Anyone stepping down the nicotine?

[Targone]

I am still at 24 after 3 months off analogs. My goal is to get off nicotine altogether.Not quite ready to step down yet though .
What I have found is that, if I run out of juice or have a battery go dead, it's not a big deal to wait for a vape, even for a couple of hours.

When I was smoking and ran out of cigs it was a big panic.Get cigarettes at all costs! lol
Congratulations to all of you that have cut down or quit nic completely.

 

[hovhaness]

I just ordered some @ 6
Going way down from 24.

I have just had too many negative effects with the higher dosage.
Dizziness, sick stomach, & tingles that make me feel like i am gonna have a stroke.
I vape a whole lot so this is def why I need to lower it.

I have cut back now to only grabbing a vape maybe once every hour to negate the bad effects of too much nic.
My liquid should be here in a few days so until then I will keep it this way

 

[Zurd]

I just ordered some @ 6
Going way down from 24.

I have just had too many negative effects with the higher dosage.
Dizziness, sick stomach, & tingles that make me feel like i am gonna have a stroke.
I vape a whole lot so this is def why I need to lower it.

I have cut back now to only grabbing a vape maybe once every hour to negate the bad effects of too much nic.
My liquid should be here in a few days so until then I will keep it this way

DIY. Get some PG, VG, nicotine and flavors. You'll be able to mix anytime anything you want. Plus it's easy and saves you a lot of money.

 

[electromoon]

Either way the E-Cig is a lot safer then a regular cigarette. It depends on the person. If they want to stay at high nicotine then they will, they can always work their way down. Some people have different preferences.

 

[emus]

Cool thing w/ ecig is you don't have to try.
Didn't have to try to quit analog; just lost interest in analog over time.

Now experimenting w/ many DIY flavors; I am using less and less nic w/o trying.

I discovered I can use strong menthol flavor w/o nic and be quit satisfied; a great throat hit substitute.
Amazing.

 

[Slickstick]

From reading this forum, I've noticed that:

Lots of folks have given up analogs through vaping.
Lots of folks lament the cigarette/nicotine addiction.
The Zero-Nic Group has barely any members.

Why is that? I would think folks would look to step down their nic usage over time but it doesn't sound like that many are after reading things here for a while. Personally, I miss the TH from nic juices, but I'm still staying clear of them. Would like to hear how much folks have stepped it down and if not, why not, etc.

After over a year of vaping 24-36 constantly my body has stepped me down recently without even trying. I can barely vape 18mg anymore and 12 is even better the vape. Makes me wonder if high voltage mods are a waste of money since eventually you will not need all that nicotine throat hit anyway a year down the road. Oh.... I have a high voltage mod but I vape 4 mg.... WTF?

 

[evilfrog]

Went from samples ranging from 12 to 30mg, down to a combo of 24 and 18 to survive the first three weeks of the switch-over. Been stepping down ever since to find a comfortable level. Next order is 12mg with a bunch of PG to thin it further if needed (I get extra flavor). I'm just not sure I need the nic anymore. Simulated smoking is more important then nicotine to me.
Everyone's addiction is unique.

 

[guido61]

I started at 18mg, after 6 month i'm down to 6mg.
To be honest, I have one cartom always filled with 12mg just for the "bad moments".
To compesate the lower TH, I switched from NR cartoms to LR and I add a coule drops of methol flavor to my liquids.
I'm fine with it, but sadly, no improvement on my BP, it's still high Maybe intestad of nic I should quit working

 

[emus]

I found a 2nd satisfying zero juice.
Only used about 2ml of 48 nic in a few days; could have used less easily.
Now I'm starting to wonder how I'll ever finish my nic stock pile.

 

[Avanna]

I definitely am using the device to get off cigarettes and nicotine altogether.

I started out with 18mg store-bought e-cigs. Then I ordered a bottle of 24mg and 36mg. I had to cut the 36mg because that was way too high for me. 24mg got me through the rough times and made it so I was able to take a few puffs and be done for hours (which I think avoids all those problems in the health forum). I finally settled on 18mg for the first two months of quitting cigarettes entirely.

The third month was a mix between 18mg and 6mg. I just went into month 4 and will be finishing off my 6mg sample packs.

When I'm done, that's it for me. While I really enjoy all the inventive flavors out there and support CASA 100%, I see no need to bother with the maintenance of the apparatus and its upkeep for 0 nic consumption.

