VG causing bronchitis-like symptoms & phlegm

[shamari]

I'm new here, so I can only post in this section. I wanted to comment in the posts that talk about the down side of e-cigarettes. I quit analog smoking in Oct 2013 w the help of e-cigs.
I liked my e-cig so much that I couldn't put it down, and given the choice, would take my e-cig over tobacco cigarettes readily.
I noticed in the past year that I was developing a chesty, deep-down cough. It was noticeable if I coughed, but it didn't stop me from smoking my e-cigs.
Then I got sick on jan 22 of this year. My chest was congested, and the cough was continual. It was so bad I was forced to see a doctor. I had "strident" - that is a noticeable, loud wheeze on exhale.
I noticed if I tried to smoke my e-cig, the effect was immediate. I would start coughing even more. I had to give up my e-cig, but was so addicted to it I would try every day to smoke a little vapor. I finally realized I was not going to get better unless I could put it down for good.
The "bronchitis and strident" persisted for weeks. It evolved into my coughing up phlegm. Sorry, I've no other way to describe it.
After 3 weeks of this bronchial cough, strident and phlegm, the doctor took x-rays of my chest and neck. She asked me on 1st visit of I was a tobacco smoker. I said no, but volunteered the info that I smoked vapor from e-cigarettes, and I felt this fact had caused my illness. It has been 4 weeks now and it is finally starting to clear up. She said they have very little info on e-cigs and could not advise me on those lines.
I miss my e-cig more than I can say. I am afraid that the way I vaped caused the problem. I didn't vape a few times and put it down. If I was watching a movie I would vape all the way through it! So hopefully this sickness was caused not by moderate vaping, but by vaping too much..
I have every intention of trying to vape normally if my lungs ever clear, but it has been scary, to say the least.
if anyone vapes too much, constantly pulling the vapor into their lungs, it might b a good idea to try and moderate it. Perhaps it is just my bad luck, but the nicotine gum I've been chewing for some type of nicotine delivery is not pleasurable, and I do miss my e-cig. I just wanted to go on record saying that an alternative to PG or VG for nicotine delivery needs to be found. If anyone knows of such an e-liquid, I would be thrilled to get this information..

 

[edyle]

Too much VG is a known problem, plus some people are allergic the PG, and less people are allergic to VG.

Attempting to vape VG can cause a scary heavy chest feeling (talking from experience.)

You did not provide any details of what ecig you were using or any information about PG/VG ratio.
You also pointed to VG in the title, but in your post you seem to blame both PG and VG without saying whether you tried a PG only liquid.
You also did not indicate whether or how much nicotine you used in your liquids. High nicotine can mask toxic fumes from burning stuff.

 

[shamari]

I just read a post that asks for authors complaining of bronchitis or phlegm problems to state the juice they use.
I use V2 e-cigs Congress and Vanilla e-liquid.
It's 1.2 mg of nicotine.. The main ingredient is PG, but ingredients on box list Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Glycol, Nicotine, Natural Flavors & Artificial Flavors.
The expiration dates are 2016. There is a statement that there is 12mg of nicotine per 1,000 mg. I am not sure what the last stmt means, since the bottle is 50 ml.

 

[Thrasher]

I used to get that feeling a lot in the beginning i eventually started vaping like a cigar instead of inhaling. You will still absorb nicotine, but may have to up the mg a bit.
as time went by and my lungs repaired themselves a bit it got easer to inhale again, i personally vape heaver pg juices 70% or so.

Some flavorings are known to enhance these problems

 

[shamari]

I've tried vamping like a cigar, but if guess some of it is still getting into my lungs, so I had to be a "big girl" and hide my e-cig out of my site. That gum is horrible!!!!!!!!!

 

[shamari]

Vaping, not vamping! Lol

 

[shamari]

My son has protested all along that the 2nd hand vapor from an ecig is harmful. Given my illness, he may be right!

 

[shamari]

Too much VG is a known problem, plus some people are allergic the PG, and less people are allergic to VG.

Attempting to vape VG can cause a scary heavy chest feeling (talking from experience.)

You did not provide any details of what ecig you were using or any information about PG/VG ratio.
You also pointed to VG in the title, but in your post you seem to blame both PG and VG without saying whether you tried a PG only liquid.
You also did not indicate whether or how much nicotine you used in your liquids. High nicotine can mask toxic fumes from burning stuff.

Edyle: what is that in the picture next to your forum name?

