Vaping

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

NeilV

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I was recently told by my doctor to start vaping as it would be better for me than smoking. Since vaping 2 weeks now, my glucose levels have increased by 50%. I have obviously researched why my glucose levels have increased so much and the common cosensus is that the Vape which I get on the NHS is the primary reason.

If vaping is so much worse for me as a type1 sufferer why are the NHS recommending vaping to type1 sufferers?
 
I don't dispute that, but i now have a Libre in my arm and when smoking my levels were max 11.1 now they are 18.7?
 
NeilV said:
I don't dispute that, but i now have a Libre in my arm and when smoking my levels were max 11.1 now they are 18.7?
Click to expand...
I guess you need more insulin then. Obviously your healthcare team are the right people to ask (I hadn't heard of vaping increasing BG) but presuming vaping does increase BG then I'd hope experts have made the judgement that even so, because smoking is so bad, advising vaping would improve things overall. With (I imagine) the hope that the vaping would be a stage on the way to giving up (so it would be a temporary increase in BG).

(I don't know how realistic any of those presumptions are. I must admit I suspect that because nicotine is so addictive, vaping isn't that likely to be a temporary thing. But I've not really read any of the evidence so I may be quite wrong.)
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.
As @Bruce Stephens has said, you need more insulin if your levels are going that high. If you are not confident in adjusting your insulin doses yourself then you need to contact your nurse for advice. Have you been diagnosed long?

My guess would be that either there is syrup in the vape or your body is stressed due to stopping smoking which hopefully will settle down with time, or could you possibly be eating more because you are changing your habit.... in the same way that people who give up smoking altogether often snack to give their hand and mouth something different to do.... like a comfort for the habit they are trying to break..... or could it be that something else is causing your high levels and it is just a coincidence on the timing.... There is never a clear cut answer with diabetes.... too many things impact BG levels, but upping your insulin would be the obvious solution for now. And good luck on packing in smoking.
 
NeilV said:
I was recently told by my doctor to start vaping as it would be better for me than smoking. Since vaping 2 weeks now, my glucose levels have increased by 50%. I have obviously researched why my glucose levels have increased so much and the common cosensus is that the Vape which I get on the NHS is the primary reason.

If vaping is so much worse for me as a type1 sufferer why are the NHS recommending vaping to type1 sufferers?
Click to expand...
Was given same advice, even though I had cut number of cigarettes to 5 a day long before I was given diabetes diagnosis and can go without a cigarette for days when needed. I don't smoke in my house, car or when I'm out only in my back garden. I also noted that BG levels increased while vaping and dropped again when I stopped vaping, didn't investigate further to be honest.
 
It kinda makes sense. Most vapes contain glycerine aka glycerol aka "sugar alcohol" as a carrier. It's not your body's first choice of molecule to turn into glucose, but it can do it.

(Glycerol can also trigger asthma attacks in some people, which is partly why the general recommendation is to treat vaping the same as smoking in terms of consideration for other people - not inside the house or car if you have children for instance. The other ingredients such as nicotine also contribute to that advice for children)
 
NeilV said:
I don't dispute that, but i now have a Libre in my arm and when smoking my levels were max 11.1 now they are 18.7?
Click to expand...

Don't bother with either, just stop.

MIL was heavy smoker & just stopped after health scare, hard at first but can be done with will & determination.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
I guess you need more insulin then. Obviously your healthcare team are the right people to ask (I hadn't heard of vaping increasing BG) but presuming vaping does increase BG then I'd hope experts have made the judgement that even so, because smoking is so bad, advising vaping would improve things overall. With (I imagine) the hope that the vaping would be a stage on the way to giving up (so it would be a temporary increase in BG).

(I don't know how realistic any of those presumptions are. I must admit I suspect that because nicotine is so addictive, vaping isn't that likely to be a temporary thing. But I've not really read any of the evidence so I may be quite wrong.)
Click to expand...
Vaping as a cessation tool AFAIK is based on progressively reducing the amount of nicotine in the mix & so weaning yourself off it. That worked for me - much easier going smoking=>vaping with reducing nicotine content=>nothing than smoking=>nothing. But I don't think there's much hard evidence for it as generally effective strategy.

This is one reason why it's now basically illegal without a doctor's prescription here in Oz, nicotine being classed as a controlled drug. In fact, the evidence is said to show many (most?) people adopt vaping in addition to, rather than instead of, smoking.

Another reason is the apparently pretty clear evidence for nicotine artery etc harms even in the absence of smoke.

(There may also be an element of no pain = no gain moralising BS.)

Anyway, I never noticed vaping affecting my BG levels.
 
@Eddy Edson Are you saying that vaping is illegal in Australia unless prescribed? If so, that is really interesting and very surprising!
 
rebrascora said:
@Eddy Edson Are you saying that vaping is illegal in Australia unless prescribed? If so, that is really interesting and very surprising!
Click to expand...
Yes, as of last year, basically - introduction of legislation delayed by COVID.

lungfoundation.com.au

E-cigarettes and vaping - Lung Foundation Australia

Learn more about e-cigarette and vaping and the potential long-term health risks associated with vaping, particularly for young people.
lungfoundation.com.au lungfoundation.com.au

It is illegal to use, sell or buy nicotine for use in e-cigarettes to anyone in Australia without a prescription. With the exception of Western Australia, each state and territory permit the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes, but not the sale or purchase of liquid cartridges that contain nicotine. For this reason, many users purchase their products and liquid cartridges online. These products are often imported from overseas, meaning there is little control over how they are manufactured and what they contain.

In some cases, doctors can prescribe nicotine e-cigarettes as a means of weaning off tobacco use. There is little evidence that using this method is successful in achieving this outcome. From 1 October 2021, the Australian government introduced further restrictions to limit access to the use of nicotine e-cigarettes among adolescents and young adults. This included requiring a valid prescription to import nicotine e-cigarettes and liquids containing nicotine.

Up until then, it was kind of a grey area whether it was legal to import nicotine from o'seas (which is what I used to do), but now it's definitely not, without a prescription. But no doubt people still do it.
 
There's always the Yahoo News "story" from August 2023 to discourage the vaper:

Fitness fanatic, 20, shares horrifying images of how vaping 'destroyed his lungs'​

(search for it, if you wish to be horrified...)
 
Just wanted to chime in on the vaping conversation. Personally, I think vaping can be a mixed bag, like a box of chocolates—you never know what you're gonna get! While it might help some folks kick the smoking habit, it's important to tread carefully, like walking on thin ice. As for Hangsen E Liquids, well, they're just one flavor in a sea of options. I believe it's crucial to prioritize safety and moderation with any vaping product. It's like they say, "better safe than sorry!" But hey, that's just my two cents. What do you all think? Let's keep this conversation rolling!
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top