vaping and asthma

[aerin555]

I started vaping 3 days ago and I love it. I went from smoking 25-30 cigarettes a day to 1 or 2. I use 24 mg that is 70pg 30vg.
I have been vaping excessively to keep the urge to smoke at bay. My doctor told me about 16 years ago I had asthma when I complained of feeling like I couldn't get a full breath of air and my chest being tight. I've been smoking for 18 years. I did nothing about it and other than getting bronchitis or smoking way too much I haven't been bothered with symptoms. After two days of vaping I noticed my chest was really tight and it feels harder to draw in air and a little bit of wheezing. Day 3 seems to be a bit worse off and on. Am I using it way too much or could it be the mix or are some people just not able to use it? I really hate to give up the one thing that has been working for me when nothing else has.

 

[stillnotsmoking]

Normal, give it a few weeks. If it still hasn't improved, maybe drop your nicotine level or lessen the PG ratio of your juice. I also found that not inhaling vapor like cigarette smoke helped my heavy chest.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[aerin555]

Thanks still not smoking. I'm not sure what you mean about the not inhaling like cigarettes though. Not inhaling at all or doing it lighter or something?

 

[Tajji'smom]

They say to suck on it like a straw. You don't have to inhale deeply like you do with a cigarette. The nicotine is absorbed best in your mouth and your nose. You actually don't even need to inhale at all. I smoked 15 cigarettes a day and started at 12mg. Some people have a hard time with pg. You might consider most or all vg. I have never had wheezing or tightness, but have had a dry tongue with pg liquids. Other people have had your problem though.

 

[Hitmetwice]

Hi and welcome to the forum and Not smoking.
I made a post like yours about a year ago.
It got better for me after some time.
What "I" did was use my ventolin inhaler as I did when I smoked(40yrs).
Slowed down a little on vaping(not much mind you)
Made my own juice using 80pg/20vg approx.(Some use higher vg than pg)

Experiment a little with pg/vg ratios, some store bought liquids bothered me too, just vape them less,
and if your Doc says you have athsma he/she'll
probably give you a script for ventolin or something stronger.

Do Not Give Up on Vaping.

Enjoy, eh!

 

[aerin555]

Thanks I may have to get an inhaler. I suspect panic might be making it worse. I just read that it could be a side effect of quitting smoking. The only time I've felt bad enough to use an inhaler in the last 10 years is an awful bout of bronchitis. I might try different mixes as well.

 

[Oriana871]

I felt the same way when I first started, mainly shortness of breath. And yes, it turned out to be a side effect of not smoking.

 

[BuzzKilla]

Try a 100% PG, 50/50-PG/VG, and 100% VG mix, to rule out any allergies.

I was at 20-25 cigs a day, for almost 8-9 years, before vaping. I had the tight chest feeling at first, that went away.
I brushed it off as part of the healing process...

You might get lucky and not have to deal with coughing up little black specks of tar from your lungs... THAT WAS FUN!
your body does funny things to rid itself of the damage that has been done to it.

 

[aerin555]

Thanks for all the advice! Went to the doctor today and she thinks it's anxiety. Apparently tobacco has a calming effect and I have a history of panic attacks. She prescribed some anti anxiety meds and has set up appointments to have my lungs x-rayed just to be sure. The pharmacist said it is probably too much nicotine since I vape a lot and use 24 mg. I'm not crazy about taking prescriptions so hopefully less nicotine will do the trick. Should I get a really low dose liquid for when I want to get carried away?

 

[Tajji'smom]

I chain vape 10 mg mostly Vg at times with no problems-no light headiness, nausea etc. Everyone is different though-trial and error.

 

[3mg Meniere]

Should I get a really low dose liquid for when I want to get carried away?

I have seen that some people vape 0mg and use the patch, to keep nic intake at a stable level. When I got off nic, I kept an 18 mg carto in reserve for emotional crises only.

no light headiness, nausea etc

How about laying flat on my back in bed, staring at the ceiling, so the world would stop spinning? My Dr. was quite happy.

 

[shades]

I would recommend exactly what everyone has said about the different ratio's of PG vs VG different people react differently to one or the other. I would also toss in the option of trying a different juice vendor or juice as the different flavourings could also have an affect. I can't remember who's it was when I started out but one juice caused me "issues" so I stayed away from it.

FWIW, I used to smoke a pack and a half a day and I started with 18mg and after a month or so I dropped down to 12mg's because I was "chain vaping" and I would "over-nic" myself. Once I dropped down to 12mg I could chain vape without any issues.

Now I am at 12-15mg because I am now vaping a lot less so I needed a little more kick during the day, but when I am sitting on the computer I vape a lot more so I fill up with 12.

 

[mostlyclassics]

aerin55, what you're describing is called "Quitter's Flu." It's very common and should go away in a week or two or three. Mine lasted about a week. I thought I had come down with a bad cold, but I had no fever or any other symptoms. Just a heavy chest and coughing up a bunch of brownish lung-oysters.

Also, you don't need to inhale deeply to get the nicotine. In fact, doing so is counterproductive, insofar as it's your oral and nasal cavities that absorb the nicotine from the larger droplets of vapor, while your bronchial passages and lungs can't. I've found it's best to slowly suck the vapor into my mouth, slightly inhale the mouthful of vapor part way (maybe down to my larynx) for the throat-hit, then exhale through my nose to get the best absorption and flavor from the e-liquid.

For what it's worth, I also have asthma. It's quite mild and I've never taken any drugs for it other than nicotine. Since I started vaping, and got over Quitter's Flu, I've not had a case of heavy chest in over two years.

 

[WolfeReign]

As someone who started smoking when i was fifteen {now Forty} and had hard core Bronchitis with Asthma and have always had to sleep with a ventilator on. Like yourself i did not give a about my smoking and i could be turning blue from not being able to get a breath into my lungs......as long as i had that smoke. When hit the fan not long ago i had the same questions as you did......

First think i can tell you: You are not crazy. This is not a case of being able to handle your pv or your vape. What am going to recommend is what has helped me when i was hitting brick walls and no one could help out with idea's or know what was going on. Turns out i needed {mostly} clear juice and now that i am on 12mg i am getting better throat hits and flavor then i ever did on the 18mg {go figure}

Let me stress this is what i found out for myself, you are free to try or reject them as idea's.

~Get yourself a pack of the halls {in the black package}, or any halls you find is the hardest to use for you. This should allow you to continue to vape the mg {for now}

~Get your hinney to a juice vendor {I would say Canadian e-juice as they are $4.00 for 6ml's} try a few clear colored juices BUT get 'em in the same 70pg / 30vg and try out some 18mg and 12mg. It seems as a Asthma suffer the logic of using 24mg is there, however the lungs do not want to co-operate. I went from eighteen where i was having the same reaction as you to a twelve and have found a much harder throat hit and flavor with a 70pg / 30vg mix.

A few other pointers for you that i hope helps:

~Sleep with your head propped up

~sleep with a window open at night {if you vape in the same area you sleep}

~do not go walking at vaping in this weather, this is seriously going to hurt you.....ALOT

~Slightest change of cold or wind, wear a scarf around your nose/mouth {yes i know i sound like a father here}

~until you find a nic level that works for you, avoid having really hot showers, the steam is counter productive to you

~take your time going up stairs {you would think this would not be a issue when one was a smoker, but vaping is way different}

~if you haven't already, prepare for a ton of Insomnia