Frustrated and Discouraged

[mmoss2]

I have been vaping for 17 days and cigarette free for 12. As soon as I tried vaping, I fell in love with it - it was, for me, an easy replacement for smoking that made the transition to non-smoking feel comfortable and reasonably pain free.

But in the process, I purchased all of the shiny gadgets I could get my hands on. Now that I am almost two weeks in, I guess I'm feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and discouraged ... Nothing is quit living up to my expectations ...

I'm sure that this might seem insane, but I just want some that always works. I know that if I buy a pack of drum tobacco, the "throat hit" will be perfect. I will love the flavor. It wont taste bad half way through the cigarette because the filler dried out. The batteries won't die because there are none. I won't have to carry vials and drop clothes and spare batteries and chargers and all the other crap I find myself lugging around now.....

I'm sorry - I'm not trying to be a downer - I'm just having a bad day. I'm trying to "think" my way out of it, and so I've decided on trying to get just one thing perfect (my juice) and then I will take on the next, rather than trying to get everything perfect at once. Maybe if I focus, I can stop feeling overwhelmed. Right now, I just notice all of the little things I don't like and I lose sight of the fact that I have freakin quit smoking for almost two weeks. I guess I just need to be patient and focus on that .... Patience has never been my best virtue.

I apologize ... Not trying to upset anyone .... I just needed to vent and get this out of my system ...

 

[King_Calculon]

Frustration is definitely par for the course. I had a hell of a time starting out. It takes time to find equipment, e-liquids, and hardware/methods (carts, cartos, dripping, mods, etc) that work the way you want. Keep trying! Try different voltages, atomizers and e-liquids. The hunt for perfection is a great distraction from smoking.

By the way, great job on not smoking for almost two weeks!

 

[Stosh]

Vent away!! no problem, as long as it's not a nic fit from too weak of juice!

and so I've decided on trying to get just one thing perfect (my juice) and then I will take on the next, rather than trying to get everything perfect at once.

Great idea, there are so many variables in vaping it's a little tough at first.
If you can find a couple flavors in the right strength, that's a huge accomplishment.

Then you can zero in on what you need in battery life, portability, ease of re-filling,
lack of leaking.....etc. As you gain experience it gets easier, and when you wake up
every morning (AND DON'T COUGH UP A LUNG), give yourself a pat on the back for
sticking with it!

 

[chimney55]

Well, I'm not really an expert, but to me I found that "equipment" was more important to me than the right "juice". It sounds like you're using carts and I had absolutely no patience with them. They'd dry out and I'd have to top off. Getting too much juice and then sucking it into my mouth. I'm much happier now that I'm using cartomizers. I don't have to refill as often. I was also trying to find "fun flavors" to vape because I wanted to find something other than "tobacco". As it turned out, my taste buds were in shock and couldn't really taste anything. So, I started slowly ordering "tobacco" type flavors. My favorite is Pure Cig from Freedom Smoke USA which really doesn't taste like tobacco. It's actually kind of "bland" but I get it with a splash of menthol and it 'cures' most of my cravings. I've also gotten a couple of nice tobacco flavors from Backwoods Brew. In the meantime, my taste buds are starting to wake up. Now, I'm enjoying other flavors that I couldn't taste before. But crucial to me first was getting comfortable with my vaping equipment. Having batteries that wouldn't cut out on me, learning how to puff consistently on the e-cig (after smoking for over 37 years, I would have NEVER have imagined that I'd have to learn how to inhale again!) We just stick with it and learn as much as we can. (And come here to support someone who's going through what we've gone through...)

Oh, and congrats for making it this far!!

 

[Mudflap]

I can totally relate.

Most of us start vaping with the goal of replacing analogues. Then we figure out the truth. It's a hobby.

As soon as my batteries and charger arrive, my 510 batteries and passthrough are being relegated to backup status.

 

[DiggerP]

LOL Moss - I loved your "vent"! As a fellow noob (13 days now) - I don't want to return to analogs in any shape, way or form. I feel much better! And, like you, I jumped into everything! It is new and truly seems a miracle (after all the ways I tried to quit unsuccessfully - WOW I wish I knew about these years ago!).

But in the "newness" of it all I missed some basics that I'm starting to now solve. First, I fell in love with an espresso flavor - but it didn't seem to be working. Well, I was vaping it in the morning while I had my coffee... two coffees instead of the habit of coffee and tobacco flavor I'd been used to for 25+ years. Also, I tried the fruity flavors -- a great experiment and tasty! But not an all day thing for me.

