VG sensitivity, too much nic, switch to RDA, reaction to flavors, or otherwise?

[Fiatrix]

I am experiencing throat/upper respiratory irritation, mild swelling, and an increase in throat hit suddenly. Can anyone help me pinpoint the culprit? There are multiple factors at play here..

I have just recently switched from a non-variable pen style battery to a vw box mod with an RDA, though I haven't vaped higher than 14w yet.

I am now vaping juice for the first time from Mt Baker Vapor, and it is a slightly higher VG content than the Halo juice I was using previously. Halo is something like 65-70 PG (I think.. They dont list their ratios) and the MBV juice I have is 50/50. I also added two flavor shots. My nic level was 12mg before the switch, but this new juice is 6mg.

I built my own coil for the first time (a1 kanthal, 28g - built to 1.26 ohms) and wicked it with organic cotton balls that had been whitened with hydrogen peroxide. Previously my tanks used pre-built coils at 2.2 - 2.5 ohms, wicked with silica.

Do my symptoms sound like a VG sensitivity, a reaction to the flavors from MBV (extra shots, or their ingredients), something to do with lower ohms/more power, or too much nic on a stronger device? Or something else?

 

[AndriaD]

The nicotine was dropped to 6mg, so that's probably not it. VG doesn't cause problems that sound exactly like that; with sensitivity to too much VG, it would be more like, tight chest, mucus-y chest and throat, feeling there's something you need to cough up but just can't, maybe even wheezing.

My guess would be, first, the flavors -- since MBV is new to you, and you got extra flavor, that seems like a prime candidate; and/or possibly, the lower-resistance coil, which is hotter, could definitely irritate your throat, give a much more intense throat hit -- although the flavors could also increase the TH; some flavors just have more than others.

If you're not tasting anything burnt or metallic, the wicking is probably fine. To decrease the TH, you could turn the power down a little -- I had to do that when I first got my Achilles, it provides such intense TH. I think you're using a Magma? You could also try slightly more airflow, which would cool it somewhat. If you can't get it comfortable in those ways, try making another coil with higher resistance, 1.8-2 ohms, and see if that helps; it should provide a cooler vape.

Andria

 

[IMFire3605]

1) Your cotton wicking, get rid of those peroxide whitened cotton balls. You need "Organic Cotton" which you can still buy OTC just like regular cotton balls. Basically a safety issue, no one knows what potential harm peroxide can do to the lungs and body when in an aerosol form (vapor)

2) Higher wattage will kick up throat hit just as it will kick up flavor and vapor production

3) Flavoring content, this would be my first candidate for the reason of more throat hit and throat irritation. Any acidic types of flavors, Citruses, Cinnamons (especial hot cinnamons), menthols, annice (black licorice flavor) in stronger flavors could potentially cause more irritation.

4) My experience, PG generally hits harder in the throat more so than VG. VG, to much of it for me I feel in my chest, ie sensation of heavy lungs like standing to long in a room with steam and sensation of shortness of breath would be more along the lines of a VG reaction as well as a sense of bloating/water retention in the throat. Flavoring concentrates are normally suspended in PG solutions, so higher flavorings to a liquid would promote a higher PG level in a liquid creating a harder throat hit.

 

[Fiatrix]

The nicotine was dropped to 6mg, so that's probably not it. VG doesn't cause problems that sound exactly like that; with sensitivity to too much VG, it would be more like, tight chest, mucus-y chest and throat, feeling there's something you need to cough up but just can't, maybe even wheezing.

My guess would be, first, the flavors -- since MBV is new to you, and you got extra flavor, that seems like a prime candidate; and/or possibly, the lower-resistance coil, which is hotter, could definitely irritate your throat, give a much more intense throat hit -- although the flavors could also increase the TH; some flavors just have more than others.

