Vaping has permanently damaged my voice

[brekehan]

I smoked since I was 12. I quit smoking at age 34 and started vaping instead. I am now age 40 and quit vaping for almost 2 weeks now.

A few years back I noticed that my voice was getting raspy, especially immediately after vaping. I upped my water intake, I lowered my voltage from 4.2 to 3.7, I switched juices all over the place, including the so called 'organic extract' juices. Nothing seemed to have an effect. I just kind of lived with it.

Smoking analog cigarettes never effected my voice in such a manner. Not in more than 2 decades.

Now I quit vaping do to trouble breathing, reoccurring rashes, and extreme anxiety that all seemed to come crashing down in this last year.

I really expected my voice to recover after I quit. It hasn't. My voice is extremely raspy even though I haven't vaped in more than a week. I don't think it is ever going to recover.

Some trends I had while vaping:
) I used 3.7 to 4.2 volts most of the time.
) I started my vaping career at 2.4 ohms and preferred ~1.4 ohms for the last year.
) I used 50/50 juice up to 70PG/30VG, depending what the local stores had. I prefer more PG because I noticed high VG juices gave me a heavy chest feeling and breathing problems.
) Juices that left behind high amounts residue/ ruined atomizers quickly, made the problem worse in the short term.
) I used CVS organic cotton balls for wicking my rebuildable Kay Fun Lite.

Some Juices that Absolutely killed my voice and made it raspy in the same day:
) 'Grandpa's Beard' from Austin Vapor Technologies

 

[Lessifer]

I smoked since I was 12. I quit smoking at age 34 and started vaping instead. I am now age 40 and quit vaping for almost 2 weeks now.

A few years back I noticed that my voice was getting raspy, especially immediately after vaping. I upped my water intake, I lowered my voltage from 4.2 to 3.7, I switched juices all over the place, including the so called 'organic extract' juices. Nothing seemed to have an effect. I just kind of lived with it.

Smoking analog cigarettes never effected my voice in such a manner. Not in more than 2 decades.

Now I quit vaping do to trouble breathing, reoccurring rashes, and extreme anxiety that all seemed to come crashing down in this last year.

I really expected my voice to recover after I quit. It hasn't. My voice is extremely raspy even though I haven't vaped in more than a week. I don't think it is ever going to recover.

Have you seen a doctor?

 

[classwife]

Sorry about the voice trouble...This was the diagnosis from your doctor ?

 

[brekehan]

Have you seen a doctor?

Sure, I've seen doctors enough to meet my deductible and then some every year.

Doctor's response to "My voice is raspy": "You're 40 and you smoked. *shrug*"..."What's vaping? Oh you mean that e-thingy."

Second opinion: "Yea, you're voice is raspy." "That sucks."

Third opinion: "Let's look with a scope."..."Those are you're vocal chords."..."They look like vocal chords..."

Doctor's response to rashes: "Looks like you are allergic to something. Take these tests, pay for them, then pay for the referral, then pay again to get the results." "Results say you are allergic to something. I don't know what."..."Let me prescribe this special cream our partner sells."...receive $3000 insurance claim for itch cream....

A year later, still rashes reoccuring off and on. Elbows, inside, thighs, necks, chest, back.

Quit vaping and all rashes *poof* within 2 days.

Sorry, but .... Doctors in America.
I've never had one diagnose anything I didn't already know in my 40 years of life.
I've given them more than $450,000 between me and the insurance companies and never had my quality of life improved one iota. I'm no naturalist, I believe in science and logic, but doctors just don't know squat about vaping, care very little, and will leech every dollar they can possible leech from you.

 

[Lessifer]

Sure, I've seen doctors enough to meet my deductible and then some every year.

Doctor's response to "My voice is raspy": "You're 40 and you smoked. *shrug*"..."What's vaping? Oh you mean that e-thingy."

Second opinion: "Yea, you're voice is raspy." "That sucks."

Third opinion: "Let's look with a scope."..."Those are you're vocal chords."..."They look like vocal chords..."

Doctor's response to rashes: "Looks like you are allergic to something. Take these tests, pay for them, then pay for the referral, then pay again to get the results." "Results say you are allergic to something. I don't know what."..."Let me prescribe this special cream our partner sells."...receive $3000 insurance claim for itch cream....

