Bronchiectasis & second hand vaping?

[Twitty999]

My lovely cousin has come to live close by & is looking forward to us spending lots of time together BUT she uses an electronic cigarette & I have Rhuematoid & Bronchiectasis HELP please...are these vaping things bad for me 🤔

[FRreedman]

The official answer is nobody knows, the truer (is that a word?) answer is, as far as bronchiectasis is concerned, it probably does more harm than good. You know you have to keep clearing your chest, by deep breathing etc., well imagine taking a deep breath with all that smoky, smelly gunk in the air, as a minimum it will make you start coughing.

[Hidden]

I’ve got not research backup on this only my personal opinion...... Anything second hand you breathe in is bad for you. I’ve seen people who vape and they inhale so hard you can not see them for the vape that billows around them. It’s not a natural substance and feel it’s harmful.

I’m sure your cousin would understand if she didn’t do it in doors or around you if your health would suffer.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Same goes for the plug in air fresheners that burn oil. My carbon monoxide levels were that of a smoker caused by a Glade plug-in

[Twitty999 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I cannot bare to be in a room with a plug-in! 😫

[oldtimer]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence around yet. There's this article here:scientificamerican.com/arti...

which says:

'A small study by Wolfgang Schober of the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and colleagues published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health in December found that vaping worsened indoor air quality, specifically by increasing the concentration of nicotine, particulate matter, PAHs and aluminum — compounds that have been linked to lung and cardiovascular disease and cancer among other health effects.'

Personally I dislike the effects on me of other people's vaping, but I can support them in using vaping rather than cigarettes. But I would ask then not to do it in the same room as me!

[nomoreheels in reply to oldtimer]

Only by comparison, I’m not arguing the point, but I've read the abstract of the study... what's not clear is whether the vaping liquid was of US origin or other. There have been recent reports of lung illnesses linked to vaping in the US whereas Public Health England are stating that in the UK there are stricter regulations on vaping devices, with their safety & quality checked, meaning this would be a lot less likely to happen. So it would need to be identified where the liquid was obtained from I'd think for it to be sure to be relative to the UK.

[AgedCrone in reply to nomoreheels]

I saw a representative of the British Lung Foundation on TV the other day & he was against vaping.......said there is not enough quality research available to make an informed decision.

[nomoreheels in reply to AgedCrone]

Not being picky as I'm on the fence but if there's not enough quality research available to make an informed decision then being against it can't be an informed opinion? 😏

[AgedCrone in reply to nomoreheels]

Pick away nmh.....What I took him to mean was until enough time has passed to have it proved one way or the other....keep sitting on the fence...but err on the ‘don’t do it’ side?

As there is not enough proven research.... finicky old Biddy that I am, although I have no breathing/lung problems, I reckon that anything that makes me catch my breath ....like diesel fumes or vaping vapour, is best avoided.

Got enough with achey joints without taking a chance of ending up coughing my heart out.

I don’t vape & don’t want to share with those who do....same as I feel about ‘real’ cigarettes.

[nomoreheels]

This from GOV.UK Public health matters blog may be informative for you

MYTH 4 - Exposure to e-cigarette vapour is harmful to bystanders

The evidence is clear that exposure to second hand smoke is harmful, which is why the UK has laws prohibiting smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces. These laws do not cover vaping and organisations are free to make their own policies on the use of e-cigarettes on their premises.

E-cigarette liquid is typically composed of nicotine, propylene glycol and/or glycerine, and flavourings. Unlike cigarettes, there is no side-stream vapour emitted by an e-cigarette into the atmosphere, just the exhaled aerosol.

PHE’s 2018 evidence review found that to date, there have been no identified health risks of passive vaping to the health of bystanders. People with asthma and other respiratory conditions can be sensitive to a range of environmental irritants, as well as pollen and cold air and PHE advises organisations to take this into account and to make adjustments where appropriate, when making their own policies on the use of e-cigarettes.. publichealthmatters.blog.go...

Seems to not be so for those with, shall we say, healthy lungs but my view is see how you go & if it does affect you kindly ask her to either not vape around you or if she still wishes to ask if she would do so outside where you won’t be in an enclosed space. You obviously get on well so I would think she'd understand given you have a lung condition which can be irritated.

[AgedCrone in reply to nomoreheels]

Sorry to disagree with you nmh....but with compromised lungs Twitty could well not know inhaling the vapour was causing harm until too late.

I have no lung problems, but I would not have anyone vaping in my house......as I have said just smelling the vapour in my garden stuck in my throat.

[nomoreheels in reply to AgedCrone]

Not disagreeing, Twitty has decided it's not worth taking the risk, in hindsight I think she's right & had already liked her response (below). I'm sure if once she explains her cousin will understand & she won't vape with her in a confined space.

[helixhelix]

The vaping mist is mainly made up of vaporised glycerin and similar things, there is a very low level of other chemicals, so passive vaping is not considered to be particularly harmful.

However for you breathing any thing other than pure air increases your risks. And the different e-cigarettes contain different things and are often not checked or regulated, so she could be using something that isn't harmless. They’ve not been around for long enough to be sure.

