Can't quite quit analogs

[jacq]

Hey get me calling real cigs analog's lol

I am struggling to completely quit the real thing even though I am using e cig all day long.

I still feel the need for analog first thing and then perhaps another one after dinner.

Does anyone else do this?

 

[VictoryNotVengence]

yeah i went from a pack and a half a day to 1-2 a day after 5-6 days of vaping. By day 11 i had cut those last 2 cigs out. I did this with 36mg juice and any time i craved an analog I would vape that 36mg untill my stomach did a summersault.

 

[CrystalClaire]

Which nic strength are you using? Perhaps you need to kick it up a notch.

 

[Patrick21]

Hey get me calling real cigs analog's lol

I am struggling to completely quit the real thing even though I am using e cig all day long.

I still feel the need for analog first thing and then perhaps another one after dinner.

Does anyone else do this?

You sound like a very normal person who is making the transition from smoking cigarettes to vaping, this is perfectly normal and your not alone. The first cigarette in the morning and the cigarette after a meal are two of the main cigarettes every smoker craves when they quit but as time passes and as you vape more you will start cut them out and turn to your ecig instead. Maybe try vaping a menthol flavour after a meal or the same as when you first get up in the morning as the flavour is generally something which can be vaped whatever your mood. I found that vaping tobacco flavours after a meal gave me a horrible after taste. Nicotine level is also very important, if your vaping anything less than 24MG maybe try and kick it up a bit to 24MG at the very most, dont go above 24MG as its not advised even though some people do do it.

 

[Retriever]

It can take some time to completely quit. You are doing just fine!

 

[otrpu]

It took me awhile to totally quit tobacco cigs. Don't stress over it. Just keep trying to vape whenever you feel the urge. If vaping doesn't do it, then smoke a half an analog.

Eventually, for me anyway, it just was too much hassle and they stunk to high heaven. Finally, after about 6 months, I just quit using any tobacco cigs. Six months later while mixing up my DIY, (I always DIY'd from the start), I decided to drop the flavor. Only flavor I used was Cinnamon, one form or another. While making that batch, I accidentally left out the nicotine also. Been about 6 months now, don't really miss either nicotine or the Cannamon.

VG is rather sweet by itself, but, makes my nose drip if I use too great a %. So, settled on 75PG/25VG for the majority of my vaping. And, I vape pretty much continuous on my days off and after work. Everything, (hardware), I use is CE-2 based, tends to be juice hogs. I vape 10 to 15mL on days off.

But, stick with it, your quit will come if you stay with it long nuff. It ainta race. Do it in your own good time. JMHO

Cheers,
otrpu

 

[sailorman]

There is good evidence that there are other compounds in analogs that contribute in a lesser way than nicotine to the addiction of some people. If you search around here, you will find extensive discussions on this. One thing that is very helpful to a lot of people who just can't quit those last few analogs is the judicious use of Snus. Snus contains those compounds in a smokeless, no-spitting, extremely safe form and come in a variety of strengths and even some flavors. I used them to cut my analogs in half before I discovered vaping, and probably would have been able to quit altogether had I continued using them exclusively. The new tobacco regulations have narrowed the choices available and increased the prices, so the variety you can order direct from Sweden isn't what it used to be, but they're still available and still cheaper than analogs.


One caveat about Snus. There is a huge difference between Swedish Snus and American made Snus. AFAIK, there is only one American Snus manufacturer that recently began to make Snus the Swedish way, which is pasteurized, rather than fermented, tobacco. Pasteurized tobacco contains far less harmful compounds than does fermented tobacco, and it tastes far better. There is no comparison between the two, so if you've tried snus from one of the American mfgs. before and didn't like it, it was likely fermented. I'd still recommend the Swedish brands, however. They are the pioneers of Snus and the difference in quality and taste is night and day.


Check out the discussions here about Snus. I think they're in the smokeless or the science forums. I would say that a combination of snus and vaping is virtually guaranteed to get even the most hard core nic addict analog free.

