Quitting nicotine/smoking with e-cig

[Tumbleweed4829]

Ok I mainly bought an e-cig to quit smoking analogs and I recieved my first e-cig in September. At first I wasn't that impressed but I kept using it and after about a week I quit analogs. I went 3 months with no analog cigs (although there were times that I REALLY thought about having one).

Unfortunately one night while out drinking I got an analog from my friend and smoked it....omg I wish I could say what some others say..that it tasted nasty but nooo it was great. Well I never should have had even 1 because I couldn't think about anything but having another. So I'm thinking that yes I need willpower but maybe I went too low too fast on my nicotine? I went 1 1/2 months on med nic...1 1/2 months on low nic and now trying super low. I really want to quit nicotine altogether and that is why I'm trying to lower it but maybe I need to go back up and go for longer? I do not want to start back on analogs and I know that I am not one that can just have 1 cig (yet I smoked that dang analog anyway *smacks myself in the head*).

So is there anyone out there that has had success in lowering their nicotine with the e-cig and eventually going to 0 nic? If so how?

 

[slianfoxob]

Ok I mainly bought an e-cig to quit smoking analogs and I recieved my first e-cig in September. At first I wasn't that impressed but I kept using it and after about a week I quit analogs. I went 3 months with no analog cigs (although there were times that I REALLY thought about having one).

Unfortunately one night while out drinking I got an analog from my friend and smoked it....omg I wish I could say what some others say..that it tasted nasty but nooo it was great. Well I never should have had even 1 because I couldn't think about anything but having another. So I'm thinking that yes I need willpower but maybe I went too low too fast on my nicotine? I went 1 1/2 months on med nic...1 1/2 months on low nic and now trying super low. I really want to quit nicotine altogether and that is why I'm trying to lower it but maybe I need to go back up and go for longer? I do not want to start back on analogs and I know that I am not one that can just have 1 cig (yet I smoked that dang analog anyway *smacks myself in the head*).

So is there anyone out there that has had success in lowering their nicotine with the e-cig and eventually going to 0 nic? If so how?

I obviously can't give you any firsthand experience but I'm doing exactly what you're trying to do. I actually started on low nic and plan on staying on it for at least 6 months before I switch to zero. I think making a slower transition might help.

I know this may sound silly and obvious but honestly whenever I get even the slightest craving for an analog I grab my 901 and vape away and minutes later the craving is gone or at least subsided. Also, a lot of people have said not to beat yourself over slipping up. We all fall off the horse sometime...just get right back on (<~lame..haha). But you get the idea.


Foxy

 

[SuperStack]

Analogs will be much more satisfying if moving from low-nic vaping, as opposed to high-nic vaping.

That extra rush of nicotine will feel great in the analog. But if you're already getting lots from vaping, not so pleasant at all. It'll just taste foul & smelly.

 

[Mufftrix]

I obviously can't give you any firsthand experience but I'm doing exactly what you're trying to do. I actually started on low nic and plan on staying on it for at least 6 months before I switch to zero. I think making a slower transition might help.

I know this may sound silly and obvious but honestly whenever I get even the slightest craving for an analog I grab my 901 and vape away and minutes later the craving is gone or at least subsided. Also, a lot of people have said not to beat yourself over slipping up. We all fall off the horse sometime...just get right back on (<~lame..haha). But you get the idea.


Foxy

I to am hoping to cut down to zero nic and after a week on evo cig have cut out analogs without much pain. (just first one in morning hardest to do!) Am on high nic at moment so have no craving for analogs but only thing is am vaping my way through 3/4 cartridges a day so think the hardest part will be cutting down use of the e-cig? one habit replaced by another? I have just got a platinum 901 with medium nic carts and been using that today with no cravings for a analog. I think it the action of smoking for me rather than nic content? Be interesting if anyone actually quit analogs and then quit e-cigs to?

