Cravings

[Curtis]

I've been analog free for 15 days now, and I've been doing well. I still would like a cigarette, but when I have my Prodigy it doesn't really bother me so much and the craving passes.

However, my stress level has gone up considerably the last few days as I am nearing the end of my final class before graduation. ( I have a 10 page term paper, a 30min power point presentation, and a final exam all in the next two weeks).

I've noticed the cravings have become much stronger and more frequent than it has been the last couple of weeks, and I'm thinking things like; I could just buy a couple more packs of Camels to get me through graduation and then quit again. But I've done that before and know I wont quit after graduation.

I guess there will always be something to stress me out, I just have to keep saying no to the craving.

In the movie Sin City, there's a line that goes something like; "A smoker smokes when the chips are down." I think this means that, I can stop smoking but I'll always be a smoker. Because, if I'm ever "on top of the World Trade Center" and someone offers me a final smoke, I don't care how long I've been quit,... I'm gonna smoke it and enjoy it.

Anyways, I just needed to vent.

Thanks

[breakfastchef]

Originally Posted by Curtis

I guess there will always be something to stress me out, I just have to keep saying no to the craving.

That is the important point of your post. If you chose to use an e-cig as part of a personal harm reduction strategy, you now realize the device is not the 'silver bullet' to a smoke free life. Part of the formula is that you really want to quit in your mind.

The analog was always there with you through good times and bad. It was nearly 100% reliable on satisfying something you needed (provided your matches were not wet). The old friend was also a fiend.

Work through it; if you sneak a few analogs, the world will not end. When stressful events subside, re-evaluate, create a plan, institute your plan and constantly review your progress.

[maryjo]

Curtis - I wish you the best. Hang in there buddy. I went through that myself. You can always justify just one pack.

To my surprise, I made it through that time. The ONLY reason was because I was vaping.

This morning as I was driving to work I saw a lady sitting at a red light smoking. In the past I would have coveted her cig. This morning I just sighed and thought "bless her heart-maybe she can stop someday".

I promise it does get better. I haven't had a craving for an analog for at least a month, maybe longer. I still consider myself a smoker, but its kinda like being an alcoholic. It's there but you don't have to do it.

Good luck....

[Curtis]

Thanks guys, I feel better now. I switched my flavors up a few times and the bad cravings are starting to fade now. I just need to put my nose in the book and keep the PV charged and everything should be groovy.

Thanks again for the support.

[PatriciafromCO]

Curtis your on the right track what sucked so much about using the patches and the gums and so on is you never felt good,, the whole point of not smoking even one analog less had no satisfaction to it because you were ((always struggling)) I found with vaping that there was a satisfaction, got to experience feeling good 100% for even just one analog not smoked. That positive reinforment went such a long way to continue on forward finding what works for you. You should never doubt yourself in what works for you don't take away the positives from yourself all that you are doing. I was just so happy after vaping for my first time all I realized was how great is this,, much better then a patch or gum.. Then you start thinking how to use an e cig in what works for you when and how.. For me it was 24mg nic level,, 3 months later its 24mg in the morning first vape and 0-11mg during the day something stressful comes along 24mg nic level takes the edge off and go right back to enjoying my 0mg level flavors...

Life is always going to be life and the e cig is flexiable enough in how you can use it ,,, to match you step for step what ever the situation it...

good luck on you paper !!!!!!!

[Vocalek]

First of all, hang in there! My goal was never to be nicotine-free, but rather to be free of smoke. In other words, damage control.

Why not try adding nicotine gum and/or lozenges? I have used both for several years. They enabled me to cut back to 10 cigarettes a day and hold there for a year. When I replaced my analogs with my NJOY NPRO, that finally did the trick. Gave me sufficient nicotine to function without inhaling tobacco smoke. I'm still using about 2 lozenges and 3-4 pieces of gum a day, along with my NJOY. Maybe that's why a cartridge lasts me two days?

Oh, and I should mention that all my cravings for an analog have passed. After a couple of weeks off them, I tried a puff just to see what it was like, and it tasted terrible!!

[Rogue X2 v2]

Originally Posted by Curtis

I've been analog free for 15 days now, and I've been doing well. I still would like a cigarette, but when I have my Prodigy it doesn't really bother me so much and the craving passes.

However, my stress level has gone up considerably the last few days as I am nearing the end of my final class before graduation. ( I have a 10 page term paper, a 30min power point presentation, and a final exam all in the next two weeks).

I've noticed the cravings have become much stronger and more frequent than it has been the last couple of weeks, and I'm thinking things like; I could just buy a couple more packs of Camels to get me through graduation and then quit again. But I've done that before and know I wont quit after graduation.

I guess there will always be something to stress me out, I just have to keep saying no to the craving.

In the movie Sin City, there's a line that goes something like; "A smoker smokes when the chips are down." I think this means that, I can stop smoking but I'll always be a smoker. Because, if I'm ever "on top of the World Trade Center" and someone offers me a final smoke, I don't care how long I've been quit,... I'm gonna smoke it and enjoy it.

Anyways, I just needed to vent.

Thanks

If you can get thru this (w/o smoking), it gets much easier. One time, I forgot to bring my cigs with me to the golf course. Thought I was going to die and my bad play didn't bother me as much as thinking about smoking. I made it thru the round and was pretty happy at the end I didn't quit and went home. After that I don't even bother bringing any since I got thru it once. Hell, I don't even bring my e-cig.

Hang in there!

[Curtis]

Thanks to Patricia, Vocalek, and Rogue. If I had possessed this type of support in the past; I would have been able to quit years ago. Ya'll are awesome.

I wonder if they'll let me vape during the graduation ceremony? ha!