So a lot of people say the first thing we should do when starting transition is quit smoking. Well im wondering if vaping has the same bad side effects as a cigarette does? I mean it's just nicotine, water and flavoring if you get one of the high quality juices like Halo....so it can't hurt that bad ya know lol.
My guess is nicotine is the concern for added risk of blood clotting. I wouldn't assume vaping is ok, I would definitely discuss with your doctor first.
Nicotine is still nicotine regardless of the method in which you procure it, and it's bad when you combine hormones and grs/srs surgery. Yes they are better because you don't get the tar and other nasties but nicotine is the primary protagonist in narrowing of the capillaries and increasing chances of getting of dvt. Also if srs is being done it can cause necrosis. Oh and if you are on hormones and get dvt it's over and the Dr won't prescribe anymore
My doc is a fan of E Cigs as an alternative for us transitioners. I will ask him why next time I see him.
I quit smoking not only because of the health risks (even before HRT), but because it is about the least feminine thing a person can do. It's gross, it stinks, it gives you horrible breath, it makes your clothes stink, it makes your hair stink, it makes your car stink, your house stink, etc. Oh and it ruins your makeup.
For MtF's, if passing is a priority, then kicking the habit is probably a really good step in the right direction in that regards.
-AM
I heard nicotine is an estrogen antagonist.
Quote from: Seras on February 06, 2014, 08:16:22 AM
I heard nicotine is an estrogen antagonist.
Not too sure about that one. If so i think my doctors would have mentioned it when they said that THC is.
Quit smoking not because if it or if it will not effect your transition, do it simply for yourself - because you will be much healthier!
I kinda' feel for smokers when they ask questions on forums.
Nobody can smell their 2nd hand smoke from a computer screen. Also, I do not believe this thread was ever singing the praises of the health benefits of smoking. I think we can take it as a thread where the OP is seriously looking at options to help quit. So there is really no need to use this thread as a soapbox to yell, "Smoking is bad.... Mmmmmkay?"
(Tori steps down from her own soapbox and straightens her skirt.)
As a quitting option, e-cigs are a very useful tool... and at your pace, you can scale down the nicotine level to zero and still use it.
Quote from: Tori on February 06, 2014, 01:07:11 PM
I kinda' feel for smokers when they ask questions on forums.
Nobody can smell their 2nd hand smoke from a computer screen. Also, I do not believe this thread was ever singing the praises of the health benefits of smoking. I think we can take it as a thread where the OP is seriously looking at options to help quit. So there is really no need to use this thread as a soapbox to yell, "Smoking is bad.... Mmmmmkay?"
(Tori steps down from her own soapbox and straightens her skirt.)
As a quitting option, e-cigs are a very useful tool... and at your pace, you can scale down the nicotine level to zero and still use it.
Oh im not looking to quit lol. Im just looking for and found a safer way to get my nicotine and found one in my Halo Triton. Heck im even using a 12mg juice when a cigarette has about 6-8mg of nicotine and am considering a 16mg juice so i can spend more time inside on my breaks at work and less time outside in the cold.
Heh, I rather like my e-vape too. No throat hit without some nic. ;)
But remember, smoking is bad mmmmmkay?
Quote from: Tori on February 06, 2014, 01:43:44 PM
Heh, I rather like my e-vape too. No throat hit without some nic. ;)
But remember, smoking is bad mmmmmkay?
how about a carrot
Nicotine is dangerous and addictive. If you smoke, please stop. If you use e-cigs, you are still an addict. I don't want to see anyone here with a DVT and have to go off HRT permanently.
What's more important, maintaining your addiction or having a happy future?
Quitting cold turkey in 2011 was the best move I ever made.
I dare all of you smokers to do the same. You will want to kill sh*t for about 2 weeks, then it's over.
Quote from: Jill F on February 06, 2014, 01:57:56 PM
I've never smoked a carrot.
then try smoking a banana peel
I am 45 years old and started smoking when I was 12. I tried e-cigs in an attempt to help me quit smoking last year. I wound up with a nasty respiratory infection and was coughing up blood. Not a pleasant experience at all. I pretty much gave up on quitting until last week when I met with a new doctor within my health plan that told me he will not prescribe HRT to a smoker under any circumstances. So I got some nicotine gum and have not had a cigarette in three days. Getting any of the various illnesses that smoking can cause was not enough incentive for me to quit, but being told I could not have HRT if I smoked was.
So you transform yourself into a beautiful woman with COPD who has to drag around an oxygen concentrator. If you think gender dysphoria is rough, try just wanting to get a breath.
I smoked for 20 years and have quit for the past 27. Even so my lungs are damaged to some degree.
