Vaporizer Heath Forum (My Visit With Dr. Welby)

[momofthegoons]

Thought I would weigh in here, since Pappy and I discussed "pot lung" in the past. I have been diagnosed with chronic bronchitis in the past. Whenever I got sick, it would always go to my chest, resulting in a croup like, uncontrollable cough. I smoked cigarettes for about 10 years and had smoked mj for 44. I had developed a nasty, daily cough (also croup like) with equally nasty sputum. I sounded like someone who had smoked cigarettes and drank whiskey for their whole life (which I hadn't). It had even started to effect my voice quality. This was what prompted my switch to vaping. Since changing my methods about a year ago, my cough has changed dramatically. It's a more dry cough and not productive. The sputum is white (as opposed to streaked with black as it used to be). My lung capacity has improved dramatically too.

Although I think that vaping is healthier than combusting, I also think that putting anything foreign in your lungs isn't in the interest of "good health." I choose this vice over others as the healthiest. I don't delude myself for one moment thinking that I am doing something "good" for myself. But, the good effects of mj on my pain and the mental calm that it gives me outweighs, for me, the negative effects it might have on my lung's health.

 

[Egzoset]

I would be interrested to read comments relative to the selection of a vaporizer in the present context, e. g. about direct vs bag use, whatever.

 

[lwien]

I would be interrested to read comments relative to the selection of a vaporizer in the present context, e. g. about direct vs bag use, whatever.

I would think that a bag vape would be easier on your lungs due to the fact that it provides a higher air to vapor ratio than other methods of delivery.

 

[Nosferatu]

I would be interrested to read comments relative to the selection of a vaporizer in the present context, e. g. about direct vs bag use, whatever.

I would think that a bag vape would be easier on your lungs due to the fact that it provides a higher air to vapor ratio than other methods of delivery.

I agree in my times of vaping bag vapes always seemed the smoothest on lungs for the reason lwien says. But taking small hits of any vape kind of gives the same results.

 

[momofthegoons]

Do you feel that the risk of particulates in the vapor would be less with a bag vape?

 

[lwien]

Do you feel that the risk of particulates in the vapor would be less with a bag vape?

Hmm..........good question. Being that there is MUCH more surface area on the inside of the bags than on vapes with other delivery systems for condensation to occur, it "may" lessen the risk of particulates over vapes that use whips or direct draw, but then I also think that running your vapor thru water would be the best thing to cut down on particulates.

I guess the question then becomes, what is more irritating, a high vapor to air ratio, or particulate matter that may get past the screens......or what about being too close to the heat source, like what happens with the LB?

It probably all factors in, eh?

 

[momofthegoons]

Yes, and as Pappy pointed out, it's somewhat subjective. What does each person think is the most important, or, what effect does it have on each individual's lungs. Each person is different whether it be physical or in their attitude towards their vaping.

 

[lwien]

I think that the main take-away from all this is that while vaping surly is healthier than combusting, it is not totally risk free, but those risks can be reduced by keeping your gear clean, keeping your lungs clean and in good shape by indulging in some aerobic exercise on a regular basis and knowing what inherent risk factors there are in all the different methods of delivery.

Good thread Pappy.

 

[momofthegoons]

Well put lwien.

It's certainly made me more diligent in keeping my glass cleaner and maybe replacing my whip more regularly. Yes, thank you Pappy....good thread.

 

[herbgirl]

Do you feel that the risk of particulates in the vapor would be less with a bag vape?

perhaps the actual risk may be lower, but now that i'm using the ion as my daily driver i have not noticed a reduction in the particulates in my sputum. nor have i noticed that the vapor is more or less irritating than the LB usually, i rarely cough with either. this is coming from combustion in the summer to the LB for a while, then to the ion.



DH calls the streaked sputum 'lung butter' I always assumed that it was the lung's way to remove contaminants and i would be a little worried if i saw none. gotta keep those cillia on their toes!

