8 Vaping Side-Effects – What to Expect When You Start Vaping

“Surely, electronic cigarettes can’t be good for you!? All that vapor swirling in your mouth. Aren’t vaping side-effects much worse than smoking side-effects?”

“I heard a guy died from vaping. It was on the news. Electronic cigarettes are so much more toxic than regular ones, right?”

AAARGHHHH!

This and similar crap is what you’ll probably hear repeated over and over by woefully ignorant people who have your ‘best interests’ at heart. They’ve never vaped personally, of course, but somehow they feel qualified to weigh in on vaping side-effects, even when you don’t ask them.

The fact that mainstream media is hellbent on perpetuating these vaping side-effects myths doesn’t help. In fact, vaping is so vilified that even The New York Times can’t report on a potential FDA flavor ban without including several obvious falsehoods. You know, the usual ones about how vaping is an epidemic, a gateway drug, and a trap for kids.

I will be the first one to agree that no vapes should be marketed to people under 18 (or even 21 – if we do it for beer, why not for cigarettes and vape gear?), but this is going too far. Instead of educating children about NOT inhaling anything other than fresh air unless they have to, we’re going to ban products that are saving lives and helping people get off analog cigarettes? Talk about taking a cannon to a gunfight.

But, back to the point – what are the real side-effects of vaping?

Taking up vaping will definitely be challenging at times and there are things you will need to consider – social implications, temptations, and adjustment period are among those things. However, Public Health England (PHE) did a study that conclusively showed that:

• Vaping won’t kill you (cigarettes will do that much faster)
• Vaping is a successful smoking cessation method
• Vaping side-effects are minor and usually intertwined with smoking cessation side-effects

In fact, there’s a bunch of vape-positive studies out there that you can reference. Unfortunately, they tend to be drowned out with fake vaping news that serve one purpose only – to get you hooked back on combustibles.

Before we dive into the real vaping side-effects, let’s take a look at how getting of cigarettes can mess you up (and have you believe that all you’re experiencing is down to your new vape).

Vaping Side-Effects VS. Smoking Cessation Side-Effects

If you decide to start vaping, chances are you’re doing it to cut back on smoking cigarettes. That’s the catch. Smoking is a lot better way to introduce nicotine into your system and most side-effects people usually attribute to smoking are, in fact, nicotine withdrawal side-effects.

You can try to compensate (check out our guide to nicotine levels in vape juices) but the fact remains that, with vaping, you will be getting less nicotine (unless you’re chain vaping constantly), and this will cause some problems in the beginning.

Nicotine withdrawal side-effects include:

• Coughing

• Headaches

• Sore throat

• Dizziness

• Nausea and vomiting

• Feeling tired

• Problems with sleeping and insomnia
• Concentration and memory issues

When you’re starting up with vaping, the problem is that you can’t really distinguish which of these are e-cigarette side-effects and which are nicotine withdrawal side-effects. The line is blurry and you will often mix these two up.

It’s important to keep in mind that withdrawal symptoms are much worse and they will usually bubble up to the surface sooner than later – most of the time you’re not suffering from vaping side-effects at all. For more information about what to expect from nicotine withdrawal, check out WhyQuit guide for a full list of symptoms.

The True Side-Effects of Electronic Cigarettes

Vaping side-effects are usually much milder than nicotine withdrawal ones. They do exist, there’s no sidestepping that, and there were studies carried out that confirm them but the fact remains that only a small percentage of people will experience the more serious ones. More common e-cigarette side-effects clear up within the first couple of weeks or when addressed properly.

Dehydration is the Most Common Vaping Side-Effect

Dehydration is the most common side-effect of vaping. It occurs because both Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin absorb moisture, trapping it and causing your throat to dry up. Even mild dehydration can leave you feeling weak, fatigued, and unable to focus.

Symptoms (actually, conditions) caused by dehydration are:

• Dry mouth – vapor passing through your mouth will trap moisture, leaving your mouth and lips dry.
• Dry skin – your skin will start losing moisture as body taps into it.
• Itching – well, dry skin itches. If you’re not staying hydrated expect your lips to show it.

All of this can be avoided if you simply remember that your body needs more fluids when you are vaping. Ramp up your water intake by a mere 10% (one glass!) when vaping, and you will be just fine. If you don’t do it, you will get dehydrated and other dehydration symptoms will start showing up.

Feeling Tired & Run Down

Hey, you just quit smoking – it’s to be expected that you’ll feel tired.

Nicotine is a stimulant that you’ve been taking for years. Now that you’ve cut down, you’re body is telling you that it’s missing something.

The best way to counter this is to play around with your nicotine strength. If it’s low, push it up a bit. If it’s high, lower it.

