Vaping With Asthma?

[benjawi4]

I have really benefitted from the newly legalized medicine here in Colorado. Smoking the past few months, after work and on the weekends, has really helped with both my clinically diagnosed depression and anxiety. Only problem is that my asthma/weak lungs are getting the better of me. I need to switch from traditional smoking to vaping, but want to make sure I am getting the best possible device for someone with asthma.

Thanks!

 

[ohdono]

can't imagine what its like in colorado right now, people must be breathing thc by now 8) are you looking for a home vape setup or something portable? digging through either port/home vape section of the forum gets you a list of the many popular ones out there with pages of friendly helpful users of each device and useful post. if you can narrow down exactly what youre looking for, im sure someone here will post atleast a few options that fit your needs.

 

[Snappo]

I have really benefitted from the newly legalized medicine here in Colorado. Smoking the past few months, after work and on the weekends, has really helped with both my clinically diagnosed depression and anxiety. Only problem is that my asthma/weak lungs are getting the better of me. I need to switch from traditional smoking to vaping, but want to make sure I am getting the best possible device for someone with asthma.

Thanks!

While vaping isn't good for asthma, it is certainly the better, less irritating, choice.

 

[Enchantre]

While vaping isn't good for asthma, it is certainly the better, less irritating, choice.

Actually, that would depend on what and how you are vaping. There are medicinal herbs that are specific for asthma that work well for vaping. Even MJ, when vaped, isn't irritating to asthma (well, okay, to at least some forms of asthma).
Could easily trigger some clearing of mucus. Be prepared for that.

 

[Snappo]

Born with and suffer from asthma & bronchitis all my life. Combusted herb, smoked cigs & cigars, and vaped. Now I only vape. I can go for weeks without inhaling anything but air. During this time my lungs/bronchials get rested from irritation and i wake up in the morning with far less wheezing. When I resume the vape, it's not too bad, but still my lungs flare up a bit and I wheeze a bit in the mornings and at times during the day. My lungs (bronchials) are sensitive, and tighten up over the slightest impetus (cold weather, sneezing, coughing, dust, vaping, etc.). However, I will say that I do feel some relaxing lung relief for a short time right after I vape herb as a result of the anti-inflammatory effects of THC. But eventually return to the more tense state of lung and bronchial condition.

 

[Enchantre]

... and I feel that my asthma has calmed down considerably since I started vaping, and mucus-clearing is much easier/less often.

I've also increased lung capacity, probably by trying for monster clouds

 

[Puffers]

Asthma cigarettes were common in the 1800's and frequently contained cannabis and nightshade http://www.inhalatorium.com/page45.html



But Fuck Combustion

 

[smokum]

Asthma/bronchitis sufferer here.... Vaping irritates me less than smoking (obviously), but still causes a cough and chest itchies unless I pull the vapor thru a 'slightly warmed' water apparatus.

I still end up with getting loosened up stuff with a good solid cough/hack, but at least I'm not multi hacking trying to clear my lungs out anymore.

I have to accept this trade-off for my many other ailments from both physical injuries and a brain injury that I find great relief from using cannabis as opposed to those gawd forsaken pharmaceuticals I USED to have 'pushed' upon me. My change-over has left me much more happy in what life has dealt me.

 

[Jappie]

Since I was diagnosed with asthma I also cut out smoking and went to vaporizing only. I find it quite comfortable to vape, but I have to make sure the smoke does not get too hot. Using the Plenty, I am usually fine, with the MFLB I have to be a bit more careful. It does help to lead the clouds of smoke through a water device though with the MFLB, makes it a lot smoother. For me it seems to be the heat of the smoke that can irritate my lungs.

 

[woolspinner]

During this time my lungs/bronchials get rested from irritation and i wake up in the morning with far less wheezing. When I resume the vape, it's not too bad, but still my lungs flare up a bit and I

Reviving this thread because my asthma was getting worse the past couple weeks. After i first switched to vaping, it seemed better, then the past week, very bad. Temps have been in the 90s all week, which could be part of it.

just wondering, on your (or anyone who reads this, please chime in) breaks from vaping, how long does it take before your lungs feel "normal"?

I did not vape all day yesterday or today and had the worst day yet! Had to hit the albuterol 2x, which as someone who used to use it once a month, is a big change.

I said "fuckit" and came home and took 3 smallish hits on my Haze of Hell's Angels OG and thanks to that anti-inflammatory people mention, am breathing better than I have all day!

I would like to take a break to clear my lungs completely before resuming vaping (took no break btwn combustion &vaping) but wondered how long it would typically take and if anyone else who has done this had it get much, much worse before it got better?

