Hey guys,
Been vaping since August 2014 in an attempt to get off tobacco. For about 6 years, I've smoked Black n Milds (inhaled) about a pack a day. It got so bad to the point where I started hacking up large piles of flem. My fear was these flem balls I hacked up would start to turn red - indicating some type of lung disease. I then had to start on an inhaler due to shortness of breath which then lead me down the path of finding an alternative.
This post will be a journal of my progress to not only track personal progress, but to help others and find a solution to my current issue with vaping. If I help just 1 other person in my situation, I feel like this post did it's job. This post will be 100% true and no factors will be hidden.
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Medical background - High cholesterol, family history of heart disease, diagnosed with anxiety disorder (controlled through Xanax, ativan, nicotine, and on the weekends, alcohol), diagnosed with depression
Years smoking- 6 years - main reason for smoking is to calm anxiety
Vaping history - Started with a ego battery/T3S Kanger tank with 50/50 juice. Upgraded to Protank, then started rebuilding protank heads with cotton. Moved up to Aerotank then to Kayfun. At the kayfun stage, I found juices with PG to make me sneeze so I started using exclusive VG juices. Please note up until this time I never inhaled the vapor, just puffed it like a cigar. (Mouth hit, exhale thru mouth and nose. never hit the lungs)
Upgraded to IPV Mini and Atlantis tank. Started to lunghit using 3mg Nic and 100%/Max VG juices. This is when the red eye issues started.
PROBLEM: My eyes, especially my left, looks like someone punched me in the eye. My eye lids and surrounding areas of the eye are so red it looks like i have on red makeup. I also have a rash breaking out on my neck and left hand. This just started when I started inhaling my vape vs. smoking like a cigar. My eyes are extremely dry and itchy all the time.
Tried: I've tried using higher grade juices with NO PG at all like Velvet Cloud Vapor - still bad. I've tried Max VG juices from MBV, still bad. I've tried taking allergic medication (Allegra). Eye is still red. I've tried switching to an organic cotton coil (Melo Coils) in my Atlantis, still red. I've tried drinking more water - STILL RED.
Observations: In the morning after a long night of drinking water, I wake up and my eye looks completely normal. I start vaping for a few hours, it looks like someone punched me in the face again.
I will try: Mostly PG juices - Thinking of going to a 10%VG/90%PG juice and see what happens. For now, I quit vaping for as long as I can hold on. The last time I tried to quit smoking in the past cold turkey, I went 3 days before going into an almost "postal" state. I'll see how long it takes to get off vaping before I go insane.
I recently went to the VCCT Tampa 2015 event and I almost died. The vapor in there was so dense my eyes were on FIRE. FIREEEEE - I had to leave. It got bad.
I recently was at the store getting eye drops and read that natural tears eye drops have a main ingredient as PG. Interesting.
I've also read PG being the main ingredient to cause allergic reactions, but I may be an exception? Google searches yield others having VG reactions similar to mine.
So I've been mouth to lung vaping since I started vaping. Started at 24 mg with the Halo Triton and when I upgraded to the iStick and the Nautilus I lowered my nicotine down to 15 mg. It's been fine.......getting enough nicotine so I don't crave analogs, not getting too much nicotine so that I start feeling sick. Throat hit has been fine and not uncomfortable.
Yesterday I started doing lung hits with the iStick and the Nautilus and with the greater amount of vapor I can produce, I stepped the nicotine down to 12 mg since I also started to get a little lightheaded (I suppose with the greater amount of vapor I am also taking in more nicotine, even though nicotine absorption through the lungs is not supposed to be as good as through the mouth and nose). The juice that I am using is also a 70VG/30PG mix as compared to the 50/50 I was vaping before. However this morning I woke up with an irritated throat and the vape (even when switching back to mouth to lung) feels more harsh.
Do I need to step down the nicotine level even more to 6 mg? Is this normal when going from mouth to lung to direct lung hits? I'm not subohming, so I didn't expect that I would need to drop it down that much. I'm afraid that if I drop it down too much, then I'm going to have more cravings and will need to vape constantly.