Sorry, but .... Doctors in America.
I've never had one diagnose anything I didn't already know in my 40 years of life.
I've given them more than $450,000 between me and the insurance companies and never had my quality of life improved one iota. I'm no naturalist, I believe in science and logic, but doctors just don't know squat about vaping, care very little, and will leech every dollar they can possible leech from you.

Okay... but I hate to say it, they might be right about the smoking. By your own account you smoked for over 20 years, 22 by this post, 25 if I go by your post three years ago saying you finally quit smoking and switched over completely to vaping. It's very possible that you damaged things with the smoking. It's also possible that vaping has done something, but without an actual diagnosis, either would be a guess. You're also getting older, which can effect you in varying ways.

 

[WillyZee]

Sure, I've seen doctors enough to meet my deductible and then some every year.

Doctor's response to "My voice is raspy": "You're 40 and you smoked. *shrug*"..."What's vaping? Oh you mean that e-thingy."

Second opinion: "Yea, you're voice is raspy." "That sucks."

Third opinion: "Let's look with a scope."..."Those are you're vocal chords."..."They look like vocal chords..."

Doctor's response to rashes: "Looks like you are allergic to something. Take these tests, pay for them, then pay for the referral, then pay again to get the results." "Results say you are allergic to something. I don't know what."..."Let me prescribe this special cream our partner sells."...receive $3000 insurance claim for itch cream....

A year later, still rashes reoccuring off and on. Elbows, inside, thighs, necks, chest, back.

Quit vaping and all rashes *poof* within 2 days.

Sorry, but .... Doctors in America.
I've never had one diagnose anything I didn't already know in my 40 years of life.
I've given them more than $450,000 between me and the insurance companies and never had my quality of life improved one iota. I'm no naturalist, I believe in science and logic, but doctors just don't know squat about vaping, care very little, and will leech every dollar they can possible leech from you.

those year long rashes were a nice little money maker for your doctor

good, that you figured it out ... hate to find out what comes after the $3,000 cream

 

[brekehan]

Okay... but I hate to say it, they might be right about the smoking. By your own account you smoked for over 20 years, 22 by this post, 25 if I go by your post three years ago saying you finally quit smoking and switched over completely to vaping. It's very possible that you damaged things with the smoking. It's also possible that vaping has done something, but without an actual diagnosis, either would be a guess. You're also getting older, which can effect you in varying ways.

Except that my voice was capable of 3 octaves while I smoked up until the very day I quit.
When you find a doctor that can "diagnose" that, let me know. I've already seen several and none will diagnose a thing. They will, however, test, retest, bill, and call you in until the day you die. If asked what's wrong, they'll just repeat everything you and I already know:
"You're old"
"You smoked"
"You vaped"
"Who knows what damage was done when"
"That will be $5000 please."

I know. I know that I could sing 3 octaves up until the day I quit smoking.
I now can't even cover one full octave.

 

[brekehan]

Yea, that $3,000 cream is called Kenalog, Triamcinaolone Acetonide.... 12 ounces of it. American Healthcare at it's finest.

 

[Scottitude]

Reading these kinds of ridiculous claims has permanently damaged my tolerance for absurdity.

 

[Lessifer]

Except that my voice was capable of 3 octaves while I smoked up until the very day I quit.
When you find a doctor that can "diagnose" that, let me know. I've already seen several and none will diagnose a thing. They will, however, test, retest, bill, and call you in until the day you die. If asked what's wrong, they'll just repeat everything you and I already know:
"You're old"
"You smoked"
"You vaped"
"Who knows what damage was done when"
"That will be $5000 please."

I know. I know that I could sing 3 octaves up until the day I quit smoking.
I now can't even cover one full octave.

The problem is, other than "it started the same time I started vaping/quit smoking" we don't know much. You haven't been able to narrow it down to something, and it hasn't stopped since you stopped vaping. So, it could be the vaping, it could be something specific in the vaping, or it could be coincidental.

In any case, I'm sorry this happened to you, I hope there aren't any further complications for you.

 

[zoiDman]

...

I really expected my voice to recover after I quit. It hasn't. My voice is extremely raspy even though I haven't vaped in more than a week. I don't think it is ever going to recover.

Hard to Say. Your voice May come back. Give it some Time.

Just Curious. What types of e-Liquids, PG to VG, did you Mainly use? And what types of Flavors?

 

[Frenchfry1942]

I was thinking how many watts?