If you're not tasting anything burnt or metallic, the wicking is probably fine. To decrease the TH, you could turn the power down a little -- I had to do that when I first got my Achilles, it provides such intense TH. I think you're using a Magma? You could also try slightly more airflow, which would cool it somewhat. If you can't get it comfortable in those ways, try making another coil with higher resistance, 1.8-2 ohms, and see if that helps; it should provide a cooler vape.

Andria

Thanks for the response. The thing is, the vape is not any hotter than what I was used to, since I'm keeping the watts fairly low. But also, the throat hit a couple days ago on this juice was not very strong at all - but suddenly it's like I'm getting punched in the throat when I take a pull. That's what lead me to think it could be a sensitivity to something in the juice, either the flavor ingredients or the increased VG level.

 

[Fiatrix]

1) Your cotton wicking, get rid of those peroxide whitened cotton balls. You need "Organic Cotton" which you can still buy OTC just like regular cotton balls. Basically a safety issue, no one knows what potential harm peroxide can do to the lungs and body when in an aerosol form (vapor)

2) Higher wattage will kick up throat hit just as it will kick up flavor and vapor production

3) Flavoring content, this would be my first candidate for the reason of more throat hit and throat irritation. Any acidic types of flavors, Citruses, Cinnamons (especial hot cinnamons), menthols, annice (black licorice flavor) in stronger flavors could potentially cause more irritation.

4) My experience, PG generally hits harder in the throat more so than VG. VG, to much of it for me I feel in my chest, ie sensation of heavy lungs like standing to long in a room with steam and sensation of shortness of breath would be more along the lines of a VG reaction as well as a sense of bloating/water retention in the throat. Flavoring concentrates are normally suspended in PG solutions, so higher flavorings to a liquid would promote a higher PG level in a liquid creating a harder throat hit.

My cotton is organic, but I couldn't find any that weren't whitened so I went with hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach. It's possible that that is causing some irritation.

However, I do feel a tightness in my chest and extra mucus in my (swollen, scratchy) throat, so I'm leaning toward either VG or flavoring being the culprit. As I stated above, the throat hit didn't come in so strong until after vaping it for a couple of days. Seems strange, no?

 

[Fiatrix]

Oh and for the record, my flavors are Bavarian cream, salacious strawberry (a strawberry milk type flavor) and blue moo (a blueberry cream)... All creamy types - no cinnamon, menthol, anise, or etc.

 

[AndriaD]

Thanks for the response. The thing is, the vape is not any hotter than what I was used to, since I'm keeping the watts fairly low. But also, the throat hit a couple days ago on this juice was not very strong at all - but suddenly it's like I'm getting punched in the throat when I take a pull. That's what lead me to think it could be a sensitivity to something in the juice, either the flavor ingredients or the increased VG level.

Ok, the wattage may not be higher, but with lower resistance in the coil, it does make it hotter, which means more vapor, more TH, more potential for irritation.

As for the cotton balls -- you probably won't find any that aren't whitened in some fashion, but what you have sounds fine -- hydrogen peroxide bleaching is indeed "mo bettah" than just plain old chlorine bleach.

Since you said that you do have more mucus, then yes, the higher VG *could* be a factor -- but, higher VG tends to give less TH, not more -- if someone is getting more TH than they want or can handle, lots will say to increase the VG, because PG *can* be more irritating, and it does help reinforce nicotine's TH.

But it's sounding more and more like it could be the flavors. But, try lower wattage; if that doesn't help enough, try making another coil that's closer to 2 ohms, because that will make it a lot cooler -- will help your battery last longer too. A lower resistance coil will always be a hotter coil.

Andria

 

[roxynoodle]

Just out of curiousity, do you have seasonal allergies? Mine have really kicked up the past few days and I'm having a lot of mucus, which is irritating my throat. Its not my vaping. Its probably Burdock, which tends to be the culprit this time of year.

 

[Jdurand]

Just out of curiousity, do you have seasonal allergies? Mine have really kicked up the past few days and I'm having a lot of mucus, which is irritating my throat. Its not my vaping. Its probably Burdock, which tends to be the culprit this time of year.

