A lot has happened since joining ECF

[RoseJ]

Congratulations! How do you feel?

Thanks for asking, Neil! This is what I wrote in my journal today:

* Second day was harder than the first, but not too bad. I used some WTA and it was very useful. I only used it once (about 5 puffs) and it knocked the cravings down for a long time. It didn't work immediately - it took about 5-10 minutes, but it worked well.
* Blood-oxygen level is up to 97% which is mid-normal. It has been 95% which is very low-normal. So an obvious improvement there.
* Heart rate is lower, and recovery rate when exercising is faster.
* I can take deeper breaths.
* Feeling confident, but wary.

So far, so good. This is the most important thing I've ever done for myself, I think.

 

[Falconeer]

I said you'd get there...I just didn't think it would be this quick. Congrats and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back. Your story can only help others.

 

[Rossum]

The best I've ever done is 6 months (before e-cigarettes), and I was in the depths of despair every moment. And I'm a super-happy type of person. I'm hoping it will be different this time.

I can't say I ever made it 6 months before e-cigs, but I know what you mean about the depths of despair. It was bad enough that my wife (a never smoker) told me if I wanted to stay married, I needed to start smoking again.

With vaping, it was totally different. I had a huge grin on my face for the first week or two after I put the cigs down because I wasn't miserable, and I hadn't actually forbidden myself from having one if I wanted it badly enough. Oh sure, I had an occasional craving, but I always vaped my way through it, occasionally hitting liquids as high as 24 or even 36 mg on the low-powered gear that was available then. No misery, no despair, just the thrill of not smoking anymore, which I previously thought would never happen, and feeling a whole lot better than I had in a decade or two.

 

[Timmythekid6]

Congrats! Almost a year of not smoking for me (with a couple slip-up's). And I just joined ECF today!

 

[englishmick]

Good luck! One of the neatest things I noticed when I successfully switched to vaping was only going to the gas station to get... gas. ;-)

I went to the gas station most days to get a pack of cigs. While I was in there I almost always got a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin or some other junk food. That stuff almost doubled the cost of the cigs. Now I fill a thermos of coffee in the morning and grab a banana, and never go inside at the gas station. Thus saving even more than I was spending on cigs, and presumably being healthier too.

 

[RoseJ]

I said you'd get there...I just didn't think it would be this quick. Congrats and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back. Your story can only help others.

I didn't think it would be this quick either! I got the Innokin Endura in the mail, loaded it up with my awesome DIY, tried it, thought "wow, I can do it with this", and haven't had a cigarette since. Not being cocky though - I know how quickly it can go downhill, so I'm on my guard.

 

[Canadian_Vaper]

So after 3 weeks on ECF, I'm a well-informed, ex-smoking alchemist.

LOL!! Congrats on the quit

 

[RoseJ]

I can't say I ever made it 6 months before e-cigs, but I know what you mean about the depths of despair. It was bad enough that my wife (a never smoker) told me if I wanted to stay married, I needed to start smoking again.

With vaping, it was totally different. I had a huge grin on my face for the first week or two after I put the cigs down because I wasn't miserable, and I hadn't actually forbidden myself from having one if I wanted it badly enough. Oh sure, I had an occasional craving, but I always vaped my way through it, occasionally hitting liquids as high as 24 or even 36 mg on the low-powered gear that was available then. No misery, no despair, just the thrill of not smoking anymore, which I previously thought would never happen, and feeling a whole lot better than I had in a decade or two.

You have no idea how much better your post made me feel. At the time, I purposely started smoking again, thinking that I'd rather die of lung cancer than feel this unhappy and angry for the rest of my life. I swore I'd never try to quit again.

So this time around, it's that misery and anger that scares me very much. So far I'm still happy-me, and your post gives me hope that I might stay that way. Thank you!

 

[Skitterpop]

So this time around, it's that misery and anger that scares me very much. So far I'm still happy-me, and your post gives me hope that I might stay that way. Thank you!

The happiness will continue and when the new self-esteem kicks in the happiness will continue to grow. When I quit my wife went into full combat mode waiting for the grouchy old man (55 year smoker) to start. What she saw was someone who got up every morning smiling and laughing because I could not believe how easy this was. For the first several weeks I admit I was nervous and had some cravings but vaped through them. Now I see vaping as my salvation.

 

[Rossum]

"wow, I can do it with this"

That's the secret. I picked up a vape starter kit back in December of 2013 with no intention to quit, just wanting to see if maybe I could cut back on my 2 PAD habit some. On my first full day of vaping, I went from 40 cigs to 4, without trying very hard, and without being miserable at all, so I started thinking, "Wow, maybe I can do it with this?" Then I found ECF and needless to say, the fine folks here didn't dissuade me from that notion.

So far I'm still happy-me

 

[VNeil]

Thanks for asking, Neil! This is what I wrote in my journal today:

* Second day was harder than the first, but not too bad. I used some WTA and it was very useful. I only used it once (about 5 puffs) and it knocked the cravings down for a long time. It didn't work immediately - it took about 5-10 minutes, but it worked well.
* Blood-oxygen level is up to 97% which is mid-normal. It has been 95% which is very low-normal. So an obvious improvement there.
* Heart rate is lower, and recovery rate when exercising is faster.
* I can take deeper breaths.
* Feeling confident, but wary.

So far, so good. This is the most important thing I've ever done for myself, I think.

Interesting observations on the WTA. It's a shame most people don't even learn about it when they first try to quit.

You're doing great!!!!