I had a strange and pretty messed up incentive to quit smoking. My former downstairs neighbor ended up needing oxygen to breath as a result of smoking, and yet he kept on smoking. One night he fell asleep while smoking and using oxygen. The result was I woke up to flames crawling up my bedroom wall. Thankfully everyone made it out of the house safely. But, the house was a loss, and I lost everything I owned but the clothes I had on and my pets. So, right then I decided not to smoke ever again.
I do miss it though. Working retail just screams "take a smoke break - it'll get you out of the building for 15 minutes where you don't have to deal with psychotic bull->-bleeped-<- customers" But.. I can't let myself do it. I just keep flashing back PTSD style to the image of the flames crawling up my bedroom wall.
Quote from: allisonsteph on February 06, 2014, 08:16:10 PM
I am 45 years old and started smoking when I was 12. I tried e-cigs in an attempt to help me quit smoking last year. I wound up with a nasty respiratory infection and was coughing up blood. Not a pleasant experience at all. I pretty much gave up on quitting until last week when I met with a new doctor within my health plan that told me he will not prescribe HRT to a smoker under any circumstances. So I got some nicotine gum and have not had a cigarette in three days. Getting any of the various illnesses that smoking can cause was not enough incentive for me to quit, but being told I could not have HRT if I smoked was.
Tried the gum, couldn't keep it lit. Tried the patches, they tasted awful and kept sticking to my lips....carrots won't light to save my life....and i tried an Oxy torch at work even. Cold turkey, i prefer my turkey hot and between bread or smothered in gravy, onions and mushrooms.
Any others? I can go all night like this cuz work has me in a goofy sleep deprived mood lol.
Quote from: kariann330 on February 06, 2014, 10:51:34 PM
Any others? I can go all night like this cuz work has me in a goofy sleep deprived mood lol.
Me too! I knew a guy that was offered a high paying job in a Nitrous Oxide plant, but he laughed it off! *giggle* ;D
Quote from: kariann330 on February 06, 2014, 01:28:00 PM
Oh im not looking to quit lol. Im just looking for and found a safer way to get my nicotine and found one in my Halo Triton. Heck im even using a 12mg juice when a cigarette has about 6-8mg of nicotine and am considering a 16mg juice so i can spend more time inside on my breaks at work and less time outside in the cold.
I actually am looking to quit. I am hoping to be close to 0 nicotine by the time I start hrt. I have done some research and I don't think nicotine causes DVT. But I could be wrong. Research pages are hard to read sometimes. Check this and you tell me
http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/nicotine/dvt (http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/nicotine/dvt)
And right now I am vaping 12mg (down from 24mg) of torque56 in my princess pink Triton from halo cigs. And my wife has the purple. She does not know I am reducing the nic every order. We did agree to. But she remembers nothing.
Quote from: Norma Lynne on February 06, 2014, 11:35:32 PM
I actually am looking to quit. I am hoping to be close to 0 nicotine by the time I start hrt. I have done some research and I don't think nicotine causes DVT. But I could be wrong. Research pages are hard to read sometimes. Check this and you tell me
http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/nicotine/dvt (http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/nicotine/dvt)
And right now I am vaping 12mg (down from 24mg) of torque56 in my princess pink Triton from halo cigs. And my wife has the purple. She does not know I am reducing the nic every order. We did agree to. But she remembers nothing.
Omg i love there Tiki Juice and Kringle's Curse. Im thinking about ordering the torque or Voodoo when i wake up and my check has cleared. Too bad they don't have a cherry vanilla tho or i would be in heaven. I have the 650 battery in iridescent.
Quote from: Norma Lynne on February 06, 2014, 11:35:32 PM
I actually am looking to quit. I am hoping to be close to 0 nicotine by the time I start hrt. I have done some research and I don't think nicotine causes DVT. But I could be wrong. Research pages are hard to read sometimes. Check this and you tell me
http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/nicotine/dvt (http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/nicotine/dvt)
And right now I am vaping 12mg (down from 24mg) of torque56 in my princess pink Triton from halo cigs. And my wife has the purple. She does not know I am reducing the nic every order. We did agree to. But she remembers nothing.
When considering the risk of DVT from smoking/nicotne, you also need to factor in the effects of HRT..
A study on rats showed that nicotine exposure abolishes the beneficial and protective effects of estrogen on the hippocampus, an estrogen-sensitive region of the brain involved in memory formation and retention. And that seems like a good enough reason to me to stop.
Quote from: The Post-Trans-Rebel. on February 07, 2014, 12:40:45 AM
When considering the risk of DVT from smoking/nicotne, you also need to factor in the effects of HRT..
A study on rats showed that nicotine exposure abolishes the beneficial and protective effects of estrogen on the hippocampus, an estrogen-sensitive region of the brain involved in memory formation and retention. And that seems like a good enough reason to me to stop.
