Vapor Makes Me Cough Like A Lunatic - Ideas?

[MedicatedJester]

Ok, I have tried researching this to death online, and have stumbled upon many theories, but I thought I would seek the advice of the community here to see what your thoughts are.

 

First, a little background.  I am a registered patient with a family, incluing two children.  My oldest is aware of my medication, and we have had many conversations throughout his upbringing on personal family issues remaining in the family.  My other child is much younger, and is unaware of my use of medical marijuana and I would like to keep it that way for now.

 

I tell you this because it's important to understand that I therefore keep my medicating very discrete.

 

I smoke, vape, as well as ingest my medicine.

 

For vaping I have used two different devices.  The Magic Flight Launch Box for flowers, and the micro G-Pen for wax.  I have no ability to use something larger as I do not smoke/vape in my house, and can not have a large vaporizer sitting around my garage.

 

When I use the MFLB, I tend to get very small, thin hits.  It takes some time, but I get well medicated with the MFLB.  However, almost every time, when I am finished, within a few minutes I get this very intense tickling-like sensation in the top of my lungs.  I can not help but start coughing, and it is extremely difficult to stop.  For about 10-15 minutes the top of my lungs are extremely tight, and painful.  This eventually subsides, but it is unpleasant.  The herb is a mixture of brown and green when I am finished, so I do not believe I am burning the plant.  I can't seem to get it to all brown, as when I try I start to get charred bits before I get rid of all the green.

 

When using my Micro G-Pen I generally never take more than one hit, and often quite a small hit, as I use it for discreet daytime medicating.  Even with the small amount I most often have the exact same experience I described above with my MFLB.

 

I have more or less stopped using the MFLB, as I generally only smoke/vape the flowers in the evening before bed, and frankly I just prefer the flower.  Something about smoking the whole flower gives me greater medical benefit than I have been able to acheive with vaping.  Specifically, I get a much more intense body buzz/body pain relief from a good Indica via smoking as opposed to vaping, and with certain strains I can acheive a very helpful anti-inflammatory effect I have not experienced with vaping.  I generally use a glass pipe for smoking, and do not have any of these coughing issues at all.

 

I do however like using the Micro G-Pen during the day for pain management as needed.  It gives me quick pain relief, is extremely portable, and very discreet.  Well, at least it's discreet when I am not hacking my brains out drawing attention to myself.

 

I have read that changing the temperature (generally turning it down) on the vape can help, but that is obviously not an option for me given what I have explained above.

 

Any ideas on how to prevent this?  Is it just that the THC content is so much higher that my lungs are reacting to it as an extreme expectorant?

 

Any other random thoughts?

[Hydraulic Jack]

Keep a glass of cold water at hand....HJ

[abe supercro]

if you get a bag vapor system, for flower, to mitigate the heat that shld kool the throat. tell the kids, practicing to make balloon animals.

[MedicatedJester]

@HJ - I probably should have mentioned that I ran across that recommendation as well.  It feels great while taking a drink, but doesn't seem to help alleviate the coughing at all.

 

@Abe - Not sure how that would work out ;-)  I just envision the entire neighboorhood of kids at my house one night with my youngest saying "Daddy, I brought all my friends over so you can show them how you're practicing to make balloon animals!  PLEASE DADDY!"

[abe supercro]

learn the art of balloon animals, while keeping the volcano out of site. you'll not be coughing and also prepared for party entertainment.

[t-pain]

someone in 2010 had similar issues with it:

http://forum.grasscity.com/apprentice-tokers/639200-magic-flight-launch-box-issues-concerns.html

 

have you cleaned it?

someone in that forum suggested putting a long tube on it to smoke thru so as to cool off the vapor before it hits you.

 

also try holding the battery less.

or hold the battery, then wait for it to cool back down, then inhale.

 

good luck, no idea. ^^^ vapor bag sounds like a good idea to me.

Edited June 25, 2013 by t-pain

[ozzrokk]

Yea I would say it is a heat issue from the vape. You need something with a longer tube or some kind of vaporizer that can make it cooler by the time it hits your lungs. From my experience from the MFLB is that it has very little distance from heat to throat and it also seems to burn the herb to smoke instead of just vapor.

[MedicatedJester]

Hmmm....making a whip for the MFLB might help.  Not really possible with the G-Pen of course.

 

Maybe I will try letting the vapor sit in the G-Pen for a few seconds prior to inhaling.

 

Consensus seems to be on the temperature of the vapor, thanks for all the tips!

 

One follow up question - do you think the temperature of the vapor is higher than that of the smoke (which doesn't bother me at all)? 

 

@ozzrokk - The thing with the MFLB is that it takes a lot of practice.  When I first got it a year or so ago, I just couldn't get it to vape without burning.  I actually set it aside for months because of this.  I eventually tried it again, and with a lot of practicing I have learned to vape the bud without burning it. Although as I mentioned I still end up with probably 90% vaped, but 10% green herb.  Haven't fingured out how to completely vape it yet.

[Kingdiamond]

Make sure your not overheating the medicine it should not be harsh on the throat only time it is out of my Arizer extreme is when the temps are too high on the v tower.

[Celliach]

I can't smoke a vape either.  It effects me worse than regular smoke.  Many people tell me I'm crazy, but I've met many people that are in the same boat as I.

[ozzrokk]

I will have to experiment a little more with the MFLB...... Thanx for the tip........

 

 

I have heard many other people say that vaping is worse on them than smoking..... I think vapor and smoke are two different animals and the vapor effects different peoples lungs in different ways, for some reason.

[solabeirtan]

"Small hits!" What I used to always here, but rarely heed. Seriously though it could be as simple as breathing correctly. After being in the hospital and playing with one of those breathing machines, with the floats in them. I began to  learn different breathing tekniques. Such as just taking a kinda light draw, real slow, keep going till you feel the urge to cough and then stop. Try playing with that to see if it helps. There seems to be this mad rush to get the smoking over so you can be medicated as soon as possible. Try to relax and enjoy the process. See how small a toke you can take without coughing. Enjoy. Hope it helps...

 

I have tried other setups including hooking the Volcano bag to a WaterPipe /w the Ice holders and even a ash-catcher/bubbler in line /w the bag plugged into the top. Gets much larger tokes. & smokes good too. Now I rarely smoke a joint. Only if I cant get to the Vapor.

[abe supercro]

breathe a little air in along w your hit, not as concentrated and cooler.

[Celliach]

It's more than taking smaller hits and/or breathing in air.  If that's what the problem was, then regular smoke would be a problem too.  It aggravates my lungs much more than regular smoke.  

[LongHairBri]

winterized oil is what you need. removing the waxes and lipids soothes the smoke and the choke 

 

and as for cooling. wind or curl a longer tubing into a cup full of ice making a radiator/condensing coil type pre-cooler

[Celliach]

Oil kills my lungs!  If I smoke oil, I can't breathe for days afterwards.

[phaquetoo]

learn the art of balloon animals, while keeping the volcano out of site. you'll not be coughing and also prepared for party entertainment.

lmao!

 

dont take such big hits, you dont need to see smoke coming out of your mouth when you are vaping, if you smell something like popcorn burning it is too hot!  I have awsome f.b from my dr. over me vaping vs just smoking, I have asthma and copd and my lungs are doing so much better when I only vape, I still like to taiste the budd so I def roll one here and there, and I also do alot of oil, you can eat the oil, you can put it in capsules or you can make it how I do (i make lil hash oil sticks) and eat them, you will have to practice that a few times before you get the right amount to eat, Ive eaten to much and well I chilled all day wondering when I was gonna feel normal again, lol!

 

but at least I knew I wasnt going to o.d!!!

 

Peace

Jim

[cristinew]

do you smoke cigarettes? if you do that can cause problems

[Celliach]

I gave up cigarettes 12 years ago when my right lung completely collapsed three times in ten days.

[MedicatedJester]

No, I don't smoke cigarettes.  I think it maybe just what Celliach and ozzrokk were saying.  Perhaps some people are just more sensitive to vapor.  I have no issues smoking flower.

 

I tried a simple experiment based on the cooling philosophy.  I took a hit from the G-Pen, and just held it in my mouth for 20 seconds or so to let it cool.  Then I inhaled.  I almost hacked up a lunch.  Seriously, I coughed so hard and long I thought I was going to vomit. 

 

It feels less like it is triggering a cough reflex (like if you take a gigantic hit of smoke) and more like almost an allergic reaction.  Like there is an immediate irritation of the lungs that takes about 10-15 minutes to subside.

 

The smaller the hit, the less the pain.  I rarely take huge hits of vapor because 1) I can't get huge hits from the MFLB and 2) I only use the G-pen for light medicating during the day (one small toke at a time).

 

I think I will try tiny, tiny hits to see if that helps, because having that tightness in my chest and massive coughing attacks seriosuly sucks.

 

I would abandon it all together if it wasn't for the incredible convenience and stealth of the G-Pen.  It just can't be beat.

 

@phaquetoo - I do make my own tincure and ingest a fair amount that way.  You do have to be careful though because it can be intense, and if you overdo it, you are in for the long haul ;-).  I make an alcohol based tincture out of bud.  It takes me about 4-6 weeks to finish up a batch as I let it sit for at least 2 weeks for the extraction, then I let it sit just covered with a cheesecloth for another 4 weeks or so an evaporate down to an ounce or so of tincture (from about an oz of bud).  It's quite strong, and worth the wait.

[MedicatedJester]

Oh, and LongHairBri - I have some winterized and some non-winterized wax.  I'll have to take note if I experience any difference between them.  Good tip.

[Celliach]

It's not only the waxes, oil produces a lot of tar.  

 

For stealth I just twist one up the same size as a cigarette and smoke it just like it was a cigarette.  I walk around town with my dog while smoking.

[abe supercro]

oh darn that must of been scary as hell Celli, having one lung temporarily go on ya!!! good to hear you have use of them now to walk your dog in enjoyment... even while bending the rules slightly heh heh. Oh yeah your up north so there's hardly anyone around to note your stealthy ways.

 

Oil makes me cough more, figured it was the heat and concentration combination. Remember this stuff is an expectorant -

 

Jester ask around, try a volcano and get back with us!!!!! Perhaps your vaping devices Suck! Pun intended, no not really.

[Celliach]

I live right in downtown.  It's a small town, about 2000 people, but I literally live on Main St.  I always say, one of the best ways to hide something is right out in the open.

 

Scary?  Yes!  I spent 12 days in the hospital.  They were going to give me one more day for my lung to stay up before they sent me into surgery.  Fortunately, I never had the surgery.  I couldn't smoke anything for months.  I was on a medible diet for at least 12 weeks.  The worst part was not being able to keep my breath while lying down for a month or so.  I had to sleep sitting up.

[abe supercro]

-

 

I don't know how long ago your situations was, but Welcome Back!! Sounds like you're in the right place (the u.p.) for abundant fresh air and perhaps even a relaxed lifestyle which can be very beneficial to the body and mind.

Edited June 26, 2013 by abe supercro