Chest Pains?

[zakk]

Yeah, Im almost starting to think that the nicotine levels could be a little much for me. I'm 20, 21 this november and I have been vaping since october of last year; before that I had been smoking since I was 14. So a little over five years of smoking. But now I'm wondering if since I havent smoked for 20plus years that my body is not used to the amount of nic. When I first started I was using 24mg juice until I had a major panic attack. Then 18mg and another major panic attack that landed me in the emergency room. Now I'm using 11-12mgs and am making a conversion down to 6mg because again I am suffering from anxiety, and poor circulation in my left arm and leg.

 

[Incognito™]

The other day, I grabbed a brand new atomizer and started using it without blowing it out first. It had a really bad taste but I kept vaping until the taste was gone (didn't know about primer fluid at that time). Ever since then, the right side of my upper chest hurts. Its right behind my pectoral muscle. It feels like lung pain.

Anybody ever heard of the primer fluid in new atomizers causing lung pain?

 

[incog]

I had been having chest pains off and on for years. Last July I thought it was a heart attack and went to the ER. It wasn't but they kept me over night anyway. My Doc scheduled me for a nuclear stress test (SPECT test to be exact) for a couple of weeks later. Went to it and they did a baseline EKG, inject radioactive dye, took some pics then put me on a tread mill to get the heart rate up and injected more of the dye and took more pics. Nurse called w/ results and said there was a minor abnormality so off the the cardiologist I went. He said it may have been a shadow from my diaphragm but wanted to do a heart cath to be sure. Went and had it done. After the cath he came in and said (in an urgent tone) "we need to do a triple bypass NOW". Freaked me out! A fourth vessel had become blocked as well, but the vessel had grown around the blockage on its own. I went to a surgeon the next day and he said "I agree, we are doing this tomorrow". CRAP! that was 6 weeks ago and I am still vaping (after 6 days of no vape) and the docs know about it and they say that's not an issue. I have had no cardiac related pain or issues since the surgery, just pains related to normal recovery from the violation my body went through. Also of note: NONE of this showed up on an EKG only on the SPECT test which is a blood perfusion test to see how well the blood is moving through the various vessels of the heart. If it hadn't been for the SPECT results, I would never have known anything. They told me if I had a heart attack, most likely I would not have survived it. Do NOT rely solely on an EKG!!! Best thing is that the cardiologist and cardio-thoracic surgeon have no issues with vaping. "It doesn't contain any of the stuff from smoking that causes heart/health problems, it only has the highly addictive STIMULANT nicotine". WOW I was shocked by their knowledge of vaping!!!

 

[gjrhine]

Makes no sense to me. Nicotine constricts blood vessels.

 

[videvinci]

Makes no sense to me. Nicotine constricts blood vessels.

I concur with the fact that nicotine is a vaso constrictor- the arteries constrict with the result that there is less bloodflow.

 

[Stubby]

I concur with the fact that nicotine is a vaso constrictor- the arteries constrict with the result that there is less bloodflow.

That is very different from heart decease. Coffee essentially does the same thing but is also not related to heart disease. What is happening is that nicotine temporally increases blood pressure and does indeed constrict blood vessels, but does not cause hardening of the arteries or heart blockage. Don't confuse the two as they are very different. That's why they say that if you quit smoking your blood pressure will go down within 12 hours. If it was a permanent condition that wouldn't happen.

There is lots of evidence of this as smokeless tobacco which has been studied for a long time both in the US and Sweden is also not associated with heart disease (even though ANTZ with misinform you otherwise). Tobacco and/or nicotine does not cause heart disease, smoking does. Though bad diet and heredity also plays a big part. Not being a scientist I can't' offhand tell you exactly what elements of smoke causes heart disease but I can tell you it is not nicotine. It is often recommended to smokers who go in for a heart operation to use NRT's while in recovery. The reason is the stress of not smoking or not getting any nicotine is much worse then getting some nicotine and dealing with the mild effects that it may have on recovery.

 

[gjrhine]

What is happening is that nicotine temporally increases blood pressure and does indeed constrict blood vessels, but does not cause hardening of the arteries or heart blockage.

