frustrated and struggling with vaping.

[Noble Gas]

I occasionally read threads on ECF which made me feel angry or sad; divisive politics, name-calling, what have you. But this thread and its many replies of support and genuine care made me feel really, really good about being here.

I really identify with the OP and some of the others here who've mentioned other substance issues, mental health and medication hurdles. My personal list of maladies and struggles is as long as my arm. At any rate, besides all the great suggestions here, the only thing I can think of to add is a technique suggested to me by a couple of people in relation to quitting smoking cold turkey, which I've found to be helpful: a constant supply of ice water. It can really help calm the nerves and cravings, and it's a good idea to be constantly hydrating while vaping anyway, as the vapor tends to dry you out.

Best of luck to you.

 

[ckmeyers]

My only hesitation with WTA's is the possibility of medication interaction. Im fairly regularly prescribed prednisone for lung infections. So perhaps you're right- I'll try bumping up the nicotine first. I cant afford to place an order for ejuice with WTA's currently anyway, but picking up a 15ml bottle of 24 or 36mg ejuice will only set me back $10 bucks if I buy the stuff on clearance at vape rev *grin*

You're having the kind of frustrating time I had in the beginning. I had a bunch of 24mg juice and that just wasn't enough nicotine to deal with the craving. What I needed to do was wear a 21mg nicotine patch and vape 24mg liguid. I followed the instructions on the patches to step down on those over time. After I was done with the patches I eventually stepped down from the 24mg liquid, to 18mg. When I feel ready I'll step down next time to 12mg. Some of us need more nicotine in the beginning than other folks need.

Here is a link to a research study that states some smokers need a much higher nicotine level eliquid to reach the same nicotine level they achieve from smoking tobacco cigarettes.
Nicotine absorption from electronic cigarette use: comparison between first and new-generation devices : Scientific Reports : Nature Publishing Group

I smoked for over 50 years. It's Wonderful to be free! Do whatever you have to do to get there!

 

[DVap]

My only hesitation with WTA's is the possibility of medication interaction. Im fairly regularly prescribed prednisone for lung infections. So perhaps you're right- I'll try bumping up the nicotine first. I cant afford to place an order for ejuice with WTA's currently anyway, but picking up a 15ml bottle of 24 or 36mg ejuice will only set me back $10 bucks if I buy the stuff on clearance at vape rev *grin*

When considering WTA and possible medication interaction, you might consider that you were already getting these tobacco alkaloids (and a tremendous number of additional compounds) from smoking cigarettes.

The wisest advice is to talk with your doctor before making a decision.

 

[cocacola31173]

You have to remember that you will still have withdrawl from the thousands of other chemicals thats in cigs! After the first month though it goes away.

 

[Sirius]

Don't buy anymore cigs, gee why didn't I think of that.
anyhow, about 20 death sticks avoided today. Didn't count how many I actually had, just the times I reached for the vaporizer instead. Thanks for keeping me on track folks. I appreciate it, as do my lungs and my asthma.

You'll get there. Don't sweat it. Keep vaping. Get a higher nic level like others have advised. I also would suggest a hard hitting mechanical and a dripper. You can get those on the cheap and everything else on the web. A great place to start is 101vape:
101 Vape
Smoke when you absolutely HAVE to only. Cig cravings will diminish in time. I can promise you that because I had tried everything under the sun to quit. Vaping was my ticket.

 

[Bramble]

You'll get there. Don't sweat it. Keep vaping. Get a higher nic level like others have advised. I also would suggest a hard hitting mechanical and a dripper. You can get those on the cheap and everything else on the web. A great place to start is 101vape:
101 Vape
Smoke when you absolutely HAVE to only. Cig cravings will diminish in time. I can promise you that because I had tried everything under the sun to quit. Vaping was my ticket.

Great advice. Siriusly.

 

[GPC2012]

Don't try to force it, I started vaping Christmas day and have only been analog free for, I think 17 days, (check the banner) I cut down to the point of 2 or 3 a day then one morning I got up made the coffee and instead of that to me then all important morning analog. I vaped, got my coffee, and it was fine. Haven't looked back yet. I even had a couple of beers at a birthday party yesterday, (my biggest smoke hook) and didn't even want one. I was fine.

