So, you're a non-smoker wanting to vape? Take this from me...

[gbalkam]

Some of the "minor" tobacco alkaloids are known to have profound anti-inflammatory effects, and I think this was the major reason why WTA helped me so much after my appendectomy; I have IBS, and ANY "fiddling" with my colon, even something as mild as a stool softener, provokes my guts into screaming anarchy -- so imagine what sepsis and surgery in my colon did to it! Nicotine also has the anti-inflammatory effect, though slighter than the other alkaloids.

Andria

yeah, but you researched that information, based on your own conditions.
Have you tried Mexican food? I hear that will soften the hell out of your stool..(jk)

 

[Khassy]

Some of the "minor" tobacco alkaloids are known to have profound anti-inflammatory effects, and I think this was the major reason why WTA helped me so much after my appendectomy; I have IBS, and ANY "fiddling" with my colon, even something as mild as a stool softener, provokes my guts into screaming anarchy -- so imagine what sepsis and surgery in my colon did to it! Nicotine also has the anti-inflammatory effect, though slighter than the other alkaloids.

Andria

That's good. At this point, I'm pretty much willing to try anything that won't land me in prison if it might give even a little relief. Fibromyalgia, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, endometriosis, dessicated discs, etc., all contribute to a life of hell.

 

[daddyrabbit]

Exactly... you did the studies for yourself. And made your choice based on that. This is a vaping site, not a medical site. The only thing we as vapers should be taking into consideration, is the degree of how harmful nicotine actually is. Not what it might help with the symptoms of.. Even if it is only slightly harmful, that is more harmful than not using it. So, suggesting new vapers who never smoked, not to use nicotine is right at the very core of this site.. vaping as safely as possible. I am sure you looked into potential side effects as well as potential benefits of nicotine on your own and made your own decision based on that. Right? Im not saying new vapers shouldnt use nicotine, I am saying it is less harmful if they don't, and if they choose to, they should do the same as you did.

If you would have quoted the ENTIRE paragraph instead of the first part...I said the exact same thing. I also said...

It goes far far beyond the scope of this post to explain the differences between addiction and dependence as well as all the facts about nicotine, but you still have to do your due diligence in researching and decide whether or not it's worth the risk. And I purposely overuse the word "risk".

 

[gbalkam]

So, by that rationale, people have no business asking for advice or ideas on why they are having headaches or coughing issues and whether or not it might be related to vaping. Those people should just shut the hell up and go to the all-knowing doctor?

Exactly. Since the people in question have never vaped. Now, once you have started vaping, THEN ask in a vaping forum about those issues. And if those issues existed before they started vaping, they had sure as hell better see that "all knowing doctor". If those headaches are due to a brain tumor, vaping isn't going to help and slapping a nicotine bandage on those headaches and ignoring them will be fatal.

 

[gbalkam]

If you would have quoted the ENTIRE paragraph instead of the first part...I said the exact same thing. I also said...

Yeah, read it. I only quoted the part that "mentioned" it, in reply to the post I made the quote in.

See, we aren't actually arguing for or against using nicotine, nor are we here to suggest any possible benefits, people have to find that out on their own. Then decide if the benefit outweighs the other known harmful side effects.
So when we see someone wanting to start vaping, it is safer to not use nicotine, but also if they choose to use it, let them know it is not as harmful as anti tobacco lobbyists have been claiming, but is still more harmful than not using it. Just like quitting smoking cold turkey is better than vaping, but vaping is far better than smoking if you can't go cold turkey. Fact is, when all is said in done, vaping is a very good gateway to going totally cold turkey and getting down to 0 nicotine. Personally, I went from 18mg down to 3mg in one year. Even when i get down to 0mg eventually, I will probably still vape. I just wont HAVE to vape to get a nic fix.

Eventually, Doctors may prescribe nicotine to alleviate certain symptoms of existing conditions, just like they have now started prescribing "that which shall not be named" as treatment for spastic MS patients in addition to prescribed muscle relaxers. Doctors are continually learning too. Just like we, as vapers are constantly learning as new tech comes along and old beliefs are debunked.

 

[daddyrabbit]

Sweet Jesus, did I not say that in my original post??

 

[Khassy]

 

[MagicJosh]

If you do not have allot of money start with a 100 watt device. and start at a low wattage and gradually go up. I never suggest crappy mouth to lung mods. Its not the same as tobacco. You need allot of vaper to be satisfied.

 

[eSMOKA]

Great article. You should be a blogger.

 

[AndriaD]

@AndriaD By the way, nothing personal here. We agree on a great many things. This just doesn't happen to be one of them. I am quite a firm advocate of not taking recreational drugs unless prescribed. Nicotine is a recreational drug. Just like caffeine. Just because they happen to be legal to use, doesn't make them good for you in any way.

