Farewell to nicotine I hope?

[Annieofthemoor]

Hi everyone,
I've been vaping for a year now after a health diagnosis that is not good, and, almost certainly from cigarettes. I began vaping last year at 36mg, went to 18 and am now at 3. I would love to now transition to Nicorette gum and just vape at zero. Has anyone tried this? I really need to get nicotine free. That gum is so gross, I just want it for emergency. But the oral/hand/hit is so hard to get rid of...hence my thoughts on continuing with the O vaping for a while and hopefully the gum will be a short thing...
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[chellie]

Hi - Well you have decreased your nic substantially --- congrats on that --- and are nearing your goal of being nicotine free. Are you OK at the level you are at now as far as not feeling jittery and feeling satisfied? Perhaps you can forgo the gum if you just keep on going down. I have a strong hand to mouth habit too so it would be hard for me too to just stop.

If you are OK vaping at a 0 nic level and if you buy your ejuice (or even make it yourself) maybe you could buy one bottle at 3mg and one at 0 and go down from 3 to 0 slowly. Mix it down to 2.5mg for a while until you are comfortable, then 2 then go to 1.5, and then 0 and then you would not even have the need for the gum and if you and doctors are OK with vaping 0 you can just do that.

What type of equipment are you using to vape with?

 

[Brewdawg1181]

Hi everyone,
I've been vaping for a year now after a health diagnosis that is not good, and, almost certainly from cigarettes. I began vaping last year at 36mg, went to 18 and am now at 3. I would love to now transition to Nicorette gum and just vape at zero. Has anyone tried this? I really need to get nicotine free. That gum is so gross, I just want it for emergency. But the oral/hand/hit is so hard to get rid of...hence my thoughts on continuing with the O vaping for a while and hopefully the gum will be a short thing...
Thanks for your thoughts.

Sorry to hear about the diagnosis, Annie. Is your doctor telling you that nicotine is a negative? It does have potential health benefits, but is a stimulant & vasoconstrictor. Just wondering, because if it's not exacerbating your condition, going zero might not even be necessary? 3mg freebase nic is really low already, so, just wondering. If it's not necessary for your health, it might not be worth tempting you back to smoking. Especially if it might mean vaping less volume of liquid.

 

[bombastinator]

The gum is also very high nic. Traditionally the hat I see is people doing DIY to titrations down to zero nic. The issue is that the difference between 6 and 3 is much much greater than the difference bet even 3 and zero. From 3 I might try going to 2mg. If you don’t diy, you can buy a 3mg and a 0mg of the same flavor and gradually increase the percentage of 0mg in the mix

 

[Katya]

Sorry about your diagnosis, Annie. I agree with the previous posters. You're already at 3 mg/ml. Why not keep tapering down to zero? Or have two (or more) atomizers on hand, one with nicotine for cravings, others without for hand-to-mouth fix.

I agree with you that the gum is nasty and has a lot of nic. But there's no reason why you shouldn't try that route if you think it will work for you,

Good luck.

 

[AttyPops]

It might disassociate the nic from the vaping.
And discourage your nic use if you hate the gum.

Whatever works for you, that's what's best. Best wishes/prayers to you.

Just thoughts.

 

[Ryedan]

Hi everyone,
I've been vaping for a year now after a health diagnosis that is not good, and, almost certainly from cigarettes. I began vaping last year at 36mg, went to 18 and am now at 3. I would love to now transition to Nicorette gum and just vape at zero. Has anyone tried this? I really need to get nicotine free. That gum is so gross, I just want it for emergency. But the oral/hand/hit is so hard to get rid of...hence my thoughts on continuing with the O vaping for a while and hopefully the gum will be a short thing...
Thanks for your thoughts.

Hi @Annieofthemoor and welcome to ECF

I smoked for over 35 years and went from 18 mg down to zero in about 9 months. Stayed at zero exclusively for most of the next year. These days I vape no nic mostly, and 1.5 mg about 1/4 of the time.

Once I got down to about 3 mg the only thing I missed from zero nic was the throat hit so I never needed to boost my nic intake any other way. I now vape juices that are 100% PG and always use menthol. When I want some real TH I find the 1.5 mg does it for me.

That has been my experience, but some people have a much harder time leaving nicotine behind. IMO our frame of mind has a lot to do with it. With your medical situation you have a lot of motivation to eliminate nic which should really help. I was also quite motivated to do it and I know that helped me a lot.

I would go to 1.5 mg for a week or two, then switch to zero but keep some 1.5 around for pangs. You could try the gum, but as bombastiator said it has a lot of nic in it which means it will give you a blast of nic which is IMO not conducive to quitting. Vaping 1.5 mg for a vape session will give you just a bit of nic which should not set you back as much as using gum would.

Whatever you try, you can adjust your plan as you get experience with it. Think positive, you can do this and best of luck with it

 

[TonyL1]

I recently quit after 40 years, I’m happy with 3mgs, and I’ve mixed 0 an 3 mg of the same flavor and purchased 1mg homemade stuff from a local vape shop. I figured with me it was less about the nic and more about the hand to mouth thing...except when I’m drinking a bunch of beers, then I need the nic

 

[LovesButtercups]

I am climbing back on the vape wagon...started vaping in 2015 but it just didn’t “stick”. I gave all my vaping gear to my mom after several months and went back to smoking.

And, here I am again! I am a heavy smoker with anxiety, and I just can’t keep smoking two packs a day. I feel it in my wallet AND in my lungs/body, so both are huge motivators. I’m hoping to stick with it this time. I will be happy with the harm-reduction aspect of vaping, but I hope to eventually wean myself off of nicotine.

 

[Katya]

Good luck, Buttercups!

You fall of the wagon, you climb right back on. It may take several attempts, but don't give up. Those who keep trying are the ones who succeed in the end!

 

[LovesButtercups]

Good luck, Buttercups!

You fall of the wagon, you climb right back on. It may take several attempts, but don't give up. Those who keep trying are the ones who succeed in the end!

Thanks...there are certainly a lot of folks here that have had success, so that helps me stay hopeful!

 

[Opinionated]

Hi everyone,
I've been vaping for a year now after a health diagnosis that is not good, and, almost certainly from cigarettes. I began vaping last year at 36mg, went to 18 and am now at 3. I would love to now transition to Nicorette gum and just vape at zero. Has anyone tried this? I really need to get nicotine free. That gum is so gross, I just want it for emergency. But the oral/hand/hit is so hard to get rid of...hence my thoughts on continuing with the O vaping for a while and hopefully the gum will be a short thing...
Thanks for your thoughts.

I haven't used nicotine since last February (and don't vape very often these days either.) It's doable.

Everyone is slightly different, but just like when you vaped through cravings to get through the cigarette withdrawals, so you will vape through any nicotine cravings you have.

You can keep a tank around with nic juice in it and just take a couple puffs off that if you really need, but with the cost of that gum I'd just skip gum altogether and stick with going down to zero with a backup tank if you find you need.

YMMV of course, but people get just as reliant on the gum as with any other NRT. Frame of mind is key and there are plenty of people who vape zero...

 

[Vapedog]

Welcome Annie. Sorry to hear you have an illness. All the best.

 

[stols001]

Have you cleared this plan with your doctor and is he aware of the amount of nic and absorption rate of the gum as compare to vaping low nic?

Because I don't really understand the whole nicotine gum part... I'd think you' d be better off keeping some very low nic setups around than blasting yourself with a lot of nic when you are having a craving versus say vaping a couple minutes on a very low nic setup.

IDK, goo luck whatever you decide.

Anna

 

[DaveP]

I am climbing back on the vape wagon...started vaping in 2015 but it just didn’t “stick”. I gave all my vaping gear to my mom after several months and went back to smoking.

