4 months of vaping and still haven't quit smoking :-( Any advice?

[Michelle M]

For me, FOUR DAYS is the sweet spot.

What I mean by that:

If I can deal with and ignore cravings for a cigarette for just four days, I know they will disappear.

I think it takes the body that long to adjust to (a) much lower nicotine intake and (b) chemicals and crap in cigarettes which your body mistakenly thinks it needs.

Another thing that helped: joining a gym and getting my rear end moving again. You'll appreciate the increased wind and stamina when you're cigarette-free.

Try to stick out that four days and see how you feel at the end of it. It will surprise you.

 

[Kevin Freeheart]

I could never understand how some of my friends were able to quit cold turkey...no gum, no patch, no vaping...they just straight up quit. I just didn't have the will-power or self-control to do it like that. I used the gum, the patch, Chantix. None of them worked for me.

I quit for several years, just went cold turkey. I then started smoking again because I wanted to. I've been on both sides of that.

I'm convinced that many, if not all, of the people who quit smoking don't really want to quit. This is what happened to me the second time. I don't mean that they're lying to themselves or anything like that but...

Most people who say they're quitting list a few things. Health concerns (I want to breathe better. I want to stop coughing.), cost or inconvenience (having to go outside, et cetera). These same people often will tell you why they like smoking. A lot of people want to be NON-SMOKERS but don't actually want to QUIT SMOKING. Putting down the cigarettes is the means to other goals, but these same people would pick right up again if a new cigarette was introduced that eliminated the effect they didn't like, or if they got dirt cheap or whatever.

When you actually want to quit smoking, it's not all that hard to do.

 

[tanyalee]

Thank you so much everyone! What great tips and advice and stories. I won't quit quitting lol If only I could get hubby to switch to vaping (not blaming him, it's all on me, but it would be helpful and easier if he wasn't smoking).

I am using an eGO - anyone know how I can get it to vape better? Personally I feel I have to suck on it kinda hard, I guess, like a previously poster said, I want it to be more like smoking, maybe that's one of my problems. I am going to switch to 34mg for now as well. Can I use a low resistance atomizer on an eGO or is there something else I have to do?

THANKS AGAIN EVERYBODY! What a great group we have here!

 

[Godzilla]

Get yourself some Caramel Cappuccino from Kick Bass Vapor, or Backwoods Brew, some of the new Ce2 clearomizers (The caramel capp tastes awesome in these) an syringe with a 20 guage needle for filling them. These work great to take to work. I take two charged egos, and a few assorted filled clearomizers, and I am good to go.

Then, get some joye LR306 attys. I have heard awesome things about ikenvapes 306LR attys, but they are out of stock. I got mine from Liberty flights and they are a good price there, with quick shipping. The 306 really packs a punch. I recommend getting 80%PG. I use 24mg myself, but it may be good to drip with 36mg when you are having that craving. By the way, the 306 can only be used for dripping.

Good luck.

 

[RollTheBones]

First off, don't beat yourself up. Smoking less is STILL smoking less.

At first I went a few days without a real smoke, then started drifting back into the habit. I realized it was mostly due to begginer confusion, frustration and a lack of trust in these gadgets. That was about 5 months ago. Just recently I have found that real cigs are not tasting good to me at all, even though I keep trying them. They are slowly becoming "icky" or something and I consider that progress.

Just roll with it.

 

[fallon74]

I've been vaping for 6 months it took me 2 weeks to stop smoking but I also lived with smokers. I vaped 24mg for about 3 or 4 months then went down to 16mg. You can quit smoking you just have to put your mind to it and pick up your pv when you feel like having a cigarette and vape away.

 

[VegaSS]

I agree. If there is not a TRUE willingness and want to quit, you probably won't, at least not most people. I don't know if you have tried other methods or not, i.e. Chantex, but different things work for different people. You should go to your doc if you are ready, and try some other methods. Chantex really did work for me, just made me sick, but it dosen't make everyone sick. You should try it, and use your e-cig while on it for your cravings. After about a weed or two, you won't be able to smoke while on Chantex. I do love my e-cig though and hope you will find what works. The most important thing is this, DON'T EVER STOP TRYING TO STOP !!!