Can ya possibly dumb that one down for us raised in the backwoods?
Quote from: The Post-Trans-Rebel. on February 07, 2014, 12:40:45 AM
When considering the risk of DVT from smoking/nicotne, you also need to factor in the effects of HRT..
HRT, regardless of delivery method, places some strain on the liver.. The stuff that makes your blood clot is created in the liver.. Smoking on it's own increases clotting risk.. HRT on it's own increases clotting risk.. These risks are don't just add together when you smoke and take HRT.. They multiply.
QuoteA study on rats showed that nicotine exposure abolishes the beneficial and protective effects of estrogen on the hippocampus, an estrogen-sensitive region of the brain involved in memory formation and retention. And that seems like a good enough reason to me to stop.
Nicotine reduces the ability of the part of the brain that remembers stuff to actually work..
Quote from: The Post-Trans-Rebel. on February 07, 2014, 12:40:45 AM
When considering the risk of DVT from smoking/nicotne, you also need to factor in the effects of HRT..
A study on rats showed that nicotine exposure abolishes the beneficial and protective effects of estrogen on the hippocampus, an estrogen-sensitive region of the brain involved in memory formation and retention. And that seems like a good enough reason to me to stop.
That's exactly why I want to be done with nicotine by the time I start hrt. Unfortunately I have more I need to get out of my system and it won't be as easy as nicotine to quit. I am disabled with chronic pain and on narcotics and other antidepressants. and I have found out that those affect hrt as well. I have been weaning my self down and I'm half way there. My therapist is going to work with me on relieving my pain with meditation and exercise.
Norma Lynne.
I loved to smoke. It was beautiful. Two packs camel lights a day. I would never touch some ridiculous ecig or whatever.
I never wanted to quit. I never even tried. I got sick once and was wiped out for about 10 days and was literally too sick to smoke. By the time I was able to light one up I was so impacted with mucus and sinus stuff that I couldn't breath and for the first time in years it tasted bad. I told my gf and she said to keep see if I could keep from smoking.
To this day I have nightmares about smoking and breaking my streak. I basically quit cold turkey by default and have rode it out ever since. But I miss it so much.
I don't know anything about nicotine and dvt, I suspect nicotine isn't the problem so much as all the smoke toxins are. But it's up to you.
Quote from: The Post-Trans-Rebel. on February 07, 2014, 01:05:05 AM
HRT, regardless of delivery method, places some strain on the liver.. The stuff that makes your blood clot is created in the liver.. Smoking on it's own increases clotting risk.. HRT on it's own increases clotting risk.. These risks are don't just add together when you smoke and take HRT.. They multiply.
Nicotine reduces the ability of the part of the brain that remembers stuff to actually work..
I fear the effects of HRT without nicotine, if nicotine is reducing them. I forgot what we were talking about.
Quote from: Tori on February 06, 2014, 01:07:11 PM
I kinda' feel for smokers when they ask questions on forums.
Nobody can smell their 2nd hand smoke from a computer screen. Also, I do not believe this thread was ever singing the praises of the health benefits of smoking. I think we can take it as a thread where the OP is seriously looking at options to help quit. So there is really no need to use this thread as a soapbox to yell, "Smoking is bad.... Mmmmmkay?"
(Tori steps down from her own soapbox and straightens her skirt.)
As a quitting option, e-cigs are a very useful tool... and at your pace, you can scale down the nicotine level to zero and still use it.
This is how I have to quit. I'm 50 and have been smoking since I was 12. Never heavily mind you, only about a pack per day (less now that I'm switching over. Have the Blu pack that charges my batteries and stores my atomizers. Way cheaper than cigs too in the long run.). But when you've had this habit as long as I have ya don't just quit cold turkey. ;)
In the past I used Champix (Chantix in the US) to quit and it worked quite well. Sadly I had started up again.
When I started HRT I asked for another prescription, but found that I was getting some kind of reaction.
What I ended up doing is carrying and e cigarette and nicotine inhaler. In Canada e-cigarettes with nicotine are illegal, so I needed one for the nicotine craving and one for the sensation of smoking. The idea being that they would act as a security blanket if sorts when I would get a craving. I would then wait 30 seconds after getting a craving to use either one. I found that after a while the craving would pass before I took a puff.
This worked well for me considering I was a pack a day smoker who would otherwise be insufferable when I attempted to quit cold turkey before.
The second part of this was that I would never allow myself to touch a cigarette. It was always that one that did me in and I'd start right up again.
I quit because my lungs started sticking together.
I know a guy(not trans) who after 23 years he quit cold turkey. I was with one day we were in the gas station and he asked for a pack when they told him the cost he said " how much?" and after they told him again he said "f-that" and straight up quit, and never smoked again, I was amazed that he did that I know it's hard to quit even though I never smoked. Just blew me away.