 

[djonkoman]

Not sure if this was discussed before but.........What size mesh screen do you use? I had terrible irritation and reduced lung function when I used a larger mesh size (the gong joint below the screen was a mix of particles and oil). I now use the Herborizer with the screens that came with my Supreme and 90% of my irritation is gone( the gong joint below the screen is now mostly oil). I also noticed other benifits like the oil seems to melt on the screen and consume itself with less waste. Another advantage was a stronger vortex effect and more even color at lower temps.

do you know where to get smaller mesh? sounds interesting, beneath the screen of my VG also a lot of particulate is collected
and does a finer mesh get clogged easier?

 

[Nycdeisel]

Yes a finer screen will reduce airflow and clog easier. But everything has its pros and cons....

 

[Troi]

Hi All,

I thought I would weigh in here, first I will say that I think the effects of vaporizing on the user truly is different from person to person. I am one of the unlucky ones who does feel at times a high level of lung discomfort even from vaping, but I had a heavy past with combustion, which I am sure i damaged my lungs profoundly.

Luckly I have a respiratory therapist, and a doctor in my family whom I have discussed my vaporizing habbits with in depth and in detail, one recontamination that the doctor and respiratory therapist said is that for a smoker, taking the over the counter drug mucinex regularly can help the lungs loosen up and expel some of the sticky thick mucus that is generated by the body when being a chronic smoker. Vapor causes the same thick mucus to form which is your body's defense to smoking/vaping but it actually makes the situation worse, as the thick mucus irritates your bronchi; and actually makes the natural exepelling of matter from the lungs more limited.

My doctor did not recommend a daily dose of mucinex since taking it every day can have some digestive issues; but a regular 2-3 dose a week of 12 hour mucinex can aid your lungs in there natral cleaning process. I have been following this regiment for the past few weeks and have noticed improved lung function; and less irritation from vaping.

The second piece of advice from my doctor was excercsise; which also aids in the lungs expelling things that do not belong.

Just as we need to keep or vaporizors clean, and our glass, since we are putting something other then air in our lungs; we need to pay attention to methods of helping our lungs clean out. I suggest everyone uses mucinex even once a week is better then not at all. If you feel like your closer to my end of the spectrum 2-3 times a week.

 

[Stu]

Thanks for the tip, Troi. I'll give it a shot!

 

[Deadhead101]

I truly think a lot of the lung irritation people feel when puffing herb is from them puffing dry herbs which causes the oils that hold moisture to suck up the moisture from the lungs and this is what gives that lung "burn" and coughing is the bodies way to bring more blood to the lungs and make more moisture. Some people don't have enough blood flowing to the lungs consistently due to a number of things from exercise to diet and this will leave more of these oils into the lungs longer and they will condense and become to big to be absorbed and when this happens your cilia will cause these oils to be spit out. This is why concentrates give this affect more than regular bud. The particulate plant matter is what tickles the throat and that causes coughing also.

I remember the first time I had moistened bud, I thought I got ripped off because it felt like flowers when they are fresh and I was so used to bud being dry and somewhat brittle and snaps. Then when I puffed on it, back when i just smoked, I felt no burn just a tickle to my throat which caused a little cough and I really thought I got ripped off because all the cues that told me I had good herb, besides taste, wasn't there and because my lungs weren't irritated I didn't get that initial rush so I told myself "damn all this money I paid for this small ass bag and nothing, shit I just have to deal with it", only to find myself being high as a kite a few minutes later and the blunt only 1/4 burned because it didn't burn so fast. Every since then I loved moistened herb.

This story was to show that moistened herb is good for people who want good feeling lungs and no association we have with smoking while not being active daily or eating foods such as garlic which helps keep your lungs clean by causes the lungs to spit out excess phlegm. If you want to prevent these problems get you some boveda packs or the very least some humidor beads and moisten your herb with whatever amount of moisture you want(60% is better for powders) and not worry about mold. If you think vaporizing is healthy, smooth and tasty now, wait until you moisten your herb right.

How exactly do I moisten my herb? What specifically should I use to do this, and what quantity do I need?

 

[luchiano]

Go to a cigar shop or online for boveda packs(best choice) or humidor beads. Depending on how moist you want your herb and how the herb is will depend want percentage you want. For powders 65% is best because too moisture tends to clump it up.

With the boveda you can put it in a closed container and it will stay moist at the set humidity without getting mold. The humidor beads are good but not that exact like the boveda packs.

http://www.bovedadirect.com/

 

[Pappy]

Compliments to all on their thoughtful posts!
Upon due consideration and experimentation I'd beg to differ with the Doc's hypothesis on room temp versus warm vaping -- which I find soothing and conducive to producing milky vapor. If the water is "too hot" I think his point about myst trapping solids in the lungs has validity but I wanted to update my opinion.

I love warm vapor bonging!

 

[Alpha]

Not sure if this was discussed before but.........What size mesh screen do you use? I had terrible irritation and reduced lung function when I used a larger mesh size (the gong joint below the screen was a mix of particles and oil). I now use the Herborizer with the screens that came with my Supreme and 90% of my irritation is gone( the gong joint below the screen is now mostly oil). I also noticed other benifits like the oil seems to melt on the screen and consume itself with less waste. Another advantage was a stronger vortex effect and more even color at lower temps.

do you know where to get smaller mesh? sounds interesting, beneath the screen of my VG also a lot of particulate is collected
and does a finer mesh get clogged easier?

Aqua Lab Technologies sells a variety of mesh sizes. Go to ALT.com>Glass accessories>Screens. My screen almost never clogs for some reason (this could be due to the Herborizer's large chamber/bore and higher temp ABV sessions when I ramp up the XL's temp later on in the day). When I do clean the screen I pop it out and burn it off with some hemp wick, then wipe the screen clean with my fingers.

The remaining 10% of my lung discomfort seems to be shortness of breath/lung function and not really "irritation". I use a 14" LW tube with 10arm mini perc and a couple shot glasses worth of warm water.

The irritation I was getting from the standard four hole Herborizer Sphere and larger mesh screen felt kinda like my lungs got 'sun burn'. Hope this helps

 

[djonkoman]

Not sure if this was discussed before but.........What size mesh screen do you use? I had terrible irritation and reduced lung function when I used a larger mesh size (the gong joint below the screen was a mix of particles and oil). I now use the Herborizer with the screens that came with my Supreme and 90% of my irritation is gone( the gong joint below the screen is now mostly oil). I also noticed other benifits like the oil seems to melt on the screen and consume itself with less waste. Another advantage was a stronger vortex effect and more even color at lower temps.

do you know where to get smaller mesh? sounds interesting, beneath the screen of my VG also a lot of particulate is collected
and does a finer mesh get clogged easier?

Aqua Lab Technologies sells a variety of mesh sizes. Go to ALT.com>Glass accessories>Screens. My screen almost never clogs for some reason (this could be due to the Herborizer's large chamber/bore and higher temp ABV sessions when I ramp up the XL's temp later on in the day). When I do clean the screen I pop it out and burn it off with some hemp wick, then wipe the screen clean with my fingers.

The remaining 10% of my lung discomfort seems to be shortness of breath/lung function and not really "irritation". I use a 14" LW tube with 10arm mini perc and a couple shot glasses worth of warm water.

The irritation I was getting from the standard four hole Herborizer Sphere and larger mesh screen felt kinda like my lungs got 'sun burn'. Hope this helps

looked that site up, sadly they only accept creditcard or mailing cash dollars, I don't have either(credit cards aren't as common here as they are in america, I only know one person who used to have a credit card, don't know if she still has one, because the corporation she had it with went bankrupt)

 

[Pappy]

taking the over the counter drug mucinex regularly can help the lungs loosen up and expel some of the sticky thick mucus that is generated by the body when being a chronic smoker. Vapor causes the same thick mucus to form which is your body's defense to smoking/vaping but it actually makes the situation worse, as the thick mucus irritates your bronchi; and actually makes the natural exepelling of matter from the lungs more limited.
My doctor did not recommend a daily dose of mucinex since taking it every day can have some digestive issues; but a regular 2-3 dose a week of 12 hour mucinex can aid your lungs in there natral cleaning process. I have been following this regiment for the past few weeks and have noticed improved lung function; and less irritation from vaping.

