Lost the long post I had typed. Will try again. I'm almost afraid to post here.

[yagottawanna]

I landed here on this site after I made my first purchase today and after reading here all day - to the point of my eyes blurring - I am afraid I have made a bad decision.

My backgound is that I started smoking in my teens - I'm in my mid 60's now. Started with Marlboro reds - less than a pack a day - for quite a few years. Things happened and my smoking increased to about a pack and a half a day. Cost of traditional cigs went up and I switched to a generic 100's full flavor brand, still averaging around a pack and a half a day. My husband died when I was 55 and that's where things got ugly. He had been sick for a long time (was older than me); had several serious health issues; and COPD that required O2 around the clock the last 3 years of his life. You would think that would have scared me straight, but it did the opposite. He was gone, I was alone, and my cigs became my "best friend". At one point I hit an all-time high of 2 packs a day - USA Gold Full Flavor 100's - although I have always been one of those people who light a cigarette and then leave it burning in the ash tray while doing other things - running back and forth for a drag when needed.

When traditional cigs went through the roof - and my income fell below the basement - (for me, in the past year), I found myself in a world of trouble. Quit smoking aids either didn't work for me or made me very sick. Chantix nearly killed me (no exaggeration). What to do? Someone (a total stranger) suggested rolling my own - when they saw me about to shell out $85 for a carton of USA's. I was hesitant, but also desperate. He told me what kind of machne to buy, what kind of loose tobacco to buy, and what kind of tubes to buy. When all was said and done, the machine paid for itself in a week and after shopping around, I am now able to roll a pack of cigarettes for a less than $2 a pack. Great - right? Wrong!!
It may be helping my pocketbook, but it's causing significant health issues.

Someone bought me an e-cig from a convenience store, with hopes that it would help me out. It was useless. No hit, didn't satisfy my cravings, and lasted a day (or less). That sent me to the internet in search of something better and about all I have accomplished is feeling like I have stepped into the "Twilight Zone". I have read and read and read. I have watched video after video. I've probably been to every single site online that sells e-cigs and I'm still lost. Just the "lingo" alone makes my head spin in a complete circle! But - I felt the need to do something and do it soon - because I'm having terrible coughing fits in the morning, I'm so tired all the time I could cry (probably due to lack of oxygen), and I have zero will power right now in terms of giving up nicotine cold turkey.

So - first thing this morning I took the plunge and ordered the Joye eGo from a very reasonably priced site - located in the US - (with free priority shipping) and a bottle of juice that is supposed to be "similar" to Marlboro reds. I could semi understand their lingo - as to what I'm getting - and then I found this site. Now I have a terrible sinking feeling that I've made a gigantic mistake; I won't know what to do with this product when I get it; I won't know what I have to buy "new" when needed; it isn't going to work right; and I'm not going to be able to ask anyone for advice because none of this lingo makes a whit of sense to me.

Bottom line is: Did I waste my money - trying to enter a world that I don't belong in? I am so discouraged now, I could sit here and cry.

If you have read this far, thanks for listening.

 

[DM]

The eGo you got will be a great start... get some LR/Low resistance cartomizers for it and a few flavors of ejuice to see what flavor works for you... there are many folks here to help out and will chime in quickly... good luck to you and sorry about your hubb

 

[MTV]

first... welcome to ECF I am a new to e-cigs also and trying to learn as fast as I can. But, I can tell you that the people here are great and have a positive attitude! They will answer any and all question that you have. Good luck in your journey

 

[Twinturbo4486]

Welcome! Glad you stopped by ECF! I agree with the first response, the EGO is a GREAT choice! It was my first choice and since the day I got it I have not smoked a single cigarette. Smoke free for a little over a month like my signature says.

I'm sure you can do it because it's obvious you really want to quit. If you still crave cigarettes don't get discouraged, try different nicotine levels, different flavors, different vendors until you get that perfect vape and TRUST ME, you will not want to go back to the cigarettes and you should be pretty happy.

