Easier said than done

[Daisey Moonshine]

I am giving up smoking. My main motivation is financial, otherwise I really do enjoy smoking.

I found it impossible to staunch the nicotine withdrawl on my own (cold turkey) so I picked up a Kanger Mini Pro II, recommended by a member here as a perfect starter vape. It is a nice piece and very easy to use.

The store I bought it from sold me a 24ml liquid, but that had me feeling sick as a dog that night. The next day went back to the store and bought a bottle of 12ml liquid. The sick feeling is still there but not as bad as it was the night before. It seems to only bother me at night. Does this sick feeling go away or does one just live with it?

I'm not too crazy about the orange, furniture polish like aftertaste. Are they all orangy like that, or just the Basic brand?

How did you take the leap from smoking to vaping? Was it an immediate, or a gradual process?

 

[T0rtitude]

The sick feeling can be too much nicotine and/or withdrawal. It should go away, especially since you already dropped your nic level.

shop around online for better liquids. It shouldn't taste like furniture polish.

 

[somdfisher]

I stopped smoking 3 days after I started vaping. If you get a good quality juice the after taste isn't too bad. I bought some random juice in a pinch and it was harsh and left a crazy after taste. It's best if you can find a b&m that lets you try flavors before buying.

 

[taztabboo]

My hubby and I quit because of financial reasons too. I dont experience any yuck feeling unless i chain vape too much. Do you chain vape at night?

Also flavors are so hit and miss and having a few on hand may not be a bad idea because if you get sick of one you just try another. I have found that sometimes things taste good in store but I dont care for them longer term. You may also want to talk to your store and see if they recommend steeping it (basically letting it sit for the flavor to get better).

 

[SchmidtyKy]

For me, it was a gradual process, but didn't take much time. I think after about 2 weeks of vaping I was cigarette free. I smoked a total of 9 cigarettes during the month I started vaping.

I would try getting different juices. First off, what kind of cigarettes did you smoke? I ask this because if 24mg nicotine is too much for you, it makes me think you did not smoke full flavored cigs.

I would shop around. MountBakerVapor is a great place to try new liquids because they have great prices and great customer service. 15ml bottles are only $4.99, so you can try a lot of flavors without breaking the bank. also, you get a free bottle with at least a $15 purchase.

You can even choose your nicotine strength and PG/VG ratio. Maybe get a couple of bottles of 12mg and a couple of 6mg nicotine. If you want a lot of throat hit, go with a higher level of PG like 80 or 60%. Personally, i like a 50/50 blend of PG/VG. Just enough throat hit but it's still smooth.

There are lots of great vendors out there. MBV and Alice in Vapeland are just a couple of them. They are reputable for a good product. And nothing against the B&M you got your first juice from, but you might find more success with one of these reputable online vendors. They work for many of here on ECF. To answer your question-no..they are NOT all orangey like that.

MY advice, shop around online, and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Try to enjoy the process. I will always love cigarettes, but vaping is more fun and enjoyable, especially when you find a good juice you like.

Keep us posted on here when you decide on some new juices! Maybe we can trade notes.

 

[xthng1]

Well this won't be much help but so far I've made it a day and honestly I think I'm happier vaping than smoking.

 

[macaroni]

Something I have found is that tobacco flavored juices (and most dark colored juices) taste really chemically when new, try leaving the bottle open (and remove the nipple if you can) for 24 - 48 hours. This allows any alcohol that may have been used in the "brewing" process to out gas. Then before you fill your tank shake the bejeezus out of the bottle to give it a good mix (after putting the cap back on of course).

It seems the more complex a flavor is the more "steeping" time it needs to mellow out the flavors ... try a simple fruit flavor for a juice you may want to vape immediately.

 

[Daisey Moonshine]

Any advice is helpful, xthing1. I've been at this for a week and am back at square one, so you are way ahead of me already!

I am a Marlboro Gold (Light) smoker. I hate to admit it out loud, but I'm a 1-2 pack a day smoker. I love to smoke. The whole PG/VG thing is still greek to me. I'll have to do some more research on that subject.

My main concern is getting past the sick feeling. When did that sick feeling pass for you? I am probably vaping the same amount, which is constantly. I know you can't treat these devices like a cigarette, but it's a reflex thing. I am invested in this 100%. I have an extra Kanger in case I need a backup piece, or a lower ml liquid on hand packed and ready to go for night time. That is my plan, anyway.

I have my Kanger dialed in at 4.0 which I think is perfect for me. Hits well. Any higher is too much, any lower is too little. Does that dial effect the vapor or nicotine delivery? or both? Not sure what purpose the dial actually does for vaping.

My first vape I took on 24ml, and after awhile I tried a cigarette and I could taste the ill of it, too.

I'm going back and forth between vaping and smoking, getting the feel for the vape and gaining the confidence & familiarity to use it exclusively. I need a new juice, because this brand starts getting to me after awhile with a bad aftertaste. I will try steeping it today.

 

[edyle]

I am giving up smoking. My main motivation is financial, otherwise I really do enjoy smoking.

I found it impossible to staunch the nicotine withdrawl on my own (cold turkey) so I picked up a Kanga Mini Pro II, recommended by a member here as a perfect starter vape. It is a nice piece and very easy to use.

The store I bought it from sold me a 24ml liquid, but that had me feeling sick as a dog that night. The next day went back to the store and bought a bottle of 12ml liquid. The sick feeling is still there but not as bad as it was the night before. It seems to only bother me at night. Does this sick feeling go away or does one just live with it?

I'm not too crazy about the orange, furniture polish like aftertaste. Are they all orangy like that, or just the Basic brand?

How did you take the leap from smoking to vaping? Was it an immediate, or a gradual process?

you can get some USP grade glycerin from the pharmacy add add that to your 24ml eliquid to dilute it.

As for the taste, there are thousands of eliquids and thousands of tastes, so don't give up based on one eliquid.



I made the crossover from smoking to vaping by starting with disposables.

 

[DavidOck]

Hi Daisey, and welcome to ECF

"Sick as a dog" could well be too much nic. It seems that a lot of us vape a lot, and while you do satisfy the nic craving that way, too much nic will give shakes, feverish feelings and so on. They do pass quickly. Not knowing what or how much you smoked, it's hard to recommend a given level of nic, but it sounds like the 24 is too high for you. So going to 18 or 12 might be a good test. Maybe even 6...

Regarding flavors... while taste is subjective, the suggestion to find a B&M with a flavor bar, where you can try several, is a good one. While you may not get all your flavors there (cheaper and possibly better online) it's a good way to narrow the range, to see what types you like. You don't say what flavor gave you the furniture polish aftertaste, but try some different flavors. Some you just won't like...

Steeping, or aging, can certainly help smooth out some blends. MBV, mentioned above, mixes their juice when you order, and some steeping is actually needed to really bring out the flavors. Other online (and B&M) juices are mixed ahead of time, so the aging is already done. Also the ratio of PG/VG will affect the vape and taste. More PG gives more flavor and throat hit, more VG gives more vapor, but less flavor and TH. Of course, at a B&M you'll only find what they blend. Most online juice vendors will let you specify the ratio.

 

[Dakota Jim]

I switched to DIY pretty early in my vaping history due to cost and have a great time experimenting with new flavors and combos - it costs me about 4 cents per ml to make my 0 and 2mg flavors

Read all the stickies in the DIY subforum



Just my

cause I'm cheap!

 

[rowdyplace]

I suggest you find a nearby "Brick&Morter" store that will allow you to sample their liquids. It's worth the drive. Sample for a few minutes, trying things that may not "sound" good. You just might be surprised at what tastes good. Go slowly, and savor the puffs - at least 3 or 3 per flavor. Then, get the smallest bottle (10mm) of each and another header thingy so you can alternate between the two.

If it don't taste good, then you will be hard pressed to enjoy yourself.

I was a pack a day guy, and bought "Outlaw Tobacco" (Marlboro light) flavor as well as a coffee/mocha flavor. Both 12mg strength.