I guess what worked for me was not trying to force it, and like you wanting it. Don't give up. Every one you don't smoke is reason to celebrate by vaping. GOOD LUCK

 

[_mr3_]

The things you describe about yourself remind me of me, at least w/r/t smoking. I don't know if it's similar to when you feel anxiety or panic, but sometimes I feel like I can't get enough nicotine, like I'm suffocating from not having it. Other times I can go 5-6 hrs without even thinking about it. When I needed it I just plain needed it, and it seemed like nothing but a smoke could fix it. Tiredness and mood are the biggest reasons for the swings in nic needs for me. I do know some things what have always worked: large doses of nic and quickly, while being safe not to overdo it (we're good at this, we know our limits). Vaping is going to take a hair longer than smoking to get into your system when you need it, so it might take some adjustment. First I agree w/the rest of us saying this, #1 I'd definitely crank up your concentration to 24mg/ml, maybe even a little higher. I'd vape more often than you smoke too, that way you don't get too far behind your intake needs. One other thing you can try later on if the lung burn gets to be too much is mixing in some VG if you're doing full PG, that might be able to reduce the harshness for you a little and give you more visual smoke if you're into that. Only catch there is you're going to lose a little bit of the fast jolt you probably want, but more frequent use can fix that. Anyway, that's what I'd do in your shoes. When you get into the groove adjustment-wise you'll be able to vape enough where you feel like you're 100% satisfied all the time. "You can do eeet!"

 

[Tomthern]

I had to change my habits a little. I fill my tank before I leave work and have stuff with me (extra battery, juice, filters, cleaning stuff). Then I do check places for flavors, personally still like the tobaccos. I agree with everyone that it's what you don't smoke. There are times I want to smoke a cigarette and I just refuse to give in. Of course I can also be stubborn. I like to vape now and don't miss smoking but there are times that aren't easy. I come here and I get a lot of support and information. It also takes my mind off smoking. Don't give up an you're here and that says a lot.

 

[lemonyleprosy]

Aww, you all are making feel all warm and fuzzy. Okay. I can do this.
and im gonna stop beating myself up when I reach for a death stick.
thanks again for the outpouring of support and responses, I'll keep you all posted on the results.

 

[wvducklady]

Good for you! Yea, its not a bad thing if you still need a smoke every now and then. There will be a day when you say no more! Keeo us updated!

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

 

[wvducklady]

So I will give you a a tip on what I did when I was quiting. This helped me so much! I do not know if you are married or have a girlfriend or boyfriend or roomate, but when I was quiting I had my boyfriend keep my cigs, and he left me 5 cigs during the day and gradually started giving me less. Or instead of taking your entire pack with you, you could only take so many with you during the day. I think that would help you too if you want to smoke less. I know that sounds funny! Lol It worked for me! Yea, sometimes I got a little upset, but it worked so well for me!

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[Lajes]

I quit on July 20, 2013 with a prescription from my doctor for Zyban (Wellbutrin). I was doing okay the first week or two but then I started really wanting to buy smokes in August. I started vaping Njoys -- which are not great Ecigs, but they were enough to keep me from buying Marlboro's. I am now on Logic, but am going to upgrade because I am going off the Zyban.

I think the Zyban with the ecig helped a lot -- I tried to quit three times before cold turkey and didn't make it a week. The Zyban makes the smell of cigarette smoke not appealing at all . . . going off the Zyban now and I can tell the difference -- real smokes are starting to smell really good, but the ecigs are doing the trick for right now . . .

 

[lemonyleprosy]

That's a good idea. But... the fewer death sticks i have on me or access too, that faster I smoke them. I know, that doesn't make sense, but having few causes anxiety and anxiety causes me to smoke.
so, im gonna continue to carry both around with me, and keep making the conscious decision to vape rather than smoke when the need strikes me, and for those times that vaping isn't cutting it, I'll light up.
at the end of the month I'll be able to afford some new gear and ejuice, so im gonna continue to distract myself researching stuff. On the 28th I'll be picking up some 24mg or 36mg ejuice, and ordering some wta ejuice. As well as some sort of rba or rta. Potentially a kayfun lite plus clone, and maybe a mechanical mod (maybe a chi you clone?).
I enjoy hands on stuff, so perhaps wrapping my own coils
and experimenting with it will help distract me in my free time.
after hearing everyone else's story I no longer feel like a failure for still lighting up. Eventually I plan to be free of them, and I'll start reducing the amount of death sticks I smoke, but perhaps I'll give it a month or two before I start focusing on that.
from what you all have said, I think (besides upping the nicotine level and finding some decent flavors) that the thing to continue focusing on atm is making the conscious choice to reach for the vaporizer instead of the death sticks, and focus on my successes rather than myb perceived failures.
juices... I've got to find ones that work for me.
I found that I prefer 100% vg, it's the easiest on my lungs. 50/50 mix is okay though. I know that I like fruity flavors, those at least I can vape a whole tank of before I get sick of them. Especially apple ones, but not too sweet.
Yup.
sometimes when I pick up the vaporizer and try to use it it'll be too hot or trigger a coughing fit even if all the settings are the same as they were half an hour ago and I'm inhaling the same (mouth to lung, same draw time and strength). I haven't figured out why. Happens even if i drop the wattage down to 6. Those times I just go for a death stick instead.
yup. That's all I've got at the moment.

 

[lemonyleprosy]

As far as medications go, unfortunately most are SSRI's, and I've never responded well to to those. They tend to trigger my depression in a bad (suicidal) way. Not a viable option. Patches and vaping is an option, I almost quit with patches in the past. (Well.. sort of. I managed to not smoke 90% of the time that I was wearing them, the last day of the last step I had a bad day at work and bought a pack).
so, yeah. WTA's seem like a good option, and if all esle fails, perhaps snus (yuck).

 

[Porkchop081]

I too still have an occasional smoke, but like others have said, it's usually in the mornings when i first get to work. I was only allowing myself to take 2-3 cigs with me when i left for work and that really helped me because I knew I only had a couple so i would save them in case my batts went dead or had an issue of some kind that i couldn't resolve while at work. Once i got into building my own coils and such i found myself wanting smokes less because I was enjoying building something and tinkering with tanks/wicks/coils to make them better or to get more out of them. Me switching to Vaping has gotten 3 of my co-workers to switch also which has helped a lot. We compare builds, mods, and juices to help each other progress from the days of the cigarettes. Stick with it! It does take a little dedication but you are definately on the right path as you are on here trying to get a little help and i promise that there are plenty of people on here that can answer any question you have. Best of luck and stay strong.

 

[wvducklady]

Yea, do not beat yourself up gor having a cig still, because you just started vaping, and I think that you should transition from one to the other and not immediately quit cigs. It is eadier to ween yourself off the cigs. I know what you mean by anxiety attacks without cigd...I used to get them really bad expecially before vaping. So I know how you feel there...
The coughing could be where your smoking less and the stuff is clearing out of your lungs.

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[Tom Servo]

Don't count the ones you smoke, count the ones you don't smoke.

That's excellent advice.

I still can't shake two or three cigarettes a day. Lest I start griping about it, I was smoking 20-25 cigarettes/day three weeks ago. I may not be a big-city math professor, but 3 is a heck of a lot less than 25. I've been smoking for more of my life than not. Any significant reduction is serious progress.

Don't beat yourself up. You're on your way.

 

[JoeDerty]

I think you just have not found the right juice. I had the same problem then I stumbled upon bobas bounty never touched a cig since! Vape that stuff all day every day for the past 6 monrhs

 

[zapped]

I think you just have not found the right juice. I had the same problem then I stumbled upon bobas bounty never touched a cig since! Vape that stuff all day every day for the past 6 monrhs

Finding the right setup and your ADV can make a big difference. I realized I didnt have to smoke anymore when I tried Hype (also from Alien Visions) for the first time. Ive found a few others but it's still my favorite vape.

For those who might be interested; it tastes like peach rings candy, those peach suckers from the bank or peach schnapps depending on who you ask.