When the e-cig brought tears to my eyes

[cass]

Okay...this is a somewhat difficult post for me because I don't tend to get emotional, but I had a great experience due to cutting back on cigarettes, which is attributed to the e-cig. I wasn’t' going to share at first because it's sounds a little lame, but for someone like me this is HUGE. So, what the hell....I wouldn't have been turned on to e-cigs if not for previous posters, so I guess this is for viewers coming up behind me who may get something from my experience as I got from all of you before me
So, here's my quick experience that I decided to share. After breathing complications, I was recently given two potential diagnosis. One is "the one" all smokers dread and the other is long term. Anyhow, I'm fighting to quit smoking. I discovered the e-cig previously, ordered, and vaped away.
Here's the thing, I haven't had a decent breath of air in a while. I've just become accustomed to it and go about life as usual. I don't know how or why this SUDDENLY happened. 9 months ago I was trekking kids up mountains most adults gave up on and now I can't climb a flight of stairs. I get winded, scared because I can't breathe.
Because I'm very active in that I work two jobs, have four kids, and am a full time student, I'm always go-go-go. It's good and I like it. Until, like I said, a few months ago, my breathing felt like it was at, like, 70%. Don't know what happened. It was very sudden.
I smoke 3 or 4 pks a day (depending on whether it's a work day or not). Yeah, I know, it takes a special kind of stupid to smoke that much and not think something won't go wrong. Truth is, we all know, "something can go wrong at any given moment. That's the price to pay for this addiction/habit."
Anyhow---since I started getting the hang of vaping, I've cut my cigs down to a third to a quarter. Basically, that's a pack a day. I know that seems like a lot to some, but for me...and my family....ME smoking "only" a pack is like a miracle.
Ok...my whole point to this: Saturday, I was waking up next to the hubby, groggy and all (I'm pretty fugly in the AM). Not thinking...And something was wrong. I sat up and took a deep breath. YEP--Something was definitely wrong. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and took another breathe, one hand to my chest. WTF???
I must've had some kind of look on my face because my husband jumped up and put his hand on my back, asking, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
And I'm a little embarrassed to say there were tears in my eyes. I wiped them away and said in complete astonishment, "I can breathe...I'm breathing!"
I know it may seem lame to most, but I cannot explain that moment. I was taking deep, full, without straining, FRESH breaths of air. I was breathing! Like I used to!
Of course, I'm not saying that the e-cig helped me breathe!
What I am saying is this: I am the poster child for cigarette smoking. I have friends that don't smoke all year round, until they come to my house. I often feel bad that so many non-smokers are compelled to smoke around me!
And finally, FINALLY, I have found something that COMFORTABLY helped me cut WAY back. So much so that symptoms I previously have are dissipating because I've cut down. And I've cut down because of the e-cig. I know this doesn't cure me in any way, but to find something like the e-cig that improves your quality of life is, for me, a miracle.
I can not possibly express to anyone here how awesome my last two days have been!
And, again, I'll reiterate, the e-cig DID NOT help me breath better, but, my God, it's the best thing I've ever done that has helped me COMFORTABLY cut back on real cigs. And because I've cut back, my health has improved (obviously)
I'd been so accustomed to NOT breathing, that when I woke up breathing normally, I thought something was wrong!
When I think of the founders and regulars on this list that really calrified and educated me on vaping, I am so grateful, you guys have no idea.
So, not only is this an e-cig triumph, it's also a thank you to everyone on this list who has been so helpful to those of us not it the know.
My husband (who I lovingly refer to as "the tight-wad") is so grateful he sprung for a new another e-cig kit for me, yet another atomizer, and some extra juice.
Like I said, I know it sounds lame, but this product and everyone who has laid the yellow brick road for it, is really making differences in people's lives.
So, thank you SO much! (but let's not let the word get out that I was actually tearful over it)

[PeteMcArthur]

I'm glad you are finding such a difference, I know it made a huge difference to my breathing. I may not been up your smoking levels pack and a half a day was my poison (although they were strong) and I've managed to cut the out altogether.

I was surprised how easy I found to eliminate cigs completely. When I moved to using a 36mg liquid, they just faded away.

Good luck to you

[Heart's Smoking]

Good for you!! I know you don't want to say it was the ecigs, but we all know how hard it would be to cut down without em From what I've been reading, it sounds like a good idea to have the backup atomisers and such, to keep the vaping going strong.

And yes, I'm sure that your story can help encourage many newcomers. Maybe you can be the poster child for ecigarettes!

