Grrr..Can't stop smoking-what am I doing wrong??

[dahl65]

Hello,
This is my first post on ECF although I have been a lurking newbie since Oct.
I was a 2 pack a day smoker for 35 years...I keep hoping things will change, but I am finally frustrated enough to break out of my shy newbie shell and ask for some advice.

I can't seem to give up my first thing in the AM cigarette. I have literally been smoking 1 cigarette a day for the last 2 months and cannot figure out what I am doing wrong.... since I just can't give it up. I use an Ego along with a Riva and a ProVari--have great liquids that I like that range from 10mg up to 30mg.

This site is fantastic and so very heplful. From everything I have read it seems like I have all that I need to give up cigarettes totally.
I have read sooo many posts from people who get their first PV and are able to walk away from smoking, and while I am really happy for them ...I admit to also feeling like a failure and a tad bit envious for not being able to do the same.
I could understand if I had only been vaping for a few days, but I started vaping almost 3 months ago.

Thanks in advance for reading my vent......any tips, suggestions, advice (I'll take anything lol) you can provide will be truly appreciated!

 

[typocinnamongrl]

While I cant give you any advice to how you can cut out that one morning cigarette (I would have said try menthol or higher nic but you seem to have that covered) I will say and this is JMO but.. Your being way too hard on yourself. Your in no way a failure. Your saying that you smoked 2 packs a day for 35 YEARS and you are down to a SINGLE cig a day???? Thats freakin AWESOME! Dont feel pressured at all to get rid of that lonely cigarette. Compared to the damage you were doing to your lungs before is NOT a big deal at all. I can understand why you feel you need to eradicate analogs entirely from your life. But I say if you need to than keep your morning cig. Its just a comfort thing.

 

[Sacker]

Ahh don't be so hard on yourself. I used to do this when I needed my wake up in the morning smoke/vape. I increased my nic levels. I was vaping 16, but it just didnt do it for me... so I asked around from other vapers, and most have mentioned try a higher nic, and that seemed to work half the time. So in the mornings where I was craving really hard I went from 16 to 24 to 36, just really dependant on how hard the cravings were, it wasn't an instant fix either, it took some time, almost for the first 4 weeks or so.. till my body got adjusted. I was once a smoker that smoked 3 packs a day, in the beginning it was hard... but it can be achieved... once you find what works for you.

 

[Badbeams3]

Finnish up the cigs you have...one every morning and when there gone thats it. That is if your goal is to quit smoking, and it sounds like it is. It does take a little will power, but not much. There are no rules...but that what worked for me.

 

[judybr]

Welcome Dahl,
From 2 pks a day to one analog, OMG! Don't beat yourself up over that. You're doing great!
Some people take a little longer to walk away from analogs completely. Some people never completely quit analogs. It seems you want to so in time you will. 35 years is a long time!
My morning analog was difficult to give up as it was my wake up helper along with my coffee. After getting down to one a day, I just cut that one down to half then down to half every other day. Also I used the strongest nic juice in the mornings and lower dose the rest of the day unless stressed.
It's hard giving up that last analog. It's like giving up your best friend or something so just don't fret over it. You will get there.
I still give myself the leeway to smoke if I really find I want one, just at this point, since August 2010, I seldom have the desire.
Good luck with your venture to improve your health. Just remember, stressing yourself can't make it any easier. Years of habits are very difficult to break and you have what I think are the best tools ever to get there.

 

[cskent]

Congratulations, you've reduced your smoking by 39 cig's a day. Here that would translate to around $10 each and every day. You're doing great so don't worry about it. When I first started vaping I'd get up in the morning and chain vape for 2 hours. My atty would get so hot I couldn't touch it. I was using 16mg juice. I switched to 24mg and no more chain vaping. Give it a shot, try some high mg juice and see if it works. Even if it doesn't you're still only smoking one cig a day. You're doing good.

 

[crand]

Two packs a day for the last thirty five years. That means, if you are like the rest of us, you've tried to quit more than a few times. Compare your one cig a day for the last two months to your previous quitting efforts... is this trip going better than the others? If the answer is yes then celebrate your progress. Remember that when you first started this quitting episode you were looking at eliminating 40 cigs a day, your new objective is to only quit one more.
I've not had a cig in almost 2.5 years and it probably took me close to one full year to completely get over my life long habit. Best of luck to you!

 

[dahl65]

Thank you typocinnamongrl for the kind words. On one hand, I am really happy not smoking the 39 extra cigarettes a day like I used to, but get really frustrated with myself hanging on to the one lone cigarette in the morning.
Maybe you are right--it may just be a comfort thing. I keep waiting for cigs to taste so horrid that I just put it out--no such luck yet. lol

 

[dahl65]

Wow...I type slow!! lol I can't believe all the responses as I typing my last response. I really appreciate seeing posts from people like me who didn't give up cigarettes on day one of PV ownership. People here on this forum are really helpful and kind!

 

[OldDragon]

Remember that you can use a ecig in bed. Just before going to bed, put a ecig where it can be easily be reached, put the morning cig somewhere far away from the bed. When you wake, the ecig will be easy to get to, hopefully you can get the day started before you reach the cig's hiding place.

 

[Tol]

Thank you typocinnamongrl for the kind words. On one hand, I am really happy not smoking the 39 extra cigarettes a day like I used to, but get really frustrated with myself hanging on to the one lone cigarette in the morning.
Maybe you are right--it may just be a comfort thing. I keep waiting for cigs to taste so horrid that I just put it out--no such luck yet. lol

Maybe try a different brand? Something that taste bad? I used to smoke Marb Reds for years, then Marb lights. When I wanted to discourage myself, I bought a pack of Smokin Joe's or Basics or whatever else I could find that was dirst cheap and awful. Congrats on getting down to one a day though, that is a hell of an accomplishment alone. Like people say, don't beat yourself up about it. Try changing something up a bit to see if you can help push yourself that last bit into giving up analogs completely.

 

[dahl65]

Thank you so much OldDragon--that is an excellent suggestion which I will try tonight.

 

[dahl65]

Maybe try a different brand? Something that taste bad? I used to smoke Marb Reds for years, then Marb lights. When I wanted to discourage myself, I bought a pack of Smokin Joe's or Basics or whatever else I could find that was dirst cheap and awful. Congrats on getting down to one a day though, that is a hell of an accomplishment alone. Like people say, don't beat yourself up about it. Try changing something up a bit to see if you can help push yourself that last bit into giving up analogs completely.

Oh, the newbie found reply with quote! lol I will also try this, since I smoke Marlboro golds. Basics here we come.

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Hello,
This is my first post on ECF although I have been a lurking newbie since Oct.
I was a 2 pack a day smoker for 35 years...I keep hoping things will change, but I am finally frustrated enough to break out of my shy newbie shell and ask for some advice.

I can't seem to give up my first thing in the AM cigarette. I have literally been smoking 1 cigarette a day for the last 2 months and cannot figure out what I am doing wrong.... since I just can't give it up. I use an Ego along with a Riva and a ProVari--have great liquids that I like that range from 10mg up to 30mg.

This site is fantastic and so very heplful. From everything I have read it seems like I have all that I need to give up cigarettes totally.
I have read sooo many posts from people who get their first PV and are able to walk away from smoking, and while I am really happy for them ...I admit to also feeling like a failure and a tad bit envious for not being able to do the same.
I could understand if I had only been vaping for a few days, but I started vaping almost 3 months ago.

Thanks in advance for reading my vent......any tips, suggestions, advice (I'll take anything lol) you can provide will be truly appreciated!

Hi Dahl65...Welcome to posting on the ECF!!!
Don't feel bad, Dahl. I started vaping in March 2010...but didn't finally walk away from the analogs until late August. I was only having one or two a day. The way it was explained to me was that I was already getting the nicotine I needed from vaping so the last cigarette was more or less there because I wasn't ready to let go. And he was right....I wasn't. I was terrified at not having that access to a crutch that had been there for me for 25 years. The only thing I did to make that change was pick up the PV when it was THAT time and use it. I suppose it bugged me for a day or two, but then it was almost natural to reach for the PV by that point. Within a couple of weeks I wasn't really thinking about it anymore. I did smoke again...just to see if I was truly free of the analogs...and eeewwwww...I can not believe I ever thought that tasted good. Never finished a whole one again. I've lit 3 cigarettes and haven't gotten past the 3rd drag. Now I don't bother to try them anymore. I'm just not a smoker anymore. It took me almost 6 months to vape without smoking...so if you stopped smoking today, you would be ahead of the game...at least in comparrison to me. Don't feel bad....you'll get there when you're ready. Besides, how amazing is it that you're only smoking one analog a day when you were once a 2ppd smoker. Did you ever see that coming? Good luck, Dahl....you'll get there. I know, because I did. In the meantime, we're all here for you and don't think anything less of you for it!

 

[slyfox]

That's what I did, I bought a cheap brand that was lighter than my Virginia Slims Reg. and that did the trick for me! I would vape first and a wait a few minutes, telling myself that it the vape didn't satisfy my need I would smoke. Just a couple of days, and the last cig I smoked tasted awful! Good luck, you can and will get past that last cig.

Copied Quote from Tol:

Maybe try a different brand? Something that taste bad? I used to smoke Marb Reds for years, then Marb lights. When I wanted to discourage myself, I bought a pack of Smokin Joe's or Basics or whatever else I could find that was dirst cheap and awful. Congrats on getting down to one a day though, that is a hell of an accomplishment alone. Like people say, don't beat yourself up about it. Try changing something up a bit to see if you can help push yourself that last bit into giving up analogs completely.

 

[ValleyGirl]

Honestly, I would still smoke analogs if I had any. But I'm "quit" enough to not go out and buy them, and I ran out on New Year's Eve, lol...so been exclusively vaping ever since. Once that pack is gone, it will be easier - but right now that pack is just teasing you. And it's that morning one that I miss the most, too

 

[Aunt Lala]

OMG... just keep doing what you're doing. In three months you've gone from 2 packs to 1 cigarette. I can only guess how many times you've tried to quite (if you're anything like me that's a lot). Be proud of how far you've come... keep doing what you're doing and give yourself some credit. If in a few more months you can ditch that 1... great. If not you've still come a long way baby (if you've smoked for 35 years, you get the quote)

 

[dahl65]

Hi Dahl65...Welcome to posting on the ECF!!!
Don't feel bad, Dahl. I started vaping in March 2010...but didn't finally walk away from the analogs until late August. I was only having one or two a day. The way it was explained to me was that I was already getting the nicotine I needed from vaping so the last cigarette was more or less there because I wasn't ready to let go. And he was right....I wasn't. I was terrified at not having that access to a crutch that had been there for me for 25 years. The only thing I did to make that change was pick up the PV when it was THAT time and use it. I suppose it bugged me for a day or two, but then it was almost natural to reach for the PV by that point. Within a couple of weeks I wasn't really thinking about it anymore. I did smoke again...just to see if I was truly free of the analogs...and eeewwwww...I can not believe I ever thought that tasted good. Never finished a whole one again. I've lit 3 cigarettes and haven't gotten past the 3rd drag. Now I don't bother to try them anymore. I'm just not a smoker anymore. It took me almost 6 months to vape without smoking...so if you stopped smoking today, you would be ahead of the game...at least in comparrison to me. Don't feel bad....you'll get there when you're ready. Besides, how amazing is it that you're only smoking one analog a day when you were once a 2ppd smoker. Did you ever see that coming? Good luck, Dahl....you'll get there. I know, because I did. In the meantime, we're all here for you and don't think anything less of you for it!

Thank you for sharing this story! I am really happy for you that you were able to finally give up cigs. You do bring up a good point, since never in my wildest dreams did I think I could quit the other 39 so easy.
I am going to take my PV to bed with me tonight instead of leaving it in the kitchen, and vape like a mad woman when I first get up! lol

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Thank you for sharing this story! I am really happy for you that you were able to finally give up cigs. You do bring up a good point, since never in my wildest dreams did I think I could quit the other 39 so easy.
I am going to take my PV to bed with me tonight instead of leaving it in the kitchen, and vape like a mad woman when I first get up! lol

Good call! You'll get there....and when you do, remember this....its an amazing feeling to be able to say "I'm a non-smoker." Sleep well tonight!

 

[dahl65]

Honestly, I would still smoke analogs if I had any. But I'm "quit" enough to not go out and buy them, and I ran out on New Year's Eve, lol...so been exclusively vaping ever since. Once that pack is gone, it will be easier - but right now that pack is just teasing you. And it's that morning one that I miss the most, too

Oh, I really want to be "quit enough" like you! I still have 3 packs left out of the carton I bought months ago, I am sure that is part of my problem since they are still in the house. Maybe I will just pitch those 3 packs, buy a gross pack of generic cigs and see what happens. lol