Wisconsin and Illinois Report Cases of Severe Lung Disease Tied to Vaping
By Amy Orciari Herman
Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Jaye Elizabeth Hefner, MD
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is reporting 11 confirmed cases of severe lung disease linked to recent vaping among teens and young adults; an additional seven cases are pending investigation. At the same time, the Illinois Department of Public Health is investigating three cases.
All confirmed cases required hospitalization. Patients presented with cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue, which became worse over days or weeks before admission. Some patients also had fever, anorexia, pleuritic chest pain, nausea, and diarrhea. Chest radiographs revealed bilateral opacities, usually in the lower lobes, and computed tomographic imaging showed diffuse ground-glass opacities.
Endotracheal intubation (my note: “life support machine” or ventilator) was required in some patients. Although patients improved with systemic steroids, "it is not known if there will be long-term health effects," according to Wisconsin's health department.
Tests for infectious causes in the Wisconsin patients were negative. All patients reported vaping in the weeks or months before hospitalization; investigators are still compiling information on the types of vaping products used.
Quit many years ago, cold turkey and by calculated how much I was spending every day, week, month and year on tobacco. Even then the amount of money was surprising!
Then I gave myself short term and long term goals and said, if you don’t smoke for a week, month, year, you can buy this with the money. I had a 4WD Toyota truck with a stock radio at the time and the long term goal was a high-end Pioneer stereo with CD player and speakers. Short term goals were usually new music on CD.
I vaped for a few years but made my own fluid buying flavors, nicotine, pg and vg. It tasted good and you know what you are using. I also made my own coils using quality wire and got good cotton, not bleached. I still have top quality equipment, even though I quit.
You aren't supposed to inhale vape. It is absorbed in the mouth and not in the lungs. Old habits are hard. The issue isnt vaping, it's what they are vaping. If you want to smoke pot, smoke it. That is an issue with thc additives. Also, you cant just buy magic vape drops on the street corner and think they are okay.
One article I read mentioned diacetyl. That is easily avoided if you make your own and most quality juice manufacturers don't use it. If you buy some knockoff Chinese fluid you don't know what you have.
Maybe they should put this much time in to cigarettes. They would be banned. They have ammonia, for absorption, among other things. They know they are bad but I guess the vape industry hasn't learned the secret of the under table payoff.
I vaped for a few years but made my own fluid buying flavors, nicotine, pg and vg. It tasted good and you know what you are using. I also made my own coils using quality wire and got good cotton, not bleached. I still have top quality equipment, even though I quit.
You aren't supposed to inhale vape. It is absorbed in the mouth and not in the lungs. Old habits are hard. The issue isnt vaping, it's what they are vaping. If you want to smoke pot, smoke it. That is an issue with thc additives. Also, you cant just buy magic vape drops on the street corner and think they are okay.
One article I read mentioned diacetyl. That is easily avoided if you make your own and most quality juice manufacturers don't use it. If you buy some knockoff Chinese fluid you don't know what you have.
Maybe they should put this much time in to cigarettes. They would be banned. They have ammonia, for absorption, among other things. They know they are bad but I guess the vape industry hasn't learned the secret of the under table payoff.
100%
I use a custom shop that only uses VG and 3-4 things in it to give it a tobacco flavor (not strawberry crap). These store brands have all kinds of stuff in them that can cause real issues. Get it custom and know whats in it, also use a quality cartridge or make your own. It helped me quit smoking cigarettes.
Smoked for 20 years, then switched to vaping with a cheap Juul about 6 months ago. Loved it at first, but the Juul cartridges are expensive. Then a vape shop clerk showed me how to re-fill the old Juul cartridges. Now, a $10 bottle of juice will last me 2-3 weeks.
But, I've noticed that my lungs are aching lately and I have had to increase the frequency of vaping to negate the effects of nicotine addiction.
Not going to end well, I'm afraid. Love not smelling like smoke and the relative ease of use and decreased cost, but I have been grouchy for six months and now my lungs hurt.
Smoked for 20 years, then switched to vaping with a cheap Juul about 6 months ago. Loved it at first, but the Juul cartridges are expensive. Then a vape shop clerk showed me how to re-fill the old Juul cartridges. Now, a $10 bottle of juice will last me 2-3 weeks.
But, I've noticed that my lungs are aching lately and I have had to increase the frequency of vaping to negate the effects of nicotine addiction.
Not going to end well, I'm afraid. Love not smelling like smoke and the relative ease of use and decreased cost, but I have been grouchy for six months and now my lungs hurt.
Dude, you need to see doctor and have x-ray done of your lungs!! STOP now. Go see doctor.
I switched last year from camel reds to a juul. Helped dull the craving a little for a while, then I quit that too. Good luck on your journey brother, healthier is always happier.