[MrFog]

Yes its bloody brilliant isn't it? I have mild asthma so when I used to smoke I always had much less lung capcity and sometimes I struglled to breath at all. Now my lungs are so clear its amazing. Keep that feeling in mind as an extra incentive to get off the normal cigs forever. Well done you. Good luck.

[BettyRedondo]

Cass, I am so pleased for you I started e-smoking in June and have gradually cut down on real cigs. I know some people are just able to switch immediately, but the process for everyone is different. I never really intended to give up, but today is my fourth day without any cigarettes at all, and I am really pleased with myself I like you always absolutely loved my cigarettes but now they just don't seem as interesting (don't know if that is the right word) as before. Congratulations on your achievement so far and I wish you continued success, and happy vaping!!

[trog100]

e cigs are a god send to anyone who has a real genuine need to get off the tobacco habit.. the hardware has its problems but as nicotine replacement devices there is no better way for most people..

i know the people who like to control our lives dont like them be called this.. but they are this and i dont mind saying so.. they are an extremely effective nicotine replacement device.. god bless the chinese for giving them to us.. even thow they do have their problems.. he he he

for me one nasty cough gone over night.. on the first day of usage.. the same for my mentally handicapped eldest son.. my youngest one had not reached this stage yet..

god bless e smoking and f-ck anyone who tries to stop it.. all said in trog language..

trog

[TropicalBob]

Great story, Cass, and congratulations on your journey so far. I hope your destination is no tobacco smoke. Like Trog, a cough brought me to the quit point. My lungs were talking to me in the only way they could. They forced me to listen.

Tobacco is indeed the devil's weed and what it does is shut off the lung's capability to self-clean. Smoke paralyzes your natural defense system. Anyone smoking at your level never gives the lungs a chance to recover from the insults of smoke that coats every surface it touches with carcinogenic tars. The reason you can breathe early in the morning is that your lungs' defense systems have partially recovered in the non-smoking hours of sleep. Don't thank the only lungs you'll ever have by lighting up a cigarette and inhaling deeply!

And take joy in e-smoking. Experiment with flavors and strengths and types of devices. This is the single best way to get off tobacco cigarettes, and all tests so far show we're not harming ourselves with inhalations of vapor. Set new goals for yourself. Listen to your body, and respond to its messages. Breathe better with fewer cigs? Then smoke fewer cigs. Hope you make it all the way. I'm not a totally happy ex-smoker, but have been off real cigs for 15 months now and know that returning to them would be tantamount to pulling the trigger of a gun to my head.

If it helps, I'll shed a tear of joy for you. But I'd rather we both smiled at what we've found.

[Pangoo]

Great for you, Cass! Hope you can eventually cut down to zero packs/real smokes/day.

I am hoping to quit smoking completely with the help of the e-cig. So far,
I went 4 days without a real one when I got my first e-cig. Unfortunately, that one broke down so I smoked another pack in the time between then and when I got my replacements.

Now it's again been another 4 days without a real cigarette. but this time I have extra atomizers and batteries, and a bunch of liquid so I'm prepared!

Having the e-cig has completely rid me of any desire to smoke normal cigarettes thus far, as vaping is close enough to me that I don't need them anymore.

Eventually I'll try to wean myself off the e-cig and nicotine, too. But switching from smoking to vaping was a major step as I had been smoking for 20 years... I think a major part of my addiction, beyond the nicotine, is the process/ritual itself...

[efaglil]

I cried for you Cass! That's a great story.

I've been off the real cigs for a month and I feel so much better. I was one of the lucky ones and able to switch over to efags immediately. I was smoking a pack a day for 20 years and was feeling the effects, especially of a morning when I'd stupidly light a smoke to stop myself coughing! Like some of the other guys have mentioned, my morning cough went away straight away and within a week or so once I'd gotten rid of all the tar rubbish felt a million times better.

Hope it continues to improve for us all and we can "breathe" a sigh of relief at our new found good health.

[tribalmasters]

That was a lovely story, you've cut down alot WELL DONE!!! When I quit I found I could do much more exerciese and no more wheezy chest in the morning! I also told my friend Pat about ecigs and gave her Smokesters number, she smoked rollups for many years. When she got her ecig she cut way down to only 5 a day and shes gone to Disneyworld where theres no smoking with her 2 extra batteries and spare atomiser so I am hoping shes gone 100percent to the ecig when she comes back, which will be a fantastic achievement for her and possibly adding years onto her life. Now I have to convince my sister, brother and friend Matt take up the ecig but they think its stupid. I guess theres no helping young people who don't have the desire to quit anytime soon before its too late.

--EDIT--
Forgot to put the well done bit in duuuh silly me