Vaporizers- negative respiratory effects

[MrHazy]

Like Steinitz I use the AroMed. I've been vaporizing for about a year but as my chest is sensitive i've found vaporizing still irritated my chest. Since using the AroMed my chest has felt better than it has for years, very happy with it! I think the problem with most is they're vaporizing too hot so toxins are still being inhaled. I never go above 195C/383F so stay below the point such toxins are released into the vapor.

[drunknb]

I am a Respiratory Therapist, thus I'll try to shed some light on the effects of the respiratory tract during smoking and/or vaping (I do both), including when the respiratory system is "bogged-down" (so-to-speak) with bronchitis.

Bronchitis increases mucus production via goblet cells. This can happen due to an allergic reaction (or foreign body) in the respiratory tract. With the release of mast cells and other white blood cells converging on the area if "infection", this is what causes inflammation. Your mucociliary escalator/tree is what clears the mucus up and out of your respiratory tract, into the larger bronchial areas, where it is [generally] easily coughed up into the oropharynx (back of mouth), into the mouth and expectorated (or spit out). While both individually can cause a retardation (or deficit) of your mucociliary tree, both of them combined lengthens the time that the mucociliary tree is less effective.

When you smoke, you paralyze the cilia of your mucociliary tree - that's why smokers have a "morning cough" and they hack up brown ish. Their mucociliary tree has been paralyzed throughout the day (via smoking), and reactivates when they are asleep, thus they cough up crap from their lungs in the morning. Regardless; vaping takes similar actions on your airways, however there is less irritation because you are cutting out both A) the heat from the flame/lit part or "cherry" and B) the smoke its self, which has more irritants than vapor. The less you paralyze the mucociliary tree, the better (obviously), the less time it will take to heal and allow the infection to be expelled from your body.

Long story short - it's best to try to refrain from doing anything to irritate your tracheobronchial tree while you are ill, whereas you extend the time it takes to get better, subjecting yourself to additional illnesses. If you can not refrain, it's better to vap. As far as negative effects on the respiratory tract - any foreign body admitted to the airways will not be good, but minimizing those irritants as much as possible is ideal. With that said, again, it's better to vap.

Edibles don't affect me, so I don't eat them...but I do make them myself and yes, they can affect the body's ability to intake vitamins... taking an all purpose vitamin can supliment this however.

Doctors are not generally going to support the ideas of people ingesting marijuana (in any form), especially if they are in a "family doctor's office" type of setting...whereas they are [generally] only subjected to "the news" of marijuana for medical purposes and are not privy to the "upcoming advances" on a continual basis (which medicine does). ...so basically, he's not an idiot, he's just misinformed or underinformed (which MD's can tend to be on a lot of occasions)

Hope that kinda helped - if you have any other questions, hit me up and I'll see if I can help. Till then, vap on my friend!

paace,
db

[melodious fellow]

I much appreciate your post drunknb!

I am actually a bit [pleasantly] shocked to hear that a respiratory therapist smokes occasionally.... makes me feel better.

How often do you smoke/vape?

In terms of respiratory health, do you think vaping with a waterpipe attachment is the safest way to go so as to remove the possibility of inhaling particulates?
Do you worry about particulates when you smoke?

Do you think that inhaling fungal spores is a big deal or not really? I read that waterpipes only reduce fungal spores by about 15%.

[WeayLay]

Hey drunknb, does the celia in the lining of the mucociliary tree get equally paralyzed when you intake cool temperature smoke (Such as a waterpipe), compared to smoke from a joint? Or does the smoke itself, with all the particulates paralyze it?

[drunknb]

How often do you smoke/vape?

