How long before your brain flipped the switch?

[super_X_drifter]

When laying on a CT scan table I promised to quit smoking if the lung nodule scan came back negative. Well it did, so I had to quit. After 30 years.

I made it 30 days cold turkey, but i was miserable, didn't want to do any outside stuff (cause i always smoked outside) and concerned that I was about to pull a "shining" on my family. Then I found vaping, then unflavored nic, then REOs and have not even thought about a cig since.

Like Pdib said, I vape like I smoked - outside. Except, Now I can stand INSIDE the screen door and blow the vapor out rather than out on the deck and talk thru the screen door like I did when I smoked.

If I can only figure out how to hold the grand with my teeth so I can vape while I push the mower, it will be even more awesome.

On 8/4/13 it will be a year since my last cig

 

[gbacon]

For about the first month i was constantly craving an analog. During that time I had about 4 and each one just tasted worse. for the last 5 months I haven't had any interest in smoking. but I must admit that that I enjoy the smell of a fresh lit cig off in the distance.

 

[garyinco]

I smoked for over 30 years. I tend to overdo things, so I smoked a lot.

My employer paid for a smoking cessation class and created a little wellness competition thingy. Not anything oppressive, just some co-workers having fun in an unobtrusive way. I went to my doctor and he mentioned Chantix. I tried it. It does work, in a way***. I stunbled into the whole ecig thing. In a mall, bought the terrible cheapo 510 contraption. It worked!!!

Went up through the various mods most people do. Found the Reo. Quit for over seven months and in a single weak moment was given a cig. Took over two years to get back to the moment before that. I'm there again, so all is good.

*** Chantix can be very successful at killing nicotine urges. It will also kill your soul. Took it for 6 weeks. All good and then one day I drove to work, got out of my car and was so angry I could have ripped apart anyone around me. Sat down and said "what the hell". I will never, ever again put any chemical like that in my body.

From the old-timers I know (lol - I'm one of them now), that sudden urge/whiff temptation will always be there.

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

I usually don't have any cravings and am not bothered when others smoke EXCEPT when I am in a bar drunk as a skunk and everyone else is smoking and I am trying to vape a carto I just flooded or at my Mom and everyone in the entire freaking world is there smoking then I feel weird and it's hard to clear it from my mind and want to reach for my own smokes then remember I no longer smoke and vape heavy for a bit till it passes which it always does.

I quit cigarettes in December 2012 (30 year habit) -- purchased another MOD (now used only for the purpose of checking wick/coil on my REOs). I don't think I'm craving cigarettes any longer, however, there are MANY days I forget I no longer smoke. I'll wake up and reach for a cig -- more of a habit thing. How long before your brain and body are in sync?

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

I am not sure if I am an anti smoking zealot or not. I hate the smell of cigarettes now and got ...... that my parents were smoking in my house while I was gone for 2 weeks, took close to a month for the stench to leave the guest room. Besides that I am more of a wishing everyone would at least TRY the e-cigs and not the crappy ones at gas stations that rarely cut the mustard. I hadn't actually intended quitting, I was going to cut down with them but after 2 cigs I found that after 35 years of smoking I needed them no more and 1 of the things that keeps me from lighting up during times of trial and stress is the fact that I'd have to start all over and I am quite proud of how far I have come. Today was 8 months since my last cigarette and I just don't want to be back to day 1 again!! lol

Ahhhh, yes...the anti-smoking zealots. Most often angry, frustrated, ex-smokers who haven't discovered REOs. -- poor dears.

 

[nerak]

I was trying to quit before finding e-cigs. Once I had one it was so simple and satisfying to vape instead of buying a pack.

All my ritual smoking times were replaced by vaping. I did miss the "going outside" thing. Sometimes I would go out just to sit and vape a little.

I never did have to fight an urge to buy cigs. Even being around a person who smokes, watching them smoke, didn't stir up a desire.

