vaping causing pain in chest/ coughing. need advise

[pizza2me]

Hi all,

I have a friend at work that is amazed that I stopped smoking using ecig. I'm one that you'd never think would quit.

Anyway, she has lung problems, just as most of us long term heavy smokers. COPD and I'm not sure what else.

I've given her a few things to try and it causes her instant pain in the chest and bad coughing. I've seen plenty (in the forum and in person) that caoughed a lot when they first started vaping. But that, I thought was usually in the throat. Not in the chest.

Anybody else seen this problem and found something that didn't cause chest pain?

I've tried a couple of tobacco flavors on her. Lowered the nic mg. 18mg is the lowest I have. All on a 510.

Then I even pulled out a safecig and let her try that since it produces less vapor. Still not good.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking maybe a real low (or zero) nic??? Or a smoother flavor like candy or something.

But I'm just worried that it is the actual vapor in the lungs that are causing it and this may not work for her.

I desparately want to help her quit.

Any suggestions???

Thanks!

 

[asti]

First question I thought of was what is your base blend VG / PG amounts? She might be sensitive.... and if she can actually smoke an analog, vaping itself isn't going to cause any problems ..

 

[pizza2me]

That's what I thought. And good to hear from somebody else.

Most of mine are 80% pg or 50/50. What might she be sensitive to? The pg? Should I try all vg?

 

[Sainted_S]

Hi all,

I have a friend at work that is amazed that I stopped smoking using ecig. I'm one that you'd never think would quit.

Anyway, she has lung problems, just as most of us long term heavy smokers. COPD and I'm not sure what else.

I've given her a few things to try and it causes her instant pain in the chest and bad coughing. I've seen plenty (in the forum and in person) that caoughed a lot when they first started vaping. But that, I thought was usually in the throat. Not in the chest.

Anybody else seen this problem and found something that didn't cause chest pain?

I've tried a couple of tobacco flavors on her. Lowered the nic mg. 18mg is the lowest I have. All on a 510.

Then I even pulled out a safecig and let her try that since it produces less vapor. Still not good.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking maybe a real low (or zero) nic??? Or a smoother flavor like candy or something.

But I'm just worried that it is the actual vapor in the lungs that are causing it and this may not work for her.

I desparately want to help her quit.

Any suggestions???

Thanks!

I applaud your efforts and hers, however, I think with the medical problems she has, it would be wise to consult a doctor. I know that many doctors will not support ecigs and their answer will be just quit (yeah...that easy), but it may do her more harm than good.

In answer to your questions I can tell you my experience. I had times when I first started vaping that I had terrible chest coughing. The first few days when I woke up and took that first vape I would just hack from my chest, but after the initial shock to my lungs, it became much easier the rest of the day. Now, about 3 months later, I never get that deep, hacking cough that I had when I began vaping and the cough I had developed from smoking.

When I began though, if I did experience that early in the morning, I would just take tiny vapes, hold them in my mouth for a bit and then breathe them in, gradually I would take larger ones. One thing I have noticed about vaping is that it feels like it goes "deeper" than analogs, and I think it's a bit of a shock to lungs that have been damaged by smoking.

I haven't had that deep cough for quite some time now.

 

[jonny2hottie]

i noticed that when i vape VG i cough alot and my asthma acts up. so now i try to stick to strickly PG. and yes a lower nic level would help alot.

 

[Denrock316]

I've heard that PG can cause a feeling of heaviness in the chest. I think she should try an all VG juice. It would probably be a good idea to have her try one that is all PG too just in case it's the vg that is bothering her. Probably should go light with the flavoring at least at first that could also be the cause.

 

[Sainted_S]

but it may do her more harm than good

I don't mean to say that vaping is more harmful that analogs. I feel that it is much better than smoking and I'm sure the analogs are much more harmful, however, being that vaping is so new, we have no idea what effect it will have on someone will COPD. I'm not the best person to answer this, perhaps someone that has had a chronic illness resulting from analogs can chime in.

I do know that my stepfather, who has smoked for 60+ years has a terrible time trying to vape because he has an awful cough when he first starts to vape. I also had to make him juices that were VG and that helped a bit.

 

[908Tracy]

Pizza2me,

I was having the same problem with 100% PG juices as the vendors I ordered my first 2 kits through use only that in their prefilled carts. I too thought, "there is just no way I can do this". I've since been playing around with varying levels of pg/vg and it is getting better. (I am still smoking *gasp* analogs mostly because they are here) I have found 100% VG (I like vaperite for this) seems to be easier to inhale. You may want to share with her that just like it took some time for our lungs to adjust to inhaling smoke (didn't you cough your head off for awhile when you first started?) it may take some adjusting to inahling vapor. I am also hopeful that when I convert completely to vaping, it will help as well.
Hope I didn't confuse you farther?
My advice.....try some 100% VG juice and give it some time to get used to. =)

 

[Automaton]

There could be all kinds of ingrediant culprits as stated above - PG, flavorings, etc. Try out a 100% VG, naturally flavored juice. CloudsofVapor.com does a line that a lot of people like. So does Vaperite.com.

Another thing to consider... is that it may be because her lungs are so damaged. Smoking kills your cilia. One of their jobs is to catch moisture before it lands on your tissue. If it lands directly on your tissue, your brain thinks you're drowning. This is why a lot of people cough at first, until their cilia rejuvinate.

Even I had that, and I only smoked a few years. I had the same coughing reaction when I yawned in a hot shower, due to the steam.

But in her case, with so much damage, it may be exaggerated and she may feel it in her chest as well.

That's just my totally unprofessional opinion, based on what I know about the damage smoking does.

But with that kind of severe reaction, it may be worth her talking to a vaping-friendly doctor about it. There's more of them than you think.

I know we have people here with COPD who do successful switch to vaping, and even have improvement in their symptoms.

But depending on what other complicating factors she has, it may or may not be possible for her. She needs a professional opinion. Chest pain is just too big of a symptom to try to ignore.

Good luck.

 

[908Tracy]

P.S.- Sainted_S has given you some good advice above. I think I would definitely ask her to have a word with her doctor considering she has COPD.

P.S.S- So has MistressNomad given great advice. (we were posting at the same time!) =)

 

[deback]

Here's another thought:

Could be the heat from the vapor. I get chest pains sometimes when vaping, and that's usually when I'm vaping too often, and I attribute the chest pain to all that heat going into my chest.

The reason I believe this is because the heat from the 5 volt passthroughs I have is hotter than from my eGos, and when I use the passthroughs, I'll start getting pain in my mouth from that extra heat that gradually burns into my mouth tissues, causing pain that's similar to taking a bite of hot food that burns your mouth roof or tongue.

The chest pain that I get sometimes goes away within a few minutes, as the heat is absorbed into my chest.

A new vaper could be having a problem with the heat that he or she isn't used to having when smoking cigarettes.

 

[deback]

Even I had that, and I only smoked a few years. I had the same coughing reaction when I yawned in a hot shower, due to the steam.

I didn't find "heat" mentioned by anyone in this thread until I reread MN's message and found the above sentence. Steam! Yes, the hot steam caused you to cough, which would correlate with my theory about heat causing coughing and chest pain.

I realize that most people will first blame PG or VG or the nicotine strength, but heat is definitely a factor -- and the only factor for the certain mouth and chest pain I've been having when vaping too much, too often, and when using the 5 volt passthroughs, which produce more heat than the 3.2 eGo batteries.

When I used too much VG, my gums would get sore, similar to when they got sore when I used to eat way too many Sweet Tarts. My gums are sensitive to sugar.

My throat is sensitive to the harshness of too much nicotine.

My entire mouth and chest/lungs are sensitive to too much heat.

 

[pizza2me]

As always!! A whole bunch of great advice from you folks!! I really, really appreciate it! I'm going to order some 100% vg and some 100% pg with mild flavors and low nic. And, I'm going to have her run it by her doc in the meantime. (I know mine doesn't really like the idea of vaping, but he is very happy that I'm not smoking!!! And he said my lungs are sounding great!! After heavy smoking for over 35 years!!!


Thanks again to all!!!!

 

[Automaton]

deback - You could be right. I don't cough anymore, either from vaping or hot steam, but I'm young. The likelihood of me having any permanent internal damage is pretty much nil (and man do I feel lucky for that every day).

I hadn't really thought about the heat - just about the moisture.

