Yet another question about VOG (Hilo, Kailua: 2015, how much, neighborhood)

[Jane M]

I resisted posting this because there are already threads about VOG, but I really haven't found the answers I wanted, so I hope you guys don't mind sharing your experiences with it.

When I was little, I was diagnosed with asthma, but honestly, I never had an inhaler and oral steroids didn't seem to help. My mom smoked 2 packs of cigs a day around me and I feel that was the issue. I moved to Florida when I was 10 and all respiratory issues stopped.

I moved to CA when I was 40 and started having this burning feeling in my lungs at age 45. After a year of this burning I went took lung function tests and everything was fine. Since it wasn't inhibiting my life at all, I just dealt with the random symptoms and attributed it to the dry air in CA.

So currently here on the BI in Kailua- Kona and have had a little bit of burning in my lungs, but the major issue seems to be my nasal passages which are extremely dry and sore. I mean extremely. Some days it is so bad the soreness reaches to the back of my throat.

I will be seeing a doctor about this (an allergist since there are not pulmonologists on this island), so I don't expect you guys to diagnose me or anything, but what I want to know is:

What is YOUR experience with the VOG. Especially those of you that live in Kau, South Kona and North Kona?

It is confusing to read online forums because I always hear the opposite:

"you will get used to it" VS "it will only get worse"
"it is worse at elevation" VS "elevation doesn't matter, it is everywhere"
"it is not really a big deal. I don't notice it" VS. "it could make you very sick. you can die from it!"

I heard that people leave the Island because of VOG and even people in Maui and Oahu complaining how it is a MAJOR health issue for them and they are hundreds of miles away from the volcano. Yet I see people here day in, day out, RUNNING on the horrible, smoggy, carbon monoxide drenched Ali'i drive and they seem not in the least bit affected.

So how bad is VOG really?

Can you set me straight? Thanks!

[leilaniguy]

Some people are affected, some not. It only has bothered me when it's bad enough I can smell it (and taste it), not burning, but a chronic cough until it abates.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

There is no "straight" answer! The amount of vog can vary from location to location, the amount of vog in the air depends on how much the volcano is spewing at any given time, the amount of vog in one place can vary depending on which way the wind is blowing. Also, vog can affect different people differently.

I live in Ka'u, and most of the time the wind blows the vog past us, then it moves around the island and eddys in the Kailua Kona area. Most of the time I don't know it's there, sometimes I do notice a smell in the air, and sometimes I feel it in my throat and eyes. In the Spring of 2015 I had the dry itchy eyes, irritated throat, and cough. Within days of going back to the mainland all these symptoms disappeared. I think it was due to vog. However, I have friends in my neighborhood who have a variety of breathing problems or compromised immune systems, and there are days that they have to stay inside because the vog causes them so much trouble. There is no "one size fits all" answer!

If you want more input from people who live in the Kailua Kona area, I suggest that you pose your question on the Konaweb forum.

[hotzcatz]

As far as I know, although I'm not a medical person, a lot of it depends on the person's sensitivity to it as well as the density and make up of the vog. From what I've heard, it's the sulfur content of the vog which causes the most problems. At one point, there was enough sulfur or something in the vog to kill nursery plants in Ka'u, not sure if the content of the vog changed, if all the plants already died or what, but I haven't heard folks talking about vog related plant death lately.

For myself, it affects me, especially when it gets thick enough to smell it, although sometimes it affects me more than others. You could try the Nasacort anti-allergy nose drops. It's an over-the-counter remedy my doctor suggested and does well for clearing up the clogged sinus from vog.

In any case, if it's affecting you to that extent, perhaps getting out of Kailua-Kona and heading to a part of the island with less vog might help. Otherwise, some of my friends stay inside with the air conditioner on to filter out the vog. It's pretty easy to filter it out, as far as I can figure it's a large particulate, even a handkerchief over your nose might help. Try breathing through a bit of cloth for a bit and see if that alleviates some of the symptoms.

[Arktikos]

As you probably know, Trade winds carry Vog from East Hawaii to Kona side.

These winds are strongest during midday hours, so if you're inclined to vigorous exercise outdoors, I'd do it early in the morning, or perhaps after dark.

Elevation is worse, up to about 6,000 ft, but right at sea level doesn't get so much as 500 ft. and up.

When the wind comes out of the South, we can get some Vog in Puna. The worst spot, not surprisingly, seems to be around Volcano, in close proximity to the active vent.

Sometimes it seems like I can even taste it in the air. Doesn't bother me much, but then I've never spent much time Kona side.

[Due]

There is light VOG occasionally in North Kohala, but it's usually not troublesome. Biggest issue is when it's out in the ocean and difficult to see the whales.

[terracore]

Since I live on the East side I don't have much exposure to vog however when my elderly mom visited I was very worried because we were taking her to many parts of the island that had a lot of vog. I made sure she had her inhalers etc because she has multiple chronic lung and heart problems. She was fine and never needed her medicine even when we were in thick vog. Granted, I think some of the vog problems are due to long term exposure which she did not experience. I used to get occasional shortness of breath when I lived in Oregon and Alaska and it was determined to be most likely due to exposure to mold or mildew spores because it always happened in basements, subways, basically dark dank places where there's a lot of that stuff. It was worse in Alaska especially in winter because living meant staying inside and not much fresh air. Since moving to Hawaii all those problems have gone away and while the vog is unpleasant, it doesn't seem to effect my breathing (but again, I don't have long term exposure). Judging from everybody I know, especially on the Kona side, vog effects everybody differently and in different ways. Its one of those cases where your mileage may vary.

[GraceKrispy]

My personal experience:

The VOG was something we just got used to when I first moved there in 2003. We took a trip to the mainland several years later, and while we were gone, several vents opened up. When the plane landed at Keahole, it seemed I could smell the VOG before the doors even opened. It was definitely worse. We lived in Captain Cook/Honaunau area and we went from having a great ocean view to not even being able to see coastline at all. I started having respiratory symptoms.

We moved north to the area above the airport. The VOG wasn't as bad there (I could breathe better), but it was still a factor. For my job, I sometimes flew to O'ahu and the joy I felt at seeing clearly in the distance was unparalleled And fresh air? Loved it! For the record, we were much higher in elevation in North Kona.

So I did get used to VOG, but I definitely had some ill effects when living in a heavily impacted area. We moved to the mainland a few years ago for several reasons. We were also concerned about long-term health effects for our kids who were raised in Kona.

But my experience is just that- my experience. As several have said, everyone has a different experience with VOG, and location does matter.

[nwcountrygal]

Can give you a couple of opinions. Me (at time) very healthy when in vog I get the headache first before I can see. Then the sinus gets affected. If overnight in the tonsils start off I feel like a bad cold starting. Breathing is difficult for me.

My Aunt moved here with sacrosism in her lungs. The docs tried to take a lung. She kept it. Was very afraid of the vog. She is hardly effected by it. Doesn't have anything of the symptoms of me and doesn't really bother her.

We both live on east side. Where I live is close hardly ever get vog. She moved last year to Hilo during the lava and had most smoke... and some vog go to, she fine. I was fine. I go to Kona three days I am done. Each person as their own reaction.

I will say last year when landed in Anchorage in middle of night I was OMG this is so good breathing. But I believe it was the lack of humidity vrs vog.

[whtviper1]

If you want a good look at Vog real time, check out the Sony Open on Golf Channel. Oahu is covered in it right now.