Trying Vaping After 45 Years of Smoking...Questions
- Thread starter Debbie Gifford
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Hi Debbie, and welcome.
I want to offer you encouragement, but I think you have to get to the point of completely letting go of cigarettes before you can really say whether or not vaping will help or harm you. Some time of dual use is normal, continuing to smoke some while vaping, while you establish what vaping equipment, nic strength and flavors are right for you. Your quit day may or may not be easy, and in the days following that quit day, your nic strength needs to be just right, to hold you steady, so now is the time to experiment with that. You may also find, after stopping cigarettes for a few weeks, you can reduce your vaping nic strength. The main point is that you need to be stoked with vaping supplies, and secure in your nic level, when you choose a cigarette quit day.
I can't give medical advice, but I can state my opinion that standard medical practice is mostly junk. If you've been told that COPD can't be cured or can't improve, then I can tell you that my uncle vastly improved his emphysema himself through diet and exercise (yes, exercise, mainly gardening). He never regained the vigor he had before getting emphysema, but he wanted to feel better, worked on it, and he enjoyed the final years of his life, shared his homegrown tomatoes with his whole neighborhood, and was only on oxygen for the few days right before his death. I'm only recounting this to say that hope is the strongest medicine. When I quit smoking by vaping, a very old chronic process in my lungs immediately began to clear, and has never returned. I never have bronchitis anymore.
When you quit smoking, and when you start vaping, either thing, your lungs start to give up junk. That could be some part of what you are experiencing. I can suggest using mild eliquid flavors, liquids that are very light to clear in color, nothing too harsh or spicy that might be irritating to your current condition, even unflavored if you can tolerate it for a while.
I wish you love, sweet life, and the best of luck in this effort. I believe you'll find a lot of support in this forum.
I want to offer you encouragement, but I think you have to get to the point of completely letting go of cigarettes before you can really say whether or not vaping will help or harm you. Some time of dual use is normal, continuing to smoke some while vaping, while you establish what vaping equipment, nic strength and flavors are right for you. Your quit day may or may not be easy, and in the days following that quit day, your nic strength needs to be just right, to hold you steady, so now is the time to experiment with that. You may also find, after stopping cigarettes for a few weeks, you can reduce your vaping nic strength. The main point is that you need to be stoked with vaping supplies, and secure in your nic level, when you choose a cigarette quit day.
I can't give medical advice, but I can state my opinion that standard medical practice is mostly junk. If you've been told that COPD can't be cured or can't improve, then I can tell you that my uncle vastly improved his emphysema himself through diet and exercise (yes, exercise, mainly gardening). He never regained the vigor he had before getting emphysema, but he wanted to feel better, worked on it, and he enjoyed the final years of his life, shared his homegrown tomatoes with his whole neighborhood, and was only on oxygen for the few days right before his death. I'm only recounting this to say that hope is the strongest medicine. When I quit smoking by vaping, a very old chronic process in my lungs immediately began to clear, and has never returned. I never have bronchitis anymore.
When you quit smoking, and when you start vaping, either thing, your lungs start to give up junk. That could be some part of what you are experiencing. I can suggest using mild eliquid flavors, liquids that are very light to clear in color, nothing too harsh or spicy that might be irritating to your current condition, even unflavored if you can tolerate it for a while.
I wish you love, sweet life, and the best of luck in this effort. I believe you'll find a lot of support in this forum.
I agree about that method. I think that's what I do all the time, but I'm not sure. When I try to concentrate on what it is I normally do, I notice it feels like the vapor gets to the bottom of my throat, or maybe just to the top of my lungs, then I let it out through my nose and mouth. In other words, there is some kind of "hit" that I feel, before releasing the vapor. It isn't a compromise at all. It's how I vape, and I enjoy it every day.Draw vapour into the mouth/throat and release through the nose. I do this on occasion to give my lungs a break.
If you HAVE to inhale something to get your nicotine fix then i would suggest that vaping is preferable to smoking.
Good luck
Many of the Medicare Advantage plans have a zero monthly cost. I've been on Medicare Advantage since I was eligible for Medicare. No complaints here.
I thought the $0 monthly cost MA plans were only for people who were on both medicare and medicaid?
I am fairly certain I don't pay anything extra for Humana. I was paying twenty something per month on a different plan and that is why I switched to Humana. Still would need the prescript plan if someone had a lot of medicines on a monthly basis. I don't have that so don't know a lot about it.
Oh I see. Still gotta get Part D coverage. Choose wisely! I went a different route for my mom years ago and this is all kinda new to me. Back then the only $0 MA plans were for "dual eligibles" (medicare and medicaid recipients). I remember going to meeting after meeting trying to make sense of it all in a month's time. I don't miss that.
I’m in Virginia and I’m on Anthem Healthkeepers Medicare advantage plan with $0 monthly plan and it includes prescription coverage as well as $170 quarterly to pay for OTC products. You can also apply for ‘Extra Help’ through your state social service agency to get financial help to pay for a prescription plan, as well, if you can’t find a Medicare plan that includes it.
Oh yeah, I got my mom on Medicare, Medicaid, Extra Help and the whole 9 yards. Best thing I ever did for her (and me to be honest). Once in a while someone tries to balance bill her so I send them a letter telling them to cease and desist and quote the federal law that prohibits balance billing for dual eligible. The end result is...they cease and desist.
But anyhow, this thread is going way OT lol.
Thank you all for the good advice. Luckily, I have some time to research this in more depth.
Anyone on Medicare is eligible for a Medicare Advantage plan. There are hundreds of them. It all depends on what you want for your health insurance.
My Medicare Advantage plan includes $10 copay for primary doctor's visits, $35 for a specialist, $0.00 cost for annual physicals including lab tests/mammograms/colonoscopies, annual eye exam, $40 OTC every 3 months, drug coverage, etc.
And the cost is $0.00. I still pay for Medicare Part B.
Many, if not most, of the Medicare Advantage plans have drug coverage. No need for a separate Plan D. You need to check each plan and see if your meds are covered.
I have a Medicare Advantage plan that doesn't cost me anything more than my part B deductible. 0$ copays for primary care, $35 for specialist. I have prescription drug coverage and most of them are no or low copays. $40 a quarter on OTC, and free gym membership, but no gyms are in my town, so I can't use that.
Sorry I hijacked the original poster, but good valuable information. I think I'll start with checking to see what Medicare Advantage plans cover Trelegy and work from there. My other meds are more common and shouldn't be too outlandish, but this specific one really has me worried. I'd hate to switch having found one that works so well.
Welcome Debbie. I switched from 2.5 packs per day smoking to 3ml vaping 4 months ago, zero cigarettes since then. Now I fell much better.
Best wishes.
Best wishes.
I also recommend not inhaling, it took me a very short time to get used to it. Maybe my case is a little different in as I don’t wanna quit smoking, just keep it a low level, so I mostly vape if I would otherwise smoke one out of habit and/or boredom. I read once (here) that nicotine is absorbed through the mouth as well as through the lungs, so there’s really no need to inhale at all.
A diagnosis of COPD would make me think very carefully about inhaling anything other than air into my lungs. Have you tried not inhaling ?
Draw vapour into the mouth/throat and release through the nose. I do this on occasion to give my lungs a break.
If you HAVE to inhale something to get your nicotine fix then i would suggest that vaping is preferable to smoking.
Good luck
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