 

[badvox]

Vape with 36mg for sure and just keep trying!! Make sure you plan ahead
so a battery is always charged or have a PT at your disposal.

I tried to cut my nic down too fast so I am going back up to 24 and 36.

 

[MadValleyVapingMama]

I found I struggled at the same times as you Jacq.

I started with a 510 cig & continued to have about 6 -10 analogs a day. I picked up an eGo cig & that made the world of difference for me quitting.

I used a higher mg of nic juice first thing in the mornings & after meals, that's the only way I could go without a smoke.

Good luck & welcome to the forum

 

[jacq]

Wow, thanks for all the replies, I am using 19mg at the moment, didn't really want to go stronger as I only used to smoke about 8 analogs a day (unless out drinking ). I am awaiting delivery of some coffee and blueberry flavor liquid to see if this helps but as I now have loads of liquid I am not sure I want to order higher strength too. I really appreciate all the advice though and if I continue with these 2 analogs I may up the strength next time I order.

I am using the 510 - T at the moment and I like it at the moment but having read through maybe I will try eGo when I need to change.

thanks again everyone.

 

[VictoryNotVengence]

Wow, thanks for all the replies, I am using 19mg at the moment, didn't really want to go stronger as I only used to smoke about 8 analogs a day (unless out drinking ). I am awaiting delivery of some coffee and blueberry flavor liquid to see if this helps but as I now have loads of liquid I am not sure I want to order higher strength too. I really appreciate all the advice though and if I continue with these 2 analogs I may up the strength next time I order.

I am using the 510 - T at the moment and I like it at the moment but having read through maybe I will try eGo when I need to change.

thanks again everyone.

a good way to use all the juice you bought if you think higher nic would help would be to get some unflavored 36mg juice and use a bit of it to "spike" your current low mg juice, if you just add 2-3 ml or so it doesn't really change the flavor of your juice to much.

 

[mhart032]

I quite analogs the day i picked up the ecig. but i had researched for a month or so before i bought one. i started off with 36mg of nicotine then stepped down, i actually dont use nicotine now, just vape flavors. but i was ready to quite. i was embarrassed by my habit after 20yrs of smoking. i think you need to be ready to quite. try upping the levels for a couple weeks as mentioned. but 1-2 analogs is quite an accomplishment from all from a pack a day. you should be proud of yourself for that. congrats on that.

 

[ambition]

Hi mate.
Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge for people making the transition. No big deal though when you understand that nicotine is only a very small part of cigarette addiction.

You've conditioned yourself to smoke in the morning and smoke after meals when you are most likely to feel rested relaxed and satisfied, and in your mind, those positive feelings are associated or "anchored" to the cigarettes you'd smoke at those times. After a while, the cigarettes themsves can bring about the positive feelings in those situations, even if your sleep wasn't restful or your meal was not particularly enjoyable. The cigarette becomes the trigger and even a great nights sleep or a wonderful meal just isn't complete without one.

Everything counts here, not just the nicotine but the whole setting. The ritual, the taste, the smell, the sounds, everything.

The nicotine rush is important here because you feel it, and that's why a friend of mine has his favorite tobacco flavored juice mixed quite strong and only uses it on these occasions.

He feels that eliminating one aspect of the ritual at a time is helping him get through it. Personally I feel that changing everything and developing a new set of habits would be effective also, but would probably be harder.

Just keep in mind that the cigarettes you used to have were taking the credit for the positive feelings that you got from the thing you had just done prior to lighting up.

 

[JDW]

I think the throat hit is the most important aspect to giving up cigs using e-cigs. With the right device and e-liquid, you need a device that is work friendly, one that doesn't need a lot of messing about with. Just one you can throw in your pocket and use whenever. Just as long as it has a throat hit and the right amount of nicotine then you'll eventually be graving for a puff on your e-cig instead of an actual cig.

 

[Baldr]

Before I quit smoking and started vaping, I was a very heavy smoker, over 3 packs a day of full strength cigs. And I'd been smoking for over 30 years.