And if you have heart disease you likely have damage and a good cardiologist will tell you no nicotine in any form. Also with heart disease being the silent killer many of us have it and do not know it.

 

[RandaPandaBear]

The last few days on and off I have had chest pains. Yes I am going to see a Dr about this. At first I thought maybe an anxiety attack but stress has gotten better the last few weeks and I am not prone to chest pains. The hardest and longest one hit me a few nights ago after vaping more than my normal all day. It went from 2am-6am. I was up all night. I tried to read in bed but the pain was distracting. It did finally let up. It was not horrible, but annoying and right under my breasts and hitting my spin. I was in hopes it was some kind of odd gas pain or something but that high... I know it is not heart burn (been pregnant 5 times and I know ever shape of that fun!)

So now I am thinking maybe it is my vaping. This would be tragic.

I have no heart conditions, I am 29 years old and thus I do not think it is an emergecy right this moment. Think I should set an appointment and vap a lot in hopes I can cause it and so the Dr can actually see it? Or?

Blessings,
lil

I have noticed some chest pain myself. I also noticed some breathing changes, but here's what I discovered (I'm a dancer so I'm always analyzing my body lol). I have been holding my breath a lot. I don't know if it has to do with learned behavior from vaping. Try to pay attention to your breathing and see if you are noticing something like this, and relax and remember to breathe!

 

[sweetmeat]

I haven't read this whole thread so maybe this post will be irrelevant but I had a friend who was having chest pains and they couldn't figure out what it was, turns out it was costchondritis (I could be spelling it wrong), so if you can't figure it out maybe suggest it to your doc. Apparently it can be quite painful, but not life threatening, good luck

 

[RandaPandaBear]

I haven't read this whole thread so maybe this post will be irrelevant but I had a friend who was having chest pains and they couldn't figure out what it was, turns out it was costchondritis (I could be spelling it wrong), so if you can't figure it out maybe suggest it to your doc. Apparently it can be quite painful, but not life threatening, good luck

I have that too. Very common. Also common in those with auto immune disease (like me)

 

[sweetmeat]

I just read the whole thread, I didn't realize until half way through that the OP was from 2009, oops, I'm assuming most of these health problems have been resolved by now

 

[RandaPandaBear]

teeehee I missed that too

 

[Elizaabeth]

I would love to see some follow up from some of the people with the problems in '09. I am going through the same issues now - chest pain and heaviness, lungs feeling tight. I didn't see anyone mention this but tender feeling in the front of my neck where the 2 bones join to form a V. Thinking maybe thyroid - because I have read that can flare up after quitting smoking because smoking can mask the symptoms of thyroid problems. I also have had an extremely stressful year and know that I suffer from stress and anxiety. Unfortunately I am uninsured and without a doctor - so although I did decide I have got to see a dr - hard to get in as a new patient so apnt not for another few weeks. Doing some research in the mean time since I really don't want the expense of an ER visit if all I need is time to adjust and heal.

 

[gjrhine]

First thing to check is your blood pressure. Also get blood and urine tests and have them in hand for first doctor visit.

 

[Elizaabeth]

How do I get blood and urine tests in advance of dr. apnt?

 

[gjrhine]

Any clinic and many doctors offices have them one morning a week where they are all taken at once and sent to the lab. Save a trip because the doc is going to say he wants them anyway.

 

[RandaPandaBear]

I would love to see some follow up from some of the people with the problems in '09. I am going through the same issues now - chest pain and heaviness, lungs feeling tight. I didn't see anyone mention this but tender feeling in the front of my neck where the 2 bones join to form a V. Thinking maybe thyroid - because I have read that can flare up after quitting smoking because smoking can mask the symptoms of thyroid problems. I also have had an extremely stressful year and know that I suffer from stress and anxiety. Unfortunately I am uninsured and without a doctor - so although I did decide I have got to see a dr - hard to get in as a new patient so apnt not for another few weeks. Doing some research in the mean time since I really don't want the expense of an ER visit if all I need is time to adjust and heal.

That pain in the v you're mentioning sounds like what happens to me when my choatochondritis flares. Annoying but only inflammation for me. Hopefully it's something simple like that, for you too.