We do agree on a lot of things, but you're right, this definitely isn't one of them -- what about alcohol? That's a recreational drug, and also legal. I can't use it, but that doesn't make it wrong for others who don't have my problems with it. THE LAW IS AN ASS, and ignorant too, which goes for that other recreational which happens to be illegal in most places, though increasingly legal in a lot of others -- its legality or lack thereof has zero bearing on its harm or lack thereof, or on whether I use it. Caffeine and nicotine are like alcohol -- potentially good in small to moderate doses, and definitely harmful if abused. Most things are harmful if abused... like oxygen, and water. The dose makes the poison.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

Well, that is your choice. Cry about big pharma, which has nothing to do with a degree and 7 or more years of study of the human body and medical conditions. Personally, I prefer to treat the cause of the condition, rather than slap a bandage on the symptoms. These drug interactions you keep crying about are pretty much non-existent since your medicines are documented by the pharmacy and possible interactions cause an alert, so the pharmacist can alert your doctor and substitute a treatment that does not interact. I found out recently a simple antibiotic can react with my blood pressure meds.. The pharmacist alerted me and I was given a different antibiotic. We aren't talking about 50 years ago where interactions were hit or miss.
Basically, in telling a person that has never used nicotine before that it may help with some symptoms, you are playing doctor. You have no business suggesting they take any drug. If they choose to it is their life, and not yours to play with because of your OPINION. If you want to use maggots to prevent a wound from getting infected because there are no possible drug interactions, fine. But I'll stick to polysporin and the PROFESSIONAL advice of a Doctor and Pharmacist.

Have you ever considered that perhaps your headaches are caused by nicotine withdrawl after smoking for many years? Just like if I dont have my coffee, I get headaches. That isn't saying coffee cures headaches, that is just saying coffee prevents caffeine withdrawl symptoms. If I never started drinking coffee,I wouldn't get the headaches caused by withdrawl.

And honestly... I buy my VG and PG from the pharmacy! If I could get my nicotine from the pharmacy, I would do that too. But, I promise you, somewhere along the supply chain, someone is getting nicotine from a pharma lab.

Now that having been said, I use nicotine in my ejuice. I used nicotine when I smoked cigarettes. I know nicotine is less harmful than caffeine, but STILL I recommend that if someone has never used nicotine, NOT to start using it. Just the same was as when I was smoking, I would advice others not to start smoking. You don't have to use nicotine to enjoy vaping, and if you never smoked and want to vape, you are better off. And if you have any of those conditions, you are better off seeing a doctor for treatment, than listening to some random person that does not have to suffer the consequences of her own advice, if that advice proves harmful to the person in question.

If those headaches are caused by high blood pressure, is it YOU that has to spend the last 10 years of life, sitting in a wheel chair drooling and pissing all over themselves because they had a stroke after they took your advice and used nicotine as a bandage treatment for the headache?

Not sure where all this headache crap came from. I don't often get them, and when I do, there's usually a definite reason, like illness. Or sometimes just plain fatigue. Caffeine and/or nicotine *may* help them, if it's fatigue, but usually I'll take a couple of ibuprofen -- are you against those too?

Andria

 

[Khassy]

THE LAW IS AN ASS, and ignorant too

And getting worse for a lot of us with the new war on opioids.

 

[AndriaD]

And getting worse for a lot of us with the new war on opioids.

Yeah they tried that shit with my mom, with her regular need for oxy. She finally got a good doc who didn't put her thru that shit. She had a lot of problems, but oxy wasn't one of them... it helped her pain as nothing else could. Yeah maybe it nudged her cirrhosis a bit closer to the red zone, but at her age, with her problems... SO WHAT!!!

Andria

 

[Khassy]

Yeah they tried that shit with my mom, with her regular need for oxy. She finally got a good doc who didn't put her thru that shit. She had a lot of problems, but oxy wasn't one of them... it helped her pain as nothing else could. Yeah maybe it nudged her cirrhosis a bit closer to the red zone, but at her age, with her problems... SO WHAT!!!

Andria

The new federal regulations are now making it so everyone has to jump through hoops to get them. I take *one* vicodin a day, at bedtime, and it just takes the edge off the pain so I can get to sleep. So why do I have to get treated the same way as someone who abuses it? It's bullshit.

 

[daddyrabbit]

Not sure where all this headache crap came from. I don't often get them, and when I do, there's usually a definite reason, like illness. Or sometimes just plain fatigue. Caffeine and/or nicotine *may* help them, if it's fatigue, but usually I'll take a couple of ibuprofen -- are you against those too?

Andria

I mentioned that my vaping adventure began by me looking for non-medicinal alternatives to deal with my headaches. I can only assume he thought that I self-diagnosed myself and chose not to go to a doctor rather I deduced that nicotine was the answer and cure. I never did and never will try to make nic out to be the next Robitussin*. I've been officially diagnosed with migraines and vaping helps me deal with them - espeically when they aren't bad enough to warrant ingesting an $11 pill.. But, nic isn't the ONLY way I deal with them and I'm not looking for it to cure my migraines only HELP with them.

But he did say he was against any rec drug that isn't officially prescribed, so his mind is made up here. I'll append the post to include "medicinally" as a reason to not take nicotine right next to "because it looks cool".

