Help me on the Wagon

[GrumpyGregg]

Hello all,
I am new to the site and new to vaping. I have been a smoker for 22 years and really feel it is time for me to quit. Years ago when the tech first came out I tried an e-cig and was not impressed, I have now purchased a new rig and am happy with the results but I still cant seem to fully put down the pack of smokes. I know it is simply a matter of will power or mind over matter but does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Gregg

 

[ohh EPiC FAiL]

just give it time. keep trying new devices, atomizers, flavors, nic content, etc. over time you will most likely start favoring the ecig over the analogs because you'll feel better after using it than smoking and the flavor is better. if you're already smoking less, the battle is already partially won!

 

[GrumpyGregg]

Thanks Epic. I have dramatically reduced the number of analogs, so maybe I can say I am walking next to the wagon even if I havn't fully jumped on yet. I gotta ask my boss if I can vape at my desk. I think that might help distract me from wanting to go out. I just don't want to get more addicted to nicotine and vape........

 

[Baditude]

Welcome to the forum Gregg. This is a great site to learn all about vaping. There are a lot of experienced vapors who will be willing to share their experience and recommendations. No question is considered to be too "stupid" to ask here, so ask whatever you wish to know. You likely will be helping any shy members not willing to ask questions in the process.

Everyone here had a different method to quit smoking using e-cigarettes. There's no correct way or best way. We always say, " Whatever works for YOU." We also say, "It's not how many cigarettes you smoke that count, it's the ones you didn't."

What worked for me was the following: I had one last pack left when I began vaping. I vaped as much as I wanted. I tried not to smoke, but did allow myself a quota per day. If I got a strong craving for a cigarette, I increased my vaping. If that didn't help, I allowed myself half of a cigarette, and saved the last half for later. I continued this every day for the week.

It didn't take long for the cigarettes to begin to taste "bad". I grew to prefer vaping instead of smoking. When the pack of cigarettes was finished, so was I. I haven't touched nor wanted a cigarette since. It's been over 1.5 years that I have been smoke-free.

I strongly recommend to ignore the cigalike battery kits. Even with the improved battery technology since you last tried e-cigs, these batteries only last 2 - 3 hours on a charge and are very limited in the type of juice attachments that they can use. I recommend going to an Ego battery setup or even going with a "mod" or APV (advanced personal vaporizer) like the Innokin iTaste MVP.

I only used the cigalikes I began with for less than a month. I moved up to a mod that uses replaceable rechargeable batteries and to a juice attachment that had a larger capacity of e-liquid. This was a marked improvement in my vaping experience.

Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Ego's or Mods

Finding the right gear setup is only half the battle. Finding a juice flavor you will like to use all day is equally important, and probably a tougher challenge. Try several flavors in smaller size bottles (sampler packs) until you find a flavor or two that you like, and then order more in a larger bottle. Nicotine strength: Typically a 1 ppd smoker should start out with 18 - 24 mg nicotine. You can always adjust higher or lower once you have started.

A Good Starter Setup for a Beginning Vapor

A Guide to Juice Attachments

 

[madqatter]

keep trying new devices, atomizers, flavors, nic content, etc. over time you will most likely start favoring the ecig over the analogs because you'll feel better after using it than smoking and the flavor is better. if you're already smoking less, the battle is already partially won!

Yes. Count the cigarettes you don't smoke as successes.

When you have a very strong craving, consider vaping a higher percentage of nicotine. If you're going to keep your remaining cigarettes, keep them in a relatively inconvenient place and make sure you have your PV with you at all times. When you leave the house, take the PV and not the cigarettes with you. If you have neither with you while you're out and you're tempted to buy cigarettes, try buying a disposable NJoy/Blu/whatever instead. Do everything you can to make vaping the easier and preferred option in the moment.

If you do smoke a cigarette, don't sweat it too much. Stick with the PV and you'll break that off soon enough.

 

[slenderman]

Hi GrumpyGregg, I'm new here too but been vaping for a couple of years.
I tried the elites and went straight back to smoking then I got an ego battery and some low res carts and some 24mg menthol juice and right then I knew I was off the fags for good. Now the egos are being replaced for mods.
What flavour juice do you have? Do you like it?
What strength juice do you have? Is it strong enough?
What kit do you have? Does it do what you want it to do?
Theres loads of questions you can ask yourself to help.
Personally I have no willpower I just like a vape more than a ...!

 

[madqatter]

Finding a juice flavor you will like to use all day is equally important, and probably a tougher challenge.

I've been very lucky: I enjoy most of the juice I've gotten and consider most of the rest at least tolerable. But very few are a juice I want to stick with all day, in every situation, without variety.

For this reason, I would recommend that it's worthwhile to have a number of cartomizers or clearomizers you can switch among.

 

[GrumpyGregg]

I am currently vaping on the matrix 3 mod with a vivi nova 2 I am happy with the set up and I do have 2 tanks and switch out I am vaping ry4 mainly but I have an apple and a peach I treat my self with. I am currently using 12mg of nic. I think I might do better if I bump that up a notch. Thank you all for the support, I know with everyone here on my side it is only a matter of time.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Make sure the juice you are using is high in nicotine to start to kill your cravings....... then lower when you feel you are at that point. Good luck and welcome!!!!!

 

[rasmith1959]

There is no right or wrong way to switch over from tobacco to vaping, what works for some doesn't work for others. Some can just quit the analogs and switch over to vaping with little or no trouble, others have a harder time making the switch. I was was one the fortunate ones that didn't really have any problems making the switch. Though I did get cravings for a smoke and when that happened I just vaped more till the craving went away.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that it takes a little longer for the nicotine in vapor to be absorbed into your body that it does when smoking. Just be sure that you are using a juice with a high enough nicotine content, usually 18-24 mg/ml is sufficient. If you keep at it eventually the cravings for a cigarette will go away after a period of time. Just how long it would take varies anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

Just keep at it and eventually you will get to a point where you'll dislike the smell and taste of burning tobacco. If you do slip up and have a cigarette don't be discouraged. As others have said it is the number of cigarettes you have not smoked is really what counts.


Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

 

[DavidOck]

45 + years a smoker. I started at 18 mg, and still smoked. Went to 24, and haven't looked back.

For me, it was the low nic level, just wasn't doing it.

And as said often here on ECF, count the ones you don't smoke. Don't sweat it. Keep playing around with nic levels and flavors. You'll eventually find that your pack of smokes is getting dusty.

 

[rico942]

For me, it was the low nic level, just wasn't doing it.

Same here, started with 12mg juice, had to vape like crazy to keep away from the analogs. Got some 48mg juice, and it kicked my .... ...

Now I mix the 48mg with a 24mg flavor that I like, so effectively 36mg, I suppose ...

So many factors in getting the right level of satisfaction, it seems ...

I do believe that metabolism has a profound effect as well. Mine is high, and I seem to process medications more quickly than the average Joe, so I assume that I might need more nicotine than most to achieve that state of supressed craving ...

My observation has been that most vapers I know just don't need extremely high levels of nicotine to escape smoking. But when I followed the "norm", I almost lost my battle with tobacco ...

Just thankful that this flexibility is available to us, for the moment, and hope that it continues this way ...

 

[SPmick]

Im with both of yall..i started at 18 mg and it was ok but the cravings didn't quite disappear.. the morning time and after meals especially. But once i jumped on the 24mg bandwagon i havent looked back.

 

[Ladyjava]

I had been smoking for over 30 years.......after hearing sooo much about e-cig, vaping whatever you call it, I decided to take the plunge. I bought the eGo 900 and after trying several juices, I have been cigarette free for about 10 days. Had to change a few things I did in my day, too. Really had to WANT to quit!

 

[Kris EmRich]

The biggest thing that helped me was I still did the actions I did smoking. I can vape at work but when I feel the need for a cigarette I step outside and vape for 10 mins or so. Also when I was at home I smoked outside. Now I can vape inside and step outside when I am home and feel the urge. I still crack my window on my car every now and then. Every week I feel the need less. I think some of the things that hindered me were psychological more than chemical. But as stated before my post, everyone is different.

 

[WillyZee]

Welcome Gregg ... just wanting to get on the wagon is half the battle ... I think you are doing fine ... try some stronger nic juice ... soon you will be HappyGregg ... not GrumpyGregg

 

[illthiest]

2 months in and I love it!

 

[meanckz]

when I got my kit, I didn't really intend to quit smoking, just a reduction in cigarettes....the local B&M started me of on 36mg nic content, which didn't last long at all, but within a week I was done with cigarettes all the way and also had reduced nic content to 24 mg....not I'm on 12 mg, and I think that's the sweet spot for me....at least for the time being

 

[illthiest]

props to you man!

 

[xtrapnel]

Dear Gregg

Good luck ! I smoked for 25 years and am 8 weeks in, no regrets. I've even still got a cigarette next to me as I type now, from the last pack I bought...no inclination to smoke it and I've passed the "getting drunk" test (i.e. not smoking when drunk) which was always the hardest thing when I tried cold turkey.

All I can say is, I viewed the whole vaping thing as an experiment. I wasn't going to beat myself up if it didn't work...I would just try them and see what happens...pick a stress free time, keep a couple of cigarettes in the house but put them, ashtrays lighters etc in a cupboard. Remind yourself that you're addicted to nicotine, and you're still getting it from the e-cig...don't think of it as "giving up" just testing it out...

Best of luck.