Advice for New E Cig Users with Cigarette Cravings

[jolly_st_nic]

Hi, everyone. I had a doctor's appointment last week, and I want to share his advice in case you're like me. I've been using the e cig on a regular basis for some time, but my cigarette cravings are still bothersome sometimes. First of all, my doctor was the one who first recommended the e cig to me, so I'm following his advice by using it (two doctors have told me it is completely safe to use).

My doc's advice was this: use your vaporizer any time, and as for the cigarettes, taper yourself down slowly. In my case, I was a two pack / day smoker and when I started vaping I painlessly (I mean PAINLESSLY) cut down to just one pack / day immediately. So I still needed a pack of smokes to get by. No problem, though. All my doctor suggested is that I take 2 cigarettes out of the pack and smoke 18 cigs a day for a week. Then cut take 4 out of the pack and smoke 16 cigs / day for a week. Then 6 cigs out of the pack, etc.

Some manage to quit the smokes right after taking up vaping, but for those who can't, tapering while vaping may do the trick for you. It will, maybe, slowly get you out of the psychological addiction to real cigarettes.

Just some advice from my doctor, so I thought I'd pass it on.

 

[mattiem]

Glad your doctor started you down this path and who am I to say anything different but I think your mind and body will tell you how to do this. I was one of the fortunate people that just took to this like a duck to water and went from a pad to none in just a couple of days. YMMV

I think the main thing is you have really gotta want this to work and go from there. Hopefully it is working for you. Please keep us updated on your progress.

 

[DummyMe]

I'm another who went from a PAD to zero in three days. Basically I finished the pack I had over three days. I'm 5 months smokefree today. I smoked 1 to 2 packs a day for over 45 years. I like not coughing my head off, I like climbing 3 or 4 flights of stairs, I like not stinking. I may be off-topic with this, but I like living again! I'm never going back.

 

[Kami]

Nice Nic, thanks for sharing. As for kicking the analog habit I had a similar experience, but upping the nicotine in the juice took me over the top. I've gone from 24mg to 10 with no analog cravings. Good luck and thanks again for the information.

 

[ardelleg]

Congratulations and welcome to ECF

Anything that helps.... helps.... You are so fortunate to have good doctors.... everyone has to find their own way and the important thing is doing it.

I have been smoke free for a year, and I still can hardly believe it....

 

[kidbeaster]

I couldn't quit cold turkey when I started e-cigs. I had a pack and a half of smokes I couldn't let see go to waste. I just started the full pack and gave up. I didn't like the taste anymore...tasted gross.

That's awesome hearing about a Doctor recommending e-cigs.

 

[brandontrjn]

Welcome to ECF.

I love hearing healthcare professionals recommending E-cigs. We need more like that!

 

[cags]

I did not stop smoking immediately. in fact, almost a year later and I smoke 2 cigs a day. I could probably cut them out, but I enjoy them. I did not want to quit smoking, but the $$ forced me to do something. my goal was to go from 2pad to 1pad. so I actually exceeded my goal. over the course of a month and a half I got to 2 cigs a day. I think your dr's advice is worth a try. I got over the AM cig by vaping and waiting 10 min before I had a cig, added another 10 min every few days and soon it was 1 in the afternoon before I had my first cig. I was only willing to do it if it was painless. I already have to diet and deprive myself of food. I'm old and am not willing to deprive myself much more lol

 

[mkchunn]

Thanks for the info Nic. I have several co-workers that are thinking about picking up PV's and some of them are very heavy analog users. I will pass this info along to them as it may help them transition a little easier.

 

[RosieRags]

I stepped down gradually during the past week. Today I am going to try and not have any analogs, but if I feel miserable, I'm certainly not going to deny myself as in one week I have already saved myself from smoking 160 cigarettes. I haven't saved any money yet because I keep shopping for vaping supplies...LOL. Good going Jolly! My doctor also supports me with using e-cigs. Wednesday she asked for suggested websites to recommend to her other smoking patients that aren't successful using patches and gum.

 

[Charlz]

I tapered down as well with the cigarette while out at the bar being the last to go. At some point the cigs get nastier and nastier tasting. At one point I was able to rationalize that I would just wind up giving it back to my friend after a few drags and just go for my e-cig, filled with higher than normal nic. There is a rubbery taste to analogs now that I can't handle anymore.

 

[Baldr]

Before I started vaping, I was smoking 3 packs a day, sometimes more.

I started with an eGo, using 24mg juice, and as soon as I started vaping, my cig use dropped by 1/2.

Several people here on ECF told me that I shouldn't push to quit smoking. They told me to vape when I wanted to vape, and smoke when I wanted to smoke, and that it would come naturally. I think that was good advice.

it didn't take long before I was down to 10 or 12 cigs a day, but at that point, I had trouble cutting down. Right after a meal, I'd get cig cravings, and I couldn't vape through them.

After about 2 and a half months, I was still smoking those 10 or so a day.

