Vaping in Hospitals

[bcalvanese]

I had diverticulitis and for a year I was hospitalized several times for an abscessed colon. Finally, I had surgery and had about 12 inches of my colon removed.

Every time I was in the hospital, they asked me if I wanted a nicotine patch. I said that I had an electronic cigarette, and every time they said that was fine.

I didn't have to be discrete about it at all.

 

[chopdoc]

Great! My only comment would be to consider not advocating purchases from ebay. Ebay does not support or allow sales of vaping gear, and any vendor there could be shut down at a moment's notice. Fees support ebay so they would be supporting their poor policies, plus you might want to steer the business to legitimate businesses that set up outside of ebay and bear the additional startup costs.

I wrestled with this a few times. I needed a spare EGO batt a while back for work. Where I work is an hour drive to get anywhere with anything vape related. I stay at work for two weeks at a time so it is wise to have what I need when I go to work or go without. The local B&M at home sold me a 900 mAh batt for $29. No charger, case, nothing. Just the EGO battery and it was a clone, not a real EGO. I can buy them all day long on Ebay for less than $10 and currently have 10 spare 1100 mAh batts as spares that I found for a steal ($30 for all). I also know a few people I sent to the local B&M and they sold them the expensive gear when that wasnt what they needed. The sticker price shock actually turned some people I know away from vaping but I understand the store must make money to stay in business. Now once people get the bare basics from ebay for less than $15 and can actually try vaping, then its up to them to decide if they want to spend the big bucks on gear at the reputable stores or not. After they get their initial gear, I always send them to the local B&M to try out some ejuices and buy a few flavors.

 

[chopdoc]

I had diverticulitis and for a year I was hospitalized several times for an abscessed colon. Finally, I had surgery and had about 12 inches of my colon removed.

Every time I was in the hospital, they asked me if I wanted a nicotine patch. I said that I had an electronic cigarette, and every time they said that was fine.

I didn't have to be discrete about it at all.

I know that wasnt any fun. Did they make you do the TPN feeding line thru the arm? I had to do that for a month. Lost 40 lbs on it. All i was allowed to eat was ice chips.
I was also offered a nicotine patch but I turned that down. As long as i could vape i was happy.

 

[bcalvanese]

I know that wasnt any fun. Did they make you do the TPN feeding line thru the arm? I had to do that for a month. Lost 40 lbs on it. All i was allowed to eat was ice chips.
I was also offered a nicotine patch but I turned that down. As long as i could vape i was happy.

I think I was on that for a few days after the surgery, then clear liquids for a few days, then low residue, then finally low fiber solids. Once I could eat solids, they released me with a strict diet which I had to stick with for a month or two.

I had robotic surgery so the recovery time was less, but a few months after the surgery, I got a stomach virus which cased colitis. My entire colon became inflames, and I had to be hospitalized for almost a week for that.

They allowed me to have my e-cigarette for that stay as well.

Sounds like your issues were worse than mine, and I hope you sued the crap out of the doctor that botched your surgery.

 

[BigDvon91]

Jeez, Get Well soon matey.

 

[CMD-Ky]

Ask permission, you are stuck with the response.

 

[CMD-Ky]

You are such a good person, the world is a better place for your existence. You have changed my life for the better.

You already know the correct answer here. It's just not the answer you want. Don't vape in the hospital. Sorry, your story sucks, but that changes nothing. You get to make that choice for yourself, not for others, and certainly not for others who may be vulnerable respiratorily.

 

[Thespis]

You get to make that choice for yourself, not for others

This is good advice for you as well.

 

[realsis]

I had a recent hospital stay as well (kidneys) and I live in california (a very unforgiving state) daily I would SNEEK into the bathroom shower (because the toilet area had those smoke detection Sprinklers) I'd have my vape. When the nurse saw my gear and asked if I've been vaping I replied "of course NOT". no one was the wiser. I would vape to get my nic fix and that was it. I didn't want to set off the sprinklers! Anyways, worked great for me to.

 

[bcalvanese]

Hospitals have to be forgiving with smokers, that is why I think they allow vaping.

My sister in law is a heavy smoker, and when she was hospitalized, she threatened to rip her IV's out and leave if they did not let her smoke. They let her wheel her IV outside to smoke.

I think they would cater to any substitution for smoking rather than have to deal with an angry smoker...

 

[juggler86]

Aslong as you keep it to your room and dont flaunt it I see no problem with it, aslong as the hospital doesnt have a no nicotine policy. The 2 times I had to have surgery I gave up nicotine. I dont know if nicotine slows/affects healing, I figured it would just be better to be as clean as possible.

 

[chopdoc]

Aslong as you keep it to your room and dont flaunt it I see no problem with it, aslong as the hospital doesnt have a no nicotine policy. The 2 times I had to have surgery I gave up nicotine. I dont know if nicotine slows/affects healing, I figured it would just be better to be as clean as possible.

My doc said that nicotine will slow healing because the blood vessels will constrict with nicotine usage. I remember that because when he demanded I quit before operating on me I asked what about dipping and he said no nicotine usage. I told him I vaped when he asked how I quit and he seemed ok with that. Never told him I was using nicotine ejuice

 

[aceswired]

This is good advice for you as well.

Hold on for a second. Are you really equating vaping in a hospital to someone offering a (SOLICITED!!!) opinion on whether to vape in hospitals? Really?

Wow. I mean really, wow. That's taking defensiveness and delusion to a whole new level.

 

[Thespis]

Hold on for a second. Are you really equating vaping in a hospital to someone offering a (SOLICITED!!!) opinion on whether to vape in hospitals? Really?