That's how it was for me at least, once I realized the only liquid for me was Menthol and 24mg nicotine was what I needed I never looked back. Good luck to you, and hit us up here ANYTIME you ever need help. People are very friendly and eager to help.

-David

 

[webgeek]

All the terminology can be overwhelming, but this is one of the friendliest communities I've ever come across. If you have questions, even ones you think are stupid, ask. Someone will be along to help, so don't give up.

As far as what you've bought, the eGo is a popular model, so you'll be in good company. I've used a tank model of the eGo and liked it quite a bit. I've gone a different direction since, but I still have it as a backup. As for whether it'll work for you, that's an open question and one that can't really be answered. Typically, it seems, ecig users spend quite a bit, especially when we're just getting started, but it doesn't have to be that way. Over time, you'll probably have to replace your entire kit (batteries wear out, atomizers/cartomizers pop, juice runs out), but you'll spread it out so it won't be so expensive. $20 here and there.

I know I probably haven't answered all your questions, but I just wanted to reassure you that you can ask your questions as you have them. No need to try to drink from the firehouse and get everything down at once.

 

[jwquantrell]

Welcome to ECF!!

I think you made a wonderful choice for your ecig. The Ego is a solid unit and I don't think you will be disappointed at all.

Make sure that you read the posts at The ECF Library and that will solve any lingo issues you may feel that you have.

One thing that jumped out at me on your post was "Did I waste my money - trying to enter a world that I don't belong in?" My response to this is that this, in my humble opinion, is exactly the world you belong in. You have everything in common with us and you will be welcomed with open arms.

Regards
Jim

 

[WVvet]

Oh yagottawanna (love your screen name by the way!) you sound so sad and discouraged. Don't lose hope before you even get your kit! I am in my third week - wasn't even planning my fourth (or is it fifth?) quit attempt until the 4th of July but got down to just a few regular cigs a day within the first week with a "penstyle" unit and now that I have my EGO haven't had a cig in a few days - I have most of a pack left but REALLY prefer my EGO! Wow, no one is more shocked than me. So I think you made a good choice with your first cig - saved you the trial and error most of the rest of us noobs went through.
So, it's not as complicated as some of these posts make out. Many tips won't even make sense to you until you get into vaping. When you get your kit, just charge a battery, screw on the metal "atomizer", plot a drop of ejuice inside, snap in a prefilled cart (assume you got prefilled), press the button and start puffing. The first few puffs may have a slightly nasty aftertaste (sort of like a REAL cig has), puff away for about 10 puffs without inhaling and you are on your way. One very important point - you draw no the ecig a little different. Take a fairly long (5 second or so) draw into your mouth, then inhale. That's what gets you the ciggie like "throat hit". The prefilled juice in the carts isn't the best, but it will get you started until you start to explore more options. I just got in Boge 2.0 cartomizers and it makes the whole process simpler and more enjoyable. Best of luck and keep trying!
PS I read your post because of the title - I did the same thing on my first post but never did retype the LONG entry!

 

[db13berry]

The Ego is a great choice! Now, stop with those tears.........

What does your Ego kit come with?

What lingo do you need definition for? Just ask. We'll answer. Sometimes with pics.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Yago, I want to reassure you that you HAVE made the right choice with both your decision to quit and the purchase of your eGo kit. My first suggestion to you is to buy some juice with a couple of different nicotine strengths and in different flavors. You should probably try out some 24mg and 18mg nicotine levels to start and get a couple of different PG/VG mixes.

About PG and VG:

PG is propylene glycol. It's a thin, somewhat sweet liquid that provides what we call "throat hit" (TH) <-----if you hover over abbreviations like that one, it will tell you what it means! Pretty nifty, huh?

VG is vegetable glycerine. It's thicker than PG and this is what gives you a smoother, more dense vapor. It can mute some flavors, but don't worry. It won't completely take it away.

I vape a 60PG/40VG mix and occasionally a 50/50. Tons of vapor with only a little throat hit. I love it!