 

[kevbow]

Raise your nic level and don't buy any more cigarettes. If you don't buy them you won't have the option of smoking one .

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

In the beginning my Wife had issues and kept grabbing a cigarette primarily when drinking, or when others around her were smoking...so quitting w/o the husband may be difficult if you're anything like my wife. However it can be done.

She's been doing much better in the past few months, and hasn't touched a cigarette...but it has taken lots of time/money/research to get the right device, fluid, technique (she's been using a TW titan for the past 6 months or so and she loves it...I just get tired of filling the carts) so I'm considering getting her an EGO-T to try.

On the fluid subject the ONLY ones she likes thus far are awesomevapor's camel, and turkish blend (she smoked marlboro's...so I find that odd.)
we've tried many from a few of the favorites of others on this forum, and I've ended up having to give them away, as she doesn't like them.

 

[Stosh]

.......I am using an eGO - anyone know how I can get it to vape better? Personally I feel I have to suck on it kinda hard, I guess, like a previously poster said, I want it to be more like smoking, maybe that's one of my problems. I am going to switch to 34mg for now as well. Can I use a low resistance atomizer on an eGO or is there something else I have to do?.......

I LR atty may help, but there are concerns on how they effect an ego battery.
Easy things to try would be mega cartos AND mega attys (type B cylinder) they
will both give you more vaping between fill-ups. The mega atty would also give
you a chance to try dripping.

The big difference would be in the amount of vapor produced, both give me about
double what I can get from a standard 510 atty or cart.

 

[pAth77]

...When you actually want to quit smoking, it's not all that hard to do.

I don't mean to be argumentative here because I see where you're coming from, but I still disagree with you on that statement. For some of us, quitting just really IS hard. It's not that we don't want to quit, otherwise we wouldn't even try. After years of smoking (decades for me), we become addicted to not just the nicotine but also to the habit of smoking. Smoking is an addiction just like alcoholism and other drug addictions. That's why those of us that struggle seek support. I wish that it was as easy for me as it was for many of my friends (and you), but I (along with a majority of other ex-smokers) struggled and continue to be tempted. I will say though that it does get easier as each day goes by.

...Can I use a low resistance atomizer on an eGO or is there something else I have to do?

Personally, I prefer LR atomizers because the warmer vapor more closely resembles the feeling of an analog. I used to smoke menthols and my current all-day vape (24mg 80/20 PG/VG hypermint from BMV) had a good throat hit on a standard atomizer, but switching to a LR atomizer really hit the spot for me. It definitely wouldn't hurt to at least try it out to see if you like it better than the standard 510 atomizer you have. Most vendors will recommend that you use LR atomizers on batteries that are at least 450 mah (or is it 480 mah). You'll be fine since the standard eGo batt is 650 mah. They also say that using a LR atomizer will shorten the lifespan of your batt, but it's a compromise I'm willing to accept for the warmer vapor.

 

[DaveP]

Even if you can limit cigarettes to less than half a pack, then 5, and down from there, you are doing yourself a favor. Some people on the forum take a year to completely quit and some still have one here and there. Enjoy the fact that Ecigs cut your smoking by half, then a fourth, and work it out so that you quit completely when your stress level is the lowest.

Here's an interesting link: This is your brain on nicotine

 

[mwahle1]

I smoked over 3 packs a day for about 25 years. I have been smoke-free for well over a year. It was difficult for me to quit, but not nearly as much as other methods (medications and nicotine products). I chained-vaped 36 mg juice in the beginning and I still do. My advice is to get a higher mg juice and possible get a high voltage PV. The first few months that I actually was smoke-free I craved cigarettes quite a bit (actually I craved the other compounds in cigarettes-alkaloids). I used snus for the first 2-4 months of being smoke-free and then gradually and easily weaned myself off of the snus.

Therefore, my recomondations are:
1. Higher mg nicotine content juice
2. Get a high voltage PV
3. Try snus or some other type of non-combustible tobacco product when strong cravings occur.

