How long did you smoke, and why did you quit?

[Marvin & Sennie]

And what changes have you noticed since you started vaping?

For me I smoked for 35 years pretty heavily. My lungs had started feeling tight all the time and in the morning I was coughing up all kinds of junk. About 3 years ago my BFF passes away from lung cancer and it broke my heart the family and friends she left behind. I don't want to be that person, I want to watch my grandbabies grow up, get married, and have families of their own. I hadn't actually planned to quit like I did, I fully expected that I would need to taper off because of the length of time and amount I smoked.

I started vaping the 29th and the morning of the 30th I had 1 cigarette at 10am, that was the last cigarette I had and I never plan on lighting up again.

Since quitting almost immediately I stopped that hacking up junk every morning however I now have itchy dry throat most of the time. My lungs still feel heavy sometimes, not like I used to though. I've always had a very strong sense of smell and that might be because I never blew the smoke out my nose because I found it to be disgusting so that hasn't changed much. I've learned that my toothpaste that I've always used doesn't taste as good as it did 2 weeks ago but it's all good, it's just toothpaste.

I am not in love with the taste of vaping but it's better than the alternative and I am sure before long I won't even notice that I feel like I'm inhaling pepper all day...lol ( the gum was like that too ) so again it's whatever. I sleep better now but with all this reading I've been doing I'm also sleepy a lot! lol

That's about all I have noticed, what about y'all?

 

[tricci]

Hey! Congrats on quitting smoking and becoming a vaper! I smoked for 21 years (I started when I was twelve) and I haven't had a cig in 18 months. I quit because my wife asked me to try an electronic cigarette to see if that would get me to stop smoking. I tried because I like new and I wound up quitting 3 days later! Now I vape like a fiend and have become a hobbyist, but she indulges me because she's just happy I don't smoke any longer. I feel better in every way, but have become an even more picky eater because I can taste things better.

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

Can you smell things better, other than the fact that you can probably smell how nasty an ashtray smells? lol

I am looking forward to the day that I am not actually spending all the money we've saved + some buying new vaping bling.

So far I haven't had any issues other than the toothpaste tasting different but the hubs blew smoke out his nose so he's starting to smell things he couldn't before.

Oh.... 1 other thing.... I have the WORST heartburn EVER!!! Anyone else deal with that? What did you do to fix it?

 

[gcvt]

I started on Marlboro Reds at 14 or 15 - confirmed smoker by 16. I'm 43 now and this February will be two years since I quit and started vaping. The GF quit on her 32'nd birthday. I smoked for a while after that but we moved in together at that point. It was just time, but things were quite different two years ago - it's amazing how far vaping has come. I'm glad I found this forum! I'm glad I quit smoking but I love vaping!

Weird thing is I never had the coughing up crap thing, food tasting better, or really feeling so much better after quitting. It seems as though not much changed except for the fact that I'm not inhaling all the poisons. I'm a foodie and was looking forward to the taste bud thing but it never happened...or maybe it never left? All I got was the satisfaction of not smoking analogs any more.

Either way, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!

 

[Butters78]

I quit in June 2010 with swedish snus because I liked it better than smoking heh. Couple months later I tried nasal snuff and I enjoy it as well. January of this year one of my snus friends sent me a couple Leo batts with a 510 converter and I really liked it. I use all three now. Snus only like once a day though which is good because it's costing more and more to order from Sweden.

Basicly I had no intention to quit smoking at all. I did kind of miss the hand to mouth so vaping is nice. I could live without it though.

 

[Butters78]

Oh and I was 16 when I started smoking 32 when I quit.

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

My great grandma used to sniff snuff, I didn't even know that stuff was still around. I started smoking at 12, I've smoked straights, reds, any smokes I could get my hands on (addiction will do that to you). When I moved back to Mo from Cali I was in a bus station for a layover in Tulsa and saw this older lady picking butts out of the public ashtray. Made me soooo sad and I've tried to quit smoking since, just never could quite make it. I just knew I never wanted to be that person! I've tried every thing but nothing worked, lthe last attempt was cutting down to the lightest cig I could find with the mentality that if the levels were that low I should be able to just walk away right? Yeah didn't happen. This was the only thing left and so far it's actually working!!