You can get juice from all sorts of online vendors. I happen to like VaporBomb, Gourmet Vapor and Ms. T's Bakery (the Bananas Foster Coffee is to die for!) Where ever you decide to buy your juice, start out with around 30 or 40mls. Like I said, different flavors...keep an open mind about this because finding a really good flavor can help you quit!

Yes, you can quit with e-cigs. Some quit immediately when they start vaping, others need a little time to make the switch and some just have a cigarette once in a while and vape, too. This is completely up to you and whatever you're comfortable doing. Nobody here is going to come down on you if you don't quit the cigarettes. NOBODY! That's what makes this place great. We're all here for each other!

If you have any other questions, please let us know! We're here to help you and the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask.

 

[Olef]

Welcome to ECF You belong here as much as anyone else! This place is full of good people and all the information you need, so relax and look forward. The ego is a good buy and even if it doesn't suit you there are loads of folk ready to help you find what will. Don't be discouraged and don't give up. I smoked for 35 years and I haven't lit up now for near ten weeks and I don't want to. Ecigs are great and they work, you just need to give them a chance. Good luck to you!

 

[yagottawanna]

Thank you so much for the kind replies. I am just so confused (by the lingo) and so afraid I have wasted money that I shouldn't have, I guess I'm being rather emotional. I'm sorry. Maybe I won't be so anxious when my shipment arrives - which should be Friday, at the latest.

May I ask another question? I still don't understand the lingo, so please bear with me. While reading on this site all day today, people mentioned not wanting to be out in public with the e-cig I purchased because it didn't "look" like a real cig (sorry) and people might thinkk they were smoking a crack pipe or something. (Don't laugh - I've never seen one!) What I purchased (I get 2) in black, didn't look terribly odd to me - maybe like a pen or something? Is it going to be much bigger than that? I certainly don't want people thinking this little old lady is smoking crack, but there is so much stigma attached to traditional cigs now, wouldn't it be better to be seen smoking an e-cig?

Still confused, but ever so grateful for your kind replies.

 

[Energon]

Hi!

I think you did NOT make a mistake. The eGo is a great ecig (I have its clone, the Riva 510). The lingo does take a bit of getting used to, but it's doable. Just keep at it, and DON'T get discouraged if it takes you a while. If it takes you another week or two to get the good out of your eGo, it's not a big-big deal - once you understand how to use it, you can make the switch then.

My personal suggestions right away - get a couple of extra batts, and if you go for cartridges/atomizers, get more of each. Attys don't usually last all that well, and you don't want to be caught without spares.

Check out the cartridge mods if you decide to use those instead of cartomizers. I'm partial to the Blue Foam Mod. Search up the thread on it to find out what I'm talking about...

Lots of other people will respond to this thread and can tell you about cartos (cartomizers), which I don't know much about.

You can always find out what people are talking about by using the search box. Use the option that lets you get the results from Google. It's in the header, on the right, with "search forums with Google" in its box. The box under it uses the forum software's internal search, which is junk - like all other forum-software search functions. (Nothing against this particular forum, it's the software-makers fault that internal forum search isn't very good.)

It's not unusual to take more than a day or two to figure everything out. I'm used to picking up jargon since I'm in a jargon-infested business, and it still took me several days to learn this new language. I also went ahead and bought an e-cig before I had all of the basics memorized. Years of playing used video games that came with no manuals has made me more of a "just start playing with it" type. I learned that it usually doesn't take long to figure out a new mechanic, whether it's games or ecigs.

The e-juice! HERE is the one likely mistake I see. Most hardware sellers have lousy-tasting ejuice, so don't be surprised if your immediate opinion is that it tastes like doo-doo. It's much better to go to a site that specializes in making ejuice (that may or may not have a few hardware items available "on the side.")

Take a look around the forum (there's an ejuice subforum) for some recommendations. Also, "tobacco" ejuice doesn't taste like you're actually smoking tobacco - the closest is often described as being like the smell of a newly-opened pack of cigs. Personally I've always loathed the taste of tobacco, so I'm glad to get away from it. For me, it's about the nicotine and related compounds, and a tastier way of getting that is wonderful to me.