It should be noted that I still crave a cigarette on occasion, but the time between cravings is increasing and the strength of the cravings are decreasing through time. I will never smoke again.

(I use an SB with cartomizers at 6 volts)

 

[cuseguy]

I was one of the lucky ones that vaping worked for "textbook" perfect. I still can't believe how easily I quit. However, my
wife is having a tougher time quitting as are my parents. They have all cut down, but they are all trying to compare to my
success which isn't fair to themselves. Every person is different and for some, it doesn't happen right away. You are already on the right road, you desire to quit and you started vaping...just stay with it and everytime you smoke an analog, remember for the next time, how it didn't taste as good as you thought it would. Eventually it will click, I promise.

 

[triplec76]

I bought my first ecig somewhere around April '09. It was after a trip to Vegas and they tried to sell me one on the strip for an atrocious amount. I knew enough at the time to go back to the room and research it and glad I didn't get caught up in their spiel. Unfortunately I spent A LOT of money trying different models and juices and quite frankly it ...... me off that I couldn't find something that really WORKED for me. I liked the idea of the whole deal, but it was just too inconvenient in a lot of ways not to mention people constantly asking (especially back then) what I was smoking (funny looks).

Fast forward 2 years and several ecigs, mods, juices, etc. and I think I have found at least a steady baseline to keep myself off of Marlboro's. The day I traded my Prodigy V2 for a really sweet eGo setup changed everything. The eGo is small (650 mah) and with the mega atty (LR), it is dead perfect for me (dripping). The 5v of the Prodigy was a "smoking" sensation that I was looking for (for its high voltage), and although it is a seriously solid piece of equipment, that damn thing looked like I was carrying around a little league baseball bat. The mega LR atomizer gives a somewhat similar throat hit, and I found out a few days ago that tailpiping that LR atty was a very pleasant surprise. I personally think it reduces airflow so you get more of what you want (VG or PG if you prefer) and less air.

My current setup includes:
4 eGo batteries (650 mah)
Multi 510 charger from TW
2 LR mega atty's
24mg 100% VG Backwoods Brew Maple Tobacco mixed with Cinnamon VG from American Eliquid Store (PG seems to hurt my lungs)
Tornado Tank (2 atomizers and 10 tanks on the way from TW)

My fallback setup which is close to a daily vape is the V4L battery with PCC and refilling cartomizers. I found that for me, refilling cartomizers is such a huge, daily PITA. I definitely think that some variation of the tank system is going to take vaping to the next level for a lot of current smokers. I know for me, I feel a lot better not dragging on that nasty smoke every day. I have always HATED my own second hand smoke, the way it sticks to my clothes and my truck, etc. I was up to about 1 and a half packs a day and 17 years of smoking (the number 17 and years seems like a LONG time when you see it on black and white on the screen).

I don't know that I could have quit just cold turkey like the males have in my family in the past. I think cigarettes today carry a lot more chemicals, etc to make it harder to ween yourself off even with patches or gum. I still crave an analogue every now and then and had an analogue the other day from my smoking buddy at work (we are kind of like THE smokers of our company). It tasted like ..., and I felt like a dirtball after smoking it.

Anyways, when other smokers ask about how to get into it I usually point them to these forums for information. The problem in the recent past has been how many variations are out there of the ecig and the liquid. It blows my freaking mind that I could basically try a new juice from a company every day for the next year and maybe not smoke the same one twice. Not to mention that local availability is severely lacking, so your only choice is to place an order and wait impatiently only to find out that that really sucked and light up another analogue. It would be really convenient if there were local stores in every city like TW in Florida where you could go in and try some stuff out before blowing your hard earned money on something that you don't like and have to spend more time to get rid of it or shelve it.

I wasn't planning on writing all of this, but it's a true story that can probably be told by a lot of current vapers out there.

My advice to anyone wanting to move from smoking to ecigs is just to hang in there and keep trying until you find something that works for you.

AFTERTHOUGHT EDIT: My other advice is to start at 24mg/36mg on your juice. I started too low and I don't think it was satisfying enough for me to drop the analogues. You can always cut it down with some VG from walmart or water or whatever if it is too strong. Another epiphany for me was buying a high nic juice and getting a more satisfying feeling from many less vapes.