Vaping was more enjoyable. It gave me what I needed plus I could vape where I couldn't smoke!

I would say from the very first all day vaping my mind was flipped. Cigs lost their appeal. Cleaning out ashtrays and removing any cig related things closed the door my smoking days.

I wrapped my mind around the "vaping life" and I feel searching for what I needed to continue became my obsession. Instead of counting the packs left in my carton, I was trying to insure I had enough juice, cartomizers and batteries!

Once I found the REO's I was determined to never be without my perfect tool to keep me vaping! I have the same mental craving/obsession for vaping as I did with smoking. It is what I do, and don't anybody tell me I can't!

 

[ancient puffer]

...

If I can only figure out how to hold the grand with my teeth so I can vape while I push the mower, it will be even more awesome.

...

Oh MAN, would that be great or WHAT??

And to all of you kind enough to share here, congratulations on your individual milestones. Quitting was the hardest thing I ever had to do, and though I try not to boast out loud about it, I often think about having FINALLY quit and give myself a good pat on the back and a nod.

 

[evgeny131]

i made the transition day 5 after i quit smoking cigarettes and had a manic episode from taking chantix lol....
never looked back since and still have the full box of chantix....

 

[Della Cirque]

My first year was easy peasy. Struggling with the second year though. Thought I had the habit kicked, but it reared it's ugly head when I got comfortable. Quit number two has been harder than the first go around. Been a lot easier since I now have a Woody again.

 

[Honigschmidt]

Color me different I guess.

I still have an analog/cigar from time to time and still enjoy it. I am not too strict on myself and want to go by the method that moderation in most things is still acceptable.

E-cigs were the only thing that worked for me right off the bat. I went from a hardcore non filtered smoker of 20+ years to not having one for 6ish months without any sort of cravings. And even now I know a pack could last me a year of idle wants, and not yearning needs.

First eye opener was passing by a hospital and smelling exactly where the smoking section was. I could see how people would find it repulsive, but for myself it was just a strong smell I never knew existed before. I think I called my wife up at the same time to explain this new smell and how interesting it was

 

[Norman Clature]

I both vaped and smoked "real" cigs for about a year and didn't worry about it. In fact; the only reason I started vaping was I thought it might be good for times I was around folks that hated the smell of cigarettes and would let me vape. But as soon as I started vaping my daily cigarette intake dwindled and kept doing that 'til I would only have a few a day and then it came to a point where I would light one and say "This tastes awful" and not even finish it, and then came the day where I didn't buy anymore "real" tobacco.

Still, sometimes I'm at a club and sort of want a "real" cigarette and I'll probably smoke one at some point. I almost did a few weeks ago and I'm pretty sure it would be just like it was the last time: "This tastes awful, etc."

I think it's important not to be too hard on ourselves about it; which just creates the useless emotion of guilt. I'm also a "friend of Bill W."

All told; I smoked about 1 PAD (sometimes 1 1/2 on weekends, etc.) for almost 35 years and haven't had a "real" cig in about a year.

Norman

"Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it thousands of times."~Mark Twain

 

[Justice]

I both vaped and smoked "real" cigs for about a year and didn't worry about it. In fact; the only reason I started vaping was I thought it might be good for times I was around folks that hated the smell of cigarettes and would let me vape. But as soon as I started vaping my daily cigarette intake dwindled and kept doing that 'til I would only have a few a day and then it came to a point where I would light one and say "This tastes awful" and not even finish it, and then came the day where I didn't buy anymore "real" tobacco.

Still, sometimes I'm at a club and sort of want a "real" cigarette and I'll probably smoke one at some point. I almost did a few weeks ago and I'm pretty sure it would be just like it was the last time: "This tastes awful, etc."

I think it's important not to be too hard on ourselves about it; which just creates the useless emotion of guilt. I'm also a "friend of Bill W."