I've recently adjusted my set up to this and it is working great. Just offering it to you as a suggestion. I use a KR808 set up (2 manual batteries and a USB pass through at home and at the office).

Morning -- 24 mg tobacco flavor with my coffee with a pass through. Pass through is harder hitting, flavors are habit and I get the nic I need.

Daily - Usually 12 or 18 mg -- a coffee, espresso, spicy, vanilla taste -- just something medium (I keep one of my manuals filled with a 24 mg JUST in case I start getting stressed LOL).

Evening - Something fruity or minty in 12 mg. Leaves a fresh taste and I don't seem to crave the nic as much.

Just an idea. I hope it helps you even a little bit.

 

[tresrottn]

You are also right in the time frame for the "detox blues". This is perfectly normal, and part of the process. This is actually a very good sign! It means that all that krap is leaving your body, right on schedule. Drink tons of water, be easy on yourself, and remember this is a learning process as well as a "reanimation" of your body. Bloodflow starts working again and your brain begins functioning better. Instead of the daily cigarette ceremony (checking pockets to make sure I have smokes, money to buy smokes, lighter and backup lighter, then waste 7 minutes smoking on the back porch) I now have the "filling the cartomizers" ceremony. My batteries are charged and ready to go, I can always grab some TP from the bathroom to wipe up any spills
Good luck!

 

[Free2BeMe]

I am new as well. One week smokefree today and today I told my husband this isn't as much fun anymore. LOL! I think it was because my carts were horrible. (a whole other story) But I understand and you are perfectly fine to vent. I am sure you are just saying what so many people here have felt and thought.

One thing you said that really stuck out was refocusing your thinking. You have been smoke free for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!! That is a major accomplishment and you should feel great about that! Your body is thanking you! I think we all will go through a period of ups and down but remember even if something is easier doesn't mean it is wiser. You can do it! Stay focused and stay strong. This is probably a crucial time. I wish you the best!

 

[Jessara]

You don't need to apologize at all for venting. I think what you are going through is perfectly normal for... what you are going through. 27 years of my life was spent sucking on the cancer sticks. They were easy - open a pack, pull one out, light it up, smoke it down, put it out. But then, when I think about it, there was more to it too - dropping ashes on my clothes, burning holes from HOT ashes dropping on my clothes, one little wet spot making the whole cig taste like a wet ashtray, over-flowing ashtrays that needed to be dumped all the time (and usually getting ashes all over the place), washing the ashtrays every couple days, scrubbing films of yellow nastiness off all surfaces (windows, mirrors, computers, etc), washing everything I wore after only wearing it ONCE because it stunk like a nasty ashtray...

Hmmm maybe my pv isn't so much work to keep going afterall... *wink*

Don't worry, my friend, it will all pass and you'll realize that going through all this overwhelming frustration is very much worth it in the end. CONGRATS on your success so far!

 

[Rick07]

Sounds like you are right on target with the rest of us. I think we all spend way too much money getting started. We first buy a starter kit, then more carts. Then we go to juices and blank carts and can't seem to find the right flavor so we keep looking and searching and finally we hit on the right combination. I have bottles of juice all over the place and finally settled on just two flavors, A tobacco, (French Pipe), and that awesome Peppermint. I vape the French Pipe during the day and into the evening, then switch to Peppermint later in the evening. Every persons taste is different so you have to determine for yourself what flavor you like. One thing to remember is your tastes will change over several weeks when you get off analogs. A juice you didn't like the first time you tried it, you might just like when you come back in a few weeks. Just hang in there and you will soon be very satisified that you gave up those nasty analogs. By the way buy some 5ml sample bottles with different flavors and nic until you get what you are looking for. Nic is very important. My top is 18mg and I previously smoked a pipe which had to be in the 30's or more. What suits you and gives you what you want is there. All you have to do is find it.

 

[Prodigal441]

I have been completely analog free for several months now. I have tried several flavors and most have a flowery flavor that I can't stand. Fortunately I used to smoke menthol. Now I mic my own using 54mg unflavored cut with VG and then I add .02g/ml of crushed menthol crystals. It took me almost a year and a half to get off of analogs because I couldn't find equipment that worked even close to analog. On my third and final attempt I found a 510. It worked great but I was going through 2-3 batteries every day. So I too was carrying a ton of crap. Then I found the eGo and Riva batteries. They are larger in size so they don't look like a traditional cig but I can go over 2 days on a battery. So now I go out with my eGo, one bottle of liquid and as a backup I bring a standard 510. Life is good.

 

[nrahippie]

As a newbie to this as well I feel your pain. There are alot of choices and products from ohms on atomizers to carts, drip tips boxmods 5v 3.2v 100v etc. I feel like my head is going to pop and i will have to take a test on it all later when friends ask me what they should buy. It can be overwhelming I know it was/is for me. One of the biggest things was that i really didn't know what i was looking for or what i would like. There aren't too many stores where you can go and take a test drive of the products so your always kinda taking leaps of faith hoping what you purchased is the right thing for you.

 

[Bluesun62]

Congrats on the two weeks!! That's awesome. I can hardly wait to get there. I've been vaping for two days and am not completely off analogs yet but this it the thing that will do it for me.

I'm new to this too and I like your idea of focusing on one issue at a time. I have 3 510's and so far I like them. I found the Espresso flavor and love it. But I do like Mboro carts I got with the one kit I bought. So now I have that flavor on order. I may find that I want a different Ecig later but having a flavor I can live with and enjoy now is a huge help.

LOL!! in two weeks you'll be telling me to hang in there!

good luck and thanks

kevin

 

[REGGAEGEEK]

Almost everyone here went thru some kind of problem fairly early on.... There's a progression that everyone has to make to find something that works for them. There are answers for most of the problems....battery dies too quickly, get a bigger battery model....a lot of people find an Ego or Riva makes a good next step. It will solve most of the battery problems. Liberty Flights has a kit with 2 750mAh batteries for $35.00 if you click on the 20% off link in the upper left corner of the site. Not trying to sell anything but it will solve the constant battery swapping.

Eliquid flavor....that's a tough one...everyone's taste is so different. I personally only like the tobacco flavors and at first, only the cigarette tobacco flavors. None of them will taste like a burning cigarette (kinda like bread and toast, same ingredient, totally different taste) but some can be pretty similiar. Stick with some of the original flavors that started it all and make sure you get a strong enough nic percentage to stave off the craves....24mg/ml at least if were smoking RYO Drum. Try the Highway Tobacco from Liberty Flights if you get a kit there, it's not perfect but not bad either, or maybe an RY4 which is one of the very original flavors that came from Ruyan when they first started selling ecigs. Nothing worth doing is easy but this is as easy as quitting cigs will ever get. I quit a 30 year 2/3ppd Marlboro Red habit....you can do it too.

 

[Rosco]

Wow...some really awesome responses mmoss2. I can relate to EVERY one of them, as well as to you too. I started vaping 3 weeks ago and have been completely off cigs for all but the first 2 days when I did have a couple. Sheesh - did they stink and taste like crap. Can't believe I had smoked for 40+ years. My wife is digging that I quit smoking and I feel so, so much better. I have already stopping that nasty cough. I can smell things I never noticed before, I can taste things I never knew tasted like that, I personnaly smell better. No stinky hair, clothes, hands, car, house, on and on. As mentioned earlier, your body will THANK YOU for staying off cigarettes. Loved ones will too. Heck, my 8 yr old Boston Terrier I think likes me more now.

This forum - ECF - has been a real life saver for me. Encouragement, support, advice, help, you name it. They even have a "pay-it-forward" thread you should read. These people have "heart"! They have an "emergency" thread where if someone totally finds themselves out of juice,carts,carto's, just about anything, someone will step up(or more than 1 person) and send what is needed. Where in the world do you find this kind of thing anymore - anywhere? I've been all over the world, more than twice, and I feel like I have a "feel" for people. I feel like these ECF members are for REAL. We can all relate to each other.

I wish you much success. You will have it too. Just never give up. Keep at it and like mentioned, it will start to all fall into place for ya. Keep checking in here for your "pick me up's" whenever you need it.

Good luck.

 

[mlinky]

Wow, been there too. Great stories, and like everyone has already said, TWO FREAKING WEEKS without cigs is pretty darned good!

 

[FAUXPUFF]

Hello and welcome...

 

[Zen~]

I remember hitting the two week mark... Then three... Then a month...

But at about three weeks I looked at all the "stuff" I was dealing with... Batteries, attys... I had just discovered cartos... I had 15 bottles of juice that were tasty, but none that really satisfied...