 

[gcvt]

My great grandma used to sniff snuff, I didn't even know that stuff was still around. I started smoking at 12, I've smoked straights, reds, any smokes I could get my hands on (addiction will do that to you). When I moved back to Mo from Cali I was in a bus station for a layover in Tulsa and saw this older lady picking butts out of the public ashtray. Made me soooo sad and I've tried to quit smoking since, just never could quite make it. I just knew I never wanted to be that person! I've tried every thing but nothing worked, lthe last attempt was cutting down to the lightest cig I could find with the mentality that if the levels were that low I should be able to just walk away right? Yeah didn't happen. This was the only thing left and so far it's actually working!!

Strong mental image there.

 

[tricci]

Can you smell things better, other than the fact that you can probably smell how nasty an ashtray smells? lol

I am looking forward to the day that I am not actually spending all the money we've saved + some buying new vaping bling.

So far I haven't had any issues other than the toothpaste tasting different but the hubs blew smoke out his nose so he's starting to smell things he couldn't before.

Oh.... 1 other thing.... I have the WORST heartburn EVER!!! Anyone else deal with that? What did you do to fix it?

Yes I can smell things much better than when I smoked. Also, I don't get winded doing simple things like walking up stairs or playing with the dog.

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

It was a scary thing to see and that image has never left my mind and that was a LONG time ago!!

Strong mental image there.

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

I am thinking ( or hoping anyway) that everything will only get even better.

Yes I can smell things much better than when I smoked. Also, I don't get winded doing simple things like walking up stairs or playing with the dog.

 

[Flexxx]

Started smoking when I was 15, Now I'm 33.

So far I can taste and smell everything better, I have noticed I don't wheeze (lungs) anymore and
realized just how bad cigs really smell.

I didn't plan on quitting but everyone around me started vaping, at first I was like ... is that crap you guys are sucking down LOL.
Everyone said it taste good and helps you stop smoking plus it does not effect your health like analogs.

Tried it and at first didn't really like it much, made me feel kinda weird, now I love the taste and vape like a SOB.

 

[eagarcia123]

I quit pretty early on. started january 2011 with camel crush and tried to quit at the end of the year using blu. I stopped smoking not cause blu was helping, but it was a pain to use blu cause it sucked. it only lasted 2 months. smoked again for another 3 months due to stress then bought a lavatube. since then, I dont even want to smoke. as to why I quit? I felt like crap when I smoked

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

Started smoking when I was 15, Now I'm 33.

So far I can taste and smell everything better, I have noticed I don't wheeze (lungs) anymore and
realized just how bad cigs really smell.

I didn't plan on quitting but everyone around me started vaping, at first I was like ... is that crap you guys are sucking down LOL.
Everyone said it taste good and helps you stop smoking plus it does not effect your health like analogs.

Tried it and at first didn't really like it much, made me feel kinda weird, now I love the taste and vape like a SOB.

My 1st hit I tried to hit it like it was the green leafy vegetable. Apparently I didn't understand what they meant.... It was just like the 1st cigarette I ever smoked so I was like yeah no... but hubs was persistant and I learned I was hitting it wrong. Once we got past that I was ok minus the dry itchy throat and dry pepper taste but they were just minor annoyances compared to the alternative.

 

[Marvin & Sennie]

I quit pretty early on. started january 2011 with camel crush and tried to quit at the end of the year using blu. I stopped smoking not cause blu was helping, but it was a pain to use blu cause it sucked. it only lasted 2 months. smoked again for another 3 months due to stress then bought a lavatube. since then, I dont even want to smoke. as to why I quit? I felt like crap when I smoked

I felt like crap too!! I was the WORST smoker ever!! Seriously I couldn't stand the smell of smoke, I hated when I was trapped with a bunch of smokers all smoking at the same time, can't stand spilled ash trays, or the nasty crap it puts on the walls, and it irritated me to be cold so I could smoke a cigarette; Our relationship had run it's course and it was time for it to end!

 

[317Vapers]

Started when I was 14 couple a day then before you know it I was 16 and a pack a day. I'm now 29 and was up to almost 1-1/2-2 packs a day. I got tired of hacking and hard breathing, also got tired of the ashes all over my work desk 24/7 cleaning, walls turning yellow, hands yellow, computer yellow, everything even desk papers yellow after time. Now if anything its a little moisture on the papers!! No more YELLOW

 

[Robino1]

Non smoking Hubby suggested an e-cig for traveling because he didn't like me having to go through the nic fit when things got delayed on planes, having to freeze to have that smoke etc.. He had seen me try many times to quit and not be able to do it. Neither of us thought this was going to be a quit smoking thing, just something to help me when I wasn't able to smoke. I actually wasn't planning on quitting it just accidentally happened.

After he suggested this ecig thing, I popped on the computer and started researching. Everything kept pointing me to this forum so I started reading, and reading, and reading.... I read about people that had been smoking for more years than I and quitting fairly easily with ecigs.

I started smoking at age 16, I quit smoking at age 51 just before I turned 52 in October. I vaped and smoked for the first month, cutting down on the stinkies each day. The first day of vaping, actually went from a pack a day to just 6 cigs and the next day went to 5 cigs. The last 2 days of smoking and vaping, I would have two puffs off a cig at night and put it out because it was so nasty.

My sense of taste really was not affected too much by smoking so no big changes there. I can detect a little more intricate flavors in foods, but nothing super noticeable. As for sense of smell, that is a more noticeable change. We had gone to the store and were by the fruits. I kept getting a slight hint of cinnamon. I HAD to track it down. LOL. it was those packages for apple crisp where you add the apples. So, yes, smell for me was a change!

We live 4 flights of stairs up. Haven't noticed that it has gotten that much easier LOL, but my recovery time is really accelerating! I have only been totally smoke free for 1 month so that should get better as I get in better lung shape.

I'm a singer and have noticed that my voice is stronger and my breath control is MUCH better. I can hit those strong notes for longer without having to cut them short. My band members have noticed the change!

Wow, I didn't mean for this to be so long. Anyway, congrats on the quit. Keep up the good work!

ps: that peppery taste could be dry hits or too strong nic. If you are using cartridges I would suggest the Vivi nova tank system. When I was using the cartridges, I would get that same taste. I wasn't able to completely quit the cigs till after I got my nova. No more peppery taste.

 

[infoimp]

Wow, Robino, I quit by accident too!

Started smoking at 17, quickly moved to menthols and at least a pack a day. After the first of the year (2012) I decided I had had enough of PAYING for cigs...around $200/month. That's what it finally was for me, the money.

Got my eGo gear on a Thursday and piddled around with it all weekend. Monday morning at 10, I realized I only had 1 cig left. I jokingly told the guys in my office, "Wanna watch me smoke my last cigarette?" They scoffed, having watched me stand outside during sandstorms and 100+ temps in the summer and snowstorms and teen temps in the winter to get my cig fix.

It was my last one.

I do notice my sense of smell getting stronger, like you mentioned I can tell how nasty cigs and ashtrays smell now. Haven't noticed the tastebud thing changing...but ain't it great to be free?!?!

 

[pianoguy]

I probably had my first cigarette when I was 10 or so, and I'd sneak one every so often. I started smoking regularly at 13 - my mom didn't think it was a big deal, she had started at 10. I smoked for over 40 years - I tried quitting a few times, never successfully. I mostly quit for a year back in the mid-90's after being hospitalized with pneumonia, but I was miserable the whole time, and started sneaking a cigarette every now and then. It didn't take much to get me started again. I figured I was stuck with the habit, so be it. Our state mandated fire-safe cigarettes back in late 2008 - over the course of the following months, I developed a persistent cough and congestion. I figured I needed to do something, but didn't know what. In the fall of '09, a friend showed me an electronic cigar when we were on vacation. I got intrigued and did some research, discovered the ECF, ordered a couple e-cig kits, and to my utter astonishment, within several days I was done smoking. My cough and congestion disappeared quickly, I regained my sense of smell, my blood pressure dropped to normal, and my energy and stamina improved. And miraculously, my migraine headaches disappeared - a real life-changer for me. The e-cig made me feel like I was finally in control, and completely eliminated any desire to have another cigarette. Discovering the e-cig was one of the most profound events of my life.

 

[GreenEyesDon'tLie]

I started smoking around 13-14, got up to a pack a day by 14-15, 23 now.

I didn't want to quit, it just happened. I had tried e-cigs years ago, the first Ruyans that came to the US. Those things were more horrible than you can imagine, so I didn't stay with them very long, abandoned vaping for years. Then recently I picked up a disposable out of curiosity and was surprised to find out it was pretty good. I was still smoking at that point, but I ordered a Volt kit to see what a decent PV would be like. My last analog was right after my Volt came while I was waiting for it to charge, after I tried the Volt for the first time I had no interest in analogs because vaping was so much better.

My sense of smell is already getting better, and I can taste things again. My breathing seems a bit better, but not by much yet. I'm still going through the misery of my body cleaning itself out though, coughing up junk constantly and a few times my taste buds have checked out for a few hours. It'll be worth it in the end though