Cough keeps coming back

[pali1H]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for reading, in advance. So I've been smoking for about 10 years, 15 to a pack a day. I cut down to about 2-4 per day and supplement with vaping. I've been smoking American Spirit Gold organics since 2012.
I've been vaping for about 8 months with no issues. Been using the Kangertech subox and topbox. I do my own coils and don't use the pre assembled stuff. I've been hitting it at about 25w of liquid that is 15-22mg of nicotine. I'd say I puff it about 40 times per day. Didn't have a problem for those 8 months.
Now, I'll get a dry cough that will sometimes get phlegm out of my lungs that has the consistency of rubber cement. Super tacky. So I'll cough for 5 days, it will go away (I don't vape at all during this time since it hurts, smoking doesn't, go figure). After the 5 days of hacking a lung, it goes away for about a week. Then the following week, it will start all over again, 5 days of hacking. I'm on my 3rd cycle of this trend. I tried using a different liquid of only 6mg nicotine and it didn't make a difference this last time. I'm using a vapor called Inline (from Michigan, where I am). It is odd that I was able to vape this for 8 months no problem but now I keep going through cycles of coughing for a week, vaping for a week, coughing for a week. Any insight or suggestions would be absolutely greatly appreciated. I'm at the end of my rope. I just want to cut cigarettes. Thanks everyone.

 

[Whiskey]

If you have tried different juice solutions and ratio's and nic strengths and yet the cough still comes back, its not the juice... it may be an underlying medical condition that absolutely needs to be addressed with your doctor, please seek medical advice and welcome to VU

 

[forza]

I was thinking the same thing. When I was dual using my smokers cough would do this exactly. It would be gone for a while, come back for a week or so, then be gone again. Turned out it was two separate things.

1. My lungs were trying to heal themselves and an increase of smoking during the coughing fits made them worse.

2. I had bronchitis.

Go see a doctor.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Paratech]

+1 for #1 AND see your doc.

 

[Jimi D]

I cut down to about 2-4 per day and supplement with vaping

I believe combining the 2 may be the culprit. Many smokers cough up like a mofo when they first start vaping. Try not smoking for a week and see if that helps. Just a thought, and good luck to you.

 

[pali1H]

Thanks a lot for the replies guys! I really do appreciate it.
So the first time it happened I did go to the doctors and it was indeed bronchitis. However, with it come back time and time again, I'm thinking it just has to be the vaping irritating my lungs. It's weird because I'm rarely ever sick. I've called into work sick once in the past 5 years and that was from food poisoning. This really sucks! Only reason I think it is the vaping (probability mixed with regular cigarettes too) is because vaping hurts and I can't do it while this cough is present but cigarettes I can do no problem. I don't think American Spirit adds a numbing agent like other cigarette companies do to keep you smoking and not as irritated.

 

[Sonar505]

After carefully reading your post. I can not find any mention of the ratio of your liquid. For myself I find that I get a lot of phlegm build up and the resulting cough whenever I mix my liquid at a higher VG ratio. If I keep VG below 40% it is not too bad but at 30 and below the problem pretty much disappears. I used to use 50/50 and even higher VG but now can not.

 

[Paratech]

While I do feel there is a possibility of a portion of it being PG/VG I have to ask,
Why blame the vape and not the smoke?
I smoked for 26 years and also coughed more when I was first transitioning over.
I blamed the fact that my lungs were trying to heal and I kept throwing cancer sticks at them.
Once I fully made the switch, the cough went away.
I'm not a doctor nor have I played one on tv or stay at a holiday inn express so I can only base this off my personal experience.
Ditch the sticks, escape with a vape.

 

[AndriaD]

I concur about the possibility of it being related to high-VG, and also about it being related to dual-use; if you're still smoking, then your lungs aren't being given the opportunity to heal, and FINISH bringing up all the tar from smoking.

Also -- I'm asthmatic, so I still have to cough, and cough up, despite not having smoked for over 2 yrs, but now, it's actually much harder to bring up what needs bringing up, and I suspect it's related to dehydration -- both PG and VG are hygroscopic; they sequester moisture to themselves, depriving your body of it; if I get too dried out, then the phlegm is very thick and hard to cough up; it's my first warning sign that I need to tend to my hydration.

I would also suggest that if the problem continues, seeing a doc isn't a bad idea at all; there may be some underlying condition of which you're not aware. But before taking that step, I'd suggest a) eliminating cigarettes entirely; b) going to higher-PG, and C) HYDRATE!!!!! like a mofo!!! I don't just mean water either; something that actually helps your body stay hydrated AND stay in electrolyte balance is a better idea, such as coconut water. Or, any juice that is high in potassium and low in sodium, which completely disqualifies "sports drinks."

Andria

 

[conanthewarrior]

All I can suggest is visiting the Doctors- I went through a stage of a bad cough, that lasted for quite a long time, and it was a chest infection that I couldn't shake off myself.

It could be anything, from your lungs clearing out the crap that smoking has built up over the years, if you do quit smoking completely your cough will get worse for a while, but it WILL go, and you will be breathing a lot clearer!

Sorry I can't offer much more help than this, but I would say it is worth going to the Dr's most definitely to rule out anything nasty.

 

[Erk469]

I have been vaping for about a week and a half now. I was told to do one or the other smoke or vape....well I gave up the smoke. When you quit smoking, the inflammation in the airways goes down. The little hair-like projections in the airways that we call cilia, were damaged or paralyzed, they start to grow back. That's what made me cough.

