have mentioned that. But you kinda have to weigh them: scratchy throat, or inability to breathe? I'd prefer the scratchy throat, myself, but I've never had that problem with PG, probably because I've been accustomed to PG for over 30 yrs in my asthma inhalers.

Also bear in mind that BOTH! PG and VG will dehydrate you EXTREMELY, which could make both problems worse -- if the stuff in your chest is thick, it will be harder to cough up, and make it harder to breathe; if your throat is very dry, it could easily feel scratchy. A lot of new vapers apparently shrug off the warnings about dehydration, but it's a very real and very serious issue; if it goes on for too long, you then get into electrolyte imbalance problems, which are a great deal more serious. But everytime you exhale vapor, from vaping? That water vapor is made from the water in your body, which both PG and VG grab to make the vapor, so you're losing water with every puff. Drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol will also make the problem worse; you need real water or fruit juices, or something like that, if you want to truly replace the water you're losing with every puff. Sports drinks are also not a good choice, because they tamper with electrolyte levels, which could actually bring on the electrolyte problem. For myself, I've found coconut water to be the best possible choice, both to correct my electrolyte issues, and keep me hydrated.

Andria

LOL....good to see you showed up to tell her what I was trying to tell her.

I should know to scan these threads before posting.

 

[SilverHawk]

LOL....good to see you showed up to tell her what I was trying to tell her.

I should know to scan these threads before posting.

Just out of curiosity...would a dehumidifier help with vaping in a humid climate?

 

[SilverHawk]

Out of curiosity, would a dehumidifier help in a humid climate with this problem?

Oops...sorry folks. Didn't realize I posted twice.

 

[GMayberry]

Go see your doctor before you drop dead ! What the hell are you doing asking a bunch of typed words what to do ? Go , now .

I read this thread and moved on, but I just couldn't help but come back to comment on this. I feel like this comment is absolutely uncalled for. First of all, yes, if you have health concerns, see a doctor. I am sure the OP is smart enough to know this. In this case though, this kind of statement could possibly cause undue alarm in someone, and turn them off of vaping immediately and back to the cigs right away. We have all experienced the different effects of quitting smoking, and the transition to vaping. He is getting some great advice, why interject this? Ridiculous. Sorry, just my opinion. Rant over.

 

[AndriaD]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I live in Atlanta too and have been having these problems as well. I have emphysema and since I started vaping the tightness scared the hell out of me. Any idea (anyone) a little trick that will help, other than blending your own juice? The shop I go to most will custom mix your PG/VG percentages.

Well, for me, sticking to a high percentage of PG (75% or more) seems to do the trick, but I know some people have problems with that much PG. Other than that, just diluting it with some distilled water to make it thinner, helps me a great deal. Someone suggested starting at 5% dilution, but that's only like 1 drop of water per 19 drops of ejuice (for 1ml) which really isn't much of a dilution -- I'd suggest starting at 10%, i.e., 2 drops water + 18 drops ejuice, to make one ml. For myself, if there's anything over 40% VG, I go ahead and dilute it about 25%, (3 parts ejuice to 1 part water) just because not being able to breathe is a lot scarier than a slightly-light-tasting ejuice. And it doesn't actually affect the taste that much, just makes the vapor a bit thinner -- which is exactly what I need, with asthma, so it might suit COPD sufferers too.

Hope that helps!
Andria

 

[AndriaD]

Out of curiosity, would a dehumidifier help in a humid climate with this problem?

Oops...sorry folks. Didn't realize I posted twice.

Well if you have AC in your home, you probably don't need it; one of the major things that an AC does is remove humidity, because humidity in the air makes the air carry more heat -- which is why all AC units drip or run water. But if you're still finding it difficult to breathe even with AC, then yeah, a dehumidifier would certainly help, and it would also mean your AC doesn't have to work as hard. However, given that vaping dehydrates so intensely, it might not be a great idea to further dry out air that's already dehumidified with an air conditioner.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

I read this thread and moved on, but I just couldn't help but come back to comment on this. I feel like this comment is absolutely uncalled for. First of all, yes, if you have health concerns, see a doctor. I am sure the OP is smart enough to know this. In this case though, this kind of statement could possibly cause undue alarm in someone, and turn them off of vaping immediately and back to the cigs right away. We have all experienced the different effects of quitting smoking, and the transition to vaping. He is getting some great advice, why interject this? Ridiculous. Sorry, just my opinion. Rant over.