 

[mikeyboy74]

Exactly. With smoking you have to use nicotine. With vaping it is an option. If you never used it before, you don't NEED to start. It is just one more foreign substance. If you choose to use nicotine, that is up to each individual. I just object to people saying nicotine is a treatment for existing conditions. Sure, it might help with some symptoms, but it is not a treatment.

Actually, nicotine is an immunosuppressant, especially for certain situations. For those who might otherwise require something like long-term prednisone....... I can't give medical advice, but I weighed the options.

Unfortunately, nicotine also causes a minor degree of fluid retention.

 

[JuicyLucy]

For those who might otherwise require something like long-term prednisone

I took prednisone for years for RA symptoms and completely dropped the need for it when I started vaping.

Only had one flair up (very recently) in three years. Ironically, that occurred after I dropped my nic level down to almost 1mg

I love your thread @daddyrabbit

 

[AndriaD]

I mentioned that my vaping adventure began by me looking for non-medicinal alternatives to deal with my headaches. I can only assume he thought that I self-diagnosed myself and chose not to go to a doctor rather I deduced that nicotine was the answer and cure. I never did and never will try to make nic out to be the next Robitussin*. I've been officially diagnosed with migraines and vaping helps me deal with them - espeically when they aren't bad enough to warrant ingesting an $11 pill.. But, nic isn't the ONLY way I deal with them and I'm not looking for it to cure my migraines only HELP with them.

But he did say he was against any rec drug that isn't officially prescribed, so his mind is made up here. I'll append the post to include "medicinally" as a reason to not take nicotine right next to "because it looks cool".

I used to get migraines pretty often, but thankfully, when I quit drinking, they dwindled away to "almost never." I was very fortunate with mine, though; although I sometimes got the visual aura bad enough to completely eclipse my visual field (which is terrifying if it starts when you're driving and your kid is in the car with you -- once had to stop and sit at Wendy's for a half hour, just to be able to finish driving home. Thankfully I had enough cash to get us both a coke, which helped a great deal, plus the wait), but only once or twice did it progress to painful headache, once a really bad one. I usually would tie a scarf around my head and tighten it with a pencil, as with a tourniquet; my husband called it "7000 torque", LOL! But that one really bad one I had, plus the near-blindness or occasionally total blindness gives me total empathy for the problem, and I'd agree, it's worth it to do WHATEVER! you have to do, to help it. If nicotine helps, hey, you could do a LOT worse; some of the "regular" migraine meds, I've heard, are some serious shit.

Andria

 

[Khassy]

If nicotine helps, hey, you could do a LOT worse; some of the "regular" migraine meds, I've heard, are some serious shit.

Andria

Topamax was a NIGHTMARE for me. It was fine until I reached the dosage that started to work, then I started having vision problems, my tastebuds changed, soda started tasting like pennies and piss, and other assorted goodies. I was lucky enough to develop palinopsia, which isn't even a reported side-effect (but I've since found that it's not extremely rare). Got off it as soon as I could but still have lingering issues years later.

 

[celticluvr]

Vaping with Nicotine helps my undiagnosed anxiety/stress.... I'd much rather have nicotine than have some doctor deplete a pharmacy on me.

 

[LinstheVixen]

Thank you for this article.

I'm wrestling with the idea of vaping, but I've never smoked. (Other than passively growing up in a house of smokers)

Before anyone pounces with a lecture I'm absolutely not going to use nicotine.

I'm a Fibromyalgia sufferer on opiates (fentanyl patches, tramadol had no effect on my pain at all so I'm literally high on the analgesic ladder ) and I am switching to CBD Oil. Hemp based CBD Oil is legal here in the UK and an effective alternative to medical m*rijuana which isn't. I've never taken p*t either, so I'm a total noob. I'm weaning down my dosage with the advice of my GP and gradually starting to use the oil, however I'm not that happy with the sub-lingual spray and vaping would give me more options for dosage including 'Day' and 'Night' options. Also the effects of the oil can be felt faster when ingested through the lungs rather than the stomach or topically.

I've never found smoking or vaping cool. In fact I have a sulphur allergy and cigarette smoke makes me sneeze my head off with certain brands. (Roll ups never bothered me. I assume manufacturers add sulphur to make their fags burn faster so you buy more.)

When I became ill I was halfway through a nursing degree, so I'm relatively well informed I hope. In fact I have always had concerns regarding the regulation of vape oils in the UK but I believe I have found a reputable supplier. I'm not naive enough to think it's a miracle cure but I genuinely find it hard to believe medical m*rijuana isn't a legal medical option here but that's a subject for a different forum.

I'm open to advice but I ask you not to be too judgemental please. I'm already choosing pain because I'm too sleepy to function on opiates. I really don't need a lecture on my choices thanks.

My partner's concern is the smell, he doesn't like the smell of smoking and hates it when our neighbours smoke w**d. I've told him if it bothers him I'll go outside, I don't plan to be using it all day.

Basically what I'm trying to say is there are many reasons anyone may turn to vaping, so simply saying "don't" because that person is a non-smoker isn't always the most helpful advice.