Greetings everyone! I'm old to smoking but new to vaping...

[ceeceeisme]

Yes it's true and I'm glad to be here and see all the other new members as well. I have lots of questions and look forward to chatting with like minded vapers.

A bit about myself...

Smoked for 41 years, sometimes up to 2 packs a day but lately down to one pack. I was down to my last carton of smokes right around my 53rd birthday and I thought it was finally time to do something for myself. In the last 10 years of smoking I have developed a persistent smokers cough and in just the last couple of years had also developed a permanent wheeze. I won't even mention the high blood pressure and chest pains (oh wait! I just did).

I bought my first vaporizer and I was done in 3 days. So here I am, just 10 days in and I already have ordered my second (backup) unit and made several orders for juice.

Looking forward to reading lots of information and maybe making a few new friends along the way!

 

[Bonskibon]

Hello and welcome! So glad you found vaping and stopped smoking, congrats! You'll find this a very helpful and informative place to hang out.

 

[bnrkwest]

Congrats and welcome !!! vaping will change your life

 

[SeniorBoy]

Welcome to ECF and best of luck with your Vaping journey. Sounds like you are off to a great start. Your taste buds are likely to improve which is all good and your sense of smell should improve. I vividly remember the first time I smelled freshly mowed grass. Delightful to say the least.

Good luck!

 

[pwheeler]

Congratulations on taking the plunge and quitting! After awhile, I think you'll notice your smoker's cough subsiding, and your sense of smell and taste improving. I know everything started getting better for me. I'm a little over 2-1/2 years cigarette free after 40 years of smoking 1-2 pad. Keep it up, and welcome!

Sent from my HTC Desire Eye using Tapatalk

 

[Baditude]

Your taste buds are likely to improve which is all good and your sense of smell should improve. I vividly remember the first time I smelled freshly mowed grass. Delightful to say the least.

I was walking from my apartment to my car right after a summer rainshower about a month after I had quit smoking. The aroma of nature's moistened earth filled the air, and I had to stop in my tracks to realize I hadn't smelled that wonderful aroma in over 30 of smoking. My eyes filled with tears of joy. Yeah, I can be sentimental like that.

I had developed a horrible morning smoker's cough, so bad that my kid's often would ask me "Are you all right? You REALLY need to stop smoking!" I also wheezed when I breathed, and don't even think about going up a flight of steps without stopping to catch my breath. I couldn't go on hikes with my kids. None of that is a problem any more!

Grats to the original poster and welcome to ECF!

 

[ceeceeisme]

Thank you everyone!!! I am happy to report that my wheeze is gone now after just 10 days! Amazing!!!!! I know the cough is going to take a bit longer but it is noticeably better already as well.

I want to tell EVERYONE I know that smokes analogs about this. Started with my brother (smoking for 45 years and still going) and he promptly poo-poo'ed the idea. Might buy him a starter kit for his birthday (to kinda force the issue but in a slightly passive-aggressive way lol)

 

[pwheeler]

Thank you everyone!!! I am happy to report that my wheeze is gone now after just 10 days! Amazing!!!!! I know the cough is going to take a bit longer but it is noticeably better already as well.

I want to tell EVERYONE I know that smokes analogs about this. Started with my brother (smoking for 45 years and still going) and he promptly poo-poo'ed the idea. Might buy him a starter kit for his birthday (to kinda force the issue but in a slightly passive-aggressive way lol)

Good luck with that! Hope you can make a convert there. And you will be a shining example that this does work.

 

[Baditude]

Started with my brother (smoking for 45 years and still going) and he promptly poo-poo'ed the idea. Might buy him a starter kit for his birthday (to kinda force the issue but in a slightly passive-aggressive way lol)

Yeah, good luck with that!

I have loaned my backup devices to numerous family members and friends who were smokers in an effort to help them to quit. I can tell you that the vast majority in reality didn't WANT to quit or were AFRAID to quit. Each one had a specific reason why it wasn't right for them.

Smoking is easy, vaping in contrast is hard. A vaper must buy, prepare and organize their gear and e-liquids (charged batteries, working battery devices, the "right" eliquid or flavor), unlike a cigarette which can be conveniently purchased at any gas station or convenience store on nearly every block in America. One only needs matches or a lighter to smoke.

That's vape thingie is "too big", or "It doesn't taste like a cigarette". Facts are cigalikes don't really work well and most flavors will never compare to a cigarette's taste to a smoker who doesn't want to quit.

People have to REALLY WANT TO QUIT and be reasonably DETERMINED to be successful. In my experience, if they aren't ready to quit, they won't.

 

[ceeceeisme]

I couldn't agree with you more Baditude! I believe that the first requirement of taking up vaping is to have a strong desire to stop the analogs. Thank you for sharing your experience with me - as much as I would like everyone I know to make the switch I certainly don't want to spend my time banging my head against the wall trying to help people who don't want help

 

[bigdancehawk]

I couldn't agree with you more Baditude! I believe that the first requirement of taking up vaping is to have a strong desire to stop the analogs. Thank you for sharing your experience with me - as much as I would like everyone I know to make the switch I certainly don't want to spend my time banging my head against the wall trying to help people who don't want help

I guess many if not most people have to summon up all kinds of will power and be highly motivated to quit smoking. However, I was a PAD smoker for 45 years and, having tried all the usual cessation methods, was resigned to being a smoker until the day I died.

And then the city I live in passed an ordinance banning smoking in most public establishments. At the time I enjoyed few things better than having a drink and a smoke at my favorite bar conveniently located in the building where I worked. So I thought, "What the heck, maybe I'll try vaping at the bar." I had no intention of quitting the cigs. Nevertheless, I did so easily. I guess I'm what's called an "accidental quitter."

Now, of course, they've also banned vaping in bars and, after 65 years in operation, my favorite bar has shut down due to lack of business.

 

[ceeceeisme]

Thank you for your story bigdancehawk. I have heard a few other people tell similar stories and I do understand that can and does happen. When I gave this newfangled vaping thing a try I was pretty sure that it would not be for me thus I bought an inexpensive set up figuring that I would be consigning it to the nightstand drawer in a week or two. LOL Am I ever glad I was wrong!

 

[sofarsogood]

Thank you for your story bigdancehawk. I have heard a few other people tell similar stories and I do understand that can and does happen. When I gave this newfangled vaping thing a try I was pretty sure that it would not be for me thus I bought an inexpensive set up figuring that I would be consigning it to the nightstand drawer in a week or two. LOL Am I ever glad I was wrong!

There is a learning curve with vaping. If you stick it out eventually vaping is superior to smoking. When you get there you're relapse proof, a nice place to be.

 

[BrotherBob]

Welcome and glad you joined.
Might like to read:
Beginner | Guide To Vaping
ECigarette Academy: Essential Need to Know for New Vapers
One Stop Reference Shop For New and Experienced Vapers
Learn About Vaping Here - Everything Ecigs - From Beginner To Advanced
Ch. 4 E Cig Battery Basics: Cig-a-Likes, Egos, and Mods – Vapex
(10) Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods | E-Cigarette Forum
(1) Proper Terminology - Is it a carto, a tank, or what? A Guide to Juice Attachments. | E-Cigarette Forum
(4) Good Starter Setups for a Beginning Vapor | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Glad you are here CeeCee. It is a better path.

Sad to say, but, it seems the FDA is wanting squash vaping big time. Many are swithing to DIY juice making and picking up spare equipment.

What helped me was to turn it into a hobby. Kinda simple since I appreciated it so much.

Enjoy the change!

 

[ceeceeisme]

There is a learning curve with vaping. If you stick it out eventually vaping is superior to smoking. When you get there you're relapse proof, a nice place to be.

OMG YES!!! I had no idea lol. Like so many others here I am already looking into upgrading and I have so many questions. Lots of things to learn. Makes me sad that it is so hard to connect with people in person. I wish there were vape clubs all over the place where people could meet and relax with a coffee or a drink and a nice vape together to just chat and share information.

 

[ceeceeisme]

Welcome and glad you joined.
Might like to read:
Beginner | Guide To Vaping
ECigarette Academy: Essential Need to Know for New Vapers
One Stop Reference Shop For New and Experienced Vapers
Learn About Vaping Here - Everything Ecigs - From Beginner To Advanced
Ch. 4 E Cig Battery Basics: Cig-a-Likes, Egos, and Mods – Vapex
(10) Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods | E-Cigarette Forum
(1) Proper Terminology - Is it a carto, a tank, or what? A Guide to Juice Attachments. | E-Cigarette Forum
(4) Good Starter Setups for a Beginning Vapor | E-Cigarette Forum

Thank you BrotherBob! I appreciate the pointers as there is just a TON of information here. Soooooo many things I want to learn about and soon I want to start mixing my own juice.

 

[ceeceeisme]

Glad you are here CeeCee. It is a better path.

Sad to say, but, it seems the FDA is wanting squash vaping big time. Many are swithing to DIY juice making and picking up spare equipment.

What helped me was to turn it into a hobby. Kinda simple since I appreciated it so much.

Enjoy the change!

Thank you Frenchfry, I'm very glad to be here and I totally agree.

The FDA is the lapdog of Big Tobacco, Big Pharma and Big Agra. Being a Canadian that is alarming to me because whatever the FDA does, Health Canada usually follows suit. (can I insert a sad face here?) I too intend to start making my own juice and I've found a great website in China to order equipment and other supplies from that is more than reasonable (compared to the outrageous prices here in Canada). I don't know if you've ever visited Canada but if you have you understand the meaning of "being gouged".

I've lined up a Canadian source for my nic and PG/VG (not too sure if I can trust China but I'm thinking that you most likely could). I'm sure if I dig around on the boards I can find out what others say about liquid from China... wish I had unlimited days on end to surf these boards but I sadly have to work for a living LOL

 

[sofarsogood]

OMG YES!!! I had no idea lol. Like so many others here I am already looking into upgrading and I have so many questions. Lots of things to learn. Makes me sad that it is so hard to connect with people in person. I wish there were vape clubs all over the place where people could meet and relax with a coffee or a drink and a nice vape together to just chat and share information.

As you learn about "upgrading" be aware of the great divide in vaping. Some vapers want to be walking cloud machines, others want a substitute for smoking. I'm one of the latter and we seem to be in the minority. If the priority is clouds you'll be doing 'direct lung' inhales. If the priority is a substitute for smoking you're more likely to be doing mouth to lung inhales similar to cigarette smoking. Atomizers tend to be optimized for one or the other.

 

[ceeceeisme]

As you learn about "upgrading" be aware of the great divide in vaping. Some vapers want to be walking cloud machines, others want a substitute for smoking. I'm one of the latter and we seem to be in the minority. If the priority is clouds you'll be doing 'direct lung' inhales. If the priority is a substitute for smoking you're more likely to be doing mouth to lung inhales similar to cigarette smoking. Atomizers tend to be optimized for one or the other.

That's a fascinating observation, sofarsogood. This is something I was unaware of.

I am also not interested in being a walking cloud machine. This is for my health, not for showing off. I could tell there are differences in atomizers but I wasn't sure why. Yikes! So much to learn!!!