The Effects Of Vaping

[Speakeasy]

Well, I'm happy to say that I haven't had a single analog cigarette in 16 days!! I used to smoke a pack and a half of Marlboro Lights a day. I've smoked for over 25 years.

I have been vaping (almost non-stop) with my 510 for just over two weeks now, and during the past few days I have noticed some changes. I want to share these things with the forum and get some input from others who have noticed changes too. Hopefully we can share the effects that vaping has on us so that other noobies will have a better understanding of what they may run into health-wise.

I have noticed a few physical changes lately that have me wondering what else I need to expect. The first thing I noticed was after only a few days of vaping. When I woke up in the mornings the back of my throat was a little sore. I also noticed that it was hard to take those first few vapes. However, my morning smoker's cough has virtually disappeared. The sore throat has improved a great deal and it never lasted for very long, usually going away after the first few sips of coffee.

Even though I live alone I have never smoked cigarettes in any part of my house other than my bedroom. Consequently, I spent 90% of my time at home in my bedroom. After only a few days of being analog free I started to become aware of the absolutely disgusting smell that permeated every nook and cranny. So, I think it's safe to say that almost immediately my sense of smell was much more acute. My sense of taste has become much better and I am much more sensitive to odors. Oh, and I have even started to enjoy the other 1300 square feet of my property.

Very recently now I am experiencing something that has me a little concerned, and it is this that makes me write today. Over the past four days I have been doing quite a bit of coughing. This coughing usually starts in the evening and has even kept me awake at night. This is a moderately productive cough that has even woke me up. I also wake up in the morning with a very stuffy nose. Now, Chris explained to me when I first joined the forum that I should expect this. And, I am aware that after a few weeks of being smoke free I will begin coughing up all the nasty junk that has been accumulating in my lungs. But I am starting to see this after just two weeks. The coughing isn't like what most people experience when they have a cold or the flu. It's not nearly as harsh. But it is rather persistent mostly at night.

How long does this last? What about this stuffy nose of mine? I'm usually never stuffed up! I hate it and it drives me crazy! I can usually blow my nose in the morning and clear my sinuses fairly easily but my sleep has been interrupted every night for 4 nights now from the coughing and the stuffy nose. Are there other things that I should expect as I continue to stay smoke free? What have others learned? Could this be from vaping? I really enjoy vaping and I find it to be much better, and much more economical than smoking. But I can't help but ask if this is normal.

I would really like to hear from others about this. I'm sure that everyone is a little different so I think it would be helpful to all noobies to know about this. Being new to vaping raises a lot of questions, as we all know. And I think that one of the most amazing things that each of us see right off is how much of a benefit vaping can be to someone who wants to stop analogs. The more in-depth information we can provide to each other, the more successful we all will be at reducing the risk of poisoning ourselves and those we love and care about.

I realize that there has probably been posts made about this before but I thought it might be more helpful to new people if we had this topic in the health section.

[seaspine]

Most people get a little sick when they stop the analogs,I had cold like symptoms for around a week. It's just your

lungs getting back to normal.

[keenan]

You may also be having double symptoms. By this i mean, while you are having the usual symptoms of someone whose quit analogs, at the same time you MAY actually have a slight cold or allergies. The sore throat is a common vape sympton, and I read somewhere that gargling with mothwash right before bed lessens this. I do it and it seems to work. My first vape in the morning kicks me in the lung as well. it has gotten a little better over time, but I attribute it to my lungs being used to ONE rude wake up call for 30 years, and now having something NEW wake them up.

[Sinikal]

I wouldnt worry too much a bout it, definitely wouldnt put the blame on vaping. I think what is happening is your lungs are just trying to heal. You could be coming down with a cold though ?? I ended up catching a very bad cold 3 weeks ago and i was thinking the same thing the first few days. I had all the same symptoms, coughing, stuffiness, Turns out it was just a cold. Best thing to do is drink some hot tea, maybe cut back on the vaping a little and throw a snus pouch in or something lol. Just give your lungs a break. I have yet to cough up anything from my lungs, but i think i accomplished my lung cleaning when i had that cold/ flu whatever it was. Sounds to me like you are ok! Perfectly normal other than the common cold

(To save my behind) If your symptoms get worse, please go see a doctor

Edited November 17, 2009 by Sinikal

[elem187]

sounds like a minor sinus cold... give it another week and see if it improves... I can't say the same has happened to me when I started vaping.

[BirdDog]

I have also had the same symptoms for the last few weeks. I was sick a few weeks ago and I think some of it is still hanging on. Also, the weather has become much colder and the furnace is running. I live in Colorado and the air is already dry so the furnace is also drying out the air. I found that running a room humidifier has helped with the stuffy nose and coughing. So I guess what I am recommending is that you try a humidifier at night while you sleep. You may also want to try leaving the bedroom door open, if you usually leave it closed, at night to let the air circulate better. Good luck, I hope it get better for you.

Edited November 17, 2009 by BirdDog

[Speakeasy]

Thank you all very much for your feedback, and for your concern. I guess I can appreciate the notion that I may be coming down with a cold, but I must say that the last 22 years of being a Registered Nurse, coupled with 43 years of life and countless colds during that time, causes me to think that it has more to do with my past tobacco abuse than it does with any viruses....

My purpose for starting this topic was to bring to light the changes that people may feel when they stop smoking. I have talked with several patients, friends, and colleagues about the changes a body goes through when they quit but have sadly never experienced them myself. It is a well known fact that many people go through a phase of productive coughing and changes in they're olfactory senses. Other people have reported symptoms ranging from difficulty sleeping to migraine headaches and even soreness in they're joints and muscles. My mother quit smoking last year, and she tells me that she has never had any symptoms at all. I guess some do, and some don't.

My hope was to have other vapers include personal changes that they may have felt. My thinking is that other people new to vaping may experience changes that they may incorrectly attribute to vaping, and not to quiting tobacco. My fear is that these normal effects may cause them to stop vaping and return to analogs thinking that the ecigarette caused the problem.

[SteveD1]

For me Speakeasy it was about day 2-7 with the tight lung feeling and then the 1-2 week coughing at night seems to be the lungs getting the tar out.Then smooth sailing.Try a sinus flush to clean all the gunk out there and it may just help.It worked for me...And yes my breathing is way clearer now and I dont break out in a sweat over the smallest effort.

Hang in there its worth it.....

[kitsune]

It's hard to separate vaping symptoms and tobacco withdrawl symptoms at first. For me initially I had the sore throat, occasional heartburn, stuffy nose, headache, very tired and felt very scattered, difficulty sleeping. that was almost 6 months ago--the bulk of those symptoms were tobacco related. My cough is nonexistent, not near as short of breath (can actually make it up a flight of stairs without sounding like I just ran the mile), taste has improved, smell has definately improved and I don't stink.

If the coughing and stuffy nose doesn't improve in the next week or so--you may want to consider a sensitivity (allergy type) to one or more flavors. I have read several accounts on the forums about those symptoms being related to certain flavor additives (different people, different flavors) and or PG vs VG. in each case they were able to identify the culprit and continue happily vaping symptom free.

RN to RN--give it a week or so--have you tried guaifenesin?? seemed to help me in the beginning