 

[Racehorse]

Except that my voice was capable of 3 octaves while I smoked up until the very day I quit.
When you find a doctor that can "diagnose" that, let me know.

If you want to see the best there is, I dunno where you are.

This is an expert in this area of voice, laryngology and Otolaryngology . A friend had silent reflux and all kinds of problems due to it, and she was able to diagnose and cure it.

Dr. Jamie Kaufman at the Voice Institute of New York


Many doctors are lazy, but i am against saying all doctors are worthless. Because, they're not. YOu have to find good ones. They are out there. You have to find the ones that know and specialize in *everything* that your condition is about. My friend flew 1,000 miles to get help and it was worth it.

 

[brekehan]

I was thinking how many watts?

Just Curious. What types of e-Liquids, PG to VG, did you Mainly use? And what types of Flavors?

I've had hundreds of different flavors from all manner of vendors. I couldn't blame a particular vendor or flavor. I usually go for sweet stuff, vanilla, custard, types and 70PG/30VG. Any higher on the VG end and my lungs felt like crap the next day.

My set up for the majority of my vaping career has been 13-14 watts on a kay fun lite.

 

[zoiDman]

I've had hundreds of different flavors from all manner of vendors. I couldn't blame a particular vendor or flavor. I usually go for sweet stuff, vanilla, custard, types and 70/30. Any higher on the VG end and my lungs felt like crap the next day.

My set up for the majority of my vaping career has been 13-14 watts on a kay fun lite.

Wasn't so much looking to Point a Finger at a Vendor. Was more curious about your PG to VG Ratio.

Which I take was 30%PG to 70%VG?

 

[brekehan]

Which I take was 30%PG to 70%VG?

Other way around.

 

[zoiDman]

Other way around.

Gotcha.

Just Me. But if I used such High Levels of PG, my voice would sound like Tom Wait's in a Week. Probably Less.

 

[Racehorse]

To the OP
I hope you at least have had an actual endoscopy.

I'm going to assume you have. If not, it could be something very simple like a polyp

 

[bruiser]

I have a tube of triamcinolone acetonide, and it didn't cost me or the insurance company $3000. However, I prefer clobetasol. I am allergic to almost everything, and can get a rash or itch anytime during the year. Fortunately, I'm not allergic to food. You should see an allergist. One that will work with you.

 

[Just Me]

By chance, I happened to open this video just yesterday, didn't know it was about voice



So, after your post, I searched a previous video of his, and I found this one (there may be others)



I know these things aren't well-received by this community, because (a) some new vapers have attributed vaping to everything from baldness to ingrown toenails (b) we all know these posts are read by some who might use information against us.

But, to me, not to point out a legitimate concern is akin to the silence of those who were abused by Jerry Sandusky (gotta keep your mouth shut, don't tell, too much at stake here). No...where money and agendas are at stake, people want a don't ask, don't tell type of attitude.

The reason this interests me in particular is because my own voice started getting raspy at times for the last several months, not so much all the time, but if I talk very much at one time. It's pretty much every day. Not horrible, but noticeable. I smoked for over 45 years, 2 PAD in the last decades, and I never had a raspy voice. I've been vaping now for 3 years. This bothers me a bit.

I've never been much of a water drinker, but I'm trying to drink about 3 liters a day now. I'm glad I'm hydrated, but it isn't helping the voice any. BUT, when thinking about the action of vaping, even if the body is hydrated, I wonder if somehow the vapor constantly going in and out over the larynx has anything to do with it such as a drying effect. I mean, drinking water and inhaling it aren't the same thing.

I've sort of been trying to look the other way about this, because vaping is the best harm reduction strategy I've ever found, for me. Cigarettes were killing me. I'll still vape (at least until I decide I really can't any more), but I may try to manipulate things, like breathing moist air or adjusting VG/PG ratios or something before I throw in the towel.

PS. The voice thing is the only concern I have. I never had rashes or anything like that, but you might be allergic to VG or PG?

I wish you well and hope you find something to help you.

Disclaimer: I'm as pro-vaping as the best of you. I support vaping with all my heart and soul, as I feel it has saved my life (not to mention my pocketbook). I DON'T think vaping causes cancer or rampant devastation. I'm also pro-vegetables, pro-fruit, pro-fish, etc., but some people, for whatever reasons, cannot tolerate some things. That's life. We all have to do what is best for us, individually.