A plan to stop using the real cigarettes.

[Anya SC]

Hi,
This is my first post here after reading the forum for a while.
I need some help re the doses of e liquids.

I bought my first ego cig few days ago with a coffee flavour d'lice e liquid and I bought this from a specialised shop here in London.

I used to smoke about 25 Pall Mall blue cigarettes a day of 0.6 nicotine strength.

The person in the shop suggested I should take 18 mg e liquid but I decided to take 6mg.

Back home I was half smoking, half vaping for the fist day. I thought the coffee flavour was nice, it even stopped me craving the coffee but I got bored of it. I then ordered a 0mg tobacco flavour from Amazon so kind of vaped a bit of tobacco flavour and a bit of coffee. The second day my cigarette consumption went down drastically but I still smoked. A bit less then one packet that day.

Today is the third day. I had 3 real cigarettes with my morning coffee and about 10ish during the day. I've been vaping 0mg the whole day.

1. What I notice is that I take 3 puffs and inhale only the third, and I do it quite fast, not sure why is this, is this normal?
2. I am feeling quite restless and nervous, unable to concentrate and with foggy mind.. is this from nicotine deprivation?
3. Does anyone have any advice on how and when to quit with the real cigarettes? Please can you share experience how did you move from the real cigarettes to vaping!
4. Should I buy the higher dose of nicotine e liquid?
Thank you!

 

[daleron]

You're first challenge will probably be to find some e-liquid's that satisfy you.
As far as when you actually "quit" smoking cigarette's, that tends to vary from one person to another. Some can quit immediately and other's struggle for quite some time.

When you use your e-cig you should take long slow draws, not fast "puffs".

Good luck and welcome to ECF

 

[215Z]

Welcome and best wishes!

 

[Storm52]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your decision to quit. From my limited knowledge, I don't think you are getting the nicotine levels with vape as you did through smokes. I would have suggested a pad smoker to start at 12mg, depending on the brand.

 

[Gregorious]

I haven't smoked an analog cigarette since I started vaping last May, but I found an occasional craving for cigars. I agree with Daleron that you have to find a juice that satisfies you through trial and error. For me, the vapor density and flavor are key to a satisfying vape. I smoked about a pack and a half a day of Camel Ultra Lights. Now I order two bottles of my favorite flavors(one at 6mg and one at 0mg) and mix the two. Your jitters could also be attributed to too much nic. Keep trying flavors and whatever else you have to do to get off those nasty analogs! GOOD LUCK!

 

[Anya SC]

Thank you daleron!

I actually quite like both the coffee and the tobacco flavours and also their mixure. I am tempted to order a 'silk cut' flavour. I have several types of electronic cigarettes at home, bought in past 4 years and none worked for me. I love the real cigarettes and I am afraid it is going to happen again.
I just wish with all my heart it doesn't happen this time. I also tried the replacements and was taking Champix. Champix was the worst experience in my life.

I don't like taking the long vapes, I prefer the fast short ones.

I have one more question, the vapour for me feels similar to being in a steam room in a gym. This part I don't like. I hate the steam rooms. I kind of prefer the dry steam, like in the Swedish sauna. My question is for those who tried the VG e liquids. Is the sole VG e liquid vapour more kind of wet or more dry?

 

[Rickb119]

1. As was mentioned, take long slow draws and try exhaling through you nose (it will give you more flavor and get more nicotine into your system).
2. Yes!
3. I smoked 20 strong non-filtered per day and started with 18mg liquid. I was able to quit smoking in 4 days but I really wanted to and, I vaped almost non-stop for the first 2 weeks after that. Everyone is different and you will quit on your own time, not someone else's.
4. Yes!!! 18mg is a good place to start. If you feel it's too much, you can always buy a lower strength. If you feel it's not enough, buy a higher strength. Find and vape what your body needs NOW. Don't worry about lowering the level. It took me 9 months to go from 18mg to 10mg and I'll probably be there for a while. Even if I never go lower, I'm fine (thrilled!!!) with that. I'm just happy that, after almost 50 years, I am no longer a smoker. Never thought I'd be able to quit, and most likely wouldn't have, without vaping.

 

[daleron]

Thank you daleron!

I actually quite like both the coffee and the tobacco flavours and also their mixure. I am tempted to order a 'silk cut' flavour. I have several types of electronic cigarettes at home, bought in past 4 years and none worked for me. I love the real cigarettes and I am afraid it is going to happen again.
I just wish with all my heart it doesn't happen this time. I also tried the replacements and was taking Champix. Champix was the worst experience in my life.