 

[weedsmini]

started with 16 mg was too weak since i just got off analogs jumped to 36... finished 35 ml's of that now i just ordered some 24mg goin to stick to that until i feel i need a lower

 

[Vocalek]

I'm curious that about half of e-cigarette users feel that they must give up nicotine. Why? What ill effects have been caused by the nicotine itself, as a separate thing from the ill effects of inhaling smoke?

Here's a discussion of nicotine effects Casaa.org - Harm Reduction

The only negative effects of nicotine per se that I have been able to find were possible premature delivery. And even that effect might not be due to nicotine alone, but rather to cigarette smoke. The latest guidelines tell doctors that if they have a pregnant patient who cannot give up smoking, that switching her to NRT will reduce the health risks.

In my case, when I give up nicotine I become very very ill. Depression runs in my family, often accompanied by anxiety. Nicotine helps to relieve symptoms of mood impairments. I have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. My ability to concentrate and pay attention goes way down when my nicotine levels get low. Parkinson's disease is accompanied by a build-up in the brain of "Lewy Bodies." Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) resembles Alzheimers Disease (AD), but it is accompanied by Parkinson-like stiffness, impaired gait, balance problems, and increasing immobility in the end stages. Hallucinations and delusions are more common with LBD than with AD, but treating with antipsychotics makes the situation worse instead of better. After watching my mother become increasingly immobilized and to have conversations with her become more and more bizzare ("There's a demon living in my curio cabinet"), I have vowed that I will NEVER give up nicotine.

Unlike the other two addictive drugs to which the Surgeon General has compared nicotine, nicotine does not impair thinking, alertness, or concentration. It enhances all these abilities. I'll bet there isn't a state in the union that has a law against Driving Under the Infuence of Nicotine.

Actually, the last time that I became totally abstinent from nicotine (about 23 years ago) I was so confused and inattentive that when driving a car, it didn't feel a lot different from trying to drive a car while drunk. After two near misses, I grounded myself until I resumed using nicotine.

 

[soulkeeper]

I'm sorry but I’m going to have to disagree with you, I'm only a 8 year smoker so I still remember how I was before I smoked, and I don't remember being nearly as stressed out or my attention drifting off as much as when I started smoking.

For me nicotine causes probably more than half of my stress, I don't vape or smoke until my body tells me I need nicotine, just don’t see the point, that would be like eating when you’re not hungry. I'm not able to just drop everything I’m doing and go smoke/vape whenever I need to (Air Force munitions Tech) so I’ll sometimes have to wait a couple of hours before I am able to feed the need, which results in alot of stress and not being able to concentrate. When I do get around to getting that smoke it’s not really calming me down from the original stressor, it’s just reducing the stress that was there from nicotine addiction to begin with.

About 4 years into smoking I was able to quit and be smoke free for about 6 months, and I did realize that the things that used to cause huge amounts of stress and anxieties really didn’t bother me as badly when I didn’t have the addiction. I also realized that aside from feeding the nicotine addiction, smokers develop an outstanding anti stress/anxiety routine and don’t even realize it, I mean what do you do when you’re stressed and go smoke? You take a break, find a quite place outside, away from B/S, sit down and you relax, hell if half the people did that religiously like smokers you would have a hell of lot less stressed out people don’t you think!

 

[Penner]

I started with 12 mg 4.5 months ago, i am now cutting it to 6 with either distilled water, or 0 nic juices (whatever tastes better at the moment).

I now know, its the habit for the hand - mouth - see some smoke - take a break, thing for me.

 

[Wate2028]

I don't know why but I still have to have a cig everytime I drive somewhere, if I'm riding I'm fine. I think it has something to do with my hands though cuz I didn't smoke at all when I had my GGTS/UFS cuz the draw ring gave my thumbs something to do I think. That being said I can't really tell that big of a diff. between 24mg and 12mg, I'll just vape till I'm satisfied.

 

[Mister Hyde]

Started with 24mg, now i use 24mg, sometime 18mg if i vape at 6 volts, no intention of quitting or stepping down, i like my nicotine....

 

[Vocalek]

I'm sorry but I’m going to have to disagree with you, I'm only a 8 year smoker so I still remember how I was before I smoked, and I don't remember being nearly as stressed out or my attention drifting off as much as when I started smoking.