The only scientific opinion I have read (like from a scientist what does science and stuff) said that nicotine is a relatively harmless molecule, it's the other 3000 or so chemicals in cigarette smoke that are the problem. So if you're vaping it probably isn't going to make too much difference one way or the other. No-one is certain as eCigs haven't been around that long.
You might be able to find someone who will (very stridently) inform you about all the ways in which cigarettes are the very foodstuff of the Nephilim and being within 100 metres of one will cause every cell in your body to hit the self-distruct button REALLY HARD. But whatever. You weren't asking about cigarettes were you?
Rosie
Besides nicotine and flavoring, the other two ingredients used in e juice are glycerines, one is a common food additive and the other is what makes fog machines work in stadium rock concerts.
E cigs have not been proven safe, but it is quite likely they are way safer than cigarettes or 2nd hand smoke, since everybody, not just people who use e cigs have injested large amounts of those glycerines before.
Quote from: Tori on February 07, 2014, 05:09:19 PM
Besides nicotine and flavoring, the other two ingredients used in e juice are glycerines, one is a common food additive and the other is what makes fog machines work in stadium rock concerts.
E cigs have not been proven safe, but it is quite likely they are way safer than cigarettes or 2nd hand smoke, since everybody, not just people who use e cigs have inested large amounts of those glycerines before.
This is true. My concern is that because e-cigs are not regulated in any way there is no way to ensure that they contain what the manufacturer claims they do.
This is kinda' true.
A safe bet would be to spend a few extra dimes and buy juice made in America where such things must meet FDA standards or other countries with similar standards.
Cheap Chineese juice is not regulated.
The brand, Halo, which the OP mentioned is a very good brand that meets all regulations and requirements from the FDA. Know where your juice comes from.
Quote from: Tori on February 07, 2014, 05:24:03 PM
This is kinda' true.
A safe bet would be to spend a few extra dimes and buy juice made in America where such things must meet FDA standards or other countries with similar standards.
Cheap Chineese juice is not regulated.
The brand, Halo, which the OP mentioned is a very good brand that meets all regulations and requirements from the FDA. Know where your juice comes from.
I agree, support the economy and buy American. Plus as already stated everything Halo uses in there juice is FDA certified for human consumption....the stuff from China or Japan, while it may be cheaper, could contain battery acid for all we know.
I have heard people saying that smoking cigarettes can affect your transition, by stunting your development.
I don't think it effected me... I have being smoking for about 5 years now, 3 as a regular smoker. I smoke a light menthol brand. I am addicted to them as I do get cravings and do enjoy smoking. I don't want to be a lifetime smoker.. but I am not ready to quit yet, I know I will quit one day.
I have being looking into getting a e-cig, as I do worry about some of chemicals inside a cigarette. Do you get the same sensation with an e-cig?
Quote from: noleen111 on February 08, 2014, 12:12:36 AM
I have heard people saying that smoking cigarettes can affect your transition, by stunting your development.
I don't think it effected me... I have being smoking for about 5 years now, 3 as a regular smoker. I smoke a light menthol brand. I am addicted to them as I do get cravings and do enjoy smoking. I don't want to be a lifetime smoker.. but I am not ready to quit yet, I know I will quit one day.
I have being looking into getting a e-cig, as I do worry about some of chemicals inside a cigarette. Do you get the same sensation with an e-cig?
I think so. They don't taste the same but with the right e cig you get a good throat hit just like a regular one. I use Halo Cigs just Google that and check them out. I got the G6 first but then bought the Triton. Most people end up with the triton in the end. Cause the batteries last longer.
My vaporizer has been incredibly useful to me in my quest to quit smoking. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I'm primarily a social smoker. I was down to 1-2 cigarettes a day; unless there is a great conversation - then half a pack would be gone by the end of the night.
My vaporizer has no nicotine in it anymore. It just enables me to deal with my oral fixation (no snickering please ::)) during deep conversation. I can discuss politics, economics, and philosophy all night now without the need for a cigarette.
All I know is my e-cigs have been a Godsend in helping me quit the real ones. Right now I'm using the Blu with the pack that will charge one battery, store my other along with three full flavor atomizers.
Quote from: Allyda on February 08, 2014, 01:17:25 PM
All I know is my e-cigs have been a Godsend in helping me quit the real ones. Right now I'm using the Blu with the pack that will charge one battery, store my other along with three full flavor atomizers.
You should try the tank style (aka clearomizer). One click of the button and you will be converted instantly. The Halo starter kit comes with two batteries, two tanks, a wall charger and a USB charger in a carrying case. You can also earn rewards points towards free juice, 250 for the starter kit and 100 for every 1, $20 spent on juice, or 2 every big bottle of juice you buy. If anyone is interested in buying one, PM me with your email address and ill send you a link that will get you bonus points.
E-cigs pretty much did the opposite for me as many of you.
Before I started using e-cigs, I smoked maybe 1-3 cigarettes a day. Mostly at the university. Heavier smoking happened during finals week. Then for a little while I started just using nasal snuff tobacco - you pretty much just snort it, although very gently so as to make sure it stays in your nose and doesn't go back into your throat. I find it less disgusting than dipping, and it was stealthy, so I could do it at the university without going outside. It also has pretty much the lowest instance of cancer of any way to ingest tobacco (not meaning nicotine, just tobacco plant matter itself).
I didn't smoke or use snuff much, and ended up having long unintended breaks from both forms, other than at parties and such.
Then, I tried out e-cigs.
I loved the method so much, and the fact you could do it anywhere pretty much, that I would just vape all day long. I boosted my nicotine tolerance to turbo-levels. At one point I power smoked an unfiltered lucky strike at a gig and not feel a nicotine buzz. Before e-cigs, I would have had to smoke lucky strikes slowly, and would feel a massive buzz.
I'm done using nicotine except for rare occasions - pretty much just at parties, or when out drinking. 0-3 cigarettes per month. I managed to quit habitual nicotine use a year ago or so.
I used cigarettes to quit using nicotine. With the e-cigs, I had a much harder time controlling myself, both from knowing that it's less harmful than tobacco, and from how easy it was to use them - and how clean it feels compared to smoking. It was super hard trying to quit e-cigs for me. I did not want to be a slave to nicotine, and suffer long term consequences of sustained heavy nicotine use.
My e-cig died, and I just didn't buy a new one. My girlfriend smokes, so I just bummed smokes from her for a little while. Then, I'd just share a half one with her when I smoked. Eventually I just stopped smoking because I didn't like how it made my lungs and body feel. An occasional cig is ok, but I refuse to buy any form of nicotine anymore.
I like having smoking as a super-rare treat. Now, I actually feel something from the nicotine. When my nicotine tolerance was really high, I felt nothing really. It just made me feel like crap if I wasn't using it enough.
What about weed?
Quote from: emilyking on February 09, 2014, 04:08:20 AM
What about weed?
Lets see, its illegal in the US and should stay that way, it has MORE carcinogens then tobacco, and it blocks your body from processing estrogen at normal levels. Also even if you live in a state that has medicinal laws, or legalized personal use, you can still be fired by a company for failing a UA or hair test. Also a workers comp claim will be denied, even in states with medicinal or personal use laws if you fail a post injury drug test....and once again you will be fired.
Totally not worth it imho.
Quote from: kariann330 on February 09, 2014, 01:08:12 PM
Lets see, its illegal in the US and should stay that way, it has MORE carcinogens then tobacco, and it blocks your body from processing estrogen at normal levels. Also even if you live in a state that has medicinal laws, or legalized personal use, you can still be fired by a company for failing a UA or hair test. Also a workers comp claim will be denied, even in states with medicinal or personal use laws if you fail a post injury drug test....and once again you will be fired.
Totally not worth it imho.
Can you show us any scientific evidence (empirical studies) which support your claims?
Also, Emily, I think there are better places to be asking these types of questions (one of them even has a board for transgender discussion). Here, I don't know if the mods are OK with this type of talk or not. Sometimes people can be uninformed or misinformed about cannabis, which is OK because this is not a place where people come to talk about weed.
I don't smoke it myself, but I'm not against people using it at all, and in the coming years when it starts becoming more and more legal throughout the world, perhaps this cloud of misinformation will lift.
Edit: I want to add that I think it's unhealthy to smoke -anything-.
Quote from: emilyking on February 09, 2014, 04:08:20 AM
What about weed?
When it comes to transition? The jury is still out.
As it becomes more and more legal, I imagine it will also be researched more than ever and there is already a lot of research to sift through.
If you live somewhere where it is legal, some may consider you lucky.
I have a medical card, and I have found it useful in coping with my dysphoria and far less destructive than alcohol. Now that I am on HRT, my need to use it has evaporated, and I find it more of a social thing... and a legal issue.
Does it help or hinder transition though? That is something I would love to find out.
Quote from: kariann330 on February 09, 2014, 01:08:12 PM
Lets see, its illegal in the US and should stay that way, it has MORE carcinogens then tobacco, and it blocks your body from processing estrogen at normal levels. Also even if you live in a state that has medicinal laws, or legalized personal use, you can still be fired by a company for failing a UA or hair test. Also a workers comp claim will be denied, even in states with medicinal or personal use laws if you fail a post injury drug test....and once again you will be fired.
Totally not worth it imho.
