My upper back pain…maybe I figured it out

I can’t believe it took me this long, but I think I may have finally figured out what’s causing my upper back/shoulder pain. I went to my primary care doctor, and he said he doesn’t know what it is and he wouldn’t worry about it, but if I was really concerned, I could go to an orthopedist. So I did that, and he said it’s not from my bad posture/too much sitting, which was my first concern. He referred me to get an MRI, which is scheduled in a few weeks. Then the “duh” moment occurred to me.

It’s the vaping. That’s exactly what it is. Upper back. Right behind our lungs. I had an MRI for an unrelated issue a year or two ago, and they found minor lung damage. That’s the first time I quit vaping…for several months, then I picked up the habit again. The other day I asked some other people online who are trying to quit if they’d ever experienced upper back pain, and I got a resounding “yes” from so many people in that group.

Duh. Why didn’t I think of that before?

Okay, so my mom likes to go to all my doctor’s appointments. I used to go alone with no problem. Now with my recent medical issues, my mom begs me let her go with me all the time. She doesn’t know the extent of my vaping. She knows I’ve tried it. She found my vape when she was over one day. So it’s not like she doesn’t know at all…she just doesn’t know how addicted I am…or that I’ve started (and quit) again…and again and again. The reason I say all this is because she wants to go with me to my MRI. And I know what’s going to happen if she does. They’re going to point out that my lungs are getting really bad, and she’s going to get onto me for continuing to vape. Ugh. As if I don’t have enough shame and concern about it already. But maybe I can convince her not to go, since it’s just an MRI, and it’ll probably only take like 30 minutes, if that. I know she just cares and loves me, but some things I just prefer to keep to myself. And I know this would be a burden on both of us, so I’d rather just keep this to myself.

So far, I’ve been vape-free for 2.5 days. Longest I’ve made it is a few months. Does anyone here have any tips?

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twiigss · M

Let me give you my story first. I'll put the advice at the end, if you just want to read that, but the story ties into the advice. I was a 2 pack a day smoker when I started in 1996. It actually started in 10th grade, I was curious and tried smoking (didn't know how to inhale) and then that was that. I met this girl who smoked in 1996, and I would offer to light her cigarettes for her. We became bf/gf and she says, "you don't smoke" well it only took so many "hey, let me light your cig for you" offers that I became a 2 pack a day smoker. Even after we split in 2000, I was still a smoker.

As the years went on, I kept trying to cut back. Tried different brands, Camel crush, Parliament, Newport, Marlboro, rolling my own, and eventually stopped with USA Gold Menthol Lights 100's. And was down to 8 cigarettes a day. I was even doing the e-cig that looked like a cigarette. A friend of mine at work said he'd be looking to quit smoking. Shortly after I was driving or was somewhere, and saw a sign for "Free smoking cessation class" so I told him about it. With him being married, really young kids, he wasn't able to attend, but I decided I would still go.

Not long after, I get laid off from my job of 8 years. I had already purchased plane tickets to visit a family member who had moved to FL (who has since moved back) and on the way back home from FL I sat on that plane making a decision whether or not I wanted to go back to this class. I went to the first class but wasn't able to make the 2nd class because of my trip.

In the end, I chose to go back to the smoking cessation class. The thought process was, 1) I had just been laid off from work. With no income, supporting smoking is going to be difficult. 2) I had this crazy cough for 8 months straight of just coughing up phlegm, couldn't explain it. Only thought was that it was the start of emphysema. We got to choose what quit aid we wanted, lozenge, patch, gum, chantix. I went with a 2mg lozenge. And the quit aid was for a months worth, 100% free. I spent no money attending this class.

About 3 weeks in, I had officially quit smoking after 18 years. And all it took was the class, and sticking with it, and following the instructions. Is it worth it? Yes. You will breathe so much better after you quit. My crazy 8 month cough had completely disappeared not long after I had quit, so it was indeed the smoking causing it.

My advice, try to find information in your area about a smoking cessation group or class you can attend.

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