Please help! My smoking cough is back and I'm NOT smoking :(

[daddygreenjeans]

So I've been vaping for maybe 3 or 4 months. I'm a 10+ year smoker and had a horrible cough from it. I was coughing all day every few minutes sometimes. I would cough up yellow, brown and green phelm, sorry if tmi. It was horrible but I continued to smoke.

Hence my turn to vaping as soon as I found fc.com and you fine folks!

So I buy a Buddha and a LaunchBox and I think I'm set for life. My cough actually completely disappeared in maybe two or three weeks time. No more morning phlem, coughing hacking etc. The only time I would cough would be when I was hitting the Buddha etc. But ... I would not have the cough throughout the day like before.

Fast fwd 4 months and now my smoking cough is back and WITH A VENGEANCE. Not only are my same previous symptoms back but I now have what almost feels like asthma attacks maybe. I don't know what asthma feels like but when I simply walk up a small flight of stairs I'm totally out of breath and can only take short quick whispy breaths. It's almost scary. Also towards the end of the night after a day of vaping I get this shortness of breath right before bed and it makes it hard to settle down and fall asleep.

Now... here are the clues that might help you super sluthers. I'm not smoking anything, only vaping top shelf medical. I don't vape till its black and I'm not combusting at all. The ONLY thing that has changed since I've started vaping is the amount of meds I go through. I find with vaping I tend to use more rather then less, this with the Buddha of course. So... that said my wife and I used to go through an ounce in like 2 weeks. Now were going through an ounce a week! And she hasn't changed any of her habits. She still hits mostly glass pipes and bongs on Fridays hehe.

So ... why did the cough come back? It's like I never started vaping in the 1st place

Anyone else ever have this happen.

I'm sure some will say go see the doc, but then he will note that I'm vaping/smoking and that's not good for my insurance.

Ideas?

 

[stonemonkey55]

I'm not a doctor, but if you are going through a half oz of top grade meds each week, I think that could be your problem right there. Another issue may be that you are vaping at temperatures too high. It doesn't have to be black for smoke to be released. I always like to use a white fluoresent light to blow my vapor into. If it is white and cloudy, I know that I am above the optimal vapor spectrum for myself.

I'm sure there will be plenty of people that come on here that say that they vape even more than you each week with no phlegm but if I were to make a guess... frequency of vaporization and high temperatures seem to be the obvious culprit(s)

Remember, even if it is vapor, your lungs love nothing better than fresh air. When I find myself developing a cough or shortness of breath, I stop vaping for 10-14 days and let my lungs and body reset.

 

[Beezleb]

I recommend a doctors check up, nothing seems normal here.

It could be heat sensitivity but this should of showed up almost immediately. I was in the same boat as you at one time but my lungs never regressed.

 

[daddygreenjeans]

Thanks for the replies you guys. Temps aren't too high, like I said I'm not combusting and my avb is light brown and even specks of green so that can't be it. Course when I first got my Buddha I had it up pretty high in the beginning but I've since turned it way down to the point that I'm no where near combustion.

As for the 1/2 ounce a week I'm prolly using more then that... more like 3/4 a week and my girl is using the remaining quarter. I know it's a lot but dang that Buddha just goes through it! Also why I've been modding my Buddha to use a smaller whip etc hehe.

So ... I forgot to mention that I've had my MFLB about 2 weeks now and have been using that exclusively so as to attempt to cut back on the amount of meds I'm inhaling and that's not really making a difference and I know I'm using a LOT less then before.

My habits are that of a daily toker. I wake n bake before work. Then bake when I get home from work until I go to bed. I smoke all weekend all day. Not like every 5 minutes but you know... I guess what a normal stoner would go through.

 

[GreenLeaf]

Go see a doctor and be honest with him/her.

 

[Happycamper]

I agree with others, get checked by doctor. Not saying that is the case here at all but due to shortness of breath you should get checked for Emphysema. (obviously if you are in your 20's or 30's not likely to be this!)These days if they get it early enough with medication they can actually pretty much cure it. Emphysema if left unchecked can become something major later on.

 

[Katilsday]

What everyone has said is very true. And the after-effects of smoking take a long time to work their way out of your body. Vaping can be very drying on the throat, it could be that your lungs are getting irritated and that old gunk is working its way up. Have you considered switching to edibles for a while and see if that helps? If you don't use a water attachment for your DB, maybe that could help.

Then again, could be serious, and getting checked out can't hurt.