 

[Tumbleweed4829]

I never feel satisfied so I am constantly vaping (it is literally a pacifier to me) and that going to high nic I would eventually OD on nic. But....maybe if I went to a higher nic then I would actually feel satisfied and not use it like that? Has anyone that uses theirs as a pacifier tried using higher nic and gotten away from using it like that?

I have no idea how long you should stay on one nic level before going to the next but what I am doing isn't working.

 

[katink]

When I started out on e-cigs, I took the nic-strength matching my daily real-cig intake before that. ButI also had a second atomizer (later on just a second complete set) with a cart in it that had one or two steps higher nicotine in it.

Used the 'normal' nic as standard e-smoking, and grabbed the higher nic for ten minutes or so when feeling I wanted more nicotine. After a while I didn't need that high nic anymore, so I settled with the lower nic for a couple of months. Then I would go one step lower as standard use, and use the former-standard as the 'high' nic when needed.

Managed to get down three or four steps meanwhile (I mix my own e-liquid, so I went for very small steps of at most 3 mg less each time). Perhaps this is a way for you that might work too? (Mixing your own isn't really needed, just the steps will be a bit bigger if you don't... so take all the time you feel you want with each step, don't hurry, take months ffor each step - always better then the real thing, don't punish yourself with hurrying downward - just 'let it happen' is my way of doing it, and for me at least it does work so far).

 

[ZambucaLu]

I never feel satisfied so I am constantly vaping (it is literally a pacifier to me) and that going to high nic I would eventually OD on nic. But....maybe if I went to a higher nic then I would actually feel satisfied and not use it like that? Has anyone that uses theirs as a pacifier tried using higher nic and gotten away from using it like that?

I have no idea how long you should stay on one nic level before going to the next but what I am doing isn't working.

I was a heavy smoker.....almost 3 packs a day (of light 100s). I started with 18mg nic and still wanted to smoke a lot. Went up to 24mg and this is no lie, ended up smoking 2 penstyles side by side (2 of those mouthpieces fit quite nicely like that....lol)

So I went to 36mg....which I now vape pretty much constantly. I have had no adverse effects at all. I still smoke some analogs but not as many as I was with the lower nic.

Just like anything else, people have to use caution. If I started feeling sickly in any way (like even a light headache coming on), I would stop.

Everyone's system is different. A light smoker could OD on 18mg just as a heavier smoker could OD on 36. You have to know yourself, and it definitely is a learning curve.

To add something here: Since vaping, I have realized that I am actually quite a shallow inhaler. Never really thought about it when I was smoking analogs but notice it now. I mean, I used to see some smokers inhale that smoke so hard and so far down, I thought they'd choke. I was never able to smoke like that. So I vape the same way and maybe that effects how much nic I'm really getting...dunno.

In any event, I'm sure by trial and error you will figure it out

Oh....meant to add one more thing....some vapers also use NRT products along with the vapin' which seems to help them regulate the vapin' even more.

Lu

 

[Kate]

How many mg of nicotine do you think you use a day Lu?

 

[Kissysmom]

I am down to ultra low (4 mg) on a constant basis and got my first bottle of 0 mg yesterday.

So far so good - I think. I'm still mostly smoking the ultra low with some 0 thrown in about every third time I vape.

Until Nov. 25, I smoked between 1.5 and 2 packs of Marlboro Ultra Light 100's a day. I had been smoking for 25 or so years.

I think I can do it!

 

[ZambucaLu]

How many mg of nicotine do you think you use a day Lu?

I really wish I knew Kate. One of these days, I'm going to keep track of the drops I use. See, I switch flavors constantly so I have several pens available at all times....and I use the carts for days and just top them off.

Generally, I smoke one until it loses taste, top it off and when it loses taste again, I go on to another flavor....and the cycle repeats. But I pretty much have to do this constantly not to reach for an analog. When I get distracted or it's not readily available, I reach for an analog.

If (about) 20 drops = 1ml, I know I do at least 2 of them a day...maybe even a lot more...I don't know. When I top it off, I use enough drops to just form a pool....but that is each time....and then smoke it til no taste, however many puffs that is. Yes, at some point, I am going to count!