Good advice! Like your doctor, I'd caution against overuse or reliance on Mucinex. It can help when you're truly congested but over reliance can mask infections or replace or impede natural sputum production.

 

[Alpha]

Another thing you may want to look into is your bodies PH level. I noticed my lung function improve by accident while treating indigestion (low stomach acid) with natural enzymes and 'mother' vinegar.

 

[Stu]

My doctor did not recommend a daily dose of mucinex since taking it every day can have some digestive issues; but a regular 2-3 dose a week of 12 hour mucinex can aid your lungs in there natral cleaning process. I have been following this regiment for the past few weeks and have noticed improved lung function; and less irritation from vaping.

@Troi,
Do these "digestive issues" include cramps, nausea, and spending an inordinate amount of time on the throne? I've taken 2 doses of Mucinex 12-hour since Sunday, and my stomach feels about as calm as Tahir Square. I don't know if I've got some kind of stomach virus, or if the Mucinex is fucking me up.

 

[Pappy]

My doctor did not recommend a daily dose of mucinex since taking it every day can have some digestive issues; but a regular 2-3 dose a week of 12 hour mucinex can aid your lungs in there natral cleaning process. I have been following this regiment for the past few weeks and have noticed improved lung function; and less irritation from vaping.

@Troi,
Do these "digestive issues" include cramps, nausea, and spending an inordinate amount of time on the throne? I've taken 2 doses of Mucinex 12-hour since Sunday, and my stomach feels about as calm as Tahir Square. I don't know if I've got some kind of stomach virus, or if the Mucinex is fucking me up.

Nausea, vomiting, upset stomach are side effects, Stu.
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-63818-Mucinex+Oral.aspx?drugid=63818&drugname=Mucinex+Oral

 

[Troi]

Troi wrote:
My doctor did not recommend a daily dose of mucinex since taking it every day can have some digestive issues; but a regular 2-3 dose a week of 12 hour mucinex can aid your lungs in there natral cleaning process. I have been following this regiment for the past few weeks and have noticed improved lung function; and less irritation from vaping.
@Troi,
Do these "digestive issues" include cramps, nausea, and spending an inordinate amount of time on the throne? I've taken 2 doses of Mucinex 12-hour since Sunday, and my stomach feels about as calm as Tahir Square. I don't know if I've got some kind of stomach virus, or if the Mucinex is fucking me up.

Hey Stu,

First I'm sorry to hear of the discomfort caused by the Mucinex. First may I ask which version of mucinex you are taking and my doctor did caution that there can be some stomach side effects from taking mucinex; I have been using it for about 2 years now; and when I initially started using it i did have some stomach upset the first few doses, but over time the discomfort went away. However I do space out my dosage of mucinex to maximum 3 times a week; once every other day.

Also I have noticed that taking the mucinex on a full stomach of stomach friendly food like wheat or bread also helps prevent any issues. A stomach full of typical "munchies" (fat, oil, sugar) and Mucinex are a bad combination. Overall Its a prettey well reccomended Over-the-counter you may just be one of the unlucky ones, for further advise on if you should continue to take it or ride this out I would consult with your doctor. They may be other "expectorant" drugs out there that would suit you better.

 

[Stu]

Thanks for the reply, Troi. I bought the Mucinex maximum strengh 12-hour expectorant. The pills are fucking HUGE and they say 1200 on them so I assume it's 1200 mg dosage. Do you think I should try a half pill instead? I'm not going to take any more at least until I'm feeling better. The instructions said to take with or without food, and I've done it both ways; but thanks for the headsup about full stomach only. I'll make sure I have a full stomach of "stomach friendly food" next time (if I get the courage).

Cheers!