Yes, a lot of people have had problems with Champix
I'm going to leave you a link where you can get lots of support and helpful answer's okay? Just jump to the end of the thread and say "hello", I promise you'll get a super nice welcome there
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/pay-forward-pif/519384-still-smoking-support-chat-thread.html

I don't like taking the long vapes, I prefer the fast short ones.

This may be a problem for you because you won't be getting the nicotine you are used to by taking fast short draws

I have one more question, the vapour for me feels similar to being in a steam room in a gym. This part I don't like. I hate the steam rooms. I kind of prefer the dry steam, like in the Swedish sauna. My question is for those who tried the VG e liquids. Is the sole VG e liquid vapour more kind of wet or more dry?

PG is generally harsher with a stronger throat hit whereas VG tends to be smoother ... not quite sure how to answer your question.

 

[edyle]

Hi,
This is my first post here after reading the forum for a while.
I need some help re the doses of e liquids.

I bought my first ego cig few days ago with a coffee flavour d'lice e liquid and I bought this from a specialised shop here in London.

I used to smoke about 25 Pall Mall blue cigarettes a day of 0.6 nicotine strength.

The person in the shop suggested I should take 18 mg e liquid but I decided to take 6mg.

Back home I was half smoking, half vaping for the fist day. I thought the coffee flavour was nice, it even stopped me craving the coffee but I got bored of it. I then ordered a 0mg tobacco flavour from Amazon so kind of vaped a bit of tobacco flavour and a bit of coffee. The second day my cigarette consumption went down drastically but I still smoked. A bit less then one packet that day.

Today is the third day. I had 3 real cigarettes with my morning coffee and about 10ish during the day. I've been vaping 0mg the whole day.

1. What I notice is that I take 3 puffs and inhale only the third, and I do it quite fast, not sure why is this, is this normal?
2. I am feeling quite restless and nervous, unable to concentrate and with foggy mind.. is this from nicotine deprivation?
3. Does anyone have any advice on how and when to quit with the real cigarettes? Please can you share experience how did you move from the real cigarettes to vaping!
4. Should I buy the higher dose of nicotine e liquid?
Thank you!

1: I tend to puff a couple times too; I believe it's a way of verifying that my thingy is actually working.
2: Could be you need more nic; there's other things in cigarettes that are supposed to be addictive too.
3: Once you have already made drastic reductions that's what's important; you'll know when it's time because the time will probably just come on it's own when you discover you haven't had a real cigarette for a while.
4: Good strategy is to have a high strength tank on standby for an occasional puff for anytime you get the urge for a real cig.

 

[Anya SC]

For me, the vapor density and flavor are key to a satisfying vape.!

Thank you so much for being so kind to everyone in here.

The vapour density?? Does this mean that different e liquids provide the different density of vapour? Or the density is defined by the strength of the device?

 

[Anya SC]

1: I tend to puff a couple times too; I believe it's a way of verifying that my thingy is actually working.
2: Could be you need more nic; there's other things in cigarettes that are supposed to be addictive too.
3: Once you have already made drastic reductions that's what's important; you'll know when it's time because the time will probably just come on it's own when you discover you haven't had a real cigarette for a while.
4: Good strategy is to have a high strength tank on standby for an occasional puff for anytime you get the urge for a real cig.

Wow, I quite like your signature!

Well done!

I've got a long way ahead to get there!

 

[Anya SC]

1. As was mentioned, take long slow draws and try exhaling through you nose (it will give you more flavor and get more nicotine into your system).
2. Yes!
3. I smoked 20 strong non-filtered per day and started with 18mg liquid. I was able to quit smoking in 4 days but I really wanted to and, I vaped almost non-stop for the first 2 weeks after that. Everyone is different and you will quit on your own time, not someone else's.
4. Yes!!! 18mg is a good place to start. If you feel it's too much, you can always buy a lower strength. If you feel it's not enough, buy a higher strength. Find and vape what your body needs NOW. Don't worry about lowering the level. It took me 9 months to go from 18mg to 10mg and I'll probably be there for a while. Even if I never go lower, I'm fine (thrilled!!!) with that. I'm just happy that, after almost 50 years, I am no longer a smoker. Never thought I'd be able to quit, and most likely wouldn't have, without vaping.

I must admit I am really afraid to get the 18mg. It kind of reminds me of the nicotine patches days. I got really sick when I had the first patch, had to remove it asap.
Maybe it is even harder to quit for people on lower doses..

