Free Shipping Over £25!
Or click and collect!
Or click and collect!
Why Does Vaping Make Me Feel Sick?
Health Guides
Feeling sick from vaping is more common than most people expect and it almost always has a specific, identifiable cause. Here is how to diagnose exactly what is making you feel unwell and what to do about it — fast.
Nicotine
Most Common Single Cause — Too Much Too Quickly
Fixable
Every Major Cause Has a Specific and Practical Solution
Device
A Degraded Coil Is Frequently Overlooked as the Culprit
Diagnose your cause first
Why Does Vaping Make Me Feel Sick?
Almost always one of five identifiable causes
Nicotine overdose and dehydration account for the majority of cases
Feeling sick from vaping is not a single problem with a single answer — it is a symptom that can arise from several distinct causes, each of which presents slightly differently and responds to a specific fix. The five most common causes are: too much nicotine producing mild toxicity symptoms, dehydration from propylene glycol causing systemic nausea, a burnt or degraded coil producing compounds that irritate the stomach and airways, a sensitivity to a specific ingredient in the e-liquid, and for new vapers — an adjustment period as the body adapts to inhaling a new substance. Working out which cause applies to you is the most direct route to resolving it.
This is not medical advice. If nausea is severe, prolonged or accompanied by symptoms such as chest tightness, vomiting that does not resolve, or difficulty breathing, please seek medical attention.
Five causes, five fixes
The Most Common Reasons Vaping Makes You Feel Sick
Too Much Nicotine — the Most Common Cause
The most frequent cause of vaping-induced nausea is mild nicotine toxicity from taking in more nicotine than the body is accustomed to. Nicotine in excess produces a recognisable cluster of symptoms: nausea, dizziness, increased heart rate, cold sweats, pallor and in more pronounced cases vomiting. It is most common in new vapers using 20mg nicotine salt devices who are vaping more frequently than they would have smoked. Nicotine salts deliver nicotine rapidly and smoothly — so smoothly that it is easy to take in significantly more nicotine per hour than a cigarette habit would have delivered. The fix is either stepping down to a lower nicotine strength (10mg or below) or reducing vaping frequency. Symptoms of mild nicotine excess resolve within twenty to thirty minutes of stopping use.
Propylene Glycol and Systemic Dehydration
PG is hygroscopic — it draws moisture from tissues. Regular vaping without adequate water intake creates a state of chronic mild dehydration that produces nausea, headache, fatigue and dizziness. Dehydration-related nausea tends to build through the day rather than occurring acutely after a specific vaping session, and it improves noticeably within fifteen to twenty minutes of drinking a large glass of water. If your nausea is worse in the afternoon and evening than in the morning, and improves with hydration, PG dehydration is almost certainly the cause or a significant contributing factor. The fix is simple: drink substantially more water throughout the day.
A Degraded or Under-Primed Coil
A coil at the end of its life or a new coil that has not been properly saturated before first use delivers burnt compounds in the vapour that can cause nausea, throat irritation and general discomfort. The taste is an immediate indicator — burnt, harsh and distinctly unpleasant compared to fresh vapour. If your nausea started suddenly or coincides with a coil change or a period of heavy use on an old coil, the coil is the most likely cause. Replace the coil, add a few drops of liquid to the exposed wick before installing, fill the tank and allow it to sit for five to ten minutes before the first draw. The burnt vapour and associated nausea will resolve immediately with a functioning coil.
Sensitivity to a Specific E-Liquid Ingredient
A minority of vapers have a sensitivity to propylene glycol itself — not just its dehydrating effect but a direct sensitivity that causes nausea, tightness in the chest and general unwellness. If you experience nausea with multiple different liquids at similar PG ratios but not with high-VG or VG-only liquids, PG sensitivity is likely. Some vapers also react to specific flavouring compounds — particularly cinnamon, menthol and some citrus profiles — that can cause gastrointestinal irritation in sensitive individuals. Switching to a 70/30 or 100% VG liquid and using simpler flavour profiles will identify whether an ingredient sensitivity is the cause.
Adjustment in New Vapers and Recent Switchers
Some people experience a brief period of nausea during the first one to two weeks of vaping as the body adjusts to inhaling a new substance and to a new nicotine delivery route. This adjustment nausea is generally mild and resolves without intervention. It is more common in people who inhale more deeply than necessary or who vape at a higher frequency than their previous smoking habit. Reducing frequency slightly and ensuring technique is correct — slow mouth-to-lung draws rather than deep direct inhales — usually minimises or eliminates adjustment nausea within the first week.
"When a customer says vaping makes them feel sick we always work through the same five questions. Device, liquid, coil, strength, water. In almost every case we find the cause within five minutes."
Touch of Vape team, CoventryQuick self-diagnosis
Work Out Your Cause in Three Questions
01
Does it happen shortly after vaping, with dizziness?
Likely nicotine overdose. Step down to 10mg or reduce your vaping frequency. If symptoms resolve within thirty minutes of stopping, nicotine was the cause.
02
Does it build through the day and improve with water?
Likely PG dehydration. Increase water intake significantly — aim for a glass of water after each vaping session and monitor over two days.
03
Did it start with a new coil or during heavy use of an old one?
Likely a burnt or degraded coil. Replace it, prime it properly with liquid drops on the exposed wick, saturate and wait five minutes before use.
04
Does it happen with some liquids but not others?
Likely an ingredient sensitivity. Try a 70/30 VG-dominant or 100% VG liquid with a simple flavour profile. If the nausea disappears, a specific ingredient in your usual liquid is the cause.
Touch of Vape Coventry
Come Into Our Coventry Store — We Will Find the Cause Quickly
Bring your device and liquid. In most cases a short conversation and a look at your setup is enough to identify exactly why you are feeling sick.
To find our Coventry store, see our Vape Shop Coventry page.
From our Health guide
More From Our Health Guides
Part of our Health guide
Health Guides
Our Health guide covers side effects, troubleshooting and the practical health questions our Coventry customers ask most often.
Find more side effect and troubleshooting guides in our Health guide.
More from our Health Guides
Related Health Articles
Vaping Making You Feel Sick? Come Into Our Coventry Store — We Will Fix It.
We diagnose vaping side effects every day. Most causes are resolved in a single visit.