gbs
11-05-16, 14:23
Hi ...
Been trying ecigs as a way to cut down/quit smoking.
Been using ecigs and smoking a lot less (<10) for a month or so. Using 6mg nicotine level in eliquid with a decent ecig, not the cheaper ones.
Seemed to have been going ok ... BUT ... in the last few days ...
Had what I would consider a panic attack. Never had panic attacks before, so it was probably not the same severity as other people, who have them often. Could be an anxiety attack.
Symtoms;
- a very worrisome feeling, dread, doom, about the future. (I have some reasons to be concerned anyway, but not at the level of not being able to function). Kinda of an impending doom feeling, along with a feeling of not being able to do anything about it.
- quiet uneasy feeling in stomach, hard to describe. SUPER SEVERE butterflies, maybe. Felt like hunger, but was not hungry. Could be similar to a stomach flu, in some ways, but no pain. A very empty feeling.
- no sweating, but there were noticeable temperature changes of colder/warmer ... a little flushed, then a little chilly.
- It could also be described as very low blood sugar feeling as well, thought I don't normally get that and shouldn't. [maybe ecigs has affecting that in some way]
I just decided to try to sleep thru it, went to sleep early, 9pm. Falling to sleep was more difficult than normal ... but eventually 30 - 60 mins, I fell asleep.
The next day some of those feelings were still there ... though a little more muted. This is day 3 after the incident ... some feelings still there ... but there are periods when feeling normal again.
The morning of the day it occurred ...
- I didn't use the ecig that morning
- I did smoke normal cigarettes, but not excessive.
- I may have had more caffeine then usual. Had 3 small coffees from the cafeteria at the place I went that day. (it was a stressful morning, as I was attending traffic court for a serious charge, but the incident itself wasn't serious ... [the charge was switched to something minor at court]
- I didn't eat that morning, but was not particularly hungry and ate late the night before.
Was back home at about 1pm ... at 3pm I noticed the panic/anxiety occurring.
One difference, for that day, was that I was not using the e cigarette.
What I think happened ...
- ecigarettes deliver nicotine differently, as it is first put into blood stream and then delivered to brain. SMOKING, gets a quick hit to brain, before circulation through the body.
- So with ecig, or any NRT (nicotine replacement), you can have nicotine affecting more parts of your body more ... it's a higher blood concentration on average than smoking would be, although certainly smoking with have peaks that are quite high.
- So even if smoking, by not using ecig that day, areas of your body getting more with ecigs is NOW in withdrawal. That drove the panic/anxiety feelings.
Other notes
- during those days, minimal use of ecig when allivate symtoms a little, but it would then by followed by increase in symptoms. - I have gone without cigarettes before for a day or more, and I don't get panic/anxiety from doing that.
- I have in the past smoked way too much on some days, and did have some uneasy feelings from doing it that could be called panic/anxiety, but milder ... but it alleviated simply but not smoking for a little bit.
I think the way ecigs and other NRT(nicotine replacement) deliver nicotine to the body, has more effect on other parts of the body. AND it's this effect setting up panic/anxiety event.
Curious on others thoughts.
[note: I know this doesn't compare to others with recurrent panic/anxiety issues, I'm using this forum as people here likely have more expertise/knowledge on panic/anxiety rather than an ecig forum]
Been trying ecigs as a way to cut down/quit smoking.
Been using ecigs and smoking a lot less (<10) for a month or so. Using 6mg nicotine level in eliquid with a decent ecig, not the cheaper ones.
Seemed to have been going ok ... BUT ... in the last few days ...
Had what I would consider a panic attack. Never had panic attacks before, so it was probably not the same severity as other people, who have them often. Could be an anxiety attack.
Symtoms;
- a very worrisome feeling, dread, doom, about the future. (I have some reasons to be concerned anyway, but not at the level of not being able to function). Kinda of an impending doom feeling, along with a feeling of not being able to do anything about it.
- quiet uneasy feeling in stomach, hard to describe. SUPER SEVERE butterflies, maybe. Felt like hunger, but was not hungry. Could be similar to a stomach flu, in some ways, but no pain. A very empty feeling.
- no sweating, but there were noticeable temperature changes of colder/warmer ... a little flushed, then a little chilly.
- It could also be described as very low blood sugar feeling as well, thought I don't normally get that and shouldn't. [maybe ecigs has affecting that in some way]
I just decided to try to sleep thru it, went to sleep early, 9pm. Falling to sleep was more difficult than normal ... but eventually 30 - 60 mins, I fell asleep.
The next day some of those feelings were still there ... though a little more muted. This is day 3 after the incident ... some feelings still there ... but there are periods when feeling normal again.
The morning of the day it occurred ...
- I didn't use the ecig that morning
- I did smoke normal cigarettes, but not excessive.
- I may have had more caffeine then usual. Had 3 small coffees from the cafeteria at the place I went that day. (it was a stressful morning, as I was attending traffic court for a serious charge, but the incident itself wasn't serious ... [the charge was switched to something minor at court]
- I didn't eat that morning, but was not particularly hungry and ate late the night before.
Was back home at about 1pm ... at 3pm I noticed the panic/anxiety occurring.
One difference, for that day, was that I was not using the e cigarette.
What I think happened ...
- ecigarettes deliver nicotine differently, as it is first put into blood stream and then delivered to brain. SMOKING, gets a quick hit to brain, before circulation through the body.
- So with ecig, or any NRT (nicotine replacement), you can have nicotine affecting more parts of your body more ... it's a higher blood concentration on average than smoking would be, although certainly smoking with have peaks that are quite high.
- So even if smoking, by not using ecig that day, areas of your body getting more with ecigs is NOW in withdrawal. That drove the panic/anxiety feelings.
Other notes
- during those days, minimal use of ecig when allivate symtoms a little, but it would then by followed by increase in symptoms. - I have gone without cigarettes before for a day or more, and I don't get panic/anxiety from doing that.
- I have in the past smoked way too much on some days, and did have some uneasy feelings from doing it that could be called panic/anxiety, but milder ... but it alleviated simply but not smoking for a little bit.
I think the way ecigs and other NRT(nicotine replacement) deliver nicotine to the body, has more effect on other parts of the body. AND it's this effect setting up panic/anxiety event.
Curious on others thoughts.
[note: I know this doesn't compare to others with recurrent panic/anxiety issues, I'm using this forum as people here likely have more expertise/knowledge on panic/anxiety rather than an ecig forum]