Really? I've never heard that from any scientific study. They used to tell you that guys would grow boobs because of how similar THC was to estrogen. I didn't buy that either, otherwise Snoop Dogg would have like DD cups by now. Conversely, how many stoner chicks out there have large breasts?
I DO, however, remember reading a study on THC and testosterone levels in rhesus monkeys where the T levels dropped by 68% for about one hour after being administered a nominal amount of THC. I'm guessing that's why I used to smoke a lot of herb. I also used to love drinking the hoppiest beers I could find. I later found out that hops have compounds similar to estrogen.
And ever since I've gone on HRT, I no longer need drugs or booze to function.
Quote from: Jill F on February 09, 2014, 04:04:02 PM
They used to tell you that guys would grow boobs because of how similar THC was to estrogen.
THC does not cause moobs... Doritos consumed while imbibing in THC causes moobs.
Quote from: The Post-Trans-Rebel. on February 07, 2014, 12:40:45 AM
When considering the risk of DVT from smoking/nicotne, you also need to factor in the effects of HRT..
A study on rats showed that nicotine exposure abolishes the beneficial and protective effects of estrogen on the hippocampus, an estrogen-sensitive region of the brain involved in memory formation and retention. And that seems like a good enough reason to me to stop.
No offense to anyone but why would anyone want to go off of results from animals? They are not humans and won't produce the same results. Not to mention is even different from person to person. One person can have completely different results from another and so forth. I've been on 4-5 different depression meds and 3 different sleeping pills and none of them have worked for me. Not everyone reacts the same to everything.
I'm lucky to be alive right now cuz I wanted to end my life and if it wasn't for smoking it probably would've happened. I haven't started hrt yet due to being in the military but I don't plan on quitting when I do start.
More carcinogens then tobacco:
http://adai.uw.edu/marijuana/factsheets/respiratoryeffects.htm
Blocks estrogen receptors:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19912874/
To the points of loosing your job, if i wouldn't get fired i would post a memo released by my companies HR department stating that a positive UA will still result in immediate termination if medicinal or personal use laws were passed in Ohio. An attachment to that memo for our plants in Colorado, Washington and Michigan states that since they have those laws mentioned, a positive UA will result in IMMEDIATE termination and goes on to say that a workers comp claim will be deniedupon producing a positive UA. Several other companies have released similar memos to what my plant had released.
Why it should remain illegal:
It is a Schedule 1 substance in the USA, meaning 1 it has NO medical benefits or 2 the health risks of said substance outweigh any positive medical benefits. Same as Mescaline, Cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms. Hell Acid was originally developed as a mental health medication until it received it's Schedule 1 classification.
The schedule 1 thing is a mosaic of political hackery. Rather fascinating to learn about how and why certain things were scheduled the way they were.
And actually, cocaine is not schedule 1. It is used as a localized numbing agent for certain types of eye procedures.
Moderation
Do be aware that mentioning or rather advocating the use of illegal drugs is contrary to site policy.
I do understand the comments and I am very willing for the thread to continue with this being adhered to.
As a former drug addict, smoker, alcoholic and a person who has suffered severe depression I do understand BTW.
I did take the personal attitude that I was not going to abuse my beautiful new body. I would be proud of it and of myself, when I took that attitude the desire for putting poisons into myself was quite easy to stop.
But I can assure you, I do know what it feels like to stop :o
D'oh!
I took it off trans-topic with that last post. So sorry. Up until then, we'd kept it about transition's relation to the substance. Totally my bad.
I do hope for a little more clarification though, because this subject will keep popping up.
If it is legal now recreationally, in two states, and medically in many others, and the federal government has made it their current policy to not interfere with state laws on this issue, can't it be discussed within the context of this website, as long as the discussion remains about legal rather than illegal usage?
Supporting trans and homosexual rights is illegal in Russia, but we'd never ban a Russian for the law loophole over there, would we? Granted, that hypothetical Russian would likely fit better within the context of this forum, than marijuana.
Quote from: Tori on February 10, 2014, 12:50:55 AM
D'oh!
I took it off topic with that last post. So sorry. Up until then, we'd kept it about transition's relation to the substance.
I do hope for a little more clarification though, because this subject will keep popping up.
If it is legal now recreationally, in two states, and medically in many others, and the federal government has made it their policy to not interfere with state laws on this issue, can't it be discussed within the context of this website, as long as the discussion remains about legal rather than illegal usage?
Supporting trans and homosexual rights is illegal in Russia, but we'd never ban a Russian for the law loophole over there, would we? Granted, that hypothetical Russian would likely fit better within the context of this forum, than marijuana.
"
advocating the use of illegal drugs is contrary to site policy.
I do understand the comments and I am very willing for the thread to continue with this being adhered to"
If it is legal it is fine. Discussion is fine. Just keep discussion within the boundaries.