Disagree with what? Disagree that I gave you a truthful description of what I experience when I go nicotine free? That isn't up for agreement or disagreement. What I say happened, did happen. If you experienced something quite different, that doesn't make what I experienced any less real. I gave my congitive dysfunctions a full 6 months to resolve. I was on the verge of losing my job. My productivity was down to 10% of pre-abstinence levels, and my mistakes were myriad. I asked my doctor to prescribe something to treat these problems and she told me that there was nothing she could do. I then told her that I had no choice but to resume smoking. I did so, and those problems all disappeared.

You can feel free to state that your experience was different from mine, and I will absolutely believe you. Research tells us that 10 to 20% of smokers experience a level of distress that equals that of psychiactric patients.

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1986 Mar;43(3):289-94.

Signs and symptoms of tobacco withdrawal.

Hughes JR, Hatsukami D.


Abstract

To test the validity, magnitude, and clinical significance of the signs and symptoms of tobacco withdrawal defined by DSM-III, both observed and reported signs and symptoms were measured in 50 smokers during two days of ad lib smoking and then during the first four days of abstinence. Observer and subject ratings of the DSM-III symptoms of craving for tobacco, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and restlessness increased after cessation. In addition, bradycardia, impatience, somatic complaints, insomnia, increased hunger, and increased eating occurred after cessation. The frequency and intensity of these symptoms varied across subjects; however, the average distress from tobacco withdrawal was similar to that observed in psychiatric outpatients. Subjects who had more withdrawal discomfort were more tolerant to the cardiovascular effects of nicotine. Subjects who had more withdrawal discomfort did not have a lower rate of smoking cessation.

If you throw in those with dopamine levels that are too low and those with other neurochemical imbalances, I believe that up to 40% of smokers are actually medically dependent on nicotione to keep their symptoms of underlying conditions under control. That leaves from 60 to 90% of smokers who can take or leave nicotine without any permanent ill effects.

My mother was convinced that she had bugs in her apartment that kept biting her. She actually went through can after can of insecticide until we finally got her diagnosis: Neuropathy. She was on Neurontin for a while until she developed a blood abnormality. When she went off the Neurontin, the "biting bugs" came back with a vengeance. Finally, the doctors put her on Lyrica. Like magic, the bugs disappeared. Would you say that my mother was "addicted" to Lyrica?

(My mother was a never smoker. I present the above example to make the point that some conditions require permanent treatment.)

If you have a biologically caused dysfunction, and a certain chemical relieves the symptoms, IMHO the need to pursue relief from those symptoms does not equal "addiction" to the chemical that relieves the symptoms.

If you were able to go for 6 months without nicotine and didn't experience any debilitating problems, then I would venture to say that you have no true need for nicotine (i.e., you are among the lucky 60 to 90%).

 

[sheryder]

I had a 37 year habit ending in 3 ppd for the last few years. I've been vaping & smoking since June 2010 at 24mg/ml for the most part. Since going 100% vaping over 6 weeks ago I have gradually reduced from 24mg to 18 mg to 11 mg and lastly to 6 mg-dropping about every 2 weeks. Had a little problem with the drop to 6mg/ml having to hit on the 18mg a few times the first week but since then it has been going fine. I plan to stick with 6mg/ml for awhile. Not much lower to choose unless I DIY and I don't want to give up all nicotine (unless harm is found from vaping or I develop issues related to nicotine of course) as I believe there are benefits to be derived from continuing to use nicotine in moderation. Anyone know of a vendor that mixes 3mg/ml I might try that......

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

Started at 24mg and over a year later I'm at 6mg...with some 12mg emergency juice stashed away. Hope to be at 0 nic in the next couple of months. Won't stop vaping though.

 

[evilfrog]

I had a 37 year habit ending in 3 ppd for the last few years. I've been vaping & smoking since June 2010 at 24mg/ml for the most part. Since going 100% vaping over 6 weeks ago I have gradually reduced from 24mg to 18 mg to 11 mg and lastly to 6 mg-dropping about every 2 weeks. Had a little problem with the drop to 6mg/ml having to hit on the 18mg a few times the first week but since then it has been going fine. I plan to stick with 6mg/ml for awhile. Not much lower to choose unless I DIY and I don't want to give up all nicotine (unless harm is found from vaping or I develop issues related to nicotine of course) as I believe there are benefits to be derived from continuing to use nicotine in moderation. Anyone know of a vendor that mixes 3mg/ml I might try that......

I'm sure there are vendors who will mix 3mg if you ask them. I know FSUSA, for example, will mix to any level you desire.

0 nic is not really a goal for me either, though I'd kind of like to see if I can do it. The problem is the 500ml(at least!) of liquid I've already got at various levels...