Believe it or not, 7 months after I'm still smoking

[BurningRose]

I was lucky and able to give up the smokes completely the day i started vaping with the worst of the cravings over in a month, but i have read alot, and my general impression is that upping your nic is the way to go. 36 mg is worth a try and easy to find, but I am aware there are a small number of people who need to start as high as 45mg. I know it sounds too high, but they are not coming to any harm. Also find good strong authentic tobacco flavourings.

 

[RubberSoul]

I smoked analogs during the first week I started vaping again. Most of the analogs were smoked when I was at work or out and about. Luckily I had one analog left right before I went to bed on a Saturday so I smoked it and haven't had one since. Almost been three weeks so far.

I still get cravings once in a while but I usually fix that by chain vaping for a little while. When I smoked analogs I was smoking about a pack a day. Right now I am using 12mg juice. From a past experience with vaping I know that anything higher will make me loopy and anxious.

Like a lot of other people said just try to cut down the amount of analogs you smoke.

 

[freedevil]

Its part willpower and part vaping. Its up to you...

 

[babyk1352012]

Ok now that made me chuckle lol, just looked funny lol

#$&#@ autocorrect. Vape. Not cape.

 

[Tanti]

I was also very lucky I went cold turkey the first day of vaping. Well really it wasnt luck, it was determination. I decided I wasnt going to smoke ever again. Yes the first few days were hard, didnt go out of the house, sat quiet, and learned what I need to know on how to beat the cravings.
I have not picked up an analog since.
I feel (MHO) that if you keep smoking while vaping it makes it harder to drop analogs. Your brain is always going to tell you to pick up the analog because of the MAOI in the tobacco it addicts you to "the cigarette". Nicotine is the easy part, its retraining the brain to except the e-cig as your new reality and the new way to get nicotine.
You have to be firm with yourself, tell your self no and vape threw it. Besure you are vaping the right way to get the most out of it. Vape into the mouth first then inhale. Doing this slowly. You absorb threw your mouth, nose and throat from the mucus membranes.

You really have to be really stuborn with your self, you really have to commit to the vaping whole heartly, and never let your brain win. Your brain will come up with ever excuse in the book why you need to have an analog, you just need to say NO!
I quite after 40 years of smoking a bit over a pad, full flavor 100s. If I can do it anyone can.
Yes I do have some days that are harder then others but Im stubborn and im not giving in to myself. The vaping will work, it will get you past the worst of it!

 

[JudeD]

I was also very lucky I went cold turkey the first day of vaping. Well really it wasnt luck, it was determination. I decided I wasnt going to smoke ever again. Yes the first few days were hard, didnt go out of the house, sat quiet, and learned what I need to know on how to beat the cravings.
I have not picked up an analog since.
I feel (MHO) that if you keep smoking while vaping it makes it harder to drop analogs. Your brain is always going to tell you to pick up the analog because of the MAOI in the tobacco it addicts you to "the cigarette". Nicotine is the easy part, its retraining the brain to except the e-cig as your new reality and the new way to get nicotine.
You have to be firm with yourself, tell your self no and vape threw it. Besure you are vaping the right way to get the most out of it. Vape into the mouth first then inhale. Doing this slowly. You absorb threw your mouth, nose and throat from the mucus membranes.

You really have to be really stuborn with your self, you really have to commit to the vaping whole heartly, and never let your brain win. Your brain will come up with ever excuse in the book why you need to have an analog, you just need to say NO!
I quite after 40 years of smoking a bit over a pad, full flavor 100s. If I can do it anyone can.
Yes I do have some days that are harder then others but Im stubborn and im not giving in to myself. The vaping will work, it will get you past the worst of it!

It really is remarkable how different we all are and what works for each of us. Some, like me, needed to have cigs around to keep panic at bay and be able to quit while others can't have any cigs in the house or they will smoke them. Some need to tell themselves, "Okay, this is my last smoke and I'm never having another one," while that would have been the worst possible thing for me and would have made me light up in a second. The OP has to figure out what will work for him or her and go with it. Some smokers need the pressure of making themselves quit while others can only quit when there is no pressure involved. I just find everyone's stories of what worked for them to be interesting and so different.