 

[rjeatkrconley]

As to the second hand vapor: Because of my wife's and children's disease, systemic mastocytosis, they are very sensitive to smells and anything in the air. For example, if we are walking in the mall and pass bath and body works, they have to quickly walk past on the other side of the mall or the breathing problems start immediately. With that being said, the have ZERO issues with me vaping around them. In the house, in the car, doesn't bother them at all. YMMV. I have been vaping for a little over 2 years and they have had no issues.
To the phlegm, I have a similar issue with suicide bunny eliquids. So I don't vape them. I would suggest trying other liquids to see if you have the same issue with them, once you are feeling better of course.

 

[diddlepants]

You were vaping heavily from only two 50 ml bottles with expiry dates of 2016 for a year and a half? Perhaps it was a matter of flavoring containing Diacetyl or too much cinnamon or something else that caused irritation in your lungs. So far studies indicate that there is no harm from second hand vaping. I am not a doctor though.

 

[Exchaner]

I have tried the Congress flavor from V2 cigs, and it's one of the few flavors that cause me to cough. Their other flavors are OK.

 

[doots]

I have had issue as you describe at times and found it to be too much vg as well as flavorings in the juice that were causing this.
My primarily found it to be mostly the flavorings I was allergic to causing immediate symptoms to appear.
One of them being too much cinnamon and vanilla which I love.

Most of my mixes now are 50/50 and I stay away from flavorings that affect me in a bad way.

Too much vg for me causes wheezing/ heavy chest and extreme phlegm production.

I would suggest trying some other juices that are different than the profiles of the juice that is giving you problems.

If you DIY try mixing unflavored without any flavorings at around a 50/50 ratio with pg/vg and/or buy some to try and see of that helps.

You must eliminate the source of the problem. Try unflavored. See if it's the pg or vg. Experimentation is the answer and if all else fails then quit ecigs and maybe try patches till you can quit altogether.

Hopefully this will not be needed.

 

[edyle]

Edyle: what is that in the picture next to your forum name?

The pic is one of my rigs wired up to a radio shack ac/dc universal power adapter so that the mod is powered off the wall instead of using batteries.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modding-forum/623883-no-battery-vaping-final-solution.html

 

[shamari]

Yes, that is the type of e-liquid I've been using. Going thru 2 50ml bottles a month, I would guess. I use blank cartridges ( V2 calls them Ex Blanks) and fill them with the e-liquid.
I have also tried an e-liquid from uno vapor - ingredients: PG "ups" grade, what-ever that means, glycerin, nicotine and natural/artificial flavors. So I guess there is no VG in that one. I still had problems vamping it.
Maybe when I am finally cleared of the bronchitis I can test different ones, as previously suggested. Thx.

 

[shamari]

Edyle: Wow! I'm impressed!

 

[shamari]

I have tried the Congress flavor from V2 cigs, and it's one of the few flavors that cause me to cough. Their other flavors are OK.

That is interesting! Maybe my problem is in that particular juice! Thx,

 

[edyle]

Yes, that is the type of e-liquid I've been using. Going thru 2 50ml bottles a month, I would guess. I use blank cartridges ( V2 calls them Ex Blanks) and fill them with the e-liquid.
I have also tried an e-liquid from uno vapor - ingredients: PG "ups" grade, what-ever that means, glycerin, nicotine and natural/artificial flavors. So I guess there is no VG in that one. I still had problems vamping it.
Maybe when I am finally cleared of the bronchitis I can test different ones, as previously suggested. Thx.

Ah; well there's another possible source of your problem.
You might have a problem with the material inside the cartridge.

 

[FearTX]

That is interesting! Maybe my problem is in that particular juice! Thx,

Reading through this you stated that the juice you were using was vanilla something?

If I get a chest cold or vape too much then strong vanillas cause me a persistent heavy hacking cough, if I try to "vape through it" with a vanilla then it only gets worse. I tend to switch to a fruit or tobacco vape at that point before going back to my beloved vanilla vapes when it clears up.

Also, studies indicate that there is no harmful anything in second hand vapor. I am not a doctor or a scientist.

 

[INKED71]

I went through something similar too with the Blu e cig but when i switched over and up graded i have not had not had a problem. I have heard of others having the same issues. I have noticed I don't have as much allergies sense i quit smoking.

 

[Rickajho]

Or... it could just be you got sick.

Not everything and every illness is now the result of vaping - because it never was to begin with. It's winter - people get all sorts of bronchial, sinus, respiratory problems and infections in winter. My sister doesn't vape, yet she got a sinus infection this winter so bad the house shook when she coughed and it put her on antibiotics. Is that supposed to be vaping related too?