Everyday. I have [self-diagnosed] A.D.D., as well as [clinically-diagnosed]insomnia, thus I obtained a perscription for canibus, here in Colorado. It helps me focus and concentrate, in addition to assisting me in getting the necessary rest that my body needs to function properly. I smoked before I was an RT...and I am fully fully aware of what smoke does to your lungs...thus I purchased the Silver Surfer Vaporizer. (they're made in Colorado Springs, just south of me...so I got to visit them and put it together and such...cool expierience and they have great employees!) ...I just continue to smoke. ...but the vap is SOOO much funner (not a word, I know). I actually run it thru a water-pipe (bong) with a carb on it. It does assist in cleaning the minimal particulates in the vapor. That takes care of your next question...

In terms of respiratory health, do you think vaping with a waterpipe attachment is the safest way to go so as to remove the possibility of inhaling particulates?

Yeah, definately.

Do you worry about particulates when you smoke?

Certainly...such as should everyone else. It's a personal decision though. I've seen people smoke heavily for 30 years and it doesn't affect the same as it does the person that smoked for 30 days and develops lung cancer (rare, but it's happened).

Do you think that inhaling fungal spores is a big deal or not really? I read that waterpipes only reduce fungal spores by about 15%.

This is huge... dependant on the spore. Spores such as tetnus and botulism are certainly not good for the body. Their gram-negative status can, and has proven to be deadly. Generally, you're not going to get any life-threatening spores from marijuana...just make sure that you're checking it for any mold(s), if you're dealing with some pretty fresh and wetter buds, that aren't allowed to fully dry while curing.


To WeayLay;

"Cooler" smoke can cause a bronchospasm, if you're hypersensitive to erradic changes in your trachea. You breathe through your nose to warm and humidify the air you inspire, so it's matches the bodys' temp, to alleviate 'spasm' in your lungs. On frigid days when you go outside and take a big, deep breath - you cough...that's caused by a minimal bronchospasm. It's the smoke and the partuculates in the smoke that paralyze the cilia. The 'cherry' from the joint is contributing to the heat of the smoke, whereas the flame from the lighter is contributing while smoking out of a pipe. The heat source from the vap is not as hot as the flame/cherry, in addition to generally sucking thru about 1.5' ro 2' worth of tube...it cools as it travels. Taking it then thru water, further cools the vapor, in addition to removing additional particulates (minimal) from the vapor.

Hope that helped... sorry so lengthy...

[WeayLay]

Sweet, thanks for the informative and thourough answer.

[MrHazy]

Interesting stuff. Inhaling fungal spores is very dangerous, but if your inhaling spores with your herb, your vaping the wrong herb!!


Vapor City - Index

Vapor City - Index

[melodious fellow]

I sure would like to hear more of Drunknb's thoughts on this subject.

I have pretty much decided to just give up vaping altogether and just make edibles from now on. Even though I quit smoking years ago, I still get bronchitis and I am worried vaping might be making me more susceptible. This time when I got bronchitis, it turned into pneumonia and I had it for a month and it was a huge mess that cost me hundreds in bills from the doctor's office. The doctor who saw me for pneumonia said I shouldn't ever smoke again... not even occasionally. I didn't want to try to explain to him what vaping was, but I am guessing that if my lungs are really that sensitive, I shouldn't take chances vaping either? There is history of asthma in my family, but I didn't think I had it. But I can't afford to get bronchitis/pneumonia every year, so would it be in my best interest not to vape anymore?

[MrHazy]

Its all about weighing up the benefits and harmful effects.

If you have a sensitive chest and feel that vaporizing is still irritating then it would be wise to either stick to edibles, or choose a particular vaporizer that has good filtration and set it at low temps.

You dont want to keep picking up pneumonia as that permenently scars and damages your lungs each time. I have a serious lung disease but find vaporizing actually helps me. It definately helps dilate my lungs and works as a anti inflammatory along with other qualities.

You should know your body better than anyone else so if you're feeling negative effects then you should do something about it.

Out of interest which vaporizer are you using?


Follow the vapor trail....
The Vapor Trail - Vaporizer & Medicinal Review & Resource Forums - Index :thumbsup:

[melodious fellow]

Just a regular VaporBros (ceramic heating element with glass whip) usually filtered through a large waterpipe). But it has been at least a month for me since I've been sick.