 

[mattybass]

I agree with Happycamper... Emphysema is a really serious lung disease associated with any type of smoking... go to the doctor and level with them. Or, switch to edibles. You will probably end up going through less meds since the effects will last much longer. :/ If you start eating more and still have a cough, go to the doctor for sure. Green and brown and yellow phlegm is not a sign of health.

 

[lwien]

IGreen and brown and yellow phlegm is not a sign of health.

Signs of a lung infection. Clear/whitish phlegm is sign of an allergy.

 

[CompassRosie]

Green Color Phlegm: ... The phlegm is green in color due to an enzyme called myeloperoxidases (MPO), that is green in color. It is present in white blood cells and bacteria attract more white cells than viruses.

(From here.)

You should see a doctor. The symptoms you describe sound kind of serious. If it's a bacterial infection you will need antibiotics.

 

[hydrophilic]

I'd recommend a doctor, and being truthful with him. Then again he will probably just tell you to stop smoking and boil all your problems to that and blame it all on vaporizing (whether it is indeed the case, or not). If that doesn't work try my 4 step process explained below

4-Step process:

1. Buy a glass on glass joint to go on your whip where your mouthpiece would go (vapor brothers sells them on their website, among other places).

2. Buy a fixed stem single chamber tube that diffuses a TON (think gridded), or a double chamber tube (although you will lose flavor this way possibly?). You could also try an Illidelph glycerin coil, that should remove all temperature irritations (although I hear they hit nowhere near as well as SG, SGW, VG, Toro etc.)

3. Hook up the DBV to the tube via the whip

4. Enjoy

 

[AreaFour20]

I was a respiratory therapist in my younger days and what you are describing sounds very serious.
Like COPD! It may be an infection with the symptoms you describe but long term you need to get this checked out.

When one smokes or vaporizes (especially in your quantities) you paralyze the silia hairs in the bronchial tubes. The silia helps with the removal of secretions (phlegm) so if they are paralyzed then they won't be able to do their job of helping to clean your lungs.
As the Alveolar sacs fill up with this phlegm/infection it becomes harder to breath because the sacs are distended like a blown up balloon (from coughing) that has had the air released from it. The alveolar sacs then become unable to make the air exchange from the respiratory system into the circulatory system.
Then you have emphysema.

When you flush your glass pipes out with hot water it washes the build up (for the most part) out.
This is what needs to be done to one's lungs as well.
Use a water vaporizer to breath steam/vapor into your lungs to help flush out the toxic build up coating the inside of your lungs. This helps flush out the irritants that could be causing you trouble.
Please check with your doctor before doing anything recommended.

If you have shortness of breath with very little exertion sometimes this can be a sign of heart trouble too.

But by all means, STOP the inhalation of anything until the Dr. checks you out.

All the best and good luck!

 

[lwien]

Use a water vaporizer to breath steam/vapor into your lungs to help flush out the toxic build up coating the inside of your lungs. This helps flush out the irritants that could be causing you trouble.

Guess that's one of the reasons why my lungs really seem to like it when I vape thru a bong filled with hot water.

 

[AreaFour20]

I forgot to add I bought a small steam vaporizer from amazon.com, the Vicks brand model no. V1200. It was inexpensive, doesn't smell plasticky and does an awesome job of producing steam. Use bottled or demineralized water.

Your lungs are for air transfer. They were not intended to be a filter bag.
See your doctor! Do not put this off!

Again, good luck!!

 

[AreaFour20]

You bet lwien!

I would like to learn how to add a water bong to my set ups.
That would be great.

I have an E-Q and I will have a PD when my kit comes from Tom and Pammy.

Maybe there is instructions how to do that already here on the forum.
I should do a search..

 

[lwien]

Area, don't know if you've seen this thread, but check it out: http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?id=2584

 

[AreaFour20]

Perfect. Thank you lwien! I'll read through the rest of the posts tonight..

 

[lwien]

Ya know, I just reread the original post and had this thought. Being that you are going thru an ungodly amount of medical grade bud (at least a half an ounce a week), it may be that your lungs are either so damaged, or so diseased, that your lungs are incapable of efficiently processing the THC that you take in, and therefore, the natural inclination is to vape even more.

I totally agree with everyone here. Please seek medical attention.

 

[hydrophilic]

Ya know, I just reread the original post and had this thought. Being that you are going thru an ungodly amount of medical grade bud (at least a half an ounce a month), it may be that your lungs are either so damaged, or so diseased, that your lungs are incapable of efficiently processing the THC that you take in, and therefore, the natural inclination is to vape even more.

