Can't make the switch

[madstabber]

I started with 36mg of nicotine and the nic buzz was enough to make me not want an analog. You may just need to find a juice you really like but I would recommend getting 36mg of nicotine so at least you can rule out the problem isn't your nicotine level.

 

[ewieya]

Hi dweez,

I don't know if my response will help. I hope so... first, to answer your questions:

How long did it take you to make the switch?
I bought juice and a kit in January. I didn't make the switch at that time. Just vaped and smoked for a few days and went back to smoking full time until 3/20. 3/19 was my birthday. I decided to quit smoking cold turkey the next day with vaping or nicotine gum as my ONLY option if I wanted nicotine. It was a mental thing. I promised myself I would quit, but allowed myself the option of vaping and I went to it. Maybe you could try the same. Like a "no choice" sort of mental thing. Arm yourself with your options. Smoking is out. But x, y and z are in?

I've only been doing it for nine days (nine days full time vaping, no smoking). Still pretty good, I think. I haven't looked back yet!

What helped you make the switch... was it some "magic" juice, or something else?
No magic juice. I did find two that I like a lot. Mango and a menthol flavor by Hangsen. I won't say these are the most amazing flavors out there. I haven't been around long enough trying different things to say they are #1 for me. But I have about ten flavors right now and like these two the best so far with some variety from time to time (Alice in Vapeland's A Quiet Morning and Afternoon Tea, both very yummy!).

I know you weren't asking for juice recommendations. What I would take from what I did is... if you can, maybe get some variety so you can find something that is tasty enough to keep you away from cigarettes?

Has anyone used a specific strategy to eliminate the analogs?
See above. Mostly the mental part helped. Also visiting the forums and reading a lot.

Oh! I also took a vacation from work to quit. I found I hardly thought about cigarettes the first five days off them. Then I went back to work and thought about them more, not enough to buy them though. Thankfully. Daily stress seems like it would be a trigger for anything a person uses to relax, right? I don't know if a vacation is an option. Perhaps when you have a three day weekend coming up, maybe you could make a promise to yourself - NO OPTION, no smoking. Arm yourself with lots of juices and take it from there?

That's my two cents. Good luck! You can do it!!!

 

[dweez]

Wow, I'm truly taken back by the amount of responses I've got in such a short time. I thought I'd wait a couple days, get a couple responses and see if there was anything inspiring. The support from this community is motivational in itself, but so far a ton of great information that'll, I'm sure, make this whole transition easier.

Thanks for sharing your stories and advice... what a kick ... joint this is!

 

[cherrycakes]

You can do it

 

[Beccca]

When my last smoke was smoked I didnt buy any more,,,,you either vape or nothing.

 

[Derasha]

I know im a dork, lol
But seriously, I feel so proud reading everyone's story's!
It's so freaking cool that we all found vaping so we were all able to quit smoking!
I just needed to say that!

Vaping has saved all of our lives!

 

[NeilSwift]

The support from this community is motivational in itself, but so far a ton of great information that'll, I'm sure, make this whole transition easier.

That sentence alone speaks volumes and the bold bit shows your determination to quit. Hang in there, up your juice to 24mg and take it from there.

 

[mischi3vous]

I haven't completely quit analogs either, but what I am finding is that I enjoy vaping more than smoking(probably because of the great flavors). My analog's have been cut dramatically and I'm happy with that. I also find that is on the days that it's warm outside and I can have windows open it's easier for me to not want an analog. Possibly because others in my house still smoke, but I do enjoy vaping a lot and can see myself quitting analogs at some point, it's nice to have money I can spend on other things and not make sure I keep funds available to buy cigarettes.

 

[zero7starz]

Baby steps for me. I think my heavy smoking habit is a crime of stress and habit. Can't get in my car without wanting to light up, and I can't always quell myself on work breaks with a vape. So, I'm like 50/50 right now.
But I am ok with baby steps. Any cig I can cut out of my day is a step in the right direction. I was almost at a pack a day, more like 15 sticks, I'm down to like 6-7. Hoping once I straighten out some juice delivery issues with my ProVari, I'll be kicking along better.
Good Luck!

 

[RT88]

We all keep on hand a higher nic juice for when those urges hit. I'm now at 2 mg but have no problem vaping 8 mg when needed.

thats amazing i wonder how long i'll take

 

[Adelwolf]

Wow, I'm truly taken back by the amount of responses I've got in such a short time. I thought I'd wait a couple days, get a couple responses and see if there was anything inspiring. The support from this community is motivational in itself, but so far a ton of great information that'll, I'm sure, make this whole transition easier.

Thanks for sharing your stories and advice... what a kick ... joint this is!

This place is awesome when it comes to this - the support and info, so many helpful voices.

Don't let yourself get too discouraged. Up that nic level to 24mg to start, then higher if you need more. And don't beat yourself up for not making the total switch yet. Every cig you pass up to vape, every hour longer you last between cigarettes is a VICTORY.

 

[Rusty S.]

Everyone is different. I didn't start out with the goal of quitting. I just wanted to cut back while I was sitting in front of the computer. I noticed after putting in my order for my first PV I was smoking less and less every day. When the mail showed up I opened and tried it out. I haven't smoked since. I have half a pack laying on my desk if I want one. Been in the same spot for 10 days now.