 

[Snappo]

Reviving this thread because my asthma was getting worse the past couple weeks. After i first switched to vaping, it seemed better, then the past week, very bad. Temps have been in the 90s all week, which could be part of it.

just wondering, on your (or anyone who reads this, please chime in) breaks from vaping, how long does it take before your lungs feel "normal"?

I did not vape all day yesterday or today and had the worst day yet! Had to hit the albuterol 2x, which as someone who used to use it once a month, is a big change.

I said "fuckit" and came home and took 3 smallish hits on my Haze of Hell's Angels OG and thanks to that anti-inflammatory people mention, am breathing better than I have all day!

I would like to take a break to clear my lungs completely before resuming vaping (took no break btwn combustion &vaping) but wondered how long it would typically take and if anyone else who has done this had it get much, much worse before it got better?

My best guess based on 50+ years of severe asthma experience is that it's not the vaping that's irritating you, it's something else in your environment. If you have ceiling fans and ac filters, for example, be sure you thoroughly clean them off regularly; change old pillows and mattresses; comb/brush pets daily; reduce dairy intake; exercise daily; don't overdo the Albuterol or you will suffer from rebound effect; stop vaping for a few weeks if possible, or do it very sparingly. You and I both have a lung condition that requires constant care and preventive vigilance - there's no getting around it till the day we die. CHEERS!

 

[woolspinner]

My best guess based on 50+ years of severe asthma experience is that it's not the vaping that's irritating you, it's something else in your environment. If you have ceiling fans and ac filters, for example, be sure you thoroughly clean them off regularly; change old pillows and mattresses; comb/brush pets daily; reduce dairy intake; exercise daily; don't overdo the Albuterol or you will suffer from rebound effect; stop vaping for a few weeks if possible, or do it very sparingly. You and I both have a lung condition that requires constant care and preventive vigilance - there's no getting around it till the day we die. CHEERS!

Until I started smoking more, my asthma was in great shape. So I switched to vaping, but the improvement was scant. This week has been really bad.

Thank you for your reply. I do think k the environment is a contributor, for sure. I will try a week or two break as soon as I can.

 

[woolspinner]

Well, I am taking a vaping break, but I also started taking an antihistimine. Not sure if it is one or the other that is helping, but within a few hours of a fresh antihistimine dose, my breathing is much easier.

 

[Snappo]

Well, I am taking a vaping break, but I also started taking an antihistimine. Not sure if it is one or the other that is helping, but within a few hours of a fresh antihistimine dose, my breathing is much easier.

By any chance are fruit trees blooming nearby, or is the weather outside damp & humid where mold can take hold? Dust, allergies, etc... antihistamine relief can be a clue.

 

[woolspinner]

By any chance are fruit trees blooming nearby, or is the weather outside damp & humid where mold can take hold? Dust, allergies, etc... antihistamine relief can be a clue.

We have had an unnaturally humid spring and summer in the denver metro and...one of my worst allergies, which improved massively when I left the Willamette Valley (Oregon) is MOLD. Maybe outdoor fungi, since indoors is dry thanks to A/C. Also dreadfully warm here so pollutants are also high.

 

[Snappo]

We have had an unnaturally humid spring and summer in the denver metro and...one of my worst allergies, which improved massively when I left the Willamette Valley (Oregon) is MOLD. Maybe outdoor fungi, since indoors is dry thanks to A/C. Also dreadfully warm here so pollutants are also high.

 

[VaporsVaporizer]

As someone who has Asthma and Emphysema, the heat and humidity really Fuck my lungs up-stay air conditioned in the warm weather.
Vaping does not bother me as long as i don't take monster hits and use low temps . Both my Pulmonologist's know i vape and don't care .
Are you seeing a Pulmonologist? You should be, regular GP's know a lot about our disease, but they are not experts.

 

[Dharma_Bum]

FC newbie but long-time toker and severe asthmatic here. I agree with Snappo that it could well be something in the environment. I've been vaping about a year and I do notice much fewer asthmatic attacks compared to back when I was combusting.

Some of these meds work for me - loratadine (Claritin), Symbicort and Montelukast. Montelukast or Singulair works well for me because I controls my exercise-induced asthma, allowing me to keep up my exercise and daily walks.

During high allergy season I sometimes drop all 3 meds and seems to keep my symptoms at bay, which I measure by how many times I break out my albuterol.

But yeah, vaporizers are so much better and healthier.

 

[woolspinner]

Thank you so much for the tips. Until recentky, and for more than 12 years, I was a once a month albuterol user - seldom had symptoms, other than exercise-induced. So, this is new unloved territory!

 

[VaporsVaporizer]

Thank you so much for the tips. Until recentky, and for more than 12 years, I was a once a month albuterol user - seldom had symptoms, other than exercise-induced. So, this is new unloved territory!

