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Anyone Up For A Pft?


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I don't know if this has been tried before or if it would even be considered valid but what the hey.

Being prior military and a current career firefighter I have been taking PFT's annually for about the last 8 years. (PFT= Pulmonary Function Test= Lung strength and capacity test)

Most Dr's offices should have the equipment to perform them and they tell you a lot about your lungs as well as them already having well documented numbers based on age, sex, AND use of tobacco products.

Another thing to look into is going down to your local EMS building/ Dr's office and requesting to have your vitals checked getting a base line BP, SPo2 (blood oxygen saturation), and resting pulse rate.

If we could get a good number of people to get these tests and numbers documented we could potentially have a study that isn't pro big tobacco.

I don't have the time to really handle the workload but I just think it could be very beneficial in the long run. I would suggest that many parameters be recorded for categorizing and also to get as many pro's and con's as possible.

a sample format could be

Name:

Sex:

Age:

Height/weight:

Current tobacco usage/length of use(if applicable):

Time since last tobacco usage(if applicable):

Current Vaping habits(if applicable):

XX/XX/XXXX- XXX/XX BP, XX% SPo2, XX resting PR

XX/XX/XXXX- XXX/XX BP, XX% SPo2, XX resting PR

XX/XX/XXXX- XXX/XX BP, XX% SPo2, XX resting PR

XX/XX/XXXX- XXX/XX BP, XX% SPo2, XX resting PR

(recommend having vitals checked on a quarterly basis, as well as recording any other vital checks ie. DR visits, EMT visits, etc.)

PFT results(upload image of print-out):

PFT results(upload image of print-out):

PFT results(upload image of print-out):

PFT results(upload image of print-out):

Now if it seems like it's a lot of work that's because it is, however besides the potential value to vapers world wide it would also show you any improvements/ degradation, weight gain or loss, etc. associated with vaping.

Now I could "probably" get all this information from current smoking and nonsmoking firefighters/emt's I work with for a control and comparison but the real data needed is from vapers.

I totally understand if this is "too" much but the potential is massive, if we could prove BP and SPo2 are lower in vapers than smokers of the same demographic or from smokers converting to vape, if we could prove that lung performance is drastically improved, weight is lost, etc. we could have a very solid piece of documented data to confront people with to enlighten, convert, or appease.

Anyways if this gets off the ground I will gladly begin gathering the info on the current smokers and non-smokers.

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I don't know if this has been tried before or if it would even be considered valid but what the hey.

If we could get a good number of people to get these tests and numbers documented we could potentially have a study that isn't pro big tobacco.

I don't have the time to really handle the workload

Sounds like a job the Vapor Coalition might be interested in, no doubt it'll get huge. Been on 3 B.P. meds for months, 10 days smoke free and no significant diff yet in my B.P. or R.H.R. Have Periphreal Neuropathy, Fibro and A.P.A.S. so don't expect it to do miracles for me.

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I have absolutely no medical terminology competence, but about 4 years ago I had some lung testing done. The doctor told me that I had the equivalent lung capacity of a 50+ year old man. I was hardly 30!

Anyway, I would love to go get some tests done now, and compare the two sets of results.

I could contribute some official results to the cause, but someones gonna have to spend some serious time on the project. I wish I had more time, it would be a fantastic thing to see get off the ground!

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Most people will probably say that the same results can be had by simply quitting smoking but vaping in the 2 whatever years since it's beginnings has probably contributed to more successful quitting than any smoking cessation method for the last 20.

Anyways I really wish I could head this up but I work 72+ hours a week so I really don't have the time...

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This is a great idea. I would be glad to get the tests done, if I could find a free clinic that would do it. No insurance. It would be a great study to show off the better effects of vaping though, because I know my lungs are better, because I dont use my inhalers as much :) however I do not have any tests from when I was smoking, for the same reason. :no

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  • 1 month later...

So not so funny story. My grandfather passed away about 15 years ago from pneumonia after about 30 years of smoking. For some reason, probably becuase I was too young to understand, I still started smoking. Well my grandmother still has one of these machines for lung tests at her house. I will pick it up today and start a daily check. I will start a speadsheet and if someone knows anyone who quit cold turkey in Northern NJ and would like to participate let me know we can start a side by side and see if these things help any further than just getting out of the chemicals.

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As for myself I can say I definitely feel a whole lot better, breathing a lot better, sleeping better and have lost 15 lbs in 2 months and not even trying.

I couldn't tell you the last time I had a SPo2 test, but I know it has to be better now. I hope some noobs get this done early, wish I had thought of it.

Great idea!

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