A lot of it is in your mind. You might change the way you are going about it. Your mindset. Don't think of it as quitting think of it as switching to something else.

Wow, I had the exact same experience! I still haven't "quit smoking," and don't ever plan to; I'm just a smoker who hasn't had a cigarette for a couple of months. Quitting smoking sucks, and after you've done it a couple of times, anything you equate with quitting smoking will be colored automatically as something bad.

Let me expand on that - when I was a kid, I loved fruits and vegetables. When I was old enough to go on the dieting roller coaster, I came to equate foods that I love (fruit & veg) with the deprivation of dieting. Now I'm back to loving them and enjoying them, but I had to get my mind around that they aren't painful, and I can enjoy them as much as I want.

Same thing with vaping. Find something you enjoy, and enjoy it. Don't turn it into a smoking cessation program, because it'll automatically suck, or at the least, you'll be less enthusiastic about it. Vaping should be a pleasurable pastime, and not smoking is a side benefit. Placing more emphasis on enjoyment and exploration should be your goal.

I know it sounds contradictory to tell you to not quit smoking, but I explain it to my smoker friends by saying, "I'm married to smoking, but I'm having a rip-roaring, long-term affair with vaping."

 

[Horselady154]

Hey gang... I've been a member here for a couple months, but this is my first post.

I've been attempting to make the switch to vaping for a few months now, but just can't seem to kick the analogs. I'll go a day where I have only a few smokes and alternate with vaping, then the next I'm back to a pack. I have a few different setups... all of the ego battery variety, some different cartos, tanks, etc. I've also tried a variety of different juices (from the same vendor), but just can't seem to find the taste/experience that fully satisfies my cravings.

So, my questions are this: How long did it take you to make the switch? What helped you make the switch... was it some "magic" juice, or something else? Has anyone used a specific strategy to eliminate the analogs? Really, I'm looking for some advice/motivation that'll help me make that final step. Thanks.

I smoked 2 PAD. I suggest increasing your nicotine to 24 mg. That should stop the cravings. You will be able to come down from that later.

Also, you mention that you haven't been able to find the "taste/experience" that fully satisfies your cravings. If it's throat hit you're looking for, try increasing the percentage of PG in your juice.

 

[ewieya]

"I'm married to smoking, but I'm having a rip-roaring, long-term affair with vaping."

I love this!

 

[laffs83]

I stopped the day my starter kit arrived too. PAD smoker for 15 years. Although I knew I was still getting nicotine I found it helpful to remind myself that I am still quitting smoking and that some difficulty will be experienced.

I still craved cigarettes for about 10-15 days, and each time i was having a withdrawal i was visualising having a cigarette, but I ignored this, picked up my PV and just smoked until I felt satisfied. After 10-15 days I started craving the PV more often than a cig, and now i really don't feel tempted to have a cig at all.

The first day is the hardest, get rid of your cigs, don't go out, and just vape all day!

 

[Lowlife]

If I do have the rare craving I start chain vaping until I it makes me sick. The craving is gone. lol

 

[Jimbozini]

As others have said, up the nic to 24, get some juice samples from other vendors. You will find something you like better than cigs. I was a Marlboro smoker & originally tried to find that flavor in e-juice with disappointing results. I started trying different flavors from various suppliers and finally found the one! Analog free ever since & have lowered the nic down to 16.

Sometimes the urge hits but, a little chain vaping takes care of that in short order!

 

[icencream]

Just keep trying. Find new juices and you'll make the switch

 

[tougestar]

Hey bud,
I had the same problem as you did in the beginning. The only thing that i found to satisfy me was to bump up from 12mg/ml of nicotine to 18. the reason is because i always felt an urge to hit an analog because my vape didnt seem to give me the same throat hit. after bumping up a level, it made a night and day difference. i use to run thru a bottle of juice within a week or so and now its lasted me about 3 weeks on a small bottle. I usually look for strong throat hitter like ben jonson's passion tea, ben jonson's morning dew or jameson's peaches & cream. those flavors seem to do it for me, it took me about a month of full commitment to change over. it takes alot of will power to do it but i believe that you can. take it a little at a time, try hitting a cigarette 3 or 4 times, put it out and vape. consistantly vape as much as you can, turn up the volts, whatever you do, stay away from analogs. sooner or later, the smell of cigarettes will make you sick, then youll slowly switch over. btw, stay away from menthols, those usually are too much for alot of people and itll make you want to stop vaping. good luck!

 

[heroinesick]

Something that has truly helped me ( I've been struggling to kick the last of the stinkers, too.) is to add menthol to my juice repertoire. It wasn't really my bag when I was still smoking, but I've found that vaping it ( usually mixed with something fruity that is 50/50 pg/vg) REALLY helps me kick the cravings. I got it in a 95%/5% vg/pg blend, and the great throat hit and plumes that it puts out really makes all the difference to me.

Since I added vaping some menthol in every few days, this is the longest since starting I have been able to stay away. Might be worth a shot.

Good luck to you!