Then you really should see a good Pulmonologist -they make all the difference in how well your Asthma is controlled. If warranted, he can refer you to an Allergist for testing. You can develop allergies later in life, i developed one that killed my my 25 year career

 

[woolspinner]

Well, apparently a rare side effect of the blood pressure med I was given is a cough. She probably warned me, but I forgot. Changing meds and hoping it will clear up as a result.

 

[Jaindoh]

I switched to vaping over having bronchitis all the time, particularly since I moved somewhere my allergies are really bad. I went from horrible coughing fits that gave me spasms from smoking to near-zero coughing when vaping through a waterpipe.

 

[shortwind]

I am a moderate to severe adult-onset, non-allergic asthmatic. When I started about 5 plus years ago using cannabis for my chronic insomnia (I have since developed chronic pain which I also use it for) I knew smoke was a non-starter...even second hand smoke makes my lungs spasm. After one difficult to use table top vape, I discovered the Magic Flight Launch Box. I was a regular user of the MFLB for several years until it started giving me a nasty cough each time. I even had the MFLB replaced with a newer unit, but to no avail. I learned how to make tincture and cannabis infused coconut oil. So for several years I was switching between tinctures, coconut oil, and random dispensary edibles. However, my tolerance went sky high (pun intended). I also have several concentrate vape pens, but use them sparingly as they cause me to cough. Fortunately, even though the vapes lead to coughing, I have not had any serious asthma complications from them. About 2 months ago, I got a Flora flower vape pen with the idea of getting my tolerance down. To my pleasant surprise, it is very smooth...rarely any coughing or lung spasms. It is a bit messy to load, but otherwise a nice device. So the Flora is now my daily routine delivery system and I use the tincture, coconut oil, random dispensary edibles much much less. I also appreciate the quick pain relief with the vape pen as opposed to the edibles.

FYI, I feel my lung function, which still crappy compared to a normal person, has NOT gotten any worse from my vaping. Since I moved to Oregon nearly 4 years ago, I am having fewer bacterial asthmatic bronchitis episodes. I do get viral asthmatic bronchitis flare-ups, however : ( .

 

[Archaicrevival]

Decreased respiratory symptoms in cannabis users who vaporize

These results suggest that the respiratory effects of cannabis can decrease with the use of a vaporizer. The data reveal that respiratory symptoms like cough, phlegm, and tightness in the chest increase with cigarette use and cannabis use, but are less severe among users of a vaporizer.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1853086/



" While most studies have shown that cannabinoids, such as THC, facilitate a Th1 to Th2 cytokine switch, as discussed previously, it is surprising that cannabinoids can also suppress allergic asthma triggered primarily by Th2 cytokines. It is possible that THC may affect other cells such as DCs and B cells directly in this model. Previous findings indicated that aerosolized THC was capable of causing significant bronchodilatation with minimal systemic side effects, but had a local irritating effect on the airways [114]. Further bronchodilator effects of cannabinoids administered orally or by aerosol to asthmatic patients have also been reported [115,116]. "

Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/

Effects of smoked marijuana in experimentally induced asthma.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1099949

" After methacholine-induced bronchospasm, placebo marijuana and saline inhalation produced minimal changes in specific airway conductance and thoracic gas volume, whereas 2.0 per cent marijuana and isoproterenol each caused a prompt correction of the bronchospasm and associated hyperinflation. After exercise-induced bronchospasm, placebo marijuana and saline were followed by gradual recovery during 30 to 60 min, whereas 2.0 per cent marijuana and isoproterenol caused an immediate reversal of exercise-induced asthma and hyperinflation."

 

[His_Highness]

I developed a severe form of asthma when we moved to Florida. Gave up the cigs and it got worse not better. I told myself that the tar and stuff from cigs had somehow kept the allergens from direct lung contact and now that the lungs were more 'exposed' they were learning to fend for themselves. I now believe the St. Augustine grass here is the real problem for me in that being directly in contact with it for a few minutes, while it's being mowed, immediately can close me up good. Took a few years to build up that sensitivity to St. Augustine grass which confused me since it didn't kick in immediately but got worse over time.

Now that I'm no longer combustible my allergies and asthma have subsided greatly. I don't mow the lawn anymore which also helps a lot...BUT ... the MFLB sensitizes me after several back to back sessions/days and makes me prone to a mild attack. The Solo does not cause my any breathing problems unless I chase big clouds dryly.

I'm heading out for a run and my old routine was: Get buzzed, hit the inhaler as a precaution and take half a Benadryl with me and swallow the Benadryl about a half hour before completing the run. I found that while running the asthma would be held at bay but once I complete the run, my lungs would be wide open and betray me on the cool down. Since converting to vaping and limiting my use of the MFLB over the Solo I don't use the inhaler but 2 or 3 times a year and don't have to do the Benadryl thing anymore.