If your cousin has any common sense at all she will not vape anywhere near you! But if she does them explain that it could be risky for you.

[Twitty999]

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice, I will chat with her & explain the situation...it’s not worth taking the risk of further lung damage X

[crashdoll]

Hi Twitty, I also have Bronchiectasis and RA too. Personally, I find vaping uncomfortable but I find any sort of smoke or steam or strong smell does aggravate my chest. I agree it’s not worth the risk. x

[wishbone in reply to crashdoll]

Hiya crashdoll, I take it you had the all clear for pulmonary fibrosis after?

[crashdoll in reply to wishbone]

Not yet! They’re doing more imaging of my lungs. I’m actually at the specialist hosp right now having lots of tests. They can’t see properly because I couldn’t expand my lungs but said it’s likely mild fibrosis (alongside Bronchiectasis) which is positive. 👍🏻

[wishbone in reply to crashdoll]

Ah right, I thought you may have had a bit of luck for a change and had it ruled out. If you do have PF at least they think it's mild.

Just in case you don't know, I had my 4th annualish lung function test last week. Thankfully there's been little if any deterioration since the last one 16 months ago, and just a very slight deterioration since diagnosis.

[_siamese_]

Vaping liquid or juice as it is more commonly known consists of four things..

1. PG (Propeline Glycoll)

2. VG (Vegetable Glycerine)

3. Nicotine

4. Flavour (food flavouring)

Nothing else.

There is no oil included & the vapour expelled is not smoke & most smell quite pleasant actually.

Not enough research has been done to determine the long term effect of vaping as it simply hasn't been around long enough to give hard facts of the impact it has. Studies vary wildly.

My other half used to vape as a means to stop smoking cigarettes which he did successfully.

If i had any kind of issue with my lungs & in your position, simply ask your cousin to step outside when she needs to vape.

I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you have concerns.

[nomoreheels in reply to _siamese_]

Vegetable glycerin is an oil, produced, as you would expect, from vegetables (coconut, palm, soy etc).

[AgedCrone]

If I were you I would have a serious conversation that would make things Crystal clear from the start by explaining that when she visits you she will not be able to vape in your house....because your Health would suffer.

Be prepared for her replying that there is all sorts of supposed proof that vaping is safe......but if you Google deaths from vaping in the USA you will be able to explain to her that the results deliberately breathing in vapour isstill unknown....& that you can’t take the chance of infection from the vapour produced.

Many years before vaping I told all my friends who smoke that my house was a non smoking house.......at first they all got in their high horses & thought I was joking.....but when I hid all the ash trays & when they got out their cigarettes I pointed to the back door, they understood I was serious.

Sadly a lot of those friends are no longer with us.....having shortened their own lives by cigarette smoking.

In a way I do hope vaping can be proved safe, but I recently had a builder working in my house who vaped outside in the garden & the vapour really stuck in my throat.......that can’t be healthy.

[wishbone]

I have a lung condition and am more concerned about general air pollution than vaping mist, which is a lot easier to avoid than pollution from motor vehicles, industry, etc, especially if living in a city or large town. That said, other than vote for the Green Party in the forthcoming election, there's not much else I can do so there's nothing gained worrying about it.

[Iluvgardening in reply to wishbone]

I wanted to ask you what is your lung condition if you don't mind sharing. I am struggling with wheezing, coughing and tightness in my chest. Even when I am not exerting. I have been to the doctor for it several times, they say its asthma, but I am not convinced it is. I have psoriatic arthritis and I am wondering if it is linked to it. I am so tired of struggling and can't seem to get any information from my plumonary or practitioner doctor, when I ask them if there is a connection that dont seem to want to discuss it.

I take advair inhaler, zrytec, prescription cough meds, breathing treatments with albueterol. But I am still struggling. Any advice would be welcomed.

[wishbone in reply to Iluvgardening]

RA related Pulmonary Fibrosis, which unfortunately for me is untreatable. However it is uncommon so you would be unlucky to have that. It's one of the Interstitial Lung Diseases I believe but I don't like to delve too deeply. On a brighter note, as yet annual lung function tests have shown little if any lung deterioration in the 4 years since diagnosis...I can but keep my fingers crossed!

I can't understand why your doctor won't discuss it with you. It may be asthma, but if you are not convinced then you need to be more assertive and ask for, or demand if necessary, a chest x-ray which you are entitled to.

Good luck and do let me know how you get on, if you don't mind that is?

[Iluvgardening in reply to wishbone]

Thank you so much for your reply, and yes I am thinking of finding a new doctor who will give me the answers I am seeking. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again. And I will be praying for your condition that it would be healed and that you have no obstacles to deal with❤

[wishbone in reply to Iluvgardening]

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

I know it's not easy questioning doctors decisions but sometimes it has to be done. That said, you're probably better off with a new doctor by the sound of it.

Take care

[Recorder500L]

I feel it is also very bad manners to smoke in another person's company or home. Take care.