I went and saw a doctor..so please go see a doctor

 

[pali1H]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. The cough is gone atm. I've just been on regular cigarettes. It's weird I was able to vape and smoke for almost 8 months without any issues.
One last question, does anyone have any recommendations for a juice that is easy on the lungs but still has some nicotine in it? I'm going to switch to vape only but I want to give myself the best chance of not getting the cough so I need to find something that will be easy on me. Thanks again so much. All of you are great and helpful!

 

[forza]

It is really only my opinion but I would say that once you stop smoking completely you WILL cough. You're body needs to heal from all the crap you've been putting in your lungs.

Try a high PG juice with low levels of nicotine for less throat hit but understand that the cough cannot be avoided.

I say this with all the kindness in the world because my husband is currently going through this exact thing. You have to be willing to admit and understand that the vape is not your problem. The smoking is the problem. That is why you cough. When you can finally get past blaming the vape so you can continue smoking with a clear conscience, you'll find that the cough will go away eventually.

I think we've all done this. You're not alone. I don't know how many times I started smoking again because the vape made me sick, or cough, or tasted funny or etc etc etc. It is what it is. You will stop coughing, but not until you are ready and willing to stop smoking.

Hang in there. ;-)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[AndriaD]

It is really only my opinion but I would say that once you stop smoking completely you WILL cough. You're body needs to heal from all the crap you've been putting in your lungs.

Try a high PG juice with low levels of nicotine for less throat hit but understand that the cough cannot be avoided.

I say this with all the kindness in the world because my husband is currently going through this exact thing. You have to be willing to admit and understand that the vape is not your problem. The smoking is the problem. That is why you cough. When you can finally get past blaming the vape so you can continue smoking with a clear conscience, you'll find that the cough will go away eventually.

I think we've all done this. You're not alone. I don't know how many times I started smoking again because the vape made me sick, or cough, or tasted funny or etc etc etc. It is what it is. You will stop coughing, but not until you are ready and willing to stop smoking.

Hang in there. ;-)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

Vaping actually makes my asthma somewhat worse than smoking did. I didn 't use that as an excuse to go back to smoking -- asthma is a pain in the ass, but rather less lethal than lung cancer. Sure, I could have said, "oh, my asthma is worse since I switched to vaping, guess I'll just go back to smoking." I refused. I refuse to let fucking cancer sticks boss me around any further, after bossing me around for 39 fucking years -- *I* am the boss of this body, not lethal cancer sticks. I refuse to rationalize the use of those fucking death sticks -- which is ALL it is, when you go back to smoking because "vaping makes me cough." Pure BS rationalization. I vape 85% PG because more than 15% VG gives my asthma fits, feels like a damned hair ball in my chest, and because CLOUDS DON'T MATTER.

If you really want to vape, FIND a way. MAKE a way. JUST DO IT, and HANG the consequences! There are a GAZILLION different ways to vape, and if you can't find a just-perfect ejuice, MAKE YOUR OWN.

Or do you consent to be bossed around by paper tubes of vegetative matter with a gazillion toxic chemicals added?

Andria

 

[forza]

Exactly Andria. If you make excuses for whatever the vape does then you'll always have a reason to go back to smoking.

Once you stop making excuses and just vape then you'll be able to quit. But not until then.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[AndriaD]

Exactly Andria. If you make excuses for whatever the vape does then you'll always have a reason to go back to smoking.

Once you stop making excuses and just vape then you'll be able to quit. But not until then.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

Vaping sent my dehydration off the charts, and gave me "cankles" from the electrolyte mayhem. I started drinking coconut water. It made my asthma worse, so I added Advair to my medications. High-VG became a fad, so I started making my own juice, so I could have 85% PG. Whatever it takes to vape instead of smoke, that's what I'll do, because there is no other option that actually works -- if I don't vape, I smoke, and I was damn tired of smoking, but just couldn't quit... till vaping. Then it was a piece of cake... relatively speaking.

Andria

 

[forza]

I'm so lucky because all vaping did to me was end my cough and cure my COPD. My doctor says my lungs look "amazing."

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[AndriaD]

I'm so lucky because all vaping did to me was end my cough and cure my COPD. My doctor says my lungs look "amazing."

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

I think that's probably more common than those of us who had problem(s) with some aspect(s) of vaping, but it's really just... (in the immortal words of Don Henley)... HOW BAD DO YA WANT IT???????????

I wanted to be a non-smoker for the last 30 of the 39 yrs I smoked, but everytime I tried to quit, it was like trying to walk on hot coals. Vaping gave me a bridge over those hot coals... my feet got a little warm, dealing with my various issues, but it SOOOOOO beat every other way I ever tried, it was and is completely worth whatever I have to do, to keep vaping. Including hogging up a bunch of freezer space with my 3 liters of nicotine, and hogging a quarter of my kitchen counter space with my vast assortment of vape stuff.

But rationalizing an addiction is as old as... addiction. You can ALWAYS find an excuse to keep doing whatever... but never any good REASON.

Andria

 

[pizzadave80]

I felt this same way as couple of weeks after I started vaping. I am a non smoker. I used to chew a little bit...and just looked for something to take the edge off and always felt the need to smoke when I drink. I fell in love with vaping day 1...BUT.... I had the same feeling in my chest as you. I never did get a chance to drop the vg levels yet, but think I may go that route. I was running a 40w mod at .4 ohms....and it was a lot of vapor. I think a small pen style with 50/50 pg is my next step to get my fix. Also would like to go with less than 3 MG nic

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk