Cravin a smoke...

[Metstoo]

I've been smoke free since Feb 22 and I love my vaping.... but lately I've been craving a smoke.

I have several stressful things going on including impending job layoffs in the Fall and 2 seriously ill family members. So... I guess it's normal.

Luckily, I don't have any smokes around.

I just didn't expect to have these urges this far out from quitting, especially with my vaping to help me. I vape anywhere from 10 to 24mg nic strength and that has been plenty so far.

Weird.

 

[JustKryssi]

You certainly have a lot on your plate and no wonder you have a craving. I hope it all works out for you soon.

Stay strong and congrats for fighting off the urge.

Smoking was always very comforting to me...maybe because I was so solitary with it...I could have some time to myself to collect my thoughts. Vaping is different in that way so not a total substitute.

 

[Metstoo]

Thanks JK. I was also a solitary smoker. It was my 'me time' away from the crowds. I still do that with my vaping so that's good.

 

[AJMoore]

Metstoo, this too shall pass. Those urges come on strong sometimes, I become a vaping fool to get around them as thus far I have been successful. I wish there was a magic bullet way around it but unfortunately, its up to you.

Carry on, struggle on and I hope you make it through.

 

[Metstoo]

Thanks AJ. I'm gonna try bumping up my nicotine for a while and see is that helps. Also been vaping my RY4 a lot more lately and that seems to help some.

I'm gonna stay smoke free.

 

[stover.p]

Thanks AJ. I'm gonna try bumping up my nicotine for a while and see is that helps. Also been vaping my RY4 a lot more lately and that seems to help some.

I'm gonna stay smoke free.

Stress sucks but we can't get away from it. I've found that when I get those cravings bumping up my nic for a day or so helps. We just have to retrain our mind to crave the good stuff and not the bad stuff. Stay strong and don't give up!

 

[CES]

what everyone else said, and make sure you take that time that you used to take for a smoke.

I hope that your family members get better soon.

 

[Metstoo]

Thanks.

I wont buy a pack of smokes cuz that leads to ruin and, after coming out as a vaper, I'm too embarrassed to bum a smoke from anyone.

So... vaping it is!

 

[wolflrv]

Hang in there...bump the nic level a bit and vape your brains out if you have to! I deal with a lot of stress too and you can get through it with an e-cig. Your stress is triggering some dormant chemical need...you just need to reprogram a bit and you'll be able to cope with it using the e-cig. Be nice to yourself and don't add to the stress. Folks around here will be happy to help out!

 

[ImYourSalt]

i didnt stress about having a cigarette when i was switching. If I wanted one, I had one. And over time, I wanted one less and less. Granted it took me several months to kick the smokes completely, and many people here manage to do it in substantially less time.

The way I looked at it was not that I was having 1 or 2 cigarettes a day, but that I wasn't having the normal 20 cigarettes a day. Sort of a Glass Half Full approach.

The other thing for me was, that when I got my first e-cig, I wasnt trying to quit. And it may have just taken some time to convince me.

 

[Fudgey]

I know about the strees making you want one, I am having allot of it myself right now. There are times when I just want to say why not, but then i think I do not want to go through those first few weeks all over again! Be strong and post and vape...repeat when necessary.

 

[Kirssstens]

Thanks.

I wont buy a pack of smokes cuz that leads to ruin and, after coming out as a vaper, I'm too embarrassed to bum a smoke from anyone.

So... vaping it is!

Me too, I can't buy a pack cause then what will I do with the other 19 of them?

It would probably taste awful or give you a really bad headache anyways.

There's an old funny cartoon about "Women comfort men, cigarettes comfort women". Unfortunately, sometimes vaping isn't as comforting as cigs used to be, but you guys are heading in the right direction. Maybe you just need some "me time" alone with your thoughts.

 

[motox]

Well, my experience today helped to prove a point to myself. I have been in a very pissy mood for the past few days, dunno why. Last night, I started to crave a cig - you know, where you can't keep your mind from thinking about having one. I made it through last night and up until this afternoon. I guess that I needed to see if my pissy mood was based in part on not having a cigarette.

So, I head up to the store and get a pack of my trusty Marlboro Gold (who knew that they aren't called lights anymore?) I opened the pack on the drive home, pulled one out, lit it up and was really expecting that "release" and "aaaaaaah" that I have felt for the past 100 times that I have quit and re-started.

Not this time. While the act of smoking felt very familiar (I smoked for over 30 years), I didn't get the "aaaaaaah". I also noticed that it didn't taste all that wonderful. The smoke was noticeably weaker than the juice I have been vaping which surprised me. The ashes were blowing around in my car which used to always annoy me (not an issue with vaping). So, I spent $6 for one cigarette. The other 19 are still sitting in the kitchen, but given a choice between the excellent nHaler Pomegranate I am puffing now and the Marlboro, I would choose the vape.

