Help! Who had a hard time first quiting

[djp5690]

I fell off the wagon a bunch of times at first. The key for me is to not buy a pack. I usually end up bumming one from a friend, deciding it tastes gross, and tossing it half way. keep working at it and eventually you'll get to the point where you just don't want them....

 

[DaveP]

I continued smoking one after a meal and a couple with coffee after I started vaping. I intended to quit, but kept on smoking 6, 8, sometimes 10 a day for two years (down immediately with the ecig from 40 to 50 before). Last week, I decided to quit those. What I found out was that there were no repercussions. I dropped them and never looked back. Now, I'm going through a little dizzyiness at times from too much oxygen and more blood flow to the brain!

For a few months, I had noticed that there was no enjoyment there, only habit. I'd tell myself that they were not nearly as good as my ecig and I really didn't want them anymore. I'd light up, take a few puffs, and put it out. I didn't quit because I expected withdrawal to occur. When I did, it was a non-event! The only thing I've had to deal with is that little switch that clicks in my brain that tells me I should go find one and smoke it. I just tell myself that I don't do that anymore and it goes away. The habit is the only nagging part and that goes away quickly with the ecig.

 

[rhartman911]

Been a smoker for 30 years. I had no problems putting the anologs down as soon as I got my kit in the mail.I had already made up my mind that was what I was going to do it, all depends on your mind set, Its been 7 weeks and I still have one anolog in my anolog pack so I think I will put it in a glass frame and write on it (In Case of Emergency Break Glass).The only down side to vaping is I can vap just about anywhere in the house/car etc and for 30 years I have always gone outside to smoke or outside the car,Bets of luck to you

 

[Des1006]

You are not alone. I just started vaping. Like 4 days ago. For the last 17 years I was at least a pack a day if not more. I think I've done 10 analogs in these 4 days. Do you remember your very first analog? You got sick didn't you. But, you kept at it and soon you were smoking with the big dogs! Well, guess what, vaping is the same way. You just keep at it. Just today, I had an analog and it was not pleasant. It burned my throat, it tasted kinda nasty, and my chest got tight. Think I'm gonna do that anytime soon? I'm not going to lie and say I'm totally done with analogs but, if you keep smashing your head with a hammer, eventually your gonna realize that that really hurts! On the flip side, for the first time since we bought our house 10 years ago, I was able to mow my ditch WITHOUT STOPPING! Think I'm going to keep trying?

 

[MikenGA]

My story is similar to other folks posting above...but it took ME a LOT LONGER to experience 'overnight success'.

In August 2009 I bought my first PV (a cig look-alike) and purchased a supply of the most god-awful 18mg juice you could ever imagine (corpse drippings). Needless to say, I was unable to 'fall off the wagon' because I could not get ON the wagon!

I continued using my small battery PV cig look-alike, trying different juices every once in a while, but was never able to make the switch to vaping.

In September 2011, after 32+ years of about 40 analogs per day (and 2 years of trying to vape 'roadkill'), I upgraded my hardware to an Ego-t (hate the 't'...love the batts), found a new juice vendor, raised the nic level of my juice from 18 to 24mg, and accidentally found the vaping combination that worked for me! With the right combination, I suddenly preferred vaping over smoking...and I still have my last half a pack of Winstons sitting here on my desk, collecting dust.

I did fine for the 1st six weeks, then 'the craving' began to hit me really hard. Those Winstons were calling my name, but then I heard about WTA (whole tobacco alkaloid) juice. In desperation I placed a RUSH order for WTA juice, hoping it would arrest 'the beast' before I gave in to the analogs again...and IT DID THE JOB!! WTA juice easily got me through the next two months, and I haven't had a craving since. I still use WTA juice about twice per week, but most of the time I vape 'nic only'.

I apologize for the long story, but I wanted you to know that 'success' sometimes takes time. Finding and getting the right combination of hardware and juice sometimes takes time. Yet, from my first puff on a cheap PV, I knew this could work for me, and 25 months later, it DID!

Don't beat yourself up. Be nice to YOU! You're experimenting and learning, and you know more today than you knew yesterday. Tomorrow you'll even know more than today. Every step is another step toward your eventual success, because one of these days, you'll find the combination that you prefer over analogs. When that happens, you'll be done with analogs, and it will be a pain free transition. I had to work for my 'success', and I finally found it! If it can happen for me, I guarantee it CAN happen for you!

Good Luck!

 

[Sam Butler]

I quit the same day I got my first e-cig. I was desperate to quit ciggies as I was having panic attacks about my health so it was a relief to find something that could make me quit easy and it's been a few weeks now but I haven't looked back or had a single craving. However, I quit the ciggies for almost two years once and relapsed.

My husband tried to quit using an e-cig and he lasted two days. Awful cravings, even with vaping strong juice all day long. Now he has cut down from 40 a day to 10-12 a day. He is hoping he will eventually be able to quit all together but cutting down has been crazy hard for him so I'm not sure if he will ever quit fully.. I hope so but for now we are just chuffed that he has managed to cut down so much.

 

[Tiny]

Don't beat yourself up if you "fall off the wagon", we all have to go at this at our own pace.

I was lucky that I was able to put down the smokes a day after I got a PV, but I did struggle at times over the next couple of weeks when a craving hit. All I could do was vape my brains out until the feeling passed, at times it wasn't satisfying but it worked for me.

Do what you need to do, and even if you just use your PV as a way to cut back on your smoking you're still better off than you were before you started vaping.

 

[Magnetic]

For me personally i quit right away the analogs but me personally i never really liked the smell nor the taste of the cigarettes. The big plus was also for me that i did not have to step outside to get my nic fix.

 

[Cujo]

I think I had it a little easy. I never even really tried to quit smoking, it just happened naturally. It's been that way with a lot of people I converted too. Just make sure you have a reliable pv and your juice has enough nicotine to calm your cravings.

 

[Astatine]

No need to feel guilty...quitting is very difficult.

I did not start vaping to quit, so I smoked and vaped for several months. Gradually, vaping became predominant. It's more convenient, cheaper, doesn't stink, etc. etc. I now, smoke occasionally because I still like it (the last one I had was a couple of months ago)

If you have a strong craving for a cigarette, I say smoke and vape the rest of the time. You will see that eventually, the craving will just go away and from time to time you will just be wondering how smoking feels.

 

[kia2]

Congratulations on deciding to quit smoking, dlc1052!

Well, I tell folks that I was surprised at how easy it was for me to quit with my 808's. However, I tried the electronic cigarettes when they first hit the USA some years back, and I was unsuccessful at quitting then. I think there have been many great advances for the new wave of those who want to try quitting with electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers. Many more choices available, and many more flavors available! I wasn't able to put down the tobacco cigarettes until I found the new models and liquids, in February.

Another thing to consider is whether the nicotine strength you chose is high enough to satisfy the cravings. I also had to use the ritual of smoking with my ecigs, and try to cut myself off like I would have had I smoked a tobacco cigarette. The ritual really helped me out this time around.

Anyway, it may take you a little time, I just ask you don't give up.

We'll be here for you.

 

[DedTV]

Took me about a month.
Tried doing a cold turkey switch, that failed miserably. So I just vaped as much as possible, but had a cig when I needed it. Figured cutting out even a few cigs a day was good progress. After awhile, and mostly after I found some really good juices that I really liked, it got to where the cigs just tasted horrible and I preferred to vape.

Considering I tried with patches and gums several times over the years, and even briefly tried Chantrix (evil, evil pills) a month was no big deal.

Don't what you've tried but if you're like me and tried tobacco flavored juices (that's what i was trying to replace after all, figured they'd be best to get off cigs), try some dessert, fruit or drink flavored juices instead. Finding things I like the taste of more than tobacco is what finally worked for me.

 

[AttyPops]

Hang in there! Don't kick yourself.

A few people above have mentioned WTA. Few new vapers understand that there is a withdrawal from tobacco even with nicotine from vaping. Seems to vary a bit by person. The cravings are part of that. It's not all habit IMO, but lack of the alkaloids from tobacco. Some people get cravings, some have a little depression too. Most find it is temporary (like 2 - 3 weeks temporary for me.)

Someone in another thread (can't find it right now) mentioned a study with mice and nicotine vs nicotine + alkaloids... the nic+alkaloids won the addiction race hands down.

Then there's the habit. The form factor (particularly if not a cig-sized PV). The taste is different. Etc. Vaping is not 100% like smoking (and shouldn't be).

Bottom line... you have to tough it out for about 3 weeks (guess). Or do as the others have suggested and check out WTA e-juice. I'd try it without 1st, now that you know what it is, you know you can beat it. You can try a gradual change too. There is no one right way to quit... use the method that works for you.

Even if you don't think it's the WTA's here's an interesting exercise: Multiply the # years smoking, by # cigs per day by 365.25 by 10 puffs average per cig. Many get a total in the millions of puffs. That is quite a habit that has been ingrained. It takes time to break a habit like that. e-cigs help solve that issue, but are still missing some of it (no lighter, no ashing, different feeling, different form factor). It's not 100% the same.

Whatever you do, don't kick yourself. Every cig avoided is a win!

Good Luck!

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

I too have finally figured out that it seems to be the amount of nic. I used to smoke 1 -2 packs of analogs a day, and now maybe 2 or 3 at most and it's only been a couple months! And yeah, my mail carrier is probably wondering if I hit the lotto with all this stuff that he's been delivering to me the last couple months Hang in there!

 

[iamgarffi]

I remember my beginning. I was cheating all the time, and by that I mean taking a real cigarette in between vaping. One day I realized it was more of a long time habit to "just go out". That day was my last one.