 

[YePsTeR]

AFTERTHOUGHT EDIT: My other advice is to start at 24mg/36mg on your juice. I started too low and I don't think it was satisfying enough for me to drop the analogues. You can always cut it down with some VG from walmart or water or whatever if it is too strong. Another epiphany for me was buying a high nic juice and getting a more satisfying feeling from many less vapes.

So true so true!!!!!!

 

[Buzzy]

Hi, Tanyalee!
I'll echo what has already been said - don't beat yourself up about not quitting completely. When you are ready, you will. I'm not sure if any other poster has said it, but there are other addictive substances in a tobacco cigarette than just nicotine, and that is often part of the problem.
An eGo is a good pv, but that being said, it is possible to increase the "hit" and therefore make quitting easier. Several have suggested a 5v pv, and that is one path. But similar, if not exactly the same results, can be achieved with LR atomizers/LR cartomizers. Just be mindful that some have reported that 1.5v LRs have been known to shorten the total life cycle of an eGo. And they will definitely mean that you have to recharge them more often.

However, a step shy of 1.5LR atties are the 2.0 ohm LR atties from Ikenvape.com. I have not tried them personally, but they are reported to give a richer vape, more th, but without significantly lower the life cycle of eGo batts. They fall in between the resistance of a standard atty and a 1.5LR. You might consider those.

If money is not an issue, then a 5v mod is probably a good choice anyway. There are several available, including the GLV2 from Great Lakes Vapor, the adjustable voltage Buzz from notcigs.com, the adjustable voltage ProVari from ProVape.com. There is also an inexpensive 5v box mod, but I don't remember who carries that. And there is the variable voltage Tekkon available from several vendors. Use only a standard atty on a 5v device, and remember that atties will not last as long on a 5v device.

Check out DonDaBoomVape's article on mods: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...5-wonderful-world-mods-illustrated-guide.html . Even a 3.7v mod will hit a little harder than an eGo which is actually a 3.2v device.

Hope this helps!

 

[triplec76]

I almost pulled the trigger on a Turbo from Vaprlife the other day, but after having a mod once, I can say that I don't like wielding that kind of hardware out in public. Having your PV light up like a UFO while driving to work in the dark doesn't really blow my skirt up. I want to build my own 5v battery box mod from Radio Shack or madvapes, but I can guarantee you I won't be sucking nicotine from a plastic battery box where I can be easily seen.

 

[wv2win]

I almost pulled the trigger on a Turbo from Vaprlife the other day, but after having a mod once, I can say that I don't like wielding that kind of hardware out in public. Having your PV light up like a UFO while driving to work in the dark doesn't really blow my skirt up. I want to build my own 5v battery box mod from Radio Shack or madvapes, but I can guarantee you I won't be sucking nicotine from a plastic battery box where I can be easily seen.

I have several 5 volt PV's and will soon be moving up to a VV PV. Many of us "vets" feel exactly the OPPOSITE about being seen in public with our slightly larger 5 volt PV's. I don't want anyone to think I am still smoking. That is a big added side benefit to a good PV like the 5 volt GLV2. Instead of people thinking I'm still smoking (or pretending to smoke), instead they either know that I am not smoking or ask about my PV and then give me very positive reenforcement for quitting smoking. The fact that my PV looks nothing like a cigarette is a big plus. And I think it is a plus in how vaping is viewed by the non-informed because they know we are not smoking. It also provides more opportunities to educate the public about the benefits of vaping.

I think none of us should use the term "e-cigarette" and wish no PV's looked like cigarettes which keeps us stigmatized by looking like a cigarette.

 

[triplec76]

I think if they aren't Helen Keller they will know you aren't smoking a real cigarette no matter what you are using.

EDIT: The other turnoff for me with 5v devices are charging the batteries. I've yet to see a multi charger for mod batteries. If you have a link to a source I'd be elated. I need enough battery power to get through a day without finding an outlet to charge from or whatever.