I get my juice from Freedom Smoke USA, but there are several other highly-recommended vendors as well. Backwoods Brew seems to be high on the lists of those who like tobacco-ish flavors.

Get a high-enough nic level in your juices. Many who smoke 2 packs/day of full-flavoreds will go for 36mg to start with, or at least 24. Yet - when I first got my ecig, I couldn't handle high-nic juice without getting a headache. Fortunately, that passed. I found I need 24 to not end up having a constant nic fit. Also, low-nic juice doesn't have much of a hit. 0 nic might as well be water as far as I'm concerned, but it's good for times you want to puff on something but already have lots of nic in your system.

Lastly, there's no need to be afraid to post here. As long as you don't post something trolly (like a claim that ecigs cause some obviously-unrelated problem), you should be fine. This is one of the most peaceful forums I've been on. What passes for a "controversial" thread here would be a preschool day in some other places on the net .

Others will be along shortly with their opinions.

One thing you'll find is that many things about e-cigs are subjective. My opinions are my own. The next person may post something completely different. Finally, the way you use your e-cig should depend on your priorities. If you don't mind fiddling with the thing all the time, you'll be interested in far different methods than those who want to mess with it as little as possible.

Oh yeah...if you get the modding or collecting bugs, it's gonna get expensive. Very. Personally I don't have the $$ to blow like that, so I stuck with the extras I mentioned earlier. I do have a collection of yucky-tasting ejuices that I've accumulated, but some have far more. I also tend to find what I like and stick with it like insta-glue.

Don't bother worrying about all the variations until you master the basic mechanics of what you've already got. You'll want to be sure that any deficiencies aren't just the result of lack of practice (unless you like wasting a lot of money). Once you get that down, then you may want to look at the options like low-resistance attys, high-voltage batts, and expensive mods.

You certainly don't need to know about all of those to get the good out of an eGo. Think of it like swimming. The first thing to learn is how to stay afloat and do basic moves; then you can worry about the fancy strokes. You don't need to know a lot about ecigs to get going and even quit smoking.

 

[WVvet]

One of my co-workers told me he assumed mine was a pen when he saw it.

 

[dzlady]

Hello and welcome to ECF. I am still new, as far as I am concerned, although I have learned more than I knew when I first bought my convenient store e -cig that got me away from cigarettes. I have moved on and have used a Joye 510 and now have a Joye Ego tank system. It will take time to learn the lingo. LR/Low resistance means that the atomizer burns warmer, (more like a cigarette), tends to burn off some of the flavor, but not to the point that it tastes bad and it uses more energy to operate (will drain a battery faster) They are good though. Your battery activates your atomizer to heat up which allows the vapor to be produced and inhale the flavor...which can be amazing!!!! If you got a manual battery, you will need to push a button to activate the battery and hold it while you take your puff. If its an automatic battery, its much simpler to just take a puff when you want without doing anything extra. There is so much information to give but dont want to overwhelm you either.

 

[Stosh]

WELCOME TO ECF !!!

You did just fine with your ego purchase, it's a common model with a 510 connection
(sorry for the lingo 510 is the connector type) and the 510 has lots of different atomizers (heaters)
and cartos (heater and juice cart combined) and tanks (heater with a bigger juice supply) that will fit it.

You're among friends here, we all have nicotine addictions, and decided to quit smoking but not enjoying
our nicotine. I would have never been able to stay away from cigarettes as long as I have without ECF, so ask away, anytime you need to...

p.s. We also keep track of sales and discounts here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/pay-forward-pif/85781-deals-steals-118.html#post3528449

 

[earthpig]

A very big pen , indeed.

Considering you bought a unit that thread to 510 models, you have options. An E-go is by rights a large unit, and a fine one at that, yet in a 510 model you can also purchase cig sized batteries in colors and even with a blue tip that glows. It's hard to mistake a cig size in (say) maroon or blue with a blue glowing tip as a real cig.
In other words, you have options.

Secondly, starting out, you might consider prefilled cartomizers, (cartridges). They don't require filling and are prefilled with about a packs worth of cigarette inhales. Flavors/nic levels and everything is available. It cuts out the mess of filling and lets you get used to the equipment at your pace.
Cartomizers usually run ~ $8-10.oo for 5. A heck of a site cheaper than the real cigs.

 

[db13berry]

Thank you so much for the kind replies. I am just so confused (by the lingo) and so afraid I have wasted money that I shouldn't have, I guess I'm being rather emotional. I'm sorry. Maybe I won't be so anxious when my shipment arrives - which should be Friday, at the latest.

May I ask another question? I still don't understand the lingo, so please bear with me. While reading on this site all day today, people mentioned not wanting to be out in public with the e-cig I purchased because it didn't "look" like a real cig (sorry) and people might thinkk they were smoking a crack pipe or something. (Don't laugh - I've never seen one!) What I purchased (I get 2) in black, didn't look terribly odd to me - maybe like a pen or something? Is it going to be much bigger than that? I certainly don't want people thinking this little old lady is smoking crack, but there is so much stigma attached to traditional cigs now, wouldn't it be better to be seen smoking an e-cig?

Still confused, but ever so grateful for your kind replies.

Don't let the lingo get you down. Just ask. I was the same way, I had no idea what all these words meant. It will make more sense to you when you actually get your Ego in front of you. I promise.
I do get a lot of questions about my pv (personal vaporizer). One person gave me a second look once and asked me if she "just saw smoke coming from my marker." HAHA! Boy, I had fun with that one.
I have gotten a lot of crazy questions. I just answer what I can and move on.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

I didn't really go through worrying about if people thought I was smoking a crack pipe or not. Most people who would assume such a thing probably don't have a clue what a crack pipe looks like anyway! The eGo looks more like a cigar. I've always found people to be more curious than accusational. There's only been one occasion where someone made the assumption that I was smoking and boy, did I ever embarrass the crap out of her! I think that you'll be just fine and settle in to vaping nicely.

Yes, some e-cigs get bigger. But you don't have to buy one if you don't want to. I use big e-cigs called "mods", which just means a modified e-cig. My fiance still uses our little eGo and Riva kits.

 

[Energon]

As for the "crack pipe" thing, it boggles my mind every time I see that possibility. Around here, nobody has thought I was smoking anything funny and I puff my ecig right out in the open just like it's a regular cigarette. The most-shocked look I got was when I put it in my pocket while still exhaling a cloud of vapor. I think that person expected my pocket to start smoldering any second, LOL!

Of course, your own attitude will come into play no matter where you are. If you ACT like you're doing something illegal or "off," it's natural for others to assume that you are. I just act like my ecig is no stranger than any other legal cig - I vape it openly - and people respond accordingly. They're just surprised when I put it into my pocket on the way into a store instead of stubbing it out in an ashtray!

Oh - and no, it doesn't look like a real cig, but when some people see the vapor come out of my mouth they just assume it must have come from one.

 

[DC2]

You certainly don't need to know about all of those to get the good out of an eGo. Think of it like swimming. The first thing to learn is how to stay afloat and do basic moves; then you can worry about the fancy strokes. You don't need to know a lot about ecigs to get going and even quit smoking.

Exactly, electronic cigarettes can be fairly simple if you want them to be.

Beyond the basics there are many options, but those options are only there for the following reasons..
1) To make the "vaping" experience more convenient
2) To make the "vaping" experience more satisfying
3) To make the "vaping" experience cheaper

But none of these things are necessary unless you want them to be.
Then you can learn about them just by asking more questions!!

Don't worry, quitting smoking can be easy with electronic cigarettes.
Yes, you might hit some bumps in the road, but we can absolutely help you over ANY bump.

And if you're lucky, quitting smoking might just turn out to be a very fun adventure.
I'll bet you never heard "quitting smoking" and "fun" in the same sentence before!