All told; I smoked about 1 PAD (sometimes 1 1/2 on weekends, etc.) for almost 35 years and haven't had a "real" cig in about a year.

Norman

"Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it thousands of times."~Mark Twain

Being a friend of Bill W as well I often question my vaping as vaping is like Harm Reduction which I've never really Thot was such a good thing. But I vape now so maybe in some things it's not such a bad thing

 

[Norman Clature]

Being a friend of Bill W as well I often question my vaping as vaping is like Harm Reduction which I've never really Thot was such a good thing. But I vape now so maybe in some things it's not such a bad thing

Well; we are still getting our "fix" with the nicotine but I've gone from 24mg when I started to 12mg now (mostly because the REO is such a freakin' smokestack!), and we are not getting the levels of tar and other gunk we once were in our lungs so I'm somewhat convinced we are doing something a bit healthier than smoking.

I still drink coffee like a fiend and go to extremes in other areas but you know what? I'm really not that concerned about it. Even if I went back to smoking "real" cigarettes it seems trivial compared to where I've been.

If I had not admitted defeat 20 years ago with the "Crazy Ethyl" I would not be here but either dead, in prison, in a hospital, insane asylum, etc.

Everything else in the last 20 years seems trivial compared to that.

I'm already "living on borrowed time..."

Norman

 

[super_X_drifter]

Well; we are still getting our "fix" with the nicotine but I've gone from 24mg when I started to 12mg now (mostly because the REO is such a freakin' smokestack!), and we are not getting the levels of tar and other gunk we once were in our lungs so I'm somewhat convinced we are doing something a bit healthier than smoking.

I still drink coffee like a fiend and go to extremes in other areas but you know what? I'm really not that concerned about it. Even if I went back to smoking "real" cigarettes it seems trivial compared to where I've been.

If I had not admitted defeat 20 years ago with the "Crazy Ethyl" I would not be here but either dead, in prison, in a hospital, insane asylum, etc.

Everything else in the last 20 years seems trivial compared to that.

I'm already "living on borrowed time..."

Norman

Damn well said Norman. Sounds allot like my story. Was that your band?

 

[Norman Clature]

Damn well said Norman. Sounds allot like my story. Was that your band?

What; "Crazy Ethyl?" Nope; that's just the name I was using for the booze. I was wasted the whole time I was in my longest running band...

HA!

 

[_more_]

Mentally I quit as soon as I got my e-cig starter kit. Physically my body was always reaching for a cigarette or a lighter, lmao at the lighters i had to put away because i almost lit my e-cig a few times. I did not throw away my cigarettes but put them away in the freezer. I told myself if i really needed one it was available. That was the best way for my quit and I still have those cigs in the freezer and my lighters put away.

My vaping satisfied the nic crave and the physical crave/habit i needed to be satisfied. I started at 18mg and now vape 3mg all day long but i very seldom inhale

btw i don't hate the smell of cigarette smoke but the taste is too much like harsh chemicals for me to want to smoke anymore. I don't crave cigs at all physically or mentally!

 

[unloaded]

I've been clean since '95 but it took me 15 years after that to put down the smokes. I'd pretty much tried everything, I smoked while wearing a patch and chewing the gum! Quitting was by accident. Sometimes I think there might still be a little bit of addiction in my life:

They say "Take away the dope and you still got the fiend!"

 

[super_X_drifter]

I've been clean since '95 but it took me 15 years after that to put down the smokes. I'd pretty much tried everything, I smoked while wearing a patch and chewing the gum! Quitting was by accident. Sometimes I think there might still be a little bit of addiction in my life:
View attachment 226677
They say "Take away the dope and you still got the fiend!"

Damn bro, there's an awful lot of steak on that table. I'm guessing that with the help of the classies, you could turn allot of it into a couple more REO's

That poor table - it looks like a display at a robot penis replacement convention. Luckily REOs don't have legs or that bad boy would be running to my house to hang with some of his homies