I agree 100%, and given that most doctors know very little about vaping or the effects it has on a body, the advice to be had in this forum is probably better and more informed, other than *strictly* medical stuff.

Andria

 

[ReacT]

I read this thread and moved on, but I just couldn't help but come back to comment on this. I feel like this comment is absolutely uncalled for. First of all, yes, if you have health concerns, see a doctor. I am sure the OP is smart enough to know this. In this case though, this kind of statement could possibly cause undue alarm in someone, and turn them off of vaping immediately and back to the cigs right away. We have all experienced the different effects of quitting smoking, and the transition to vaping. He is getting some great advice, why interject this? Ridiculous. Sorry, just my opinion. Rant over.

I completely agree and it was funny even i wrote that " I went to a doctor last week and everythings is ok" in my first message, so he probably didnt read the first message or completely. However, yeah reading it was affected me somehow, for a second i tought then I remember i already went a doctor.

I'm still learning, I'm happy and i really appriciate the help and thanks for everyones time.

A question: I was using my itaste v3 and iclear30s dual at usally between 4.5 - 4.7 and i realized it was so much, like it was frying the juice i believe. Running between pg - vg, the issue can be so simple like that, i dont know but i reduced the voltage to 3.7 and my chest is way better now..

 

[mkbilbo]

By the way, it is also always possible it's a temporary thing that'll go away on its own. Switching from smoking to vaping is a big change. Maybe it's just you "adjusting" to something new. I vaguely recall sometimes getting a mild "heavy" feeling in my chest in the early days but put it down to "chain vaping". You know, overdoing it a bit.

Also, I often wonder if folks are not maybe too quick to blame vaping for something when we know that quitting smoking--by any method--has its own "side effects".

Sure, experiment, try some suggestions. But don't be surprised if it just goes away and you never know why.

Mine weird one was dreams. Disturbing, weird dreams I'm really glad I forgot quickly. Showed up a few weeks into vaping, hung around a while, then went away. No idea what that was about but other folks have gone through the same. Probably some chemical (other than nicotine) in cigarettes I was withdrawing from. I dunno. May never know.

 

[AndriaD]

I completely agree and it was funny even i wrote that " I went to a doctor last week and everythings is ok" in my first message, so he probably didnt read the first message or completely. However, yeah reading it was affected me somehow, for a second i tought then I remember i already went a doctor.

I'm still learning, I'm happy and i really appriciate the help and thanks for everyones time.

A question: I was using my itaste v3 and iclear30s dual at usally between 4.5 - 4.7 and i realized it was so much, like it was frying the juice i believe. Running between pg - vg, the issue can be so simple like that, i dont know but i reduced the voltage to 3.7 and my chest is way better now..

I always use my vv3 in wattage mode, so I don't have to worry about whatever the coil is doing; the vv3 will figure out the proper voltage depending on whatever wattage is set. This is a lot easier if you're switching toppers that have different resistance.

I have two vv3s already, the "pearl chrome" and the chameleon, but I'm so happy! I finally ordered a white one today! *happy dance*

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

By the way, it is also always possible it's a temporary thing that'll go away on its own. Switching from smoking to vaping is a big change. Maybe it's just you "adjusting" to something new. I vaguely recall sometimes getting a mild "heavy" feeling in my chest in the early days but put it down to "chain vaping". You know, overdoing it a bit.

Also, I often wonder if folks are not maybe too quick to blame vaping for something when we know that quitting smoking--by any method--has its own "side effects".

Sure, experiment, try some suggestions. But don't be surprised if it just goes away and you never know why.

Mine weird one was dreams. Disturbing, weird dreams I'm really glad I forgot quickly. Showed up a few weeks into vaping, hung around a while, then went away. No idea what that was about but other folks have gone through the same. Probably some chemical (other than nicotine) in cigarettes I was withdrawing from. I dunno. May never know.

All the other times I tried to quit smoking, I always had the "smoking dreams", but when I first quit with e-cigs, back in Feb, I didn't have any of those dreams. This time however, just the other night I had one of those 'smoking dreams,' where I'm just craving a smoke with every fiber of my being, searching frantically thru my purse but not finding my cigarettes and lighter, about to panic, then find my eRoll in the side pocket, and think 'this'll work!' It's like my mind is telling my body "be happy with what you can freaking get!"

Andria

 

[mkbilbo]

I didn't have smoking dreams until I was a year in. Last one was within the last month or so. Strange eh?

Funny thing, the cig in the dream tasted awful.