I am really very surprised at this result. I have attempted quitting many, many times in the past with varying lengths of success from a couple of days to a few weeks. Every time, I have restarted in the exact same way that I did today - the righteous trip to the store, the anticipation of the first puff, the immediate relaxation and the realization that hell, I am a smoker and this is bigger than I am.

I'm in my seventh week of not officially smoking, and there is definitely something to this method for quitting. The psychological piece seems to be the hardest for me. And yes, even though I smoked, I am still in a pissy mood. Guess it has nothing to do with smoking or vaping

 

[glowgirl]

I just had that same experience! My husband had a old pack in his car and I thought I would have one. Took three hits and put it out disgusted. It tasted horrible, felt weak and was completely unsatisfying. I felt kind of sad afterward. I guess I thought it was going to be great and it just sucked.

 

[DonnaDo]

I too had one of those irresistable urges that wouldn't go away. Lots of stress related to my possibly injured pooch (who is like my kid.) Vaped all day, just couldn't get a handle on it. Brushed my teeth, went to bed early. Up again @ 10p.m. vowing to go to the store to buy a pack of cigs; knowing that I I buy a pack, I'll smoke a pack and all bets are off. My husband is begging me not to go, but to smoke one of his (Camel, non-filtered--YUCK.)

Before I left the house I pm'd my buddy (and emailed him too) begging for a phone call to talk me out of it. Well he did talk me down; and gave me great advice while he was at it! Thanks LASTTANGO! You're not only my vaping bud, but you're like my sponsor (if we were in Smoker's Annonymous.) Do you feel like you are sometimes? Thanks again, you got me through the crisis without a cig!

Well, my experience today helped to prove a point to myself. I have been in a very pissy mood for the past few days, dunno why. Last night, I started to crave a cig - you know, where you can't keep your mind from thinking about having one. I made it through last night and up until this afternoon. I guess that I needed to see if my pissy mood was based in part on not having a cigarette.

So, I head up to the store and get a pack of my trusty Marlboro Gold (who knew that they aren't called lights anymore?) I opened the pack on the drive home, pulled one out, lit it up and was really expecting that "release" and "aaaaaaah" that I have felt for the past 100 times that I have quit and re-started.

Not this time. While the act of smoking felt very familiar (I smoked for over 30 years), I didn't get the "aaaaaaah". I also noticed that it didn't taste all that wonderful. The smoke was noticeably weaker than the juice I have been vaping which surprised me. The ashes were blowing around in my car which used to always annoy me (not an issue with vaping). So, I spent $6 for one cigarette. The other 19 are still sitting in the kitchen, but given a choice between the excellent nHaler Pomegranate I am puffing now and the Marlboro, I would choose the vape.

I am really very surprised at this result. I have attempted quitting many, many times in the past with varying lengths of success from a couple of days to a few weeks. Every time, I have restarted in the exact same way that I did today - the righteous trip to the store, the anticipation of the first puff, the immediate relaxation and the realization that hell, I am a smoker and this is bigger than I am.

I'm in my seventh week of not officially smoking, and there is definitely something to this method for quitting. The psychological piece seems to be the hardest for me. And yes, even though I smoked, I am still in a pissy mood. Guess it has nothing to do with smoking or vaping

 

[motox]

That is excellent news Donna! Congratulations on beating the urge, and I hope your puppy is OK. What kind of dog?

 

[Xanax]

What I do when I get one of those overpowering cravings ((more like a NEED not a craving)

I have one bottle of juice that is for emergencies only. It's RY4 from myfreedomsmokes. It's the strongest juice I've ever tried and I'm a nut for throat hit but this stuff is just crazy strong. Anyway I vape on that and it kills the craving instantly. I think everyone should have one of those "emergency only" strong liquids. I think that's pretty important.

 

[bestthingever]

I've had the same experience just this week, but I don't have any unusual stress going on right now, so I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, I did give in and have a smoke. (Hubby vapes & still smokes occasionally, so at least I didn't have to buy a pack). It wasn't all that satisfying, but it also didn't completely suck.

 

[DonnaDo]

A miniature Dachshund named Rudy! Say a prayer for him; he just went through some spinal surgery in November 2009. I'd hate to see him have to go through it again!

That is excellent news Donna! Congratulations on beating the urge, and I hope your puppy is OK. What kind of dog?

 

[motox]

Awww the poor little guy I will definitely keep Rudy in my thoughts. We have a couple of cocker spaniels that are like our babies too, and I know how stressful it is when one of them is not feeling well