 

[nate_]

I am a recent cigarette quitter (been off for a few days). I smoked half pack to pack per day of full flavor menthols. Using 12 mgs nicotine in my ejuice seems to be enough for me. The manner in which you vape makes all the difference in whether you are getting enough nicotine in your blood. In my limited experience (been vaping for about 2 1/2 months) a full lung hit will get more nic into your blood thus reducing cravings. But, if you just have to do short fast puffs and only inhale every 3rd one, you are probably going to need a higher nicotine level in your ejuice.
Also I just watched a lecture on YouTube from a university in London that was pretty informative. It is called "Electronic Cigarettes - what we know so far". It's about an hour long but you could fast forward what you don't want to watch. I truly believe that one section would be of particular interest to you about studies of smokers who used e cigs and the various results.
You should try to get larger hits (and still be comfortable) and consider a little higher nicotine level if you want to stop and cravings. The cool thing about vaping is you vape til your satisfied then set it down. It's not like you have a cig to finish!

 

[edyle]

I must admit I am really afraid to get the 18mg. It kind of reminds me of the nicotine patches days. I got really sick when I had the first patch, had to remove it asap.
Maybe it is even harder to quit for people on lower doses..

I buy 100% PG 24mg liquid and add 3 to 1 by volume of glycerin to it to get 6mg liquid @25/75 PG/VG.

If I want some higher strenght nicotine I can just mix some 50/50 to get 12mg liquid anytime I wanted.

When I first started vaping last year, I used to keep a tank of 24mg cigar flavored liquid next to my computer and I might just take an occassional puff on that but my main tank was 0 nicotine or some other low value nicotine.

That's the flexibility you have with tanks; you can't do that with cigarettes.

 

[Anya SC]

Thank you nate! I will have a look at that video.

My plan was actually to try having a glass jar where I put 5 pounds every day and not to buy packet of cigarettes with it. Then I go on holiday with that money! ))

The best option for me would be to vape with 0mg nicotine and no cigarettes and this is what I will try to achieve. I think the body should adapt after couple of days of starving.
For some reason I noticed that 0mg tobacco flavour is closer to me than 6mg coffee flavour. I get less cigarette craving but longer time vaping..

 

[edyle]

Thank you nate! I will have a look at that video.

My plan was actually to try having a glass jar where I put 5 pounds every day and not to buy packet of cigarettes with it. Then I go on holiday with that money! ))

The best option for me would be to vape with 0mg nicotine and no cigarettes and this is what I will try to achieve. I think the body should adapt after couple of days of starving.
For some reason I noticed that 0mg tobacco flavour is closer to me than 6mg coffee flavour. I get less cigarette craving but longer time vaping..

5 pounds a day? Is that what cigs have been costing you? If yes then that's a great plan. I usually recommend budgetting HALF what you used to spend on cigs initially; after about a year, your vape budget should cut down to less than 10% what you used to spend on cigs. That's based on a pack a day + smoker.



errrr..... that is... unless you get a case of shinyitis .... which runs wild on this board!

 

[Anya SC]

5 pounds a day? Is that what cigs have been costing you? If yes then that's a great plan. I usually recommend budgetting HALF what you used to spend on cigs initially; after about a year, your vape budget should cut down to less than 10% what you used to spend on cigs. That's based on a pack a day + smoker.



errrr..... that is... unless you get a case of shinyitis .... which runs wild on this board!

That is half! One packet of cigarettes is 6,30 UK pounds and I used to smoke about a packet and a half. For that money I can have a really good holiday.
An old woman many years ago told me that idea, this is how she quit. And with the money she saved she travelled to Australia!

 

[AndriaD]

1. What I notice is that I take 3 puffs and inhale only the third, and I do it quite fast, not sure why is this, is this normal?

If you mean 3 quick-ish drags while still holding down the fire button, I do this too, sorta filling up my mouth and throat with vapor till it begins leaking out of my nose. Most batteries will fire for 10 secs before flashing/turning off, and I can get in 2 or 3 drags on one press of the fire button. Don't know if it's the right way, but it works for me. I do it this way because I can't really get very much with one mouth-pull, and it really does work better if you do a mouth-to-lung inhale -- much the same mouth technique as sipping thru a straw, rather than pulling hard with the lungs.

2. I am feeling quite restless and nervous, unable to concentrate and with foggy mind.. is this from nicotine deprivation?