 

[RoseJ]

The happiness will continue and when the new self-esteem kicks in the happiness will continue to grow. When I quit my wife went into full combat mode waiting for the grouchy old man (55 year smoker) to start. What she saw was someone who got up every morning smiling and laughing because I could not believe how easy this was. For the first several weeks I admit I was nervous and had some cravings but vaped through them. Now I see vaping as my salvation.

That's inspirational too. I thought I was the only one with insanity issues when I quit, with no signs of abating. My poor, poor husband. He was a saint in that time. I think he is somewhat in combat-mode at the moment too. LOL!

 

[AndriaD]

That's inspirational too. I thought I was the only one with insanity issues when I quit, with no signs of abating. My poor, poor husband. He was a saint in that time. I think he is somewhat in combat-mode at the moment too. LOL!

Insanity was a real issue for me, the 2 times I tried the patch... both times, before a week was out, my husband AND son were both begging me to start smoking again.

This time, my husband was very cautious; when he'd come home from work and hear how few I had smoked that day, he offered only a very wary "Um, that's nice." I could tell he was bracing himself for the freak-out. When it really did happen, after my appendectomy, he really didn't seem too surprised at my demand to GO GET ME SOME CIGARETTES NOW! Next day, after I'd calmed down, he asked me if I was sure I wanted to do that; I told him yes I'm sure, I DON'T want to do it, but it was the only way to get rid of the cravings; I ordered some WTA right away, so once I had become smoke-free again and the cravings came back, I tried the WTA instead of a cigarette, and it really worked.

Andria

 

[englishmick]

You have no idea how much better your post made me feel. At the time, I purposely started smoking again, thinking that I'd rather die of lung cancer than feel this unhappy and angry for the rest of my life. I swore I'd never try to quit again.

So this time around, it's that misery and anger that scares me very much. So far I'm still happy-me, and your post gives me hope that I might stay that way. Thank you!

I do hope you've been getting up to date on the regulation issues and preparing yourself. Since you are already making your own juice I'm guessing the answer is yes.

 

[RoseJ]

Insanity was a real issue for me, the 2 times I tried the patch... both times, before a week was out, my husband AND son were both begging me to start smoking again.

This time, my husband was very cautious; when he'd come home from work and hear how few I had smoked that day, he offered only a very wary "Um, that's nice." I could tell he was bracing himself for the freak-out. When it really did happen, after my appendectomy, he really didn't seem too surprised at my demand to GO GET ME SOME CIGARETTES NOW! Next day, after I'd calmed down, he asked me if I was sure I wanted to do that; I told him yes I'm sure, I DON'T want to do it, but it was the only way to get rid of the cravings; I ordered some WTA right away, so once I had become smoke-free again and the cravings came back, I tried the WTA instead of a cigarette, and it really worked.

Andria

Andria, thanks for putting me on to the WTA. I only tried it last night for the first time. At first I was disappointed that I didn't "feel it" straight away like I would a cigarette. But a few minutes later, I realized that the craving had completely gone, and I felt relaxed.

Does it work that way for you?

 

[RoseJ]

I do hope you've been getting up to date on the regulation issues and preparing yourself. Since you are already making your own juice I'm guessing the answer is yes.

Yes I am. I'm not sure how that will go here in the US, but seeing what you guys will be up against in the EU soon is scary.

I'm starting to stockpile nicotine, and may do the same with WTA, although that's a bit more expensive. I'm not sure if I need to do the same with hardware, after seeing the possible EU regulations.

None of it makes sense, seeing as cigarettes will still be freely available. I'm not a conspiracist-theory person normally, but it makes you wonder ....

 

[englishmick]

Yes I am. I'm not sure how that will go here in the US, but seeing what you guys will be up against in the EU soon is scary.

I'm starting to stockpile nicotine, and may do the same with WTA, although that's a bit more expensive. I'm not sure if I need to do the same with hardware, after seeing the possible EU regulations.

None of it makes sense, seeing as cigarettes will still be freely available. I'm not a conspiracist-theory person normally, but it makes you wonder ....

FYI, I live in America now. Been here 25 years.

It's really sad to think that we might not be seeing any more stories like yours a couple of years from now.

WTA always made me nervous. Feels like it means moving part of the way back towards cigarettes, using the very same chemicals that got me hooked in the first place. Some folks really need it though. Like Andria. Almost down to zero now aren't you Andria?

 

[englishmick]

I'm starting to stockpile nicotine, and may do the same with WTA, although that's a bit more expensive. I'm not sure if I need to do the same with hardware, after seeing the possible EU regulations.

Nobody knows for sure about the hardware. But in Indiana you won't be able to get it from out of State or over the internet after July this year. Better safe than sorry.

 

[AndriaD]

Andria, thanks for putting me on to the WTA. I only tried it last night for the first time. At first I was disappointed that I didn't "feel it" straight away like I would a cigarette. But a few minutes later, I realized that the craving had completely gone, and I felt relaxed.

Does it work that way for you?

Not precisely, but I've always used it a bit differently -- I put it in everything I vape. But the day I added it, in the morning, that night I realized that I hadn't had a craving ALL DAY LONG... The absence of something is harder to recognize, than the presence of it.

But, given that WTA might be "low hanging fruit" to the gov't busybodies, the way you're doing it is a lot more sensible -- you won't have to go thru the long weaning-down process that I've been doing for over a year now. Your way is also probably a lot less costly! At the time I did it, I was still experimenting with a lot of different flavors, and I feared if I put it in just one tank, I'd just end up sucking on that tank all the time... so I did an end-run around that, by using a low level that I *did* suck on all the time.

Andria

 

[RoseJ]

Nobody knows for sure about the hardware. But in Indiana you won't be able to get it from out of State or over the internet after July this year. Better safe than sorry.

Jeez ... well, thanks for the heads-up!