Today is my 3 month cig free vapeversary! I wrote this earlier today and it answers all 3 questions.
It was a whim. A spontaneous decision of which I had little faith.
A little over 3 months ago I went into the cigarette store to buy 3 cartons of cigs and saw a blister pack of vape (650 mah battery and CE 5 top). A neighbor had put vape in my head months earlier so I said to myself "oh what the hell" and picked it up with a bottle of e juice. I probably had a cigarette dangling in my mouth as I got home and took it out of the package and filled the tank. I tried it and thought "oh wow, I could like this". I struggled for the next 12 days, smoking and vape. Then I found my proper nicotine level, had some better tanks, and juice I liked. Three months ago today I had my last cigarette, and three months ago today I put my last unopened pack of cigarettes and all the lighters in a cabinet. Perhaps I put them there "just in case", but they remain untouched thanks to vape.
Now to many of you and myself it is a reason to celebrate or just recognize the accomplishment. But the struggle didn't end three months ago, it just became a newer struggle. The first month was the most difficult. Three months ago I found ECF, and I had help. On ECF I learned to keep a tank with higher nicotine level juice in it close just to hit when the cravings "itched", and it worked. I learned there were hundreds if not thousands of people going through the same experience that I was. I learned that ECF not only gave immense moral support just from reading the "threads", but that there was a huge number of individuals, "experts" if you will, who had been down this path before me and provided information and education about vape.
I had the goal of reducing my nicotine level to zero when I first realized vape was going to work for me. I started at 12 mg. For one month I didn't budge from this level. Then I started getting my juice in lower levels, and combining 2 bottles of juice to change the flavor or reduce the nicotine. UGH! I hate to think how much money I wasted that first month or two, but yet what I was doing was working to keep me off the cigs. I cannot place a numerical value on how much my life has improved since I was able to get off the cigs. Every aspect of life improved.
The first drop in nicotine level was the most difficult for me. It was almost like the first weeks of vape and at times I was chain vaping a lower level. In a short time it passed and I achieved 10 mg, then 9mg, better equipment (Nautilus Mini, 1.8 ohm coils), then 6 mg. Then I got into the world of sub ohm (Kanger Subtank mini 1.2 ohm coils). As I type this I am hitting a 6mg juice in the Nautilus, just to get rid of all my 6mg stuff. (I'm not cheap, ok, yes I am but I prefer frugal). I use 3 mg in the Kanger, and have even started using ZERO mg nicotine when I feel like chain vaping (ok, I do chain vape often) or just to help myself get used to the lower nicotine level of 3mg. The first reduction was the hardest, the rest of the drops I took as a personal challenge and found them easier. This isn't something new, thousands have led me on this well beaten path. My journey has been one of plateaus and downward improvements, but the upward surge of life improvement is immeasurable.
So today I am just counting the cigarettes I won't have. It's just another slash on my calendar and tomorrow is another day. I can remember someone laughing in the forum as they said I would be surprised how fast the days will go by. It makes me chuckle at the thought.
I think I'll spend the day researching my next "shinyitis" purchase, and trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip to pay for it.
Have a great day everyone.