I totally agree with everyone here. Please seek medical attention.

I think he said he goes through 3/4 ounce a week, which seems like a fuckton.
half a zip a month isn't that much at all. That would be like half a gram a day, which isn't all that much.

 

[lwien]

Ya know, I just reread the original post and had this thought. Being that you are going thru an ungodly amount of medical grade bud (at least a half an ounce a month), it may be that your lungs are either so damaged, or so diseased, that your lungs are incapable of efficiently processing the THC that you take in, and therefore, the natural inclination is to vape even more.

I totally agree with everyone here. Please seek medical attention.

I think he said he goes through 3/4 ounce a week, which seems like a fuckton.
half a zip a month isn't that much at all. That would be like half a gram a day, which isn't all that much.

My bad. Yeah, you're right. He said that him and his wife goes were going through an ounce every two weeks and now they are going though an ounce a week, of medical grade bud, no less. That is just insane. I'll edit my post.

Considering how much I vape every night, I just can't fathom going through that much bud.

 

[hydrophilic]

Ya know, I just reread the original post and had this thought. Being that you are going thru an ungodly amount of medical grade bud (at least a half an ounce a month), it may be that your lungs are either so damaged, or so diseased, that your lungs are incapable of efficiently processing the THC that you take in, and therefore, the natural inclination is to vape even more.

I totally agree with everyone here. Please seek medical attention.

I think he said he goes through 3/4 ounce a week, which seems like a fuckton.
half a zip a month isn't that much at all. That would be like half a gram a day, which isn't all that much.

My bad. Yeah, you're right. He said that him and his wife goes were going through an ounce every two weeks and now they are going though an ounce a week, of medical grade bud, no less. That is just insane. I'll edit my post.

Considering how much I vape every night, I just can't fathom going through that much bud.

Haha ya me either, how much do you go through daily about?
It's always interesting to see how much other people use. whats "normal," varies a ton.

 

[lwien]

Haha ya me either, how much do you go through daily about?
It's always interesting to see how much other people use. whats "normal," varies a ton.

For me, I vape every night, but I only vape 3 to 4 hours before I go to sleep. I use the best med grade bud that I can get my hands on at my dispensary here in Cali. With one PD stem of 0.025g, I can get 4 to 5 hits, which is fine for me till my head hits the pillow, so at that rate, a half an OZ would last me over a year and a half, so to me, using that much in a week is unfathomable.

Ya know, I always wondered why I use so much less than others here, and while some of it has to do with when I vape (only at night), after reading this thread, I'm beginning to think that it also may be because my lungs are in really good shape from running 20 miles a week and that they just do a really good job of processing THC really efficiently, even though these lungs are 66 years old. I also used to smoke 3 packs of cigs a day for over 20 years, but I quit over 30 years ago. It really is amazing how our bodies can recuperate and repair itself.

But I have no doubt that my usage is NOT normal.

 

[tuttle]

But I have no doubt that my usage is NOT normal.

I doubt there is a "normal" I don't think your use is abnormal, I'm similar to you but maybe 2 times a week.

 

[AreaFour20]

0.3g - 0.5g is my daily goal..

Lately, I go through an average of 1/8 oz per 7 days to 1/8 oz per 14 days depending on the meds/grade. The higher the grade the longer it lasts.

I would smoke an oz per month when I smoked and I coughed like hell.
The less I smoke the less I cough..

If I take my time and just let a couple of hits roll up on me, it makes the meds last forever.

I personally, was definitely over doing it at 1oz/month.

 

[daddygreenjeans]

I can't thank you all enough for the replies and input.

I've of course stopped all vaping and went to the Urgent Care yesterday. I've got acute Bronchitis. When she was listening to my lungs she said she was surprised I could breath at all. She said she couldn't hear any air exchange at all. So they put me through two sessions on a nebulizer and gave me an inhaler plus I'm taking Prednisone for the next few days. I think and she agrees that this stemmed from a cold I got about a month ago and I should have stopped vaping then to help myself recover but I didn't I kept right along vaping

I TOTALLY agree with you all that 3/4 an ounce a week for one person is fukin insane!!!!! I can't even imagine that 's what I'm going through. Maybe the wife is going through more then I orig thought? Anywho I think it was Iwien that said maybe I'm going through so much because my lungs aren't using the thc properly so I'm trying harder to get the same effects. That makes so much sense.

It's not even been 24 hours and I feel LOADS better. She said it should clear up within the week.