And, here I am again! I am a heavy smoker with anxiety, and I just can’t keep smoking two packs a day. I feel it in my wallet AND in my lungs/body, so both are huge motivators. I’m hoping to stick with it this time. I will be happy with the harm-reduction aspect of vaping, but I hope to eventually wean myself off of nicotine.

24mg juice got me off the 2 PAD habit 9 years ago. I never looked back after dual using for the first nine months. Once I decided to quit the cigs it was easy at 24mg strength, but I had reduced my cigs to several a day for months before quitting them altogether.

The secret is to vape all you want and cut out the cigs one or two at a time. Just vape like a fiend when you get the urge and it will pass. Once I decided to drop the last few per day it was easy. I haven't smoked since early 2011. After a couple of years vaping 24mg juice I started lowering my nic levels slowly over time. I've been at 3mg for two or three years and happy with it.

24mg would make me green around the gills these days.

 

[LovesButtercups]

24mg juice got me off the 2 PAD habit 9 years ago. I never looked back after dual using for the first nine months. Once I decided to quit the cigs it was easy at 24mg strength, but I had reduced my cigs to several a day for months before quitting them altogether.

The secret is to vape all you want and cut out the cigs one or two at a time. Just vape like a fiend when you get the urge and it will pass. Once I decided to drop the last few per day it was easy. I haven't smoked since early 2011. After a couple of years vaping 24mg juice I started lowering my nic levels slowly over time. I've been at 3mg for two or three years and happy with it.

24mg would make me green around the gills these days.

Evidently I was more of a sissy than I thought I’d be...seems like 24mg sends me into coughing fits. I’m using 18mg and am smoking fewer cigarettes, but still have quite a way to go. Guess I gotta start somewhere, huh?

 

[Opinionated]

Evidently I was more of a sissy than I thought I’d be...seems like 24mg sends me into coughing fits. I’m using 18mg and am smoking fewer cigarettes, but still have quite a way to go. Guess I gotta start somewhere, huh?

It takes a couple days generally in order to get used to vaping. I coughed up a lung when I first began vaping - but I had a ton of stuff in my lungs to get out..

If your finding vaping regular ejuice a bit harsh, then try some salts at 25 mg if your needing the additional nicotine. Suck on halls while you vape at first too if you need, until your throat adjusts.

 

[LovesButtercups]

It takes a couple days generally in order to get used to vaping. I coughed up a lung when I first began vaping - but I had a ton of stuff in my lungs to get out..

If your finding vaping regular ejuice a bit harsh, then try some salts at 25 mg if your needing the additional nicotine. Suck on halls while you vape at first too if you need, until your throat adjusts.

Salts weren’t around the first time I started vaping...I’ll have to check that out! Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[BrotherBob]

I would love to now transition to Nicorette gum and just vape at zero. Has anyone tried this?

Welcome and glad you joined.
I have been vaping zero nic for a few years now and doing quite nicely. I DIY, so now when I mix, I never have to worry about adjusting the nic or is the flavor mix bad with the nic (manufacturing inconsistency). Nic is also much more expensive as to compare with flavor costs.
You sound like you have a good plan. I did not try the gum, I just mixed some e liquid with less and less nic and cut way down to 3mg juice. Then I would mix same recipes with 3mg and zero in identical bottles never knowing if I was vaping with or without nic. Finally realized I did not need any nic in order to enjoy vaping.

 

[dhomes]

try 1.5 then 1 mg then give it a shot to 0 i'd say

you can buy a given bottle of your fav juice @3mg and the same juice & size at 0mg and mix it yourself. That'd give you 1.5mg

Or 1 bottle @ 3mg & 2 @ 0mg -> 1mg

Or 1 bottle @ 3mg & 3 bottles @ 0mg -> 0.5mg

if you reach 0.5 mg then you are pretty much there