Overnight, as soon as I bought an eGo, I cut down to about a pack and a half a day. But it took me several months to get off the cigs completely.

For me, what I needed in order to make the switch was more nicotine. I started with 24 mg juice, and it helped me cut down, but especially right after meals, I couldn't vape enough to make the cravings for a cig go away.

I bought some 30mg juice, and as soon as I started using it, I was able to quit the cigs easily. I had half an open pack and 6 full packs left in the carton when I quit. Once I had the 30mg juice, I simply didn't need them. And I didn't use the 30mg juice all the time. I just dripped it into an atomizer when I felt cig cravings, and used the 24mg as my "all day" juice.

That worked very well, and it didn't take long before I didn't need the 30mg anymore. In fact, I still have some of it, and I've cut down to using 18mg juice. The next time I buy juice, I plan to order 12mg.

I was told when I started not to push too hard. They told me to vape when I wanted to vape, and smoke if I felt like smoking. They told me that if I actually wanted to quit, and kept to that plan, that it would work. And they were right. I think it's good advice.

After a couple of weeks of doing both, I started noticing that a lot of the cigs I was smoking were "habit" cigs that I'd light without thinking, and that as soon as I took the first puff I'd think "Dang, I didn't need that, I should have just vaped". So I started keeping the cigs on a shelf far enough away that I couldn't grab one out of habit, while my PV was right next to me. I think it's when I started thinking that way that I actually started to believe that vaping was working for me and I'd be able to quit the cigs.

I'm pretty sure I'd have quit faster and easier if I had bought some higher nic juice right away. And I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't ever bought any higher nic juice that I would have had a lot more trouble quitting. (I might even be still smoking if it wasn't for the higher nic juice.)

I'd suggest you get one bottle of juice at a higher nic level and use it when you're getting cig cravings. I know it worked for me.

 

[sailorman]

Just shows you how different people are. I smoked for 35 years, almost all of that time 2-3 packs of Winstons. Toward the end I was rolling my own with full flavor tobacco and for a few months with te help of Snus, I was down to 1-1/2 PAD of RYO.

About 3pm on 5/27/10, I got my first e-cig. By midnight, I realized I hadn't smoke a single cig since firing it up. That was it. The next AM, I vaped instead of smoking. I practically chain vaped 24mg for the next couple days, but never lit an analog again. I did, however, attempt to light the end of my e-cig!! I had to hide my lighters from myself for awhile.

 

[DC2]

I smoked about like you did, around 6 per day on average, but I did that for 27 years.
If you only smoke around 8 cigarettes per day, and are using 19mg juice, then I doubt nicotine is the problem.

There are three things that might be involved here...
1) Your electronic cigarette is not 100% hassle free
2) You are stuck on the ritual aspect of lighting up at those special times
3) You are not getting that relaxing feeling you used to get from cigarettes


I had a problem with (1) and was not able to cut out the morning cigarette until I started dripping.

Cartridges and cartomizers were too unpredictable and sort of a hassle, and I didn't want ANY hassles first thing in the morning.
Dripping solved that problem... zero hassles for me with dripping.


On occasion I have a problem with (2) as well, because a cigarette used to relax me in times of stress.
Plain nicotine alone does not really do that for me, and for a long time I just dealt with it, although I missed it sometimes.
But now I have some WTA liquid that helps in those times, although the suggestion of using some snus would work well too.

I also had a little bit of a problem with (3) as well until I started dripping.
For me though, the act of dripping has now fully replaced the previous rituals involved in lighting up a smoke.

Hope any of that is even slightly helpful...

 

[ambition]

Lol. Lighting the end could be interesting.

One of my mates threw his on the ground.

 

[panachronic]

Let's not say "can't". You haven't gotten it done yet, that's all.

 

[sailorman]

Lol. Lighting the end could be interesting.

One of my mates threw his on the ground.

LOL!! I stuffed mine in one of those big ashtrays outside the entrance to a conveinence store once. I was already inside when I realized what I had done.