The point is to find what best suits you and your body. Once you get to that point, the feeling of tiredness will soon go away.

Minor Headaches

This is deffo not a biggie.

Once you stop smoking, you can expect some minor headaches to kick in. It’s your body’s way of signaling that it’s missing some alkaloids commonly found in tobacco (but not in vape liquid).

Think of this as the withdrawal phase – you’re still taking in nicotine, but there’s a lot of other stuff your body is accustomed to that you’re not getting now. Additionally, headaches can occur if you’re dehydrated. If you’re experiencing dry mouth in addition to headaches, make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids.

If all of this persists, then put down that vape pen and go see a doctor. It’s probably nothing, but it might not be connected to vaping at all so it’s better to check it out.

Canker Sores

Canker sores are not the same as cold sores. They are small, tiny wounds (similar to blisters) that show up inside the mouth. They are caused by a lot of things – spicy foods, vitamin deficiency, hormones, stress, and, yes, vaping.

What’s important to remember here is that canker sores are not caused by vapor or vape juice. If you’re vaping and they show up as one of the side-effects, it’s a question of hygiene. The e-cigarette mouthpiece collects dust, vape juice gunk, and a bunch of microbes and bacteria that usually inhabit our mouth. That’s why it’s important that you regularly clean it.

Dizziness is Another Common Side-Effect

Dizziness is also a common vaping side-effect. Usually, it can be attributed to nicotine withdrawal, but beginner vapers who were heavy smokers can overdo it in an effort to compensate for nicotine they feel they are deprived of since they aren’t smoking. If at any point during vaping you start feeling dizzy, it’s time to put that e-cigarette down and concentrate on doing something else.

Most of the time, you’re getting too much nicotine and that’s what is making you dizzy. Certain setups and styles of vaping (chain vaping in an environment where you’re not worried what people will think, such as vape shops or at home) can deliver to much nicotine in a too short period of time. This is a common vaping problem and it’s usually referred to as being ‘nic-sick’.

Rule of thumb – always know what nicotine strength your vape juice is. If it’s in the area of 3 to 9 milligrams, you can vape for extended periods of time. Anything above that and you should be taking regular breaks from vaping and making sure you’re drinking enough water.

Various Allergies Come Into the Play

Apart from VG, PG, and nicotine, a lot of vape juices will also contain flavorings. These flavorings can be naturally extracted or artificially made, and they can range from nuts and fruits to menthol and butter – yeah, there are butter-flavored vape juices out there!

Some people can have an allergic reaction to these additives. If a vape juice is making you uncomfortable in any way (you’re breaking out in hives, your throat starts tightening, or anything similar), check the ingredients and find out whether there’s something in there you’re allergic to. Most people won’t have a reaction to flavorings but if you suffer from allergies, it’s best that you buy only vape juices from manufacturers who disclose their ingredients.

Also, keep in mind that a very small percentage of people are allergic to PG and VG. If you’re one of them, buy vape juices that are either pure PG or pure VG, depending on your allergy (VG allergies are less common, and it’s EXTREMELY uncommon to be allergic to both).

Heartburn Does, Too

Although uncommon, some people do complain that they experience heartburn when vaping. It’s not that gut-wrenching heartburn that you experience with eating acidic foods, or drinking alcohol or coffee, however, it’s still there.

If heartburn is one of your vaping side-effects, the fault will usually lie with the vape juice that you’re using. Try avoiding fruity and overly sweet juices and stick to more subdued flavors. That should help clear up the problem.

And Ugh… That Vaper’s Tongue

I’ve written about vaper’s tongue before right here so if you want to learn more, check out this post right here. Basically, it’s a condition that affects the taste buds. They can completely lose function, causing you not to taste anything. Alternatively, you can experience distorted taste (tasting strawberry as banana, or coffee as menthol), or experience a diminished sense of taste.

Most of the time, vaper’s tongue is caused by using the same vape juice over and over. Our taste buds become so desensitized to it that they throw a hissy fit until we switch it out. Also, it can be caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Brush and use mouthwash – and don’t forget to give your tongue a scrape to help clear those taste buds!

A Final Word On E-Cigarette Side-Effects

As you can see, vaping side-effects are few and far in between. If you start experiencing any of the symptoms, dig a bit deeper to determine whether they are caused by vaping or by nicotine withdrawal. Don’t give in to mass hysteria – vaping can help you get rid of a very nasty habit and if you don’t investigate the source of your side-effects, you’ll let an opportunity pass you by. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids and, barring any allergies, e cigarette side-effects will be non-existent to minimal.

If you’re experiencing any vaping side-effects, I’d love to hear how you’re dealing with them. Drop down to the comments and let me know. Also, do the same if you have any questions at all – I will do my best to answer them!