I did try the dripping. I put 2-3 drops on the atomizer but for some reason, that seemed to dry up after just a few hits....so I had to do it a lot. It didn't seem to last as long as topping off the cart so I gave up on it.

The only time it ever bothered me was the first night I rec'd 4 new juices from puresmoker....and I filled 4 new carts to try them. I started with the riskee, thinking I would just take a couple of hits then try the next flavor....but it was so good, I couldn't stop myself

Then I tried the cola...same thing. Next I tried the coffee, which was so-so then moved on to the coconut. I must have hit that pen 100 times in half an hour...all at 36mg. I did get a little lightheaded so I stopped....but nothing more ever came of it.

Oh habit wise, I felt like I wanted to do more...but the body wasn't havin' it....lol

I can't help but think my shallow inhale has something to do with how much I vape. But one of these days, I'm really going to sit down and figure just how much I'm going through....but it probably won't be real soon

Lu

 

[Kate]

It is hard to keep track, I swap flavours all the time too.

I reckon I vape around 2-3ml a day. I'm replacing a smoking habit of about 24mg a day so I vape 6-11mg juice most of the time and have occasional hits of 18mg. That keeps me fairly steady when I manage it but when I don't control my intake and overdo it I get palpitations, headaches and disturbed sleep. Less nic than usual doesn't seem to have much effect strangely and I don't crave smoking any more either.

 

[CalPilot89]

How about this.. Get 2 sampler packs from Johnson creek. 1 with nicotine, one non nic. Don't label which is which. Smoke all of them not knowing which is which. This way half of the time you will be getting no nicotine and half the time you will be getting nicotine. See if your brain knows the difference. Then you will know if it is more in your head or not.. I don't know.. just off the top of my head. I just know that I smoke JC low nicotine, and when I use a fresh cart of the hard stuff, (pre filled from the manufacturer,) I do not notice a difference in the amount I use. It all seems the same for me..

 

[Tumbleweed4829]

I think I'll buy some high nic just for those times when I just think about having an analog cig. I used to smoke about 1 1/2 packs a day of light 100 menthol cigs. I started vaping at medium nic and was fine but I always hear people saying they don't even think about having a real cig (I wish I didn't). I really have no idea what I should have started at. I'm guessing high which is 16mg a ml right? All I know is it seemed the lower I went the more I thought about analogs. Now sure, it could be all in my head and I am the dumb .... that picked up that analog. Unfortunately I am an addict.

 

[ZambucaLu]

How about this.. Get 2 sampler packs from Johnson creek. 1 with nicotine, one non nic. Don't label which is which. Smoke all of them not knowing which is which. This way half of the time you will be getting no nicotine and half the time you will be getting nicotine. See if your brain knows the difference. Then you will know if it is more in your head or not.. I don't know.. just off the top of my head. I just know that I smoke JC low nicotine, and when I use a fresh cart of the hard stuff, (pre filled from the manufacturer,) I do not notice a difference in the amount I use. It all seems the same for me..

I have thought of something like this Cal....getting a 0 nic of each 36mg flavor I have and adding a drop a day of the 0 to the 36. I know how much I crave analogs in a day....I'd be able to tell at what point it started "getting to me". I wouldn't want to use glycerin because I wouldn't want to detract from the taste at all, not at this point anyway. I have also just ordered some Lorann flavors....that might help keep the flavor too when I do decide to try the glycerin. But first things first!

I know this isn't exactly what you said but it is along those same lines. I may very well find I can get along on less than the 36mg. I figure I'm in this for the long haul so I have lots of time to experiment. As someone else mentioned....I didn't start out smoking almost 3 packs a day....I built up to that over 36 years. It's going to take some time to go back.

Lu

 

[ZambucaLu]

It is hard to keep track, I swap flavours all the time too.

I reckon I vape around 2-3ml a day. I'm replacing a smoking habit of about 24mg a day so I vape 6-11mg juice most of the time and have occasional hits of 18mg. That keeps me fairly steady when I manage it but when I don't control my intake and overdo it I get palpitations, headaches and disturbed sleep. Less nic than usual doesn't seem to have much effect strangely and I don't crave smoking any more either.