Wow. I mean really, wow. That's taking defensiveness and delusion to a whole new level.

1. Read the OP again. He never asked for opinions on whether or not he should do it; he related what he had done. There was no self-doubt or even a question. He actually seemed OK with it.
2. Your UNSOLICITED opinion was that you were right and that he had no choice but to follow your advice. Your opinion is just that; it is not fact. You were making a choice for him while saying he should not make a choice for others. I simply pointed out the irony in your unsolicited opinion.
3. This is my opinion, not fact. I am neither defensive nor delusional. Please refrain from such personal attacks when having discussions with me in the future.
Thanks for playing.

 

[chopdoc]

2. Your UNSOLICITED opinion was that you were right and that he had no choice but to follow your advice. Your opinion is just that; it is not fact. You were making a choice for him while saying he should not make a choice for others. I simply pointed out the irony in your unsolicited opinion.

And thats the reason why I ignored aceswired comments. It came off as self righteous as well as grossly uninformed. Look at it, it has already been proven a few times that second hand vape is harmless. At least all the studies I have read claims this, yet Aces believes the second hand vape will get into the ventilation system and cause an entire floor to have respiratory distress....really? Comments like that just begs to be ignored.
But you are right, I was sharing my recent experience as a positive vaping experience, not asking for approval from anyone and in a little more than a week I will be back in the hospital for what is hopefully my last trip and regardless what aceswired opinion is, will be vaping away while in my room.

 

[WattWick]

All I see is one patient behaving like a respectful adult and being treated as such in return.

 

[VapieDan]

Last November I had a hernia surgery that the surgeon totally botched up and sliced my intestines up. The initial hospital stay was 4 1/2 days and i left my ecigs at home. A week later i became very sick and went back to the hospital for a two week stay. Towards the end i had my wife sneak an ecig in to me but kept it hidden. A couple weeks later I went for a docs visit and he decided that my intestines was not healing and he needed to open me up and probably take a couple inches of intestines off. The SOB put a colostomy bag on me instead and I ended up staying 10 days that trip in the hospital. This time I brought a bunch of my ecigs, batteries, juices and whatever I thought I would need for the stay. Not once did anyone complain. I only vaped in my room and kept it low keyed but all the nurses where curious about it and had many good discussions about vaping. Not once did anyone tell me I couldnt and a few times a nurse or nurse assistant would comment how the room smelled like strawberry or butterscotch.
I went home and about a week later i found I had a massive infection in my belly so went to the ER and was admitted for another week long stay. Once again I was prepared with my vape gear and not once was i told I couldnt vape. Once again I kept it low keyed. I didnt bring along my TOBH or my Patriot. I didnt try to fog in the room. I didnt go walking down the halls puffing away. I just enjoyed my ego and G5-H2 atomizers in my room and was satisfied with what I had. At times i would walk out to where the elevators where and sit on the bench there and puff a little.
In situations like this a little bit of common sense goes a long way. If I would of asked if I could vape, there would of more than likely been a huge "no" but I went ahead and did it anyways, I didnt blow big clouds of smoke where others could complain and I had my nicotine fix the whole time. Worked for me!

I am sure if you were open vaping they would have blamed your entire medical history on it.

 

[Hitmetwice]

Our local hospital has grouped vaping in with the current scent-free workplace legislation.
Yet all you can smell when first walking in is coffee from (Timmies) our go to chain up here,
a little further in it's the smell from Druxys(corned beef) a little farther in from there is the cafeteria.

Scent free workplace act? Yeah, right. I'll take unflavoured next time I go and test the waters.lol.
Respectfully of course.(jackasses)

 

[Ryedan]

And thats the reason why I ignored aceswired comments. It came off as self righteous as well as grossly uninformed. Look at it, it has already been proven a few times that second hand vape is harmless. At least all the studies I have read claims this, yet Aces believes the second hand vape will get into the ventilation system and cause an entire floor to have respiratory distress....really? Comments like that just begs to be ignored.

Well said chopdoc

But you are right, I was sharing my recent experience as a positive vaping experience, not asking for approval from anyone and in a little more than a week I will be back in the hospital for what is hopefully my last trip and regardless what aceswired opinion is, will be vaping away while in my room.

I wish you the best of luck and a full recovery. Man, you deserve it after all the drama and pain you've been through!

 

[chopdoc]

I look at this like I look at many things in life. Like for instance, if I go to my wife and say "Honey, im thinking of doing this" and she says no she dont want me doing that, then I am locked into the official response and if I do it anyways I will have to face her wrath. Yet if I do it without telling her I am thinking of doing it and she finds out, no big deal. Same with asking permission to vape in a hospital. If I go to the nurses station and ask if I may then the nurses have no choice but to give me the hospitals official line but if I do it the way I did, low keyed and respectful of others then its not a problem.
The great thing about this is the positive response from the hospital staff. I didnt put them in a position where they had to read me the official rules and they had the opportunity to learn about vaping and ask many questions while having a positive discussion. Other patients in that ward didnt see me vaping so didnt have a reason to complain to the nursing staff and even when the nurses could smell it in my room, no one could smell it in the hall.
There is a lot of misconceptions about vaping and we who do vape are in a way ambassadors for the vaping community. We can be friendly and informative about vaping and give others a positive outlook on it or we can be asses and turn people off to vapors. Just because I can blow a massive vape cloud doesnt mean I have the right to get into a small area with others who dont vape and make it foggy. Im not helping myself or the vaping community by having a bad attitude. Keep it positive and people will respond in kind.