**Christmas Contest-Win a Phidias**

[Sdh]

The first time I heard of a e-cig was at work. A co-worker was criticizing them. She informed me of her expensive mall purchase. All she said was it was a rip off and don't ever buy one. I have always been the type of person when someone tells me not to do something-I do it.

My adventures began. I started researching. I researched for 5 or 6 months before purchasing a ego back in 2010. My only regret in vaping is I have to research. I have made a few impulse purchases with massive regrets.

The only thing that bothers me is the co-worker has lung cancer now. She is totally disabled and slowly dying. I tried to give her one of my e-cigs as she was chain vaping her cigs. I felt so sad for her. She refused and said "they don't work".

Thanks for the contest!
Have a great holiday folks!

 

[charmed412]

I love reading everyone's stories! It warms my heart.

Okay here goes mine
I provide daycare for my daughter's kids. I have since I had to give up my nursing career after a battle wtih brain cancer almost 6 years ago. Smoking was not a big deal to me, I just went outside at her house. When she became pregnant with baby #3, I had visions of my then 2.5 year old grandson inside the house alone with his soon to be born baby sister while I was out smoking. Let's just say he is a creative guy. Since my income is very low, I did what I always do when I need something, I started with google. I found ECF and poked around for a few days before I posted. I posted what my story was and asked for direction. I not only got direction, I got help by way of lots of nice people sending me things I needed to get started. I was hooked on ECF. And the more involved in the vaping community I got, the farther apart my nonsupportive boyfriend (a smoker) and I got and we broke up.
December of last year, a certain company with a red horned logo was having a yo yo sale on twitter, so I spent my days with little sleeping tweeting with some wonderful vapers and discovered the vaping twitterverse. In early January, I started having some very familiar and very scary symptoms so off to the doctor I went. And the diagnosis was that my enemy was back inside my head ready to go another round. And my ECF friends gave me all the love and support I needed. And somewhere in there...I became a mod ..... and a juice junkie.
In April during my second round of chemo/radiation, I was sick all the time. I couldn't vape anything but banana flavors, which is fine if you like banana, which I don't.........any more. My mods were all crapping out on me at the same time. I was angry, tired, frustrated and....yep, smoking. In desperation, I tweeted that I had had enough. I was giving up. And then two fine gentlemen vapers answered my tweet. They let me vent, they gave me advice, and they made me laugh. And the next day, they talked to me again, and the next day, and then one began talking more than the other one. And we kept talking and well, as they say, one thing led to another and as soon as he can relocate here from MIchigan, we will be married.
In the online virtual vaping community, I have found information, support, the best friends a girl could ask for, and the love of my life. I have a whole new vapey family! And all this started 441 days ago.........
and I am still a mod ..... and now I am a tank ....., but I am a RECOVERING juice junkie

 

[AutumnWolf]

First of all - thank you so much for such a wonderful contest and prize!

My journey started in June of this year when at a routine checkup my doctor decided to do an EKG. Boom - bad news - abnormal heartbeat. Suddenly I was facing the prospect of heart disease at 46, which pretty much scared the crap out of me. I had smoked 1-1/2 PAD for over 25 years. Not a great thing to have to deal with. I did not want to quit. I knew that there was absolutely no way that I could quit! Smoking was that ingrained in me - smoking WAS me.

I remembered at that time that I had done just a little bit of research on e-cigs about a year ago but decided that what they were saying about them being cheaper than analogs was just not true. So I googled "e-cigarette" - oh man - how was I supposed to sift through all the stuff that came up? For about two weeks, I waded through the tons of info onine and was just about to do one of those "free e-cig" deals when I happened upon ECF. Boy, was I glad I did! I ended up doing research on this forum for at least another 2 weeks and then I found THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF VAPING by DonDaBoomVape. I am so grateful for this masterpiece - I finally began to understand what it was all about...(thank you DON!!)

With all my newfound knowledge, I threw caution to the wind and ordered my first kit - the KR808D1 from CigEasy. I didn't want to have to do too much, so I ordered some pre-filled cartos (4mg - can you believe I was afraid of vaping too much nicotine after smoking like a fiend for over 25 years) to go with it. My kit came on July 13 at 2:00pm and I have not smoked a real cigarette since. I had ordered some 0mg cartos too and one day I ended up at work with just those - so I vaped them all day. I thought, "WOW, I think I can cut out nicotine" and since July 25 have been vaping nothing but 0-nic. Unbelievably, it was so easy - went through some mild withdrawal symptoms for a few weeks and that was it! People at work could not believe that such a hardcore smoker like me was able to quit so easily.

At about month 3, I realized the little 808 battery was just not doing it for me anymore, so I bought a Boge Revolution V2.2 and an eGo-T and tons and tons of juice and got the "mod bug"...I'm currently happily vaping on my beautiful purple & black vv splash (Thanks HolaAmigos!) and lusting after a JonBoy USMC lava tank to go with it. My current favorite juice is Johnson Creek Black Cherry - yum! And yes, I am now e-cig savvy like everyone else - almost ready to jump in and start helping other people here, but still a little scared of that...

I am so grateful to everyone at ECF for their stories, questions and information. There are so many fantastic, helpful people here who have had such an impact on my life. Really - helped save my life. The only way I could think to pay all this kindness forward is by sharing my story with everyone who will listen. Turns out that five people have quit smoking because of me! I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that I am a NON SMOKER, let alone being someone to motivate others to quit.

Very long I know, but this story is the most important one of my life.

Thanks for reading

Lisa, aka AutumnWolf

 

[charady]

We would drive an hour away to get cheaper cigs (more than half the price of a carton in our town). One trip down there in the beginning of November, hubby picked up a new toy-a cig2o ecig. He opened it up in the car, tried it out and didn't think it was too bad. So of course I tried a puff of it and liked it, so in the store I go to buy my own. The idea was to have it in case we ran out of smokes before the next payday, etc.

We went home, I was googling the ecig and found this forum. I read that you could refill the cartomizer! I was excited. I also found a site through google for my ecig-and a video on it telling how to refill the cartomizer, along with a link to another website. Well I clicked that link, ordered two bottles of juice and read some more on ecf. This was all on a thursday nite.

Saturday my juices arrived. I filled up a now empty cartomizer, and vaped it all day long. I ended up only smoking 5 cigs (too busy with my e cig to care about analogs). I was telling my sister about the cig2o and she drove to the same little smokeshop to pick one up that sunday. As the days went by, I was smoking real cigs less and less-by wednesday, almost a week from buying it, I only had 2 smokes and only because my battery died! Those little batteries took about 2-3 hours to charge and I NEEDED a cigarette! Well, those 2 tasted horrible. And they also became the last two cigs I have smoked

At a black friday sale, I bought a new kit with 2 808 batteries in it. And I somehow managed to get a joye 510 from a contest (I never win anything!) I liked dripping on the joye, the flavor was great-but it would last me only about an hour and a half. Loved using the 808's, they last a good 4 hours, but the cartos that came with the kit would drop juice. I was getting frustrated. So last week, I followed hubby's lead-he ordered an epower and I ordered a kgo. MUCH happier! Battery lasts all day, I can still use cartomizers which I love for some reason, but I can also drip to try new juices. Win win!

Hubby is already wanting to upgrade. He is the one who wanted to quit smoking and eventually quit vaping too-but even he told my brother today that he is one step away from 0 nic and at that point he can still vape I think this is his newest hobby! I would love to win this, I think they look neat but I don't have the funds to spend-I shouldn't have bought the kgo to begin with. But I considered it a good christmas present to myself!

 

[tyleris12]

I decided to try vaping about 16 months ago, because I was tired of having to go outside everywhere to smoke and also because my son hated it whenever he was around me smoking, but honestly never thought I would totally give up the anaolgs...I vaped and smoked for about a month and then decided to try not buying any analogs and see if I could make it...long story short...haven't had an analog since, my son tells me all the time how proud he is of me, and have also gotten to meet some of the most wonderful people here of ECF...couldn't get better then that!!!!

Thank you for the chance and the great contest!!

 

[loxmythe]

I had never heard of an e-cig until a friend serving in Iraq asked me to get him 1 and send it to him. I was intrigues so I got 1 for me also. Its been almost 2 years - and while I still cheat and smoke from time to time - I think of all the ones I don't smoke rather than those I do (I was 3 pad smoker). Hopefully I can eventually kick it all together - I'm trying - and I don't know how I would have come this far without the help and support of the awesome friends I made on ECF and especially the PIF group. I even met my beautiful Fiance BeebopnJazz here on ECF - so even if I don't win the mod I already won in more ways than you can ever imagine. Thanks for the contest.

 

[mianker]

Once upon a time a dog trainer (me) started vaping. After being totally off the stinkies for over a month I went to a neighboring state with 2 puppies I was working. One of them jumped on me and sent my PV flying it was a screwdriver PV which of course broke. So after some choice words I took a puff off a stinkie, coughed and put it out. Darn what was I to do now facing 2 days of training? Hmmmm I did have my trusty PT but I needed to be mobile. Solution...... I had an emergency battery pack thingy with me, the heavy type you use to jump dead car batteries. So for the rest of the weekend I carried the big battery pack around with me when I wanted to vape. Ideal NO but talk about LONG battery life. LOL

Thanks so much for this this contest, I enjoyed reading everyone's stories in this way each of us has won.

 

[woody55]

Earlier this year I was beginning to develop some health problems. My Dr. had told me I was beginning to show signs of emphysema to go along with the highblood pressure I already had. I had been diagnosed with mild COPD a year earlier(seems like it runs in the family). The Dr. told me if I did not quit smoking that I was going to die. I tried everything, patches, gum and pills but nothing worked. I did cut back to one pack a day but could not get below that. In July we began proceedings to adopt our grandson, I decided it was time to do something! I was on Facebook and run across a contest to win an e-cig kit so I entered it. I the process I meet a lady from ECF. It was the great Spacekittey! With her help I won a South Beach Smoke kit. I also joined ECF and started perusing all the posts like a madman. I received the kit on August 9th and from that point on I have not touched another analog! The SBS kit was not bad but I wanted something better. Following Spacekitty's advice I started entering all the contests I can find. I won a 510 kit and loved it! I have now upgraded to an Ego system that I really like. About Three weeks ago I went to the Dr. for 6 month checkup. My Dr. was flabbergasted! The emphysema signs were gone, my lungs were clear and after tests was told my lung capacity is now at 85%(was only 56% at last checkup) I am now off Highblood pressure medication. I still have mild COPD but my Dr. thinks it is hereditary! I can now run with my newly adopted son! I can play ball with him and go hiking with him also! I credit Spacekitty with saving my life and thank her quite often! I have now converted two of my son's that smoked but my daughter just couldn't make them work for her! If it wasn't for the generosity of Spacekitty and the wonderful people on ECF I feel like I would already be on my way out. Thank you to one and all!

 

[Paulie P.]

I came down with a bad case of Pneumonia last June and was deathly sick. I was a pack a day smoker and couldn't stop smoking no matter how sick I was. I was hospitalized for five days because I was so sick. My chest hurt so much that it felt like someone was sticking knives in my chest. I kept telling myself that I would quit smoking. I got out of the hospital and picked up a smoke as soon as I got home. I thought my wife was going to kill me. We went to a July 4th party a week later and I met a guy who was using a Ego and said that he was able to quit smoking because of it. I did some research and ordered my first set up. I loved vaping from the start and have been completely off cigs since August. My wife and kids are happy and so am I.

Paulie P.

 

[locke2121]

Lol...I stopped smoking a long time ago...cold turkey (shudder), but my job is quite stressful..and I just needed something to help relax me. My fiance thought I was crazy, but I've always enjoyed smoking...it just got too expensive! So I told her "don't worry sweetie, it is just a little 510 battery...a bottle or two of juice, no big deal" And now, I've owned around 6 different models, have a 1000 mah eGo for work and my VV box mod for home, my desk looks like a .... lab and I set there thinking up new DIY flavors lol! Now if I can just get her to drop the analogs...maybe I can start using her desk too!

 

[AG51]

I started vaping a year ago and have been smoke free ever since. My husband had been hospitalized with pneumonia the week we were to marry. While he was there we also were introduced to the NOT so friendly term COPD. He was diagnoised with it at that time. Being in the hospital for a week he managed to quit smoking there, but I had a much harder time quitting. It took me a few years after that. I tried everything but could just not do it. When my local grocery store had a disposable unit there on the shelf as I was buying my cancer sticks I picked one up. I hadn't seen my hubby's smile in a long time, hadn't been able to be around him as much as I was always smoking and outside. It ruled my life. So after I tried this e-cig I wanted MORE !! We drove to a smoke shop and found a kit. There I saw the smile on my hubby's face I so desperately wanted to see again. His smile was a so huge, that's all I could see as he got the money out of his pocket as quick as he could for this thing ! Vaping has been the gift of life for both of us. Him to breathe better, me to have him around a little longer, as I was killing him more everyday with my smoke around him. He doesn't vape or smoke, but I'll tell you he DOES try and convert anyone and everyone to vaping that he can now. A funny story ? I don't really have one I can think of at the moment, besides the silly little things like trying to ash it in the car as I'm driving, things like that. Loose it ? HECK NO ! It's never out of my hands ! Thank you for this chance to win one of these. I would love to have one as I don't have a box type one right now. Happy Holidays !! View attachment 68927

 

[Prism]

I decided that I would quit on my birthday and had heard of e cigs but couldn't find any stores that sold them anywhere. So I kept searching them online and found ECF. Luckily with all the info I got here my first ecig was from a great place Cignot and thanks to all the wonderful people here I have never had a bad experience with a vendor and have made lots of new and wonderful friends.

 

[Fazed]

I started vaping because a coworker of mine pulled me aside (I was smoking almost 2PAD of analogs), and showed me his ego. He had an extra one, gave it to me and said to try it for the rest of the shift. He then told me that he no longer coughs, doesn't wheeze, etc. Well, as a medic, I always said that I never wanted to be like the chronic lungers that we haul over and over again, and that when I started to have problems, I'd quit. I had tried everything up to this point to quit, but that little ego was the ticket. I went home the next morning and ordered one. That was in April 2011, and I have been analog free since. He saved my life. Since then, I have done the same to family and friends who still smoke. My dad, brother, sister in law, wife and several other coworkers now are analog free. A small investment with huge dividends.


Sent via cellular communication device...

 

[blackwidow]

OK. Here is my story. My son was the first in the house to try the Ecigs. He is 25 and was smoking, which broke my heart knowing he got the habit from growing up with a mom who had smoked since I was 13. I am now 54, by the way. He stopped smoking analogs the very first day. It has made me so very proud. I, on the other hand, am still working on it. I love the ecigs, but for some reason just seem to need the occassional cigarette as well. Dumb, right? My cats, 3 of them, used to go running when the smoke from analogs was around. I only smoked outside of the house, not wanting to kill my husband along with myself. Now, I can vape right in their little faces, and they don't budge. So all around, everyone here is healthier, and I am well on my way to giving up that last analog. Thanks for all of the support from this forum. Everyone is great!!! "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

 

[eso]

I didn't really want to quit analogs.I liked smoking and had done so for 35 years,then I read an article about e-cigs and grew curious.You see,my wife is a kidney transplant recipient but no matter how often I tried to quit I was unsuccessful.I eventually found this forum and decided to try out an ego mod.I instantly quit and have now been nearly 2 months without even the slightest craving for analogs.My wife feels healthier,I feel healthier and most important of all,she is proud of what I have done.I know though that I couldn't have done it alone,not without the support of the friends I have found here at ECF.Be well everyone and Happy Holidays!

Thank you for the opportunity to win such a lovely mod!

 

[RippleInStillWater]

Hey BB#2, nice little contest!!!

I may have stated this before but I tried all kinds of different methods to stop inhaling coffin nails but wasn't completely committed to the whole idea of quitting, either, despite a couple bouts with pneumonia, I loved my Marlboro Lights 100 Box after 29 years. But I think that's when I realized I had better do something and soon, I was very worried they would find something in the x-rays........emphysema runs in the family. The final straw was when I gt winded wrstling with my son, that had never happened before! 8-o It came down to a choice of Chantix, which I was told I was too naturally goofy for, and this newfangled thing called vaping. One of the wife's friends gave me some company info (V4L) and the rest is history (and easy to find if you look through my posts!!!), my last gretzky was on 6/6/10!!!

