Am I the only one who is actually increasing my nicotine levels instead of trying to lower them?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Crumpet

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 7, 2010
300
180
central VA
Thanks for all the replies!

For what it's worth, I happen to have low blood pressure and cholesterol, am a vegetarian, and am very physically active (includes cardio, weight training, and martial arts several times per week). Therefore, the things that nicotine does to your blood vessels is not very intimidating to me. I guess I also have a positive view of nicotine since I work with the elderly and have read research suggesting that it may be linked to fewer cases of dementia (Alzheimer's type) as well as having benefits for Parkinson's sufferers. Oh yeah, I do not drink coffee and limit my soda consumption to one diet Pepsi in the morning. The rest of the caffeine I get comes from tea but I don't think it is as much as what's in many coffees. I'm mainly interested in my cardiovascular health, specifically maintaining my endurance and avoiding lung diseases like COPD and emphesema (not to mention deadly lung cancer).

This is all very interesting and I am enjoying reading everyone's input. I'm at 12mg but just ordered carts with the 16mg. Thank you.
 
Last edited:

deback

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Sep 25, 2010
2,054
16
Michigan
Crumpet - If 16mg turns out to be too much nicotine for you, you can always add a little VG to decrease the strength. You can get this at Walmart by the rubbing alcohol in a 6 ounce bottle called Glycerin. Adding 1/2 Glycerin and 1/2 pre-mixed liquid would result in 8mg nicotine strength, but 50% Glycerin is usually too much and usually decreases the flavor too much (but it would increase the vapor a lot). Or you can purchase more liquid at a much lower strength and mix it with the 16mg to decrease the resulting mixture.

When I started vaping, I bought 18 mg, which was perfect for me. I should have just continued buying that strength. But then I started experimenting, bought 24mg, which was probably too much but I couldn't tell for sure. Then I bought 30mg, which is definitely too much for me and causing a sore throat (but I should add that my throat's getting used to it and not so sore anymore). So then I ordered some 12mg, 18mg, and 24mg (not received yet) to mix with the 30mg and Glycerin in the right proportions to bring the level down to about 16mg. If you have liquids with various strengths of nicotine, the final strength can be changed to whatever you want it to be, using a simple math calculation.
 

Adaven

New Member
Oct 7, 2010
3
0
Idaho
I'm a total newbie and have been vaping for 5 days now. I smoked Camel Wides full strength for the last couple of years and before that it was Marlboro reds for 10+ years. I started out w/ 24mg and now cut it with an extra drop or two of vg. I'm not in it to cut out the nicotine.. just want to save $$ plus I like the extra vapor w/ vg. I have noticed so much improvement quitting the analogs! I'm not too concerned in lowering the nicotine. I like the throat hit with higher nic,plus I don't have any withdrawals to deal with.
 

lexgar

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 30, 2009
224
0
Greater LA, SoCal
I have been about a year analog free and I started with 24mg nic. I am currently vaping at about 12mg. If I go any lower, the TH is gone for me. I like to have the TH as well as good vapor production. For me, somewhere between 25% and 30% VG with my PG based juice. I use TV doublers to get the proper mix.

If I go lower than 12mg I just vape nonstop. When I want to do that (like Laker's final series) I just pull out the doublers and go to town with the occasional nic to keep me happy.
 

Rosa

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Mar 18, 2010
4,947
210
Beaverton, Oregon!
I'm a total newbie and have been vaping for 5 days now. I smoked Camel Wides full strength for the last couple of years and before that it was Marlboro reds for 10+ years. I started out w/ 24mg and now cut it with an extra drop or two of vg. I'm not in it to cut out the nicotine.. just want to save $$ plus I like the extra vapor w/ vg. I have noticed so much improvement quitting the analogs! I'm not too concerned in lowering the nicotine. I like the throat hit with higher nic,plus I don't have any withdrawals to deal with.

I smoked camel filters for 25 years. I thought that lowering my mg's was no big deal because I tried it for a couple of days and it didn't seem to effect me at all. HOWEVER: I notice that I started to think about cigarettes fondly (not really a craving, just sort of thinking about them)...odd... so I went back to 24mg and the thoughts went away.

I'm only telling you this because if you start thinking about how great it was when you smoked -- it's probably just that your mg's are too low. You've been warned.
 

cobaltblue

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Sep 22, 2010
562
165
A cabin in the woods and loving it
I smoked camel filters for 25 years. I thought that lowering my mg's was no big deal because I tried it for a couple of days and it didn't seem to effect me at all. HOWEVER: I notice that I started to think about cigarettes fondly (not really a craving, just sort of thinking about them)...odd... so I went back to 24mg and the thoughts went away.

I'm only telling you this because if you start thinking about how great it was when you smoked -- it's probably just that your mg's are too low. You've been warned.

Everything Rosa said applies to me also.

When I first started I ordered 24mg, 18mg and 0 nic. Thought I'd have the 0 nic to vape, or to blend with the others, just in case the 24s and 18s were too strong. Turns out I'm comfortable with 24mg.

Guess the way I look at it is...I don't have high blood pressure, etc. and I'm comfortable where I am. So I pretty much take the "no pressure approach" to nic levels.
 

ArtificialReef

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Oct 13, 2010
119
22
54
Virginia
For me, it is all about the nicotine. I was attracted to vaping for several reasons. I have been doing it for about a month and I am going to start makking mods. Just trying to figure out what I want to build.

I have tried from 24-48 Mg and I love the 48 I found. Good luck.
~~~/)~~~
ArtificialReef
 

Automaton

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 23, 2010
2,997
73
US
I know a lady who started at 18mg, went all the way up to 36mg, and then back down to 18mg over the course of 3 months. Not because she wanted to cut down, but because suddenly the 36mg was too high! Weird stuff.

I agree with you - nicotine by itself, in the level we consume - is no more harmful than coffee. And it has a lot of potential benefits that a lot of people ignore.

I am one of those people who would like to someday get to zero-nic, and stop vaping regularly. I'm not in any rush, since e-cigs are not only more enjoyable but also less destructive, but it's a "someday" goal.

The reason isn't because I have any misconceptions about the harmfulness of nicotine, but rather because I'd like to not "need" it as much as I do now. I'd like to get to a point where I can have my e-cig stuff in a box somewhere, and occasionally pull it out for a relaxed vape, or have it as an emergency nic fix if I'm about to relapse to cigarettes.

I would just like to be able to go a day, and not need nic. Ya know?
 

HighHeeledGoddess

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 14, 2009
222
12
I started at 24mg a year ago, and went down to 11mg. I didn't gain an ounce until I suddenly put on 5lbs last month. I might be going back up to 18mg for a while, and then I will try again to come back down. I'll go back up to 24mg if I must - I have to get this weight off!

Personally, I am not in a rush to quit vaping as I do enjoy it, its just with the price of everything these days I'd like someday to have one less thing I am compelled to buy. Additionally, we still don't know what will end up happening to us down the line with regulation and taxation. For me its about money, and being able to allocate it to other things.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread