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What Causes Shortness Of Breath After Using Nicotine Products?
Question: Hi, I use nicotine products... Gum at work and dip when off work. Both tend to give me shortness of breath. Do you know why this is happening? I am in above average physical condition... Can run 13 miles (sub 2hour) no problem and bench 270. I'm not over weight... What's wrong with me?! Also I get shortness of breath in social situations when I'm talking to unfamiliar people. But the nicotine products tend to always give me S.O.B. regardless of how relaxes I am. Also when I work out I tend to gag until I get a sip of water then I feel a little bit better. How do I fix this?
Brief Answer:
This is nicotine induced airway constriction!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this SOB that you get each time you use nicotine containing products. These symptoms are suggestive of air way constriction caused by nicotine. This is the same mechanism that goes on when patients who have asthma develop crises. You need to stop taking these products unless you want the SOB of breath to continue and potentially become life threatening at some point that you may need medications to address this.
For the SOB when talking to unfamiliar faces, this has got more to do with anxiety. It would be best to always have informal chats with new faces to try and know a little about them and create some rapport before going on discuss more formal matters. If this fails, talk to your doctor so that you can get a pill to relax you each time you are scheduled for such an event.
Drinking water is normal. What makes it difficult is your desire not to sip the water. Please, make sure you do as often as needed and don't get bothered by this. The solution is in your hands and this does not necessarily have an explanation.
In all, nicotine causes a reactive airway constriction similar to what happens in asthma patients when they get exposed to allergens. Please. be warned to stay away from nicotine containing products should you not want to run into more respiratory problems.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
This is nicotine induced airway constriction!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this SOB that you get each time you use nicotine containing products. These symptoms are suggestive of air way constriction caused by nicotine. This is the same mechanism that goes on when patients who have asthma develop crises. You need to stop taking these products unless you want the SOB of breath to continue and potentially become life threatening at some point that you may need medications to address this.
For the SOB when talking to unfamiliar faces, this has got more to do with anxiety. It would be best to always have informal chats with new faces to try and know a little about them and create some rapport before going on discuss more formal matters. If this fails, talk to your doctor so that you can get a pill to relax you each time you are scheduled for such an event.
Drinking water is normal. What makes it difficult is your desire not to sip the water. Please, make sure you do as often as needed and don't get bothered by this. The solution is in your hands and this does not necessarily have an explanation.
In all, nicotine causes a reactive airway constriction similar to what happens in asthma patients when they get exposed to allergens. Please. be warned to stay away from nicotine containing products should you not want to run into more respiratory problems.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your response! So nicotine is causing my airway to constrict... Why does it do that? This all started when I was about 22. I dipped before that (started at 15) and Inever had any problems. Why do you think it is causing SOB now?
Brief Answer:
See below!
Detailed Answer:
These symptoms occur each time you use this. This means there is a cause and effect relationship. Why it causes it is not clear but raises the question of a possible terrain that is susceptible to allergic reactions. Just like pollen causes asthmatic crises in some persons and not others.
Symptoms must not start with first trial. They may never start at all. But fro the information you have provided, there us a strong suspicion of nicotine as the possible cause. Keep away fro it and for sure this SOB would be a thing of the past.
I hope this helps. I wish you well.
See below!
Detailed Answer:
These symptoms occur each time you use this. This means there is a cause and effect relationship. Why it causes it is not clear but raises the question of a possible terrain that is susceptible to allergic reactions. Just like pollen causes asthmatic crises in some persons and not others.
Symptoms must not start with first trial. They may never start at all. But fro the information you have provided, there us a strong suspicion of nicotine as the possible cause. Keep away fro it and for sure this SOB would be a thing of the past.
I hope this helps. I wish you well.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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