A lot of people here seem to have a good grasp of how much they vape. Part of my problem is...I smoke while home, in my car, at work and when I'm out and about. I would literally have to stop and count drops each and every time I topped off and I'm just not that attentive at this point. I think though that once I get all my flavors straight, I'm going to try the new experiment I explained to Cal. Maybe then I can get a better idea.

You (and others) are really lucky you were able to find what's worked for you to stay off the analogs. I hope to get there too someday!

Lu

 

[TropicalBob]

Tumbleweed, let me stay I know exactly how you feel. You have mirrored my own dilemma.

I quit cigarettes July 17, 2007, and every hour of every day I want a real cigarette. I want one while I have a strong snus in my mouth (almost all the time) and e-smoking 16mg liquid at the same time all day (about 2ml a day). I smoke four real pipes a day and dissolve six Stonewall 4mg tablets. None satisfy like a single tobacco cigarette did.

I have never understood posters who say they tried one and it was nasty. If I tried one, I'd be back on them at 30 a day in a heartbeat. Only willpower - and it's failing - keeps me off real cigarettes.

E-smoking is great. But it is not smoking. What I have learned is that nicotine is NOT the answer. You could do 40mg nic liquid and not be satisfied. Your head might spin, yep, but you'd still want a cigarette. Something critical to cigarette satisfaction is missing with vaping. And I don't think it's nicotine or carbon monoxide. Something else.

Until we find out what it is, and incorporate it into e-smoking, I'll remain exactly like you.

 

[jarvis]

I'm in the same boat TropicalBob. My hypothesis has to do with the fact "that smoking affects the brain's natural system of chemicals called endogenous opioids, which also help quell painful sensations" This is also the same system that produces "runners high". So I'm thinking that perhaps all of the junk that's in regular cigarettes produces stress on the body, and this release of opioids (same reaction occurs when you take ......) produces the thing that these e-cigs lack. Maybe we should try running on a treadmill while e-smoking, hehe.

 

[katink]

A lot of people here seem to have a good grasp of how much they vape. Part of my problem is...I smoke while home, in my car, at work and when I'm out and about. I would literally have to stop and count drops each and every time I topped off and I'm just not that attentive at this point.
Lu

There is an easier way Lu. First off, know how much your cartridges hold (if you use those). Then all you have to do is:
Make a note, with the date, of how much liquid you have in the house on a certain day (so add bottles and carts into a total of e-liquid).
Now do the same 2 or 3 weeks later. Subtract the last from the first; then divide the outcome by 14 or 21, or however many days you had inbetween the two counting-times. And there you are: your daily usage of e-liquid

(Of course, if you ordered between those two days, you do need to add what you ordered to your first day, and count it along on the second day).


Tumbleweed, Bob, Jarvis - a question: do you think, for yourself, that at some point you could have stopped the rising line in your nicotine-consumption? Was there a point, looking back, where you feel your body wasn't telling you you nééded to take yet more nicotine (yet you did anyway, for whatever reason)? Or was your body, the craving, telling you 'more, more' all the time during your smoking-history? ( I think this just might be a, or perhaps the, difference between those e-smokers that dó still crave for a real cig and those that don't - I could well be wrong of course, but just asking, hope you don't mind)

 

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

My own addiction seems to be split between nicotine and the smoking 'ritual' of hand to mouth, inhalation, blowing smoke rings etc. I'm very thankful for this because I'm able to keep my desire for a real cigarette under control with little effort. I smoked one after three months of vaping and it was great, but it didn't recapture me. There are real cigs in the house but they don't play on my mind as they did in my previous quit attempts.

To address Tum's original point, I don't think I'll ever get to 0 nic.

Emp

 

[GabbyD]

Question for those of you who haven't been able to give up analogs (and believe me, I consider myself a long way from feeling like I truly have quit) Do you want to quit? Is that an element at all?