Vaped for 2 years , had my e cig in my mouth for most of that time . I suffered from pasty mouth all the time only since I started vaping .
I stopped vaping a week ago and have been downing water but it seems like 5 min after drinking I get pasty mouth and can chug so much water again . I don't like this because I often wake up with a really dry mouth and my lips are always chapped.
I have no other underlying issues . I know its only been a week but still !
anyone else with similar experience?
Thanks
I AM ASKING FOR ADVICE
This will be long..
Preface:
First off I've been vaping close to 10 years, before 20 years on cigs, back when a 510 was a battery not just a thread type. Back when we had PCC's and cartos. I've had 810's 510's egos, mechs, provari's, tanks, carts, drippers....Ive been wrapping my coils for close to 8 years. I am just stating this so veterans here can understand I've been around the block.
I also have seen and continue to see many defensive and disgruntled responses to people here that post anything other than vaping is great, long live vape. I expect this thread to be treated kindly and respected as I will will also respect your opinions. I've been here along time, I know who are solid contributors and some who are ..... If you search my post history you will find a thread from 5 years ago where I questioned my new relationship with a woman who wanted to start vaping. She had been nic free for 4 years when we started dating and wanted to take up vaping. I was considering ending our early relationship over it. I know in retrospect that it was the wrong approach but seemingly NOONE could understand my point of view. Well now she hates vaping more than anything in her life, cries sometimes because she "cant" quit, hates her dryer skin, despises the "effort" involved (although minimal). All I was saying is that she would REGRET this decision and I was met with extreme backlash, and I was right. I knew it then, its true now. The one thing she regrets the most in the past 10 years is picking up vaping. This thread is closed but some of it will come into play. Please be respectful in your responses and opinions. As I stated up top, I am asking for advice from long term members.
So to the matter at hand. I have been, for the 2 years coughing, wheezing at night (pretty bad, wife can hear it) and just generally not comfortable in vaping.Throat irritation, shortness of breath etc...I exclusively sqounk moved everything to profile rda's with mesh coil. I changed to DL inhale about 5 years ago from a hybrid MTL and started with tight MTL (we had no choice back in the day). I also experience chest pains from time to time. My nic is 3mg, been stuck there for years ever since I went DL.
The wheezing and daily coughing and congestion are not directly related to the mesh as traditional kanthal, SS, TI, whatever would cause it too. I would think its more related to DL inhale and the influx of vapor. I tried to go back to a hybrid MTL setup but just found it hard to become satisfied. I'm thinking of quitting for good, which I've thought of many times before but failed in my attempts. So I'm looking for opinions or options from experienced members who have maybe been in the same boat? I've also noticed that alot of juices have changed, or its just me? What was once smooth is now irritable unless I turn it down to say 20 watts. I've read a few of my brands changed their recipes, cut costs and I blamed it on that. I'm having trouble finding any juices I truly like anymore and never got into DIY. I always felt I should but I feel I dont have the time or patience required to dial in recipes. I'm pretty busy most days and weekends. So I suppose there are a few options...
1. Quit. Honestly I would love to. Save money, no more remembering to bring gear etc. My wife would love it as she states she cant quit until I do, the temptation is too much for her. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that but I am seriously considering the option.
2. DIY juice? Could this be whats been causing this the last few years? 3mg maybe too strong but then I dont feel satisfied and sometimes dont even with 3mg?
3. Back to MTL 6mg? Not sure if this would make it harder to quit. Less vapor but more concentrate, still think 3mg with DL would be more overall nic consumption.
4. Combination of 3&4? But I need a combo that would satisfy.
Not sure about any of this anymore, the FDA is going to shut this down eventually (I really think they will) and we could all be left with only 3 choices. Quit, blackmarket or purchase what THEY manufacture. But for now I am simply not enjoying vaping anymore and it has been like cigs the past few years. I dont want to do it because it makes me wheeze cough and irritated but I'm clearly addicted. Give me your experiences/ideas on what may help me and what are YOUR plans for the future?