I'll second this. I have had the same situation lately. My first thought was, crap I finally find a way not to smoke and feel better and it seems to be making me cough and wheeze now. Well It finally rained here today and suddenly the symptoms I was feeling are lessened, or almost gone. Not till Roxy just hit on this did I ever consider that. If it doesn't go away shortly though, I would see a doctor.

 

[roxynoodle]

I've been vaping since March '14. So I have enough time with it to know if its really allergies or illness rather than vaping.

I also think my seasonal allergies have been a little worse since I quit smoking? But, its also been two very cool, rainy summers in a row.

 

[AndriaD]

I've been vaping since March '14. So I have enough time with it to know if its really allergies or illness rather than vaping.

I also think my seasonal allergies have been a little worse since I quit smoking? But, its also been two very cool, rainy summers in a row.

I think it might be the absence of those topical anesthetic chemicals that are in cigarette smoke; I bet I've sneezed more in the near-year I've been smoke free than in all my years before that put together! I guess our noses are just more sensitive to "stuff", just like our lungs are -- I can't be around anything burning without extreme distress.

Andria

 

[Jdurand]

It seems like we should be less susceptible to allergies, but now that I don't smoke, I too feel like I get more allergy symptoms than I used to.

 

[SleeZy]

It seems like we should be less susceptible to allergies, but now that I don't smoke, I too feel like I get more allergy symptoms than I used to.

Yepp especially with pollen allergy (atleast for me).

You've gotten great answers so i won't repeat what the others already said. Altho i want to mention i can't handle any PG above 50%. I get Sore throat, Rashes/hives.
My sweet spot has been 50/50% for quite some time, altho i might have to switch to 70vg/30pg permanently now.
As i've started to getting rashes once again, with some of my 50/50s. Reason i say some is due i suspect it could be flavorings due some juices are totally fine whereas others aren't. :/

Pure VG is a non issue...
Pure PG... well i don't even need to comment there. (itching/rashes evolves quickly.)

 

[roxynoodle]

I think all the gunk from smoking helped keep all the pollen from getting through.

 

[Jdurand]

All this with the allergens, yet now I've gone from two serious colds per year, to, well....I haven't been sick since I started vaping 9 months ago. Hmmmmm...odd right?

 

[AndriaD]

All this with the allergens, yet now I've gone from two serious colds per year, to, well....I haven't been sick since I started vaping 9 months ago. Hmmmmm...odd right?

I think when we stop inhaling CO and all the other toxins on a regular basis, our immune systems come back to life... I also passed the entire winter with zero colds... that hasn't happened to me in 40 yrs! ETA: I have to change that... I think this may have been the first time in my life I've gone all winter with zero respiratory infections... because even before I smoked, I was surrounded by smokers pretty much all the time, and I didn't get my tonsils out till I was 17; I could always count on some trifling cold making my tonsils swell to the size of ping-pong balls, when I was a child, every winter, sometimes twice in a single winter.

Andria

 

[Jdurand]

I think when we stop inhaling CO and all the other toxins on a regular basis, our immune systems come back to life... I also passed the entire winter with zero colds... that hasn't happened to me in 40 yrs!

Andria

Just so you know....you are so becoming one of my favorite people here!

 

[AndriaD]

Just so you know....you are so becoming one of my favorite people here!

Well thanks! That's always nice to hear. Especially since I've been feeling rather unpopular in one of my "usual haunt" threads lately.

Andria

 

[mightymen]

non-variable pen style battery voltage is around 3.2 volts and if coil resistance is 2.0 ohms = 10.24 div by 2.0 ohms = 5.12 watts.

You said your vaping lower then 14 watts but I'll presume close to it.

Just a suggestion why not attempt to vape around 6 or 7 watts for a few days and see what happens.

 

[Jdurand]

Well thanks! That's always nice to hear. Especially since I've been feeling rather unpopular in one of my "usual haunt" threads lately.

Andria

You just let me know if you need back up! lol