That's when I ordered some higher nic juice. 30mg. And that did the trick. I continued to vape my 24mg as my "all day" juice, but I got a atomizer/drip tip setup and used the 30mg when I'd get cravings for a real cig. As soon as I started doing that, I stopped smoking. I had about a half-pack that was open, and 6 full packs left from the last carton I'd bought, but I didn't need them anymore. I gave most of those away, but I still have a pack here at the house, and one in the car. I kept them for emegency, but I'm pretty convinced now that I won't ever smoke again. I haven't had a cig for almost 4 months.

I'd vape the 24 most of the time, and I'd drip the 30mg right after meals when I'd get a craving for a cig, and that did the trick.

I didn't need to use the 30 for long, either. After a few weeks or a month, I think it was, and I noticed that I hadn't been using it. I still have most of that 30mg juice.

And I just received an order from AveJuice.com, 100ml of Boba's Bounty, at 18mg. I'm going to try and move down to the 18mg. I expect to drip some 24 along the way, similar to what I did with the 30 before, as I get adjusted to the 18.

If you're having trouble quitting, I'd suggest a higher nic level, either as your all day, or dripping it when needed. It worked for me.

 

[bigtiime]

You told them ECF right Rosie . . .

 

[jolly_st_nic]

Thanks for the welcomes! I'm surprised / glad to hear that so many have had a lot of luck with the e cig in quitting right away. I suppose my doc's advice would apply only to people who are still having cravings despite using the e cig. I have 36 vapor as well as some 24 and 18. The 36 I find too strong, but I might try it with a smaller battery and see if that helps, and Baldr might be right that I could quit faster with a stronger nicotine liquid.

My real problem, I think, is the psychology of it. I have been smoking so much for so long that it's hard to imagine myself as a complete non-smoker. The idea of going a day without a cigarette nearly gives me the shakes. So for me, personally, my doctor's tapering advice might prove the best way. This way I am slowly getting used to the psychological withdrawal over months instead of days.

No advice will work for everyone, but I'll bet my doc's method would help some people who find themselves addicted to the other non-nicotine stuff in tobacco and the psychological aspects of smoking. By slowly withdrawing from cigarettes, the brain can maintain homeostasis while quitting smoking. Also, even if it's just nicotine I'm addicted to, I'll have 10 weeks for my brain to adjust to the (perhaps) smaller amounts of nicotine from my e cigarette before I'm completely off the real ones.

But as someone said, "if it works ... it works." One person might have a difficult time with this while for another person it's easy to just quit the real ones. Hope my doc's suggestions help someone out there.

By the way, I am "allowed" 18 cigarettes a day from my pack for this week, but some days I'm only smoking 12 or 13 cigs. That is good news for me. It means the vape is truly replacing my cigarette addiction.

 

[JeffKlok]

It also helps to find a good tobacco to curb the cravings too

 

[Charlz]

The 36 I find too strong, but I might try it with a smaller battery and see if that helps,

What battery do you have? It's actually the ohm (resistance) of the cartomizer or atty that you use with the battery that will strengthen or weaken the vapor you receive. I'm using 3.7v and like to vape at 2.5-2.8ohms. 2.0 ohms is a strong vape and 3.0 gives a cooler vape but flavors can be enhanced. Tobacco and coffee flavors like low ohms (IMHO) but most other flavors are enhanced at higher ohms. The cooler the vape, the more I need higher nic to get that good throat hit.

 

[kris1166]

I just started 8 days ago with e cig and try to quit completely but after two days couldn`t stop thinking about this juicy thick, amazing analog smoke .... so i got the pack that last me 5 days.
Whenever I had an urge to smoke I would only take 3 drags and save it for later ... day after day analog started tasting horrible comparing to E CIGS
Today is my first day with no cravings ... Hope will stay analog free for good ...
Kris

 

[JeffKlok]

Sometimes it is good to get the craving and smoke.You then realize how terrible they taste.

 

[jolly_st_nic]

What battery do you have? It's actually the ohm (resistance) of the cartomizer or atty that you use with the battery that will strengthen or weaken the vapor you receive. I'm using 3.7v and like to vape at 2.5-2.8ohms. 2.0 ohms is a strong vape and 3.0 gives a cooler vape but flavors can be enhanced. Tobacco and coffee flavors like low ohms (IMHO) but most other flavors are enhanced at higher ohms. The cooler the vape, the more I need higher nic to get that good throat hit.

I'm using kr808 cartomizers at 2.4 - 2.8 ohms. I have an adapter and hook them to my ego-T battery sometimes, and that's how I was vaping the 36 and found it just too strong. Now I think the culprit is the 36 mg vape, not the cartomizer, since you say I should actually be getting a milder vape from these cartomizers. I do have some glycerin, so maybe I'll cut the 36 down to 30 and see how that works.

Thanks for the info. I was kind of thinking before that bigger battery = more potency.

 

[Charlz]

Oddly enough, your kr8 battery is 3.7v and the ego about 3.4v