Fell of the wagon and would like some help/advice and to share story..

[OREGATO]

Well guys,

I've been a member here for a long time, mostly lurk but haven't really come on in a while.

Want to share my story and looking for some advice/support whatever you want to call it.

So my story is this..

I've been off analogs for the good part of a year and a half due to the ecig.

Before I discovered the ecig, I was a 20 - 35 a day smoker depending on how stressful my job was etc.

I discovered the Ecig in October 2008 and once I had it, I never turned to analogs, around Febuary 2009, I was completely off smoking, both analog and electronic.

Time past and I litterally didnt have a cigarette at all, I thought I was free, up until recently, well, it started at my Christmas party 2009, had a few on the night out (i rarely drink but did that night and ended up smoking analogs)

long story slope, it was a slipperly slope and this week, I found myself smoking analogs to cope with stress and other things in work and personal life. I hate the taste of them, I normally smoke menthols but still, i hate the taste. So far, I've bought two packs of smokes and coming to the end of the second packet I find myself:

1. Smelling crap
2. Feel so tired, no matter how much sleep i get, I find myself so tired
3. Cravings hitting me every now and again.

Basically, I've fallen off the wagon. Now, I want to go back to ecigs and go down the route of basically trying my best to stay off analogs.

I've heard from several people that Ecigs cause cancer as well.. even more so than normal ones.. I haven't had a chance to search the forum for articles relating to this, but can anyone give me some facts about this? Does it?

Also, back in the day, I started with the DS901 I think? the mini ecig, it was good, but battery life, this and that were a pain, having to constantly top up and stuff, now, I'd say that there has been good advancements in the vaping tools and stuff like that. What would people recommend I by? I'm based in Ireland so I'd say totally wicked (are they still around) or some UK based suppliers are my best bet.

Anyone else share stories of falling off the wagon? I've quit once before via ecigs and found it was the best thing I've done in my life.. The worst being putting an analog to my mouth for the first time.

Any advice/tips/anything are appreciated.

Thanks

 

[CaptJay]

Battery life on the basic kits is still godawful - a mod or a PT or a PCC is your best bet. 901s are stilla round and liked. TW are still around in the UK too - and theres also a UK e smokers forum around here as well - might want to drop into that (gotta join it - PM the owner - details on the thread) if you want to post though.
Do Ecigs cause cancer? Well not really sure how they can, but i cant give you a 100% guarantee that they are risk free. They contain nicotine which isn't risk free, about the same risk as caffeine or alcohol perhaps? Your arteries wont really thank you for taking in any of those substances - or eating certain fats - same deal.
They don't contain carbon monoxide - or arsenic (both present in cigarettes) so that has to be a plus

Don't stress over falling off the wagon - crap happens and you know from experience you can fix it again.
Good luck mate - I;m sure you'll be back off the fags again in no time.

 

[BradSmith]

I know that my vaping is already tapering off somewhat. But if I do quit I am going to keep one ready just in case. If I slip up it's going to be with my 510 and not a smoke.

But don't sweat it, stuff happens. I have not owned one but I have heard that the eGo or Tornado rocks for battery life and vapor.

 

[Switched]

I know that my vaping is already tapering off somewhat. But if I do quit I am going to keep one ready just in case. If I slip up it's going to be with my 510 and not a smoke.

But don't sweat it, stuff happens. I have not owned one but I have heard that the eGo or Tornado rocks for battery life and vapor.

Since you used e cig as a smoking cessation tool in the past and are not vaping for an "alternate lifestyle", the eGo is probably your best bet bar none and the price of the unit/kit a bargain compared to performance.

I am vaping towards cessation myself, but will have my devices ready for the day I have quit and the demons return.

 

[AmyB66]

I did the gradual quit too. Was using 510's, after awhile I was just getting frustrated with the filling and batteries dying, kicked back up on the analogs some. Added to stress I was dealing with, it was so much easier to just light up.

I knew I needed more oomfff when vaping, needed to get over the top of the slippery slope. I ordered two chucks, while waiting for my order stocked up on some higher mg juice and got a huge stash of cartomizers.

Got my chucks a week ago, just before it arrived I worked myself back down to my two morning analogs (which I considered a reward and had convinced myself that two were far better than the just under a pack a day I was smoking)
The day after my chucks came I smoked my last analog. I still have a mild want for one in the morning but not so much.

Two finalizing factors, first I promised myself that once I went with the mods I would quit. Second, I spent a small fortune on juice and cartos, batteries for the chucks etc and I think I won't begin to break even for another four months so alittle guilt from both have helped get me over the hump. I actually get that satisfied feeling when vaping that I didn't get before too.

Get yourself a mod, and find which atty/cart or carto thing will be the most gratifying and least hassle for you. So you have a bit of money to loose if it doesn't work for you but everything to gain if it does.

 

[Katmar]

ORAGATO said:
"I've heard from several people that Ecigs cause cancer as well.. even more so than normal ones.. I haven't had a chance to search the forum for articles relating to this, but can anyone give me some facts about this? Does it? "

Simply put, there is NO evidence whatsoever that ecigs cause cancer. There are links to several studies. Read through the forum and educate yourself. You will feel a lot better if you do.

 

[Happy Domino38]

Sorry to hear you fell off the wagon, but that's OKAY!! It's sitting right outside your door love!

I have the Ego and it's WONDERFUL! I would STRONGLY recommend it to anyone. The battery life is anywhere between 8-10 hours and I chain vape! (What else do us Scots do? )

I would also suggest ordering yourself some higher mg liquid if stress is what's triggering your analog use.

As for ecigs causing cancer, doesn't everything? God, one of these days we're going to be told that, when crossing the street, if you turned your head to the right before you turned to the left, that'll cause cancer too!

There's no carcinogenic substances in eliquid. It's not the nicotine that causes cancer, it's the 4000+ chemicals that do.

And, while 'fresh, clean air' IS the only thing our lungs are made to inhale, where the hell can you find THAT stuff anymore? Take a look at the asthma rates in children. They're off the charts. 6 of the children in my daughters class (18) have it. What does THAT say about the air quality?

I grew up in Glasgow, which was proven to have some of the dirtiest air in the world and there wasn't a SINGLE asthmatic in the group of THIRTY TWO.

I think your safe with the ecig. And, tell your 'friend' this bit, large institutions, such as hospitals and SCHOOLS are trying to figure out a way to essential 'bathe' large rooms such as cafeterias in a PG vapor to kill germs! PG is an antibacterial agent.

 

[Firechief2]

TW sells the Tornado which is a very good bet, especially for battery life !!
For additional convenience I would also suggest looking at the new cartomizers as an option to carts and atty's. They make them to fit the 510/Tornado/eGo and they hold a lot of liquid (about 30 drops for me). I purchase mine from Litecig.com and use the "condom method" (do a search for the demonstration video's) to fill them.

 

[suddenly]

I fell off the wagon myself last week after 6 months of just vaping. I was also stressed to the max and said, screw it. (can I say that?) I got caught up in my daughters problems and was worried about the Ban in NY coming down the pike. My son-in-law offered me a cig and I took the whole pack and then bought another one on the way home. Threw all my e-cigs in a plastic bag.
Woke up the next morning and slaped myself for smoking 2 packs of cigs.
I went back to vaping and got off the pity pot.

I don't quite understand why getting stressed out can lead you right back to smoking. You get the nic from ecigs

Maybe its like non alcholic beer I don't know.
Just forgive yourself and start vaping again and I wish all kinds of good luck!!

 

[MikethePipe]

I think the risk of going back onto analogues will always be with us. My mother packed up for 35 years and said she still fancied a ... at times. It's a bit like loosing a limb, your body still thinks it's there, weird but true, my friend lost his arm but insisted his hand was cold, he even tried to scratch his head with it.

I'm still smoking a few RYO's for total satisfaction but i have gone from 50 a day to 10 or less, maybe i will quit altogether one-day, but for now I'm happy with the way things are going, I'm certainly not going to beat myself up over it.

 

[AKRooster]

My understanding of cancer is that it is a spontaneous mutation of cells. Technically no knows WHAT or WHY cancer even happens, simply there are study that point to the idea that smokers are more likely to get cancer. I do know people who have gotten lung cancer and never smoked a day in there life. After less then 10 years on the market there is no possible way that a study showing that vapers are more likely than smokers to get cancer could be complete. Not enough long time users

 

[OREGATO]

Great replies lads, some good stories and advice there and I guess I knew I wasn't the only one but this thread has really helped. I think you all and keep the posts coming.

I've bought my third pack this evening, the way I see it is, I don't want to make a half arsed effort with ecigs, the last time, I researched for nearly three weeks before I bought anything and now, I'm the same. Going to read this forum and do my homework for a while. I have noticed I don't smoke as much as before but I think its a slippery slope.

 

[Unchainme]

I think it's so great that you quit for so long. Having a struggle today myself and just read the thread on "what I won't miss" on today's posts. It made me remember all my reasons why vaping is sooooo much better. I have an eGo and love it. Wish you luck.

 

[jamie]

I've heard from several people that Ecigs cause cancer as well.. even more so than normal ones.

Some scaremongering prohibitionists have blathered this nonsense as part of their 'ban anything that looks like smoking' campaign. No, there is no reason to believe this is true at this time, there is no evidence whatsoever, and there is some reason to believe it is not (will not be) the case. However further research is always welcome.

 

[Harlequin]

My very best advice would simply be not to think of this as an "on or off the wagon", all-or-nothing deal.

I started vaping in November of last year and have been basically smoke-free since then. "Basically" because I have never told myself "you must not smoke"; I just genuinely prefer vaping because of the taste, smell, $$$ and (empirical evidence suggests) health benefits.

I was recently out of the country for two weeks and bought two packs of cigarettes during that period, purely because I didn't have quite enough reliable batteries to vape all day without charging. And this time last year, I was a pack-a-day Marlboro reds smoker.

Since I got back home, no more cigarettes and I don't miss them a bit. Say the same situation happens in another three months, or another year; cool, I'll buy a pack (won't especially like smoking them, but it's better than nic withdrawal) to tide me over until I can go back to vaping.

If you approach vaping as a harm-reduction strategy rather than as an all-or-nothing, do-or-die effort of will, it lifts an awful lot of weight off your shoulders.

 

[jamie]

Strongly agree with Harlequin.

 

[Tampa2]

Sorry to hear that you fell off the wagon. I suggest that you remember that nasty taste of the analog and try raising your MG's to handle the stress.

 

[Rosa]

I think part of the reason we "fall off the wagon" is because there are MAOIs is tobacco cigarettes but not in e-cigarettes. So basically, if you are addicted to cigarettes you have been using anti-depressants. Some people find it hard to quit smoking even when they have a good PV and good juice in the right mg. One temporary fix for this would be to supplement with snus when the cravings happen.
http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31927
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors - HealthyPlace

 

[unit40]

It is a constant struggle for me. I have 5 packs of marlboro reds in my garage since January. I have only a slight desire to light one up to remind myself how nasty they are. I loved and hated smoking. Smoking was killing me. Made me and everything else stink. I had to get rid of the butts. My three kids and wife, my boss, constantly nagging me about it. The nasty looks I would get from the world around me. Everywhere i work, the workshop, playgrounds, beaches, ballfields, municipal vehicles and property, smoking is banned. I felt like crap. But that feeling you get from smoking - oh yeah, real nice. Long story short, I got my first kit in the mail and told myself i was gonna stick to it, I HAD to. Sure i have spent a lot of money on e-cigs and supplies. Juices and hardware. But nowhere even close to what I would have spent on cigaretts. I've tried cartos from different suppliers, 901 atomizers both regular and HV, I have KR808 batteries, a 5V cybervex, chargers, batteries, various juices have come and gone. A few have come back. I just have learned to deal with e-cigs. No differnt than analogs. Don't get your lighter/matches or smokes wet. Don't get your batteries wet. Pack or two of smokes for the day, enough juice and batteries for the day. Make sure you start out with enough mg to vape and keep trying different juices till you find one or some that you can happily vape. You have to really want to quit. Once you know that, just settle on the fact that you need to make e-cigs work for you. You can, it may at times seem like a hastle, but each day you will feel good about it.

 

[Sushikune]

Thanks for feeling comfortable enough to tell your story Oregato. I'm a noob but everybody here seems so supportive so I know you can get off those analogs again!

It's interesting. I'll bet every single one of us cheated in the beginning. I know I did. I was hanging out with some smoker friends a few weeks after starting on my 510. One of them offered me what he called a "real cigarette". I took a few drags off of it and decided there was no way I could go back. It just wasn't as satisfying. I finished it just to be polite.

This past weekend (3 months later) the same friend offered me another "real cigarette". I declined and went on happily vapeing.