I was sitting there filling cartos that night... It was a mess... Oily liquid on everything... I was getting ready for a business trip... I was anxious about getting through security with all this weird stuff... I was a wreck and I was depressed about it. I'm not prone to depression. I missed smoking... The ease of it all... Walking into a gas station for my "fix" with no planning ahead and stalking the post man... Cigarettes were a nasty habit... But vaping was becoming a chore.

The trip went well... No trouble with security at all... But with dead batteries and a 7 hour delay at BWI I was in full blown panic mode... I made it through... Charging batteries at an outlet I found, and even though it was hell, I didn't buy a pack of smokes... I made it through.

My first order of business once I arrived at home was to hit the Internet... I purchased TEN 510 batteries and that big ten port charger... I decided I was NEVER going to experience battery panic again. For extra measure I ordered a couple eGos... I was fully committed to making this work.

But it wasnt working for me.

Each day I had these odd rituals... Take the batteries out of the charger... Grab the cartos I filled the night before... Double check that I have not forgotten anything... Then off to work. At night... The batteries get charged... The cartos get filled... Check again... And again... And again... It's all working... Now I can sleep. Only to be repeated the next day. Day in... Day out... Smoking was easy... This resembles a lifestyle.

I have a tackle box... It's filled with my stuff... Bottles of liquid that taste yummy... Yet don't satisfy. Batteries... 15 of them now... Boxes of cartos... Attys.. Syringes... Bent paper clips... Fluval... Blue foam... PTB... VG... PG... Scissors... Xacto knives... Marking pens... Empty bottles... It's a hobby... An expensive, unstisfying and senseless hobby.

I used to smoke... I carried a pack of cigarettes and a lighter... if I left the hous without them I stopped at the gas station... No big deal. Now I vape... I have a lot of stuff... Have not saved a dime compared to smoking and I'm depressed... My life is vaping.

And I was starting to resent it all. The 510s... Meh... Vapor was good... Flavor lacked... No juice will ever make me happy. A lot of it made me smile... None of it satisfied me... Not like an analog would. the eGo... The mighty eGo was supposed to save me... It tasted like a 510. The battery lasted longer. I had lots of batteries... longer lasting wasn't an issue.

I bought a "mod"... It ran on 10440 batteries...then a 14500... And another... And another... Then CR123s... And another... And another. I tried them all. The 14500s introduced me to flavor... The eGo never quite got there. Then I went 5v... Then 6v....

Great flavor makes a difference. Higher voltage helped a lot with that... Throat hit with a punch to it.... Now were getting somewhere. Weeks passed... Then months... I never gave up... I was chasing the Dragon and I swore on my life I was going to catch it... Tame it... Harness it and make it my beyotch. vaping was all over my desk... My chair side table... A coffee table... In a tackle box... My gosh I had stuff! And I never quit trying.

Then one day, as if by magic, it all came together. I figured out my "all day vape". I could mix it to perfection. I settled in to cartos I liked. And I could put that carto on ANY battery or mod and get a decent vape. I had turned the corner.

But man I had accumulated stuff... More stuff than I needed.... I sold most of the 510 batteries, the eGos, the Blu, the 801s... I sold the mini vape stack, the bulli slim, the blue lightnings, the box mods, flashlight mods and the 901s went on PIF... I just shipped out the ProVape and two Protoge's.

I've been smoke free since late July... And it's easy now.

Real easy...

I mix a week or two worth of juice at a time. There's no mess... Filling cartos is second nature... I refill through the day so is not a nightly chore. Two 18650 batteries go on the charger... Simple.

I vape all day with one PV. I carry one spare battery, but I don't usually need it.

The tackle box is collecting dust.

What I'm trying to say here is that it gets easier. Taming the dragon is really all about taming your self. It's about discovering what YOU need, and having the courage of conviction to make it happen.

And to never give up... Even though things look a little absurd.

When the dust settles and the depression ends, you have found that elusive sweet spot... I found mine.

To anybody reading this, hang in there... It gets better... I promise.

 

[Mudflap]

Holy cow, Zen~.

It's not just me then, is it?

That was so spot on, I'm a little scared now.

 

[mmoss2]

Thanks everyone. Today had been tough, but I guess I should know that quiting after 20 years might have some challenges. Despite the big bump in the road, I bypassed my desire for the analogue and puffed on my favorite juice non-stop for the past couple of hours like a pacifier. I am going to sleep now happy with the fact I can live through a tough, tough day without smoking ... And very hopeful tomorrow might be better. If not, Ill cross that bridge when I get there. And I am very thankful I have a group of folks who have been there and are willing to help. Thank you!