Hang in there I bought mine Christmas Eve and have not smoked that other thing since the 26th. Vaping made me too lazy to go outside to smoke.

 

[olefolks]

Daisey, I started smoking 60 yrs. ago. Bought an EVOD starter kit on Nov 1, 2013 with some Joytech RY4 16 mg. juice. Started using it on Nov. 2 and have not even thought about a cig since. In fact, I have 7 packs of Sky Dancers in my garage right now. I have never had a sick feeling since the beginning. I guess I'm lucky. Please hang in there, you won't regret it.

 

[jwag1973]

Welcome and Good luck. If you smoked a pack or two a day of lights, I wouldn't think 18/24 mg with normal usage wouldn't be overkill. Make sure you drink a lot of water, seriously! You weren't only addicted to the nic, but other chemicals in cigs as well. Try to vape like you smoked, this may help.

 

[Daisey Moonshine]

Thanks guys. You are all so very helpful!

I am using Basic brand 12ml liquid (or 4% PG) at the moment.

I am kind of a scaredy cat to try the flavor bar at the store because I am a bit neurotic. It's not a good neighborhood and I worry about getting VD or an H1N1 virus from the community spit on the vials, even though they have the mouthpiece condom available. LOL it just really grosses me out. I know what banana tastes like and coffee, so I haven't bothered with that.

 

[jhawk]

My basic laws on Vaping I follow is:

Never Vape anything over 24 period!

At 24mg/ml if your vaping over 3ml a day kinda over doing it.

At 18 mg/ml your around 3.5ml daily

At 12 mg/ml your around 4.5 ml a day

At 6mg/ml, well if your vaping that much liquid I don't see how.

I Vape 6mg/ml and probably only go thru 3 ml daily and I was a 30 year smoker a year and a half ago with a 3 pack a day problem.

Always drink plenty of water when you vape.

 

[SamNapolitanke]

Try the Halo Juices. Very few out there compare in my opinion. just my .02

 

[AmandaD]

You shouldn't feel sick when vaping unless a) you've got something with too much nic, or b) you're sensitive to something in the mix. And if you're tasting orange then that is the flavor of the juice - try something else. Be aware that some people are intolerant to either PG or (less common) VG and it can have that affect. How much did you smoke before you tried vaping? I ask because as a pack a day smoker for almost 40 years (Malborough Ultra Lights) I started on 18MG and quickly moved down to 12MG. 24MG is very high imo.

 

[WhiteHighlights]

Welcome! As others have said, the sick feeling is probably too much nicotine, you may want to drop down a little lower to 9mg and see how that goes, especially at night. FYI - I smoked a pack a day, started at 18mg and am now down to 6-9mg. Drink plenty of water too. It makes a big difference.

Sometimes the hardest thing is finding a juice you really like. I've found several that I think are yummy, but it took some trial and error. Since you don't want to try the flavors at the B&M, you could order sample packs from online vendors. The small sample bottles are a nice way to experiment without spending too much money. Check out Halo, Heathers Heavenly Vapes, Ahlusion and/or Alice in Vapeland. Good luck!

 

[Daisey Moonshine]

When I read the recommendation from a forum member here about the Kanger, he also said to start at a 12ml juice. The store I bought it from suggested I go to 24 (the highest) to start, so I went with the 24. The 24 was what the two clerks who work there personally prefer to vape. I knew it would be higher than recommended here. It was a learning lesson and a mistake I will not likely repeat again.

They also were limited on the lower ml juice supply on hand, so it was either 12, or nothing. Right now we are in a snowstorm and I'm kind of stuck at home for the day until the weather clears.

Meanwhile, I have been smoking up a storm the past two days and I know I am OD'ing myself. I have to stop it. I am a inconsolable nic monster right now.

If I find my sweet spot with the nic juice, I know I can do it.

I saw the Outlaw juice online I have been meaning to try that. The Lizard site I found it on was out of stock on the lower ml liquid, so that's why I didn't buy myself a bottle of that particular brand yet. It's annoying.

I already drink water everyday, but will keep this in mind when vaping.