 

[Sallana]

I was 22 when I discovered eCigs, and I really had no intention of quitting before I found them. At least not for health reasons, as it hadn't really affected my health all that much yet. They were expensive though (Cigarettes) so I saw the eCig as a money saver. But mostly, I saw it as the latest tech-geeky gadget that I had to try. I'm a total computer nerd so when these came out, it was hard to resist the pull of them. After extensive online research during which I was enthralled by many videos of folks 'smoking' in public places, I decided to go with the best eCig I could find.... The Blu.

Somehow, I don't know how.. I didn't come across the forum until after my $160.00 investment. With the Blu, I had actually managed to cut my smoking in half. After spending a few days on the forum, I learned that the Blu was in fact (gasp) not the best eCig one could buy (go figure). It was hard to get over how much it felt like a cigarette in my hand, and that truly gorgeous 'cigarette pack' that they come with. But that is honestly where the good points stop. So I convinced my husband that I needed to buy a Joye 510. With the 510, I never truly quit, but I was damn close. And I knew that eCigs were going to work for me. I was smoking maybe 1 - 3 cigarettes a day at key moments.. (Wake up.. after lunch.. before bed.. )

But soon enough the 510 just wasn't enough and I slipped back into smoking full time and the eCig lay forgotten in a drawer.

About 3 - 4 months later, when money was starting to look a little tense, I decided it was time to give the eCig a try again. I knew this time I needed something more than the 510. I did some research on ECF and decided that an eGo would be best for me. But being somewhat uneducated about all the models and how they work, I was under the impression that only Janty sold them, and Janty was out of stock. So, I got a Prodigy from PureSmoker and it was AWFUL JUST AWFUL.

But this time, I was determined to make this stuff work. So I pulled out my old 510's, and managed to get by on those during our Vacation. I sold the prodigy and bought MORE 510's, some juice and a huge charger (10 dock) for them. I'll never forget that purchase, because that was when everything sort of went "CLICK" and I quit smoking for good.

This is when I discovered PIF. Though the 510's were getting me by, they really still were not enough. So I hopped on here and did some juice swapping and was keeping my eye out for a 5v Passthrough to pop up.. But before it did, Sensay (One of our most awesome members) mailed me one, along with some other goodies.

I used that 5v passthrough for MONTHS. Like, at least half a year. I work on the computer, so it was really perfect for me. The hit was great and it did a good job of keeping me off cigs. Of course, I still wanted to try more.... So around this time I went through all sorts of different mods.. Box mods, the Tekkeon, a Silver Bullet.. a Chuck..a Buzz.. and Finally... bought myself an eGo set up.

THE END!! The eGo was my god-send. It is everything I need with an LR atty attached. I honestly have never found a better hit for me, and it's so classy looking and portable. I freaking love eGos.

And now I have a Lavatube on the way.. We'll see how this works for me. I'm hoping for it to be the mother of all eCigs.. and hopefully my expectations are not too high!!

So that's my story =D

PS: Anyone see those new eGo-C's?? Look pretty cool!!

 

[Tuck]

I have stopped smoking and made some wonderful new friends here. I no longer choke and stink.
I have a new hobby that I enjoy. And that is doctor approved.
I do not spend big money on stinky smokes.
My car smells loads better.
I have shared the e-cig with many smokers

 

[gibbo]

What a nice mod i want to win it.

I was going to work the other day i called into the local shop for a soft drink and the shop keeper had a box of dissposable ecigs on the counter i was talking to him about them and i showed him my v3 and he asked me where do you put the tabaco well i was no good i nearly fell over with laughter.

hope you like my story merry christmas all and happy vaping.

 

[murphydoodle]

Hubby and I have been vaping for a little over three months now. At a parade recently I was stealth vaping (I thought) because I didn't want to deal with other members of the crowd. After a little while, the lady next to me asks what I'm smoking. When I told her, she wanted more info to give to her son. A guy behind us then piped up about his e cig. I guess I'm not as stealthy as I thought! I am excited to be able to share the vaping news whenever possible though.