I know I'm not a popular user on here like Baditude and all them, been I figured I'd post my story since I've been away.
I've been vaping for the past 9 months, and within the past month, I have unfortunately started to smoke cigarettes again.
In the past I have had problems with depression and anxiety (it started about 3 years ago) and I was on Lexapro and xanax for over a year. Everything was great and I was able to go places and socialize. I stopped taking it a almost 2 years ago thinking I was fine enough to stop. I was, until about 3 weeks ago, all this anxiety started rushing back out of nowhere. It didn't help that I got some sort of flu that was going around but have since recovered from that. At this point, I am afraid to leave my house. I have been having a hell of a time going to work, which was never an issue a month ago. I have had to take time off for the flu and for my anxiety and depression. I broke down at work in front of my boss (not something I'm proud of) and told him I have had these problems in the past and that I need to get back on my Lexapro. So at the beginning of this week, I went to my doctor, which I had a VERY hard time doing as I wanted to pass out and throw up the entire time. She got me back on my meds, but with any kind of anti-depressant it takes a while for it to build up in your system.
I have already taken 4 days off of work, and I'm still afraid to leave my house to do any basic task like going grocery shopping or even just driving (I start to have a panic attack anytime I get stopped at a stop light in traffic.) I'm afraid of losing my job, but I think I can do the FMLA stuff but I'm having doubts on whether what I'm experiencing would allow me to do that. I'll have to read up on what I can do, but I'm just so afraid of losing my job, which would devastate my girlfriend and I know I would get looked down upon by everyone I know. I've been so stressed about it that my body feels my vapes are inadequate and I unfortunately picked up a pack of cigarettes and started smoking again. I'm just so scared right now and I feel like I'm in a rut that I can't get out of.
I know it's not the end of the world, but my mind is telling me that it is, and it's worrying me so bad
Hi all-
I haven't posted in a long while. I am in need of some suggestions as to what could be going in with me all of the sudden with my vaping.
Within the past two months I have a very hard time breathing when vaping. I was just thinking at first that I was getting sick or something. Then, I stopped for a few days completely and I felt better so I started again. The evening of the first day back to vaping, I laid in bed trying to go to sleep feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest and that my throat was closing up. It was very scary. So scary that I have now been to the pulmonologist as well as the cardiologist (because the chest heaviness was bad). My lungs are clear and heart is in good condition. Soooooo....I went and purchased a ZERO nicotine juice thinking that maybe it was the nicotine. NOPE.....that didn't work either, I have used my e-cig only on the past two Saturdays and it has zero nicotine liquid in it and I still have the same problem after the day of vaping. I feel like I am struggling to breath. It is horrible. It takes a day or so to subside. I really enjoy my vape. I quit analogs on April 9, 2011 and have been vaping every since. Does anyone have any idea what the problem could possibly be? Maybe I should try just VG Juices....would that make a difference? Please help....any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!!
Hi guys, i started vaping a couple of weeks ago, i quit smoking like 5 years ago, i tried a cigarette after i quit maybe once in a while probably 1 every year , and i never coughed, well i started vaping and i noticed if i do lung hits i cough, if i do mouth to lung hit i cough, if i do mouth hits i barely cough but still do sometimes, so does that means im allergic to PG and i should switch to 100% VG? or could be im still not used to vaping?
Please tell me based on your experience...
thanks
I've been trying to get my dad to quit smoking for two years now. He wanted to quit using an e-cig. However, he just can't seem to stick with it. He has been smoking for 30+ years. He smokes almost two packs a day.
I think the problem really is that he hasn't -tried-. As soon as he wants a real smoke, he lights one up. He only uses his e-cig is places he can't smoke.