 

[Strigoi]

I spent 6 months vaping and smoking a pack a day before I finally just decided to give up cigarettes one day. Have only had a few drags off friend's since then.

 

[Old Curmudgeon]

I'm right there myself Susaz. Today was the first day I only had 4 analogs which for me is
an astounding feat. I'm vaping 36mg exclusively.

Some of us are just wired differently. There are members here who smoked and vaped
for over a year. We'll make it, no worries.

 

[taylorkoch23]

I think when it comes down to it we miss the ritual like going outside, taking the dogs out, running to the store at night when you relize your out and so on. So just do the same things when you get a craving and vape instead

 

[Jadesrayne]

Maybe try going to roll your own, by the time it takes to make one you might not want it anymore.

 

[Tanti]

It really is remarkable how different we all are and what works for each of us. Some, like me, needed to have cigs around to keep panic at bay and be able to quit while others can't have any cigs in the house or they will smoke them. Some need to tell themselves, "Okay, this is my last smoke and I'm never having another one," while that would have been the worst possible thing for me and would have made me light up in a second. The OP has to figure out what will work for him or her and go with it. Some smokers need the pressure of making themselves quit while others can only quit when there is no pressure involved. I just find everyone's stories of what worked for them to be interesting and so different.

I totally understand what your are saying and yes everyone has to do what is best for them to quit.
I do know the inner conflict with quiting. Ive tried every means in the book to quit in the last 10 years. I even was certified in smoke cessation and helped others quit. But nothing helped with my addiction and lot of that was I didnt have the will power to say no to that inner confict.

Im sorry if I sounded to strong in my comments above. I dont want to become one of those "non-smokers" that is pushy and all.

Also today was a bad day for me, I made the mistake of raising my nicotine bar yesterday, (testing new flavors for to long) and was having withdraw, wanting an analog like crazy. So I guess in a way it was me telling myself what I need to hear.
This is probably the hardest thing ive ever had to deal with in my life. And I know its the same way for others. But it feels so good to say Im smoke free and that is how im going to stay.

 

[nosaint]

For me it was fear, for lack of a better word. I couldn't imagine myself not smoking. I know some smoking cessation programs refer to cigarettes as your friend. That's a fairly good way to think about it. But it's a friend that's killing you. If I have a cigarette available, I'm going to smoke it, even though I know that vaping will satisfy my need for Nic. I just had to stop buying a pack "just to have one". One always led to 4 a day, then 8, etc. Now if only I could find a flavor that tastes good with bourbon...

Waiting on 6 new flavors, Wizard Labs would have to pick this time to move

One last thought, it's well known that smoking cessation works better with a support group, I've found this forum is a good support group. I scan the messages constantly, and occasionally add a thought.

 

[dam718]

Good point about the support group thing... Even though we can't see each other, I find this place to be somewhat of a support group as well...

I've had a moment or two of weakness in my few months of vaping... Where I'll pick up a cigarette, take a drag, and put it right out... And think to myself yuck, that tastes horrible... Like burning .... holes... Why on earth would I WANT to taste that flavor? LoL...

I think the big tipping point for me was when I stopped looking for something that could be close to what I was getting from smoking, flavor wise... I was looking for something like a marlboro light... It was familiar, and I THOUGHT I liked it...

Then I happened upon a cherry flavor and was like dang that's good... and then apple, and peach... caramel... Oh man, what?

When I decided to go way outside the "Tobacco" box is when I found out what I knew all along... That smoking was nasty tasting... If I could get my nicotine from something that tasted like apple pie, why would I choose burnt .... holes over apple pie? I love apple pie!

I haven't looked back since...

 

[daventura]

These stories are great for me to hear.

I was a PAD smoker for nearly 30 years and I haven't had an analog in 30 days.

That my friends, is incredible, I mean, you know, for me.

My Dad says it's the 2's...2 hours, 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, et cetera, that are the hardest.

You CAN do it, it's just a matter of you making up your mind.

But I can tell you this...cigarettes are the devil.

