COPD ,Asthma and Vaping

[Xinte]

Ok, So I have COPD and asthma which I caused myself through over 45 years of heavy smoking, 3 years ago I had to give up smoking quickly in order to have surgery for lung cancer, I used the Juul and it worked but was terribly expensive to continue so started mixing my own e liquids around a year ago to save money, since then , my asthma and copd has become so much worse, worse than when I was smoking by 100%, I wheeze and cough and have breathlessness, my specialist said it could be a result of the surgery, but I was fine after the surgery on the Juul, everything changed went I went DIY, coincidence maybe? I mix at VG 70/30 and use20mg of hybrid nicotine and La Tabbacceria flavourings. Is there anyone else with COPD or Asthma that has found that vaping really excacerbates it and is there any way around it other than give it up or return to the Juul ? thank you in advance

 

[Mr Ripple]

If I were you I'd go back to the Juul and see if things improve for you before doing anything else.
If they're better then you need to figure out what's different in your current set up.
If you find there's no change going back to the Juul then it would steer towards inevitable progression of your condition.

 

["Misfit"]

Ok, So I have COPD and asthma which I caused myself through over 45 years of heavy smoking, 3 years ago I had to give up smoking quickly in order to have surgery for lung cancer, I used the Juul and it worked but was terribly expensive to continue so started mixing my own e liquids around a year ago to save money, since then , my asthma and copd has become so much worse, worse than when I was smoking by 100%, I wheeze and cough and have breathlessness, my specialist said it could be a result of the surgery, but I was fine after the surgery on the Juul, everything changed went I went DIY, coincidence maybe? I mix at VG 70/30 and use20mg of hybrid nicotine and La Tabbacceria flavourings. Is there anyone else with COPD or Asthma that has found that vaping really excacerbates it and is there any way around it other than give it up or return to the Juul ? thank you in advance

I’m in exactly the same position
Tried various vg/pg ratios but the wheezing, coughing and continuous chest infections continue
I am in the process of cutting my nic down to 0% then eventually quit as I feel that is the only way I’ll be able to help my chest.

 

[John R Phillips]

COPD is a nasty condition.
In the little over two years since I was diagnosed it’s only got worse. But, that’s the nature of the beast - at best you can manage it at the current level. Usually though it gets worse.
I’m looking to increase the oxygen level in my bloods and decrease the CO2 level.
I’m stating a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Course soon - 12 two hour sessions over 6 weeks. I’ve heard positive things about the course so I’m hoping it’ll offer some improvement.
Talk to you GP about getting on a course.

 

[Xinte]

Thanks everyone for your replies, they have really opened my eyes to things I never knew about my conditions, I always just assumed that when I stopped smoking, COPD and Asthma would improve or at least stay at the level it was when I stopped smoking, but I've realised now that these conditions will always get worse whether you continue to smoke or not, it's probably just a lot faster if you continue to smoke, I wonder if the same can be saId about vaping instead of smoking? Obviously it makes a huge difference about how damaged your lungs are before you give up smoking, so perhaps whatever or however you vape makes no difference whatsoever to the decline in your lung function, I'd love to know the answer to this. John, I've been on the pulmonary rehabilitation course, it was two hours twice a week for for 8 weeks and I have to say truthfully it didn't help too much apart from making me very aware of the body's breathing mechanisms and how to recover from an excasberation (sp) but if you don't daily keep up the excercises you will revert back to where you started, so I try to excercise daily but this is hard mentally when your condition is getting worse anyway. I do appreciate your replies and would be really interested on your thoughts, especially anyone who's COPD or Asthma has worsened despite giving up smoking and vaping, and is not vaping the answer or would these conditions get worse whatever you do? thanks again

 

[poline611]

Honestly, it might be worth tweaking a few things with your DIY setup. Try ditching the PG or at least cutting it way down—go for a higher VG mix like 80% or even 100% if you can. Maybe even drop the flavorings, or switch to something simpler, because those fancy La Tabaccheria flavors might be messing with your lungs. And hey, lowering the nicotine a bit or switching to freebase instead of salts could take the edge off too. Worst case, you could try going back to Juul, but hopefully, these small changes will make a big difference.

 

[Xinte]

Honestly, it might be worth tweaking a few things with your DIY setup. Try ditching the PG or at least cutting it way down—go for a higher VG mix like 80% or even 100% if you can. Maybe even drop the flavorings, or switch to something simpler, because those fancy La Tabaccheria flavors might be messing with your lungs. And hey, lowering the nicotine a bit or switching to freebase instead of salts could take the edge off too. Worst case, you could try going back to Juul, but hopefully, these small changes will make a big difference.

Thanks so Much Poline for your wise and helpful post, I truly do believe it's something in my DIY mix that is causing my lungs (well 1 and a 1/3 lung) to say "we're not having this"!) and I've got to figure out what it is as I really can't afford to go back to the Juul and I resent paying them so much. I am going to try this week to go down to 12mg nicotine from 20 mg , then will try to reduce the PG to 20% from 30% , I am using a pod system so do have some problem with the higher viscosity/thickness of the liquid with the coils, but I could just buy more pods or add lab water I guess, thanks again