Vaping

[Desjakey]

I vaped for about 10 years but after my heart attack I am really struggling with stopping. It's more the habitual part than anything else. The doc put me on a nicotine inhaler. I wondered if I vape with zero nicotine is that an option. It's not really the nicotine I crave, more just the habit. Any thoughts? Ta 😎

[JCDBARBRIDGE]

hi great to see you reaching out for support. Maybe a “curved ball” here but may I suggest CBT support . I say this as I have found understanding behaviour and how , should person want to do so so, is a sustainable way of progressing. I know someone close to me who has adopted CBT to help them with a situation which whilst not identical has similarities and thus far he has been successful. Hopefully you will find your way forward and best wishes

[Desjakey in reply to JCDBARBRIDGE]

Thanks for your reply, I am a fan of CBT 👍

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Desjakey]

Very welcome and you are in a good space and being a fab of CBT will help your transition, be great to hear about your journey

[Lowerfield_no_more]

My thoughts are, give up, completely. Rise to the challenge and find the will power within you to stop. You will find It will be hard initially but will then get progressively easier, and finally you are done with it and won't look back. And if you are spending money on your habit save it and buy something useful to keep, or spend it on something you will remember like a day out which you wouldn't otherwise have had. If I could stop smoking as I did many years ago when cigarettes were far more habit forming than vaping is today, then anyone can do it. Go for it. 👍

[Desjakey in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Great advice, thank you 😊

[SlothOnSpeed]

Hi Desjakey,

Hope I can post this link so you can see it. Otherwise just copy it and read the article in Google.

I am a big supporter of harm reduction. If you do not want to stop for whatever reason, there are no doubt ways to minimise the risk. Is it better to just quit? Of course. But all of us mortals with a vice knows its not always easy.

Good luck.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Desjakey in reply to SlothOnSpeed]

Great advice and thanks for taking the time 😎

[Stentsandrun]

If you look across to your right you will see a related post titled "Vaping is bad for you", I suggest you read it? I know this might not sound very sympathetic but I can't believe anyone would carry on either smoking or vaping after having had a heart attack. As well as being plain daft it's also rather selfish as you are likely to further overburden the NHS if you have future events, we all need to take more responsibility for our health and this is a prime example of it. Loads of people have packed it in, I personally have changed my diet massively, it's just willpower, you probably need to focus on something else, do you have a regular exercise regime? If you vape I guess you probably don't, it would be a lot cheaper as well as something positive towards ensuring you don't have further problems. Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh but just do yourself a huge favour and pack it in!

[JHutton1994 in reply to Stentsandrun]

Could try to be more patronising next time.

[Stentsandrun in reply to JHutton1994]

There is nothing patronising about it, there is mounting evidence that Vaping damages your health. As I said, anyone who vapes is very unlikely to be exercising as advised. You may think the NHS does not need people to start helping themselves, I do, just my view, nothing to do with thinking I am better than anyone else.

What's your angle on it then?

[Desjakey in reply to Stentsandrun]

Not harsh at all. A few assumptions in there 😎 I stopped vaping after the HA, I already exercised 4 days a week before it and I am working back up to that again. It wasn't a selfish ask, more a call for advice. I want many more years on this crazy planet so I will do what it takes. Thanks for your advice 👍🏻

[Stentsandrun in reply to Desjakey]

That's brilliant then, the way it was worded sounded (to me anyway) as if you still were. What about something like C25K? Once you get into things with a goal it will take your mind of the bad stuff.

[baly_2023]

I usually tell my mates to stop vaping. It's a weird one.

They were all heavy ex smokers, ie 15 a day.

They tried stopping but failed then went to vaping and none of them has touched a cigarette since, which is great.

When I had my heart attack, and considering that many decades ago I was a smoker, the cardiologist asked if I smoked and would like to be put on the NHS quitting programme . I declined as i didn't smoke but did ask if he considered vaping or taking nicotine replacement the same as smoking with regards to heart disease.

He said no, infact he said the NHS doesn't consider vaping as smoking (?) and at the moment they don't see it being as harmful to the cardio system. Who knows they may change their minds in the future.

I've attached a link from the BHF around vaping but I think with a heart attack comes a change to lifestyles whether that be eating, drinking, excericse and smoking.

I have to assume that you've made some changes to your lifestyle so you might as well add not vaping to the list whilst you're at it.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Desjakey in reply to baly_2023]

Thanks for the reply 👍🏻

[davebal67]

Having been a smoker from the age of 15 to 48 I struggled kicking cigarettes'. One day a colleague told me about champix and I went to the GP and was prescribed the tablets fortunately my private health covered them. This Christmas I will have stopped for ten years and would never start again.

You are in denial if you think you are not addicted to Nicotine and once you come to terms with that you will then be in a better place to kick the habit for good.

I smoked 30 a day in my youth and after my CABG as I lay in ICU I thought back to the conversation I had with my GP when I told him that I wanted to be at this side of the table asking for help rather than him telling me.

There was a gentleman in ICU that was a smoker and he nearly never pulled came out of anesthesia and he was only in for a repeat hernia. I came around in 50 mins which my surgeon said was outstanding.

Having never taken Vapes putting all the liquid vape in your lungs cannot be good for you but stay strong and yes it can be done will a little will power and some help from your GP.

[Desjakey in reply to davebal67]

Great words, thank you 😊

[Desjakey in reply to davebal67]

Thanks so much 🙏

[Coffeelover2]

I vaped all the time and then had a heart attack (could be unrelated but I’m unsure as I was pretty young) - I got out of hospital and threw it in the bin. My only issue is that when I have more than a few drinks, I have a few cigarettes which is not good. This is pretty infrequent but still not good. I think you have to make a clear decision in your mind and stick to it. It is a habit and crutch more than anything. Not easy at all but can be done.

[EMBoy]

Whether you smoke or vape, you are still addicted to nicotine, and stopping is really difficult. People have been fed a load of nonsense about vaping being safer than smoking, but you are still inhaling nicotine which is responsible for the cardiovascular effects.

I never vaped, but smoked heavily for nearly 50 years before my heart incident. I had tried nicotine patches and lozenges, but they didn't work so for me, the only way to stop was to go "cold turkey" and stop altogether. It was difficult at first, but after about the first week, it was much easier, and I have been nicotine-free for nearly 5 years now. I still get the occasional craving, but can just let it pass.

Good luck with trying to stop - it will be hard, but you can do it if you stick to it. It's worth it in the long run.