That is all I said.
That is precisely the type of clarification I was asking for.
Thank you.
Sometimes a little bold print makes all the difference. ;)
Quote from: kariann330 on February 10, 2014, 12:07:55 AM
Blocks estrogen receptors:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19912874/
" In summary, our results support the existence of a certain estogenic modulation of the actions of THC on nigrostriatal dopaminergic activity. Thus, certain effects of THC on dopaminergic parameters in ovariectomized rats were abolished by either TMX-induced blockade of estrogenic cytosolic receptors or, acutely, by the coadministration of estradiol."Care to explain what that quote from the article means precisely. You know, since you are making conclusive statements. I read the whole paper. It did not mention any estrogen agonists/antagonists. It only mentions modulation. Modulation I believe refers to a very different concept than agonist/antagonist. Specifically in that a modulator as far as I am aware only affects the levels to a certain degree of a chemical within a specific kind of tissue.
More to the point it says in that last sentence there that the effects of THC were stopped by the blockade of receptors or
administration of estradiol. Plus they are rats not humans.
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Let us also not forget that a like for like comparison of the quantity of carcinogens in tobacco versus cannabis is simply not valid. Ignoring all differences in quality or strength required for a dose there is the simple fact that it is not consumed in the same way as tobacco. For a smoker the first thing you do in the morning is have a cigarette. Then this continues with more smoking all day. Smoking cannabis follows that pattern relatively rarely except in a minority of extremely heavy users.
I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble.
I asked because I do smoke at times, and it helps with my depression.
It also helps me be me, if that makes any sense.
As far as a drug test goes, at my work 99% would fail, and that's iincluding my store manager.
In Boulder it's more shocking if you don't smoke.
Anyways, I just wanted to see if I should be worried.
My endo said that the major issue with just the nicotine from my e-cig was bone problems. Apparently the other garbage in cigarettes causes problems for veins, etc.
I strongly recommend a good, powerful e-cig from a vape shop, preferably something large enough to use all day without recharging. Expect to pay about $70 to get started. The higher-end versions come with refillable reservoirs and replaceable atomizer elements, so you spend less in the long run (and have a lot more satisfaction) than the little ones that look like cigarettes. I also suggest instead of cold turky on cigarettes, switching to the e-cig, to taper off cigarettes gradually. The way I did it was to only smoke outside... but I could vape on my ecig inside. Over time it just got easier and easier not to smoke a real cigarette. The coughing stopped, the lung problems stopped, and I got generally healthier as the carbon monoxide and other toxins filtered out of my system.
I still smoke my e-cig, but I went to a lower-nicotine concentration on the advice of my endo, who suggests I should taper it off due to bone issues. She said it is *nowhere* near as bad as smoking real cigarettes, but not optimal due to the nicotine. Of course, if you enjoy vaping as much as I do, you can get the liquid with zero nicotine eventually... so you can enjoy the act and the flavor and do yourself no harm at all. :)
I don't smoke, but almost everyone I know does. My anecdotal observation is that on e-cigs people seem to be able to exercise much easier, and generally due to that are able to get into shape much easier, and as a result just look better. I swear that even the skin of my group of friends (who all smoked heavily before, but now smoke much less and use E-cigs due to no smoking being allowed in the house) has improved dramatically since they started. This leads me to believe that e-cigs are much more healthy than normal smoking.
I would worry about putting too many chemicals in one's body though, be it nicotine, thc, alcohol, etc it all seems like it would put extra strain on the liver because it has to clean that stuff out, and your liver will already be working harder on hrt. Not a stance against or for anything, after all cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana (in some places) are legal and if you are an adult it is your choice what you do with your body, but I couldn't see your liver being better off doing any of it.
I have struggled to quit cigarettes for the last 10 years with very little results until I started trying to convert over to e-cigs. I'm usually a strong willed person too, and even once before trying e-cigs I had almost quit. I'd weaned myself down over a 4 month period from a pack a day to 5 cigarettes per day, which was very hard for me to do because everybody in my community smokes.
I had a GF at the time who like everybody else around me smoked and instead of supporting me she kept wanting me to have a cigarette with her. I held out at my 5 cigs a day as long as I could but eventually I gave in and was back up to almost a pack per day in a week. I got rid of her a few months later. That happened about a year and a half ago and was the closest I ever came to be ridding myself of cigarettes for good.
Now with the e-cigs I'm down to half a pack per day. I'm using the Blu's. However I don't believe I'll be able to quit entirely until I find an e-cig that actually tastes like a real cigarette. Or very close. The Blu's are about 65% like a real cigarette tastewise. When I run out of these I'll try different cartridges unyil I find some that taste closer to a real cigarette.
