Having trouble giving up the analogues

[Duvessa]

Hi guys I'm just wondering if anyone else had trouble giving up the analogues when they started vaping? I smoke around 15-20 8mg menthol smokes a day and when I vape (been using 18mg dekang vanilla juice) I just don't get the feeling that I've had a 'smoke'. I can go all day jst on the e-cig but i still crave a 'real' smoke and end up usually having one.
Is it all in my head or did others have this problem too?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[keyzygirl]

I gave up smokes completely when I switched to a cartomizer unit.Kr8.

 

[dgriego]

Duvessa you might want to visit the smokeless tobacco portion of this forum. There are several members who use snus and snuff along with the e-cig to fully quit the analogs without the anxiety of always wanting a cigarette.

 

[laurieok]

It took me about a month to go from analogs to e-cigs exclusively. Don't pressure yourself! Just think of it as every time you vape, thats one less analog you smoke!
You may also want to try different flavors. I found that if I had a flavor I really liked at a good nic level, I didn't want an analog as much. Try a few different flavors!

 

[Raven1]

I have the same problem - been vaping for about 3 months and I still have a couple analogues a day. Unfortunately, I still like the taste of a tobacco cigarette and there's no e-juice that really tastes like one. If you're still craving tobacco, you might try some of the tobacco-flavoured liquids - there are some that taste closer to the real thing than others.

 

[Shortstuff116]

There are some who quit analogs instantly vaping. For others, they continue to smoke although at a much reduced number, and still others have been vaping for quite some time and still smoke an analog or two per day. Vaping is not intended to be a smoking cessation device but has worked miracles for so many.

To me, there are 3 things that we have to do:

1. Habit - A big part of smoking is habit and we have to use something to replace all the habits associated with it to include holding something in our hand, the action of puffing and exhaling smoke and many other things.

2. Train you brain - Vaping can be quite similar to smoking but there are many obvious differences. I big part of it is training your brain to accept vaping as your new way of smoking.

3. Chemicals & Addiction - There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes and nicotine is the primary ingredient that is highly addictive and keeps us smoking, but there are other chemicals that the tobacco companies have put in analogs over the years to enhance the addiction and keep you spending your money on their product. Well, PV's (e-cigs) don't have all those other addictive additives that your body may now be missing along with the nicotine.

There is a lot more to changing over to vaping than meets the eye and it can be quite difficult for some. The biggest part is convincing your body and your mind that this IS your new smoking hobby and to accept it (whether your body/brain likes it or not). And another thing - screw big tobacco who has been robbing you blind and killing you legally for so very long.

I'm not trying to sound harsh here but just do this. Give it your best effort. There's no harm (literally) in vaping all day long and maybe one, two or three cigs a day. That alone would be a great accomplishment!

Only trying to help.

Good Luck!

 

[Katmar]

I agree with most of the above. It is different for everyone. Don't be hard on yourself. Try some different flavors. Most people did NOT quit immediately. It was a process. Shortstuff has given you some great advice.
Good luck to you.

 

[Bobnoxious]

I haven't quit completely. I have severely cut back though. I'm chalking this up to lack of local supplies. I'm pretty sure I would vape the neighborhood right out of carts. And with the cost of them, it doesn't appear I would save a whole lot of money either. But, I have some supplies on the way that should fix all that.

 

[garyd]

All good advice. You said you smoked menthol analogs and you're vaping vanilla. I would try to mind some good menthol/tobacco flavored juice as this may help you.

 

[Remie]

I agree. It's a process. Try not to place expectations on yourself or be hard on yourself, it just makes it worse.

You mention that your regular routine is to smoke about a pack a day? I'm not much on the whole X-brand cig = Ymg so Zmg e-juice should work thing. I listen to my body to tell me if I've had enough or need more.

Have you tried upping the e-liquid milligrams? Perhaps a 24mg vape when you have the strong craving, and the lower mg for the rest of the time?

I was lucky because I started with 24mg thinking I could dilute it or order lower nic milligram juice if it was too much, but I ended up fine with it and I still vape 24mg.

It sometimes takes a bit of trial and error to settle in with the right nic level. You may want to order small bottles from different suppliers, and try a few higher nicotine. I've found that I feel more "satisfied" with certain smoke-juices, more so than than others. It may or may not be a "flavor thing", I'm not sure...

Everyone has different vaping habits, techniques and I don't believe we all get exactly the same amount of nicotine per draw - I believe it varies from person to person.

During my first couple of weeks I had strong cravings - but I chose to "vape through it" - and it would pass. I still get the occasional craving, especially when really stressed out, but I just vape through it and it passes quickly.

I also log onto the forums a lot when I'm stressed and craving. Just posting and chatting with people is a huge distraction.

You are doing great. Just the fact that you are cutting back on the cigarettes is big. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself. If you want to completely quit cigarettes, you will make it happen

 

[Madame Psychosis]

I'm happy for those who quit right away with vaping, but don't think you're abnormal if it's a challenging transition. Plenty of us here needed to experiment a lot before finding the right combo of liquid flavors, nic level, device, habit training, and/or safer smokeless tobacco to really kick smoking.

What got me off smokes was a high-voltage device (more power, vapor, throat hit, everything), really good liquid (TastyVapor for me, just personally), plus supplementing at least every other day with snus/snuff.

Find a variety of flavors you really enjoy, not just tolerate -- there are some great liquid makers out there. Have fun with the search and read up in the E-Liquid Reviews subforum. Don't spend a lot in one place, just try a bit from a few different makers.

 

[jj2]

Hi guys I'm just wondering if anyone else had trouble giving up the analogues when they started vaping? I smoke around 15-20 8mg menthol smokes a day and when I vape (been using 18mg dekang vanilla juice) I just don't get the feeling that I've had a 'smoke'. I can go all day jst on the e-cig but i still crave a 'real' smoke and end up usually having one.
Is it all in my head or did others have this problem too?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

You use to do 15-20 a day and now end up having just one. Good Golly Miss Molly, I think you're doing great.

Hmmmm, I wonder how many will remember Good Golly Miss Molly.

 

[ecitek]

I am waiting for my Janty eGo to arrive and wondering what I will do in the same situation.

I really want to give up those STINKY analogues.

I find it is much easier if you do NOT make promises (even to yourself) like "I WILL NEVER touch those again". It took me 30+ years to get where I am - if an E-Cig makes it easier to move into a different, slightly healthier habit, then good. It will happen when it happens. No rush, no pressure.

 

[CleveR]

Allen Carr’s Easyway helped me. I think it is a good combination with e-cig

 

[skydvejam]

If you were a menthol smoker, try some of the higher octane menthol juice, you might read over this review and then give some halo a try
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/e-liquid-reviews/66297-halo-all-three-menthols-cool-newpure-menthol-ice.html
and use the coupon code ECF4HALO for 20% off.
There site is E-Liquid by Halo and last but not least, your getting there, nothing happens overnight, remember it took you years to pick up the smoking habit, you have already done a big change to that.

 

[CaptJay]

Don't worry about it is my advice
You're doing great - some things take time. Just go with the flow and dont stress over ONE a day. Even if you never give it up, its one compared to a pack. Just relax, enjoy vaping, and see how things go
Well done for the 14-19 you DID quit!

 

[Dmass]

I smoked for 20 years and quit when I started vaping.

What is most important for me is throat hit. If I get a good TH, I feel like I have smoked. Hope this helps!!

 

[highping]

For me all it took was higher nic.
Any time I had tried to quit in the past I would inevitably break down and have a cig, which always result in that "Ahhhh" feeling. That, in turn, caused me to want another one.

With vaping, once I got to the right nic level (36mg in my case), I found that I could go all day without a smoke and then when I did have one, I got zero feeling from it. No "ahhh" at all, only "yuck". That made it quite easy for my brain to stop craving them.
In one part of my brain (the one that craves things) I would think "I want a cig", then some other part of my brain (the sensible one) would reply, "what's the point, you're not going to feel it anyway, and then you're just going to have that nasty taste in your mouth again". For the first few weeks I would just ignore that sensible brain's comments and smoke one anyway, only to find afterwards the sensible part was saying, "see told ya".
It only took a dozen or so rounds of that internal conversation before the 'craving' side of my brain just gave up. I still have to test it about once a month, but that still always ends with the same "told ya so"

I would recommend increasing your nic until you get to a level where you can't feel a cig. (but only to a point...don't start vaping 48+) If you get to 36mg and still want a cig, then pursue the other "smokeless" options. I would not start with the smokeless options though, as you are just leaving the door open for lip cancer and the like when you do that.

Just my .02

 

[Drummel]

No way is the right or wrong way. Any step is the step in the right direction. Keep it up, you are already making fantastic progress!!


Remie: Right there with ya. I was driving home yesterday and I had that all too familiar tingle in my chest and the craving bug got nasty. I pulled my 510 out and just kept vaping all the way home. I only had 12mg with me for the casual work break vaping, but as soon as I got hom I snagged my 18mg and that helped ease the beast a bit.

It's a struggle, for sure, but if you can beat the beast, it just gets easier every time the cravings come back. Being a big drinker while I bowl, the smoke association with drinking was probably my hardest, but I came prepared. I brought some Tobacco flavored 18mg (it's still not enough, but I want to stay as low as possible), but I managed to get through my bowling night while drinking and using my PV. Tough, but grit those teeth, you can do it!

Keep at it!

 

[Duvessa]

Thanks for all the replies I feel much better now I have some different flavour juice on the way and some unflavoured so I can flavour it with LorAnn Hopefully that helps. Like you have all said 1-2 a day is better than a pack
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