As far as cool vapes, I find a 901 to be one of the coolest. I believe the atomizers have a particularly high resistance, and the battery is running at 3.2v. So maybe that's something to try as well.

 

[markfm]

Pizza, a quickie test, pretty cheap, if the person's doctor says that vaping is okay for them to try.

You can get USP VG at most pharmacies, including Walmart -- ask at the counter for USP glycerin, it'll likely be marked "Skin Protectant" and the ingredients should state USP glycerin 99.5% anhydrous -- nothing else. $3 - $5 for a 6 ounce bottle.

(The bottle should absolutely state USP on it -- that's pharmaceutical grade, high purity, glycerin.)

Mix a little of this glycerin with grocery store "distilled water" (< $1 a gallon), to thin it out, and see if that works okay. It won't have any nicotine, and will consist of nothing but USP glycerin and water. If that is OK, then try something with some nicotine.

(I'm a mutt, vape anything, but this will give a starting point, to make sure that even simple VG + water isn't an issue. I've run across a few people who needed to try just VG, just PG, VG with a little nic, VG with nic and flavoring, PG/VG low nic, etc., to find what was okay for them.)

 

[908Tracy]

MistressNomad,

Thank you also for pointing out that when vaping, our lungs are not used to "water" in any form and triggers the brain to thinking we are drowning. Makes so much sense! I am also relieved to hear that cilia will return after giving up analogs...yet another thing to look forward to! =)

 

[imawitch]

Hi,

I have copd.
I smoked for over 34 years.

tried everything from nic gum, nic patches, chantix and nothing worked for me.
I started using the ecig back on december 2nd, 2009.

I have been able to stop taking all my copd meds, i no longer use spiriva, no longer use symbicort, however, i still from time to time use my quick inhaler.

I saw my doc, lung doc yesterday and he is very happy that im using my ecig...i will be a year free from analogs next month.

when I first started vaping, i was using pg..I would cough and i think i was sensitive to the pg..I started using vg in jan of 09 and have not coughed or had any irration since then.

maybe your freind can try vg instead of a pg vg mix?

anyhoo, jmo, but i think you are a blessing to your freind and I hope everything works out well for your freind and for you,

bright blessings

 

[pizza2me]

As always! A lot of great info from youu folks! Thank you so much. I'm going to order some mild flavor 100% vg and some 100% pg. And tell her to talk to her doc in the meantime.

You folks are great!!!!!!!

 

[deback]

Pizza, a quickie test, pretty cheap, if the person's doctor says that vaping is okay for them to try.

You can get USP VG at most pharmacies, including Walmart -- ask at the counter for USP glycerin, it'll likely be marked "Skin Protectant" and the ingredients should state USP glycerin 99.5% anhydrous -- nothing else. $3 - $5 for a 6 ounce bottle.

(The bottle should absolutely state USP on it -- that's pharmaceutical grade, high purity, glycerin.)

Mix a little of this glycerin with grocery store "distilled water" (< $1 a gallon), to thin it out, and see if that works okay. It won't have any nicotine, and will consist of nothing but USP glycerin and water. If that is OK, then try something with some nicotine.

(I'm a mutt, vape anything, but this will give a starting point, to make sure that even simple VG + water isn't an issue. I've run across a few people who needed to try just VG, just PG, VG with a little nic, VG with nic and flavoring, PG/VG low nic, etc., to find what was okay for them.)

Regarding Glycerin (VG) from Walmart (to save you from asking the clerk, who usually doesn't know where to find it) - it's in a 6 ounce (177mL) bottle on the shelf above the rubbing alcohol products in the pharmacy section. It's $3 and looks like this:

I don't mix Glycerin with distilled water or water of any kind. The thought of adding water into my cartomizer filler makes me want to puke.

 

[deback]

MistressNomad,

Thank you also for pointing out that when vaping, our lungs are not used to "water" in any form and triggers the brain to thinking we are drowning. Makes so much sense! I am also relieved to hear that cilia will return after giving up analogs...yet another thing to look forward to! =)

When I mentioned "heat," I really meant the warm vapor. I just know that when the vapor is too hot (and when I vape too much too often), I'll get a burning type of pain in my mouth and chest/lungs.