I have an ecig shop and website, so I get to try them all.
The ecig market has grown rapidly and development has been brisk. Recently there has been a game changer in the development of a bottom coil clearomiser, (the top bit), usually called a BCC. Most of this development has been done by the market leader, which is Kangertech.
Being Chinese, the design has been quickly copied and so some slightly cheaper copies have emerged, some branded, such as the Halo. They are not as good quality and do not work as well as the branded Kangertech.
I would advise against anything which has a "hanging wick" such as the CE4, the vivi nova, The T2 and many others. The liquid has to be wicked up to the top and, whilst they do work, They suffer from starvation and deliver more hot air than vapour which is very harsh on the throat (and make it very difficult to raise your voice pitch if you want to).
It's possible to waste an awful lot of money trying to find which is the best, so I would suggest buying the best from the start, which is IMO the Kangertech pro mini with a 2.5 ohm coil (for a standard EGO battery). You will need a variable voltage battery (ego twist is good) for a lower resistance.
Expect to pay about £14 for the pro mini but make sure it is branded Kangertech and not just Kanger which is frequently used for the knockoff's. Another good alternative which is almost as good is the Kangertech T3s around £7. (google them so you know what the real thing looks like)
I tried the Kangertech pro 2, 3, the Aerotank and the unitank and none of them are as good as the pro mini.
I get to see on a daily basis the change in people when they switch to ecigs and it's almost as dramatic as the changes with hrt.
I can understand the need for something that looks like a cigarette (like the blu), and I was the same for a few months, but you will stand a much better chance of succeeding with a proper one like the pro mini.
Unfortunately if you go to a local ecig shop they will try and sell you what they have a lot of and will tell you it's the best. Know what you want before you go.
Amazon won't allow cigarette as a search term but if you put in Kangertech as a search you have a good choice.
OK I found Kangertek pro mini and see what it looks like. Are these available in the US?
Quote from: Allyda on February 11, 2014, 10:18:15 AM
OK I found Kangertek pro mini and see what it looks like. Are these available in the US?
almost certainly, try ebay if amazon don't
Quote from: sandrauk on February 11, 2014, 11:00:24 AM
almost certainly, try ebay if amazon don't
I was wondering if they would be available at my local tobacco shop. I have a Doctors appt. today and would pick one up while I'm out if they are. If not, I'm an over 20 year veteran on ebay both buying and selling, and will go there.
Thanks
Ally
I just asked my endo for a prescription for Chantix. She happily obliged.
After 1 week, I quit straight up. Smoking AND the Chantix.
I couldn't have done it without it. What it did to me was make it painfully obvious the things I thought were withdrawals were infact cravings completely from habit. I honestly didn't want to quit, but it was required by her, so I did what I had to do. I still crave cigarettes, but the cravings disappear after just a minute or two.
My endo very specifically said that Nicotine reduces the effects of estrogen, and that alone is reason enough for me to stop.
Quote from: HeatherR on February 11, 2014, 10:29:17 PM
I just asked my endo for a prescription for Chantix. She happily obliged.
After 1 week, I quit straight up. Smoking AND the Chantix.
I couldn't have done it without it. What it did to me was make it painfully obvious the things I thought were withdrawals were infact cravings completely from habit. I honestly didn't want to quit, but it was required by her, so I did what I had to do. I still crave cigarettes, but the cravings disappear after just a minute or two.
My endo very specifically said that Nicotine reduces the effects of estrogen, and that alone is reason enough for me to stop.
Tried Chantix....my dreams went from interesting....to worse then a bad roll or trip. I threw everything away right then and started smoking again.
Quote from: kariann330 on February 12, 2014, 12:16:30 AM
Tried Chantix....my dreams went from interesting....to worse then a bad roll or trip. I threw everything away right then and started smoking again.
I had a similar experience with Zyban. It was a perpetual anxiety attack and bad trip all in one. This was on top of dealing with a 30 credit course load and a father dying of cancer. It worked well for me to quit smoking, but I think part of the motivation was to just get off the nasty pills.
Quote from: kariann330 on February 12, 2014, 12:16:30 AM
Tried Chantix....my dreams went from interesting....to worse then a bad roll or trip. I threw everything away right then and started smoking again.
Ohhhhh!
The DREAMZZZ!!!
Wow. Too much. Running down a hill away from a pack of wild bears, who are born to run down hills!!!
'N sitch.
I'd rather the nic fix.
It does work for many though.
I'm just gonna keep tapering off the real ones using the e-cigs when necessary until I'm free of cigs altogether both kinds real and e cigs. Though I'm starting to notice some real changes in my skin now almost a month an a half on hrt -my skin is getting softer and my pores are tightenong up. It's overall looking more feminine, and I don't want to ruin these wonderful changes with tobacco.