 

[beckyblue]

OP, what PV are you using? Nothing was finally doing the trick for me until I got a big vv tube and a vv bottom-feeder. I had been sure a PV upgrade wouldn't make a difference, but it honestly did. You can do this!!

 

[akatina]

If I could get my nicotine from something that tasted like apple pie, why would I choose burnt .... holes over apple pie? I love apple pie!

Quite possibly the most sig-worthy quote I've ever seen on ECF. HAAAAAAAAAhahahahahhahahahahhahaaaaaa!!!

 

[bizmitchel]

I went from 2PAD to 3 cigarettes within a week once I finally decided to really give it a go. One thing I did that I think helped me a bit was before I would light a cig, I would take a few puffs off the ecig. After I would do the same. Seemed like it helped to trick my mind a bit.

Similiar but opposite here, I found that if I were to start a cig and put it out after a couple of puffs and continue vaping it worked best for me. In a sense felt like I was fooling my mind into accepting it's new found glory. Some bad habbits are a struggle to beat......

 

[Kopfstimmen]

You'll get there! Some of us have it harder than others, as you know. It took me six months of vaping and smoking together to finally quit, while my friend tried her PV and quit immediately.
+1 on the WTA. That's what did it for me. And Aroma Ejuice is a great vendor.

 

[JudeD]

I totally understand what your are saying and yes everyone has to do what is best for them to quit.
I do know the inner conflict with quiting. Ive tried every means in the book to quit in the last 10 years. I even was certified in smoke cessation and helped others quit. But nothing helped with my addiction and lot of that was I didnt have the will power to say no to that inner confict.

Im sorry if I sounded to strong in my comments above. I dont want to become one of those "non-smokers" that is pushy and all.

Also today was a bad day for me, I made the mistake of raising my nicotine bar yesterday, (testing new flavors for to long) and was having withdraw, wanting an analog like crazy. So I guess in a way it was me telling myself what I need to hear.
This is probably the hardest thing ive ever had to deal with in my life. And I know its the same way for others. But it feels so good to say Im smoke free and that is how im going to stay.

I wasn't criticizing your suggestions and I'm sorry if it sounded like I was. I was just trying to say that I find it fascinating to read all the ways that work for different people. I've tried quitting in the past and I was absolutely miserable--watching the clock until it was late enough to go to bed so I could say another day passed without smoking, constantly thinking about having one, reaching for one and then realizing I couldn't have one, etc. This time, I wasn't trying to quit or even thinking about quitting because I was just trying vaping as a way to get my nic in those occasional situations when I couldn't have a real cig. And because I wasn't depriving myself or putting any pressure on myself, within two days I wasn't smoking cigs anymore. And it was as painful as being licked by a kitten. I keep a pack handy and tell myself I can have one whenever I want and I haven't wanted to have even one in nine months. When I'm not fully satisfied, I don't even think, "I want a cig." Instead, I always think, "Hmmm, I need to try a new flavor or use one of my other PV's because this one isn't cutting it for me today," and when I change it up, it always works.

But I know that even though that's what worked for me, it wouldn't work for a lot of other members. They needed to take a completely different path to quit. And I just find that really interesting and I love reading members' stories about what worked for them.

I'm sorry you had a bad day yesterday. I hope today is better.

 

[Robino1]

Jude, just wanted to let you know, yes I purposely liked your posts. They weren't accidental likes.

I just threw out an almost full carton of cigs a couple of weeks ago. They had been sitting there since September. We had a ceremony as they were going into the garbage. There was a slight moment of panic that I didn't let my Hubby see. But I told myself that I haven't needed them in so long and to just let them go. We moved from Philly to Florida and I wasn't going to pack them up and bring them with me. That was a Huge step in more ways than one.

To the OP, up your nic a little. Try to keep your nic level in your system so you don't crave. Think of it like the patch. The patch delivers nic constantly to keep nic in your system. That is why most of us chain vape. We don't just sit there vaping constantly one hit right after the other. I take a hit and then maybe a minute later another hit. After a while it does slow down. Just give your body time to adjust to the lack of smoking thousands of added chemicals. Also water will help speed the flushing of those chemicals out of your system.