He says he wants something that taste like tobacco. I've tried buying him numerous tobacco e-liquids. The closest was one from Ahlusion, but he still says it isn't like tobacco. He keeps saying he'll quit, but then he doesn't.
He has an ego with a mini protank, he seems fine with that. He isn't very amused by my mech mods and RTAs. lol.
I'm just lost as to what to do. A lot of people say to just stop telling him to do so and let him do it on his own. It is hard to just sit and watch him smoke though, esp when my mom had lung cancer just over a year ago (luckily, she did quit smoking with an e-cig and went into remission after radiation treatment). When I switched, I had only just started to smoke again (I smoked 3 years, quit, then started smoking again for about 4 months, then to an e-cig). I didn't like tobacco flavors when I started and almost immediately went to fruit flavors. He's tried those too, doesn't have much interest in them.
So my question to you ex long term smokers, what helped you make the switch? I feel like I just can't relate to smoking 30 something years.
I can only get about a 1-2 day life span out of coils that are organic cotton based. After 1-2 days, they start seeping a dark colored liquid into my tank and ruining the juice. This has happened in my Atlantis tank running Melo coils vaping at 32 watts and my Herakles tank running 55 watts. Keep in mind I vape about 7-10ml a day. Juices are 70VG/30PG or 80VG/20PG all at 3mg nic.
On the flip side, if I vape old school Atlantis coils at 32 watts on the same juices, I get a full week before this happens.
Any ideas on how to make cotton coils last longer?! For this reason, I can't wait to get my Lemo 2 in. I'll be able to rewick daily and not worry about cost.
The way things are going, I am losing so much money on coils it's nuts. See picture to see whats happening.
Oh yeah, this is happening on all kinds of juices I vape. Mt Baker Vapor, Vista Vapors, 4 Pillars, The Milk Man. Some are budget juices - others are premium. No matter what juice I use, it happens.
The BIGGEST killer is Zeus Juice with 80%PG, 20%VG. This juice kills a coil in one tank full. I'm guessing the sweeteners in that juice do it.
It's frustrating because I LOVE my Herakles tank running at 55W but if I have to replace the coil every 1-2 days, that's SO expensive.
A quick back story to start. I was a 1-2 PAD smoker for about 5 years. I found vapes and quit smoking. I was able to stop vaping and smoking for 18 months until I picked up smoking again for a few years. I have once again been able to stop smoking and started vaping again. Simple transition, some willpower for sure, but I have kicked the habit completely. When I started vaping again I purchased an Istick 50w and a troll. Have been using 3mg liquid only. It's been about six weeks smoke free again and I want to, not only upgrade, but reward myself. I read and read and watch reviews non stop, my head hurts from all of the stuff out now. I use my mod consistently at 45 to 50 watts. I have a 0.4 dual coil build and a chuff top. The heat from the vape is less than perfect, but I like the vapor production. I am interested in temperature control as well. If I need to buy two mods to have everything I want, so be it. Not that money isn't an issue, but right now it isn't a factor. I have been looking at IPV3, Sigeli 150, IPV4, Mech Mods, you name it I have looked and can probably tell you the specs off the top of my head. I just can't decide! I need your help ECF! I know I want at least dual 18650, as my Istick lasts maybe half a day until I need to charge. Good flavor and large vapor production atty, temp control, and good ergonomics. Thanks in advance for all input and help.
Ive always vaped juices with 3mg Nic and have never been bothered by the taste of it. Now, a couple of weeks ago i quit smoking cigarettes and picked up my vapes again and orderes some new juices as well.
the problem is I get a strong and "peppery" taste of the nicotine and it feel like im vaping like 9mg juices. It really bothers me since I dont get the most flavour out of my juices.
Has someone experienced the same thing? what is going on? i bought 4 differens e-juices and there regular nic in 2 of them and salt nic-shots (for shortfills) in the other 2. they all taste the same in regards to that awful taste.
lets face it, im addicted to nicotine. i will eventually start vaping 0mg but if i do that right now, im afraid i will go back to the cancer-sticks