Yep, it's the onset of withdrawal -- "nicotine fit" -- very antsy, unable-to-focus kinda feeling, which gradually ushers in a headache and a real of a mood.

3. Does anyone have any advice on how and when to quit with the real cigarettes? Please can you share experience how did you move from the real cigarettes to vaping!

That's very individual; I would say, when you feel comfortable enough with vaping to get thru several days only smoking 1 or 2 a day, you're probably ready, if quitting is really what you want to do. If you're in any way hesitant or unwilling, then maybe longer than a few days. It took me about a month from the time I started vaping regularly, to get to that point, but everyone is different. No real need to pressure yourself; just treat it like an experiment -- I would say, ok I'm done with my meal, so normally I would smoke now, but instead I think I'll try vaping... And it worked. Anytime during the day when it would occur to me to smoke, I'd put it off, and grab the e-cig instead, and that worked pretty well too, better as time went by. But when I felt like I JUST HAD TO have a smoke, I'd go have one, and at first, still enjoyed them as much as ever, but the longer I vaped, the worse the cigarettes tasted, until they greatly resembled the taste of burning road tar.

4. Should I buy the higher dose of nicotine e liquid?

Yes, I think it would help a great deal at first. It sounds like you're not getting much nicotine at all from vaping, and you have to remember that your body cannot absorb nicotine as easily from vapor as it can from smoke. I smoked the same strength of cigarettes, but perhaps a bit fewer per day, maybe 15-20 per day; when I tried 18mg and 12mg they both made me ill; with 6mg I can basically vape every minute of the day, and not get sick, but when I quit the cigarettes I found that actually 8 or 9 mg is the right level for me in the daytime, and lower it to 6mg at night to prevent pounding heart when trying to go to sleep.

Hope that helps... Welcome to ECF!
Andria

 

[Hermit]

2. Almost definitely... that sounds exactly like I remember from a cold turkey quit attempt.

Also, if you drink any caffeine -- coffee/tea/red bull -- you will need to reduce the amount by about half. However, I didn't feel the effects of that for a week or two. (link)

3. I took about 3 weeks to switch over, and have been comfortably vape-only for 4 weeks since then (hardly an expert, lol, but it's working). Beforehand, I suspected that getting the 'right' flavours would be key, so I didn't set myself any date to actually quit. I started on 18mg just because it was 'medium', and it turns out to be about right for me, having smoked 20 to 25 filtered roll-ups a day for decades. Now I switch between 12mg, 18mg and 45mg depending on the device I'm using and the situation. I just use the 45mg rarely, to get a cig's worth of nic in me in a couple of minutes.

I've bought a bunch of devices, and a _lot_ of different liquids in those 7 weeks. Most of the liquids were dissappointing, some were downright nasty, but enough were ok to good and kept me going (mystic juice 'the cure' is the only one I've actually finished a bottle of, but your tastes could well be different to mine). Device-wise, I usually carry 2 or 3 ego 650mA batteries each with a mini protank 2 fitted - not the fanciest of gear, but effective, and much better than the CE4 clearos you often get in starter kits. Different flavours in each (currently inawera pear, mystic juice tobacco red passion, and flavourarts virginia), since I find any flavour gets tiresome after a while.

4. I started writing before the last bunch of posts... now I see I might have misunderstood what you meant by "short puffs", so this paragraph might not be appropriate...
I'm not recommending this, just mentioning it as an option since you'd prefer to take short puffs: some high strength, 30mg or 45mg, _might_ work, taking short puffs _only_, and you'd have to be very careful not to overdo it! I've tried ecopure 45mg, 'regular' and 'rich' flavour -- the taste is generic smoky, and quite dry, with the rich simply being a stronger tasting version of the regular -- and settled on the 'rich' since it reminds me how strong the juice is! Think hard before trying this kind of approach though, it would be very easy to use too much, and end up even more addicted to nic. Far safer to get used to taking longer draws of lower nic, once you find a flavour that works for you, since it's easier to regulate your intake.

Don't be scared to try 12mg or 18mg; it's really not like patches at all, since you can easily vape more or less of it to suit you. And you already have some lower strength to fall back on if it doesn't work out

 

[nate_]

The best option for me would be to vape with 0mg nicotine and no cigarettes and this is what I will try to achieve. I think the body should adapt after couple of days of starving.
For some reason I noticed that 0mg tobacco flavour is closer to me than 6mg coffee flavour. I get less cigarette craving but longer time vaping..

Well, I say Go For What You Know! Good luck and however you do it, try to stay away from the "stinkies"!