How quickly (or slowly) do you alter nic levels??

[mainard462]

I started vaping on 08/03/2015. Within 2 days I eliminated all analog cigs. I wanted to give e-cigarettes a real attempt as a replacement for analogs.

I started with a 30 ml bottle of 18mg nicotine level, as I regularly smoked about a pack a day. This seemed good for me. For the first week, I suffered from what appears to be normal transitioning to e-cigs, like dry mouth or dry throat. I even started getting a slight sore throat. (I drank/still drink lots of water) Within a week on 18mg, I attempted a new juice. I went with 50VG/50PG this time. As I was not enjoying such a strong throat hit. I also went to 12mg. Been vaping 12mg up to this point. Since this change though, the sore throat has gotten way worse and has continued now for almost a week. Now, I have more cold/flu like symptoms as well. Did some research and found that it could be more related to "quitters flu/cold". But that the "quitter flu/cold" is more related to tobacco and nicotine withdrawals... but I haven't removed nicotine I thought. Have I removed too much from my system?

I suppose this could be accurate. Did I drop my nic levels too fast? How often do people drop their nic levels? Perhaps I should go back up to 18mg? Obviously, my goal would be to get 3mg or 0 nic content. But I certainly don't want to feel like junk for the next 6 months just trying to get there...

Sidenote*** I really like that I have not had a cigarette in two weeks. Feels really great (despite this strange cold or flu feeling). I have a friend that smokes still and when he smokes around me, the smell is way overpowering... almost a gross smell. Maybe this is my sense of smell kicking back in.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[Boden]

Five years ago I started with 24mg/mL after a few months I dropped down to 18mg a few months after that I setteled on 16 mg 70/30 1% flavoring. That's what I vape today.

(PG/VG)

 

[zapped]

I drop 6 mg every 6-9 months.

Started with 36 mg and am now down to 3mg. I must be be doing something right as I havent had a single cigarette in almost 3 years.

My advice to you is to slow down and give your body time to adjust. You likely smoked for years so why the rush to stop vaping?

 

[zapped]

Also the quitters cold flu is due to more than just nicotine. There are 4k plus chemicals in a cigarette, many of them habit forming themselves.

 

[LarryYo]

I dropped nicotine pretty fast when i switched to a mech was at 18mg when i was first using cartos and clearos when i switched over to mech mods 6mg was more then enough to satisfy me and was much easier then running 18mg and i use a high VG when i switched over

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Hello @mainard462 and congrats on your journey. First I'll give you a link of health issues :

A list of symptoms when quitting tobacco and changing to an ecigarette | E-Cigarette Forum

I started dropping from the 12 I started in about 1 month. After the first one the rest were a breeze. I wanted to get my nic level down low BEFORE I went sub ohm, and I did. I would guess it took me 4 1/2 months to get my nic level under 3 and now I'm at 1.5 or zero.

When I was trying to quit I used a cheap clearomizer/tank with the next higher nic in it. When the "itch" got to where the regular vape wasn't scratching it I would hit the higher nicotine tank once and go back to the regular nic vape. It usually took from 3 days to a week to get adjusted to the lower nicotine level. I said usually because I used this same technique to reduce my nicotine content in steps from the high level down to the under 3mg I now enjoy.

Good luck in your journey.

 

[mainard462]

Thanks again all for the answers and tips. I can try to move back up to 18mg, at least for another month or so. I was interested in sub-ohm too. And I knew I needed at least 6mg of nic for that type of setup. But maybe I was trying to get to that level too fast.

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Raising the nic will be worse on the throat. I'd suggest trying to stay at 12 with a little 18 help for craving and look for a little higher vg juice for the throat. Shouldn't be too difficult to find a 40pg/60vg juice. I doubt the sore throat is from the nic withdrawl. We all have had to adjust from cigs to vape, as it really is different on the body. Stick it out on the lower level nic for a week with higher vg and see if the throat clears up. Menthol and "Cool" (Koolada) hurt my throat to an extent I can't vape them. Cinnamon can be another rough flavor.

The way I look at it, you've already made it down to a lower level and a few days of trying different juice and you won't lose that progress. Good luck.

 

[Inka]

I started at 15mg nic, 4 weeks later went to 12 nic, 4 weeks later went to 11nic, a week later went to 10 nic. A couple weeks later went to 8 nic, a week later went to 6 nic. Have been at 6 nic for a couple of months. Started sub ohming at 3 nic just this week. This week when I go to get juice I'm going to 3 nic for my nautilus tanks and 1.5 nic for my sub ohm.

 

[AXIOM_1]

Congrats on being off the death sticks for two weeks !

The only thing I know about the sore throat phenomenon is I had it for about a month when I first started vaping. It finally left though. I still get it from time to time but usually only when I vape quite a bit. Doesn't seem to matter how I mix my juices either. I have gotten it with low PG, moderate PG and high PG....... I have also tried about every nicotine level imaginable. Don't know what it's from but I do know it's vape related.

With all of the many toxic chemicals that most of us have oozing out of our bodies from stopping tobacco, it's a wonder we don't experience worse things.

 

[suprtrkr]

Well done on getting off the sticks. I don't think anybody can tell you when to drop nic levels. You have to make that call yourself. If you're craving tobacco, you're probably not getting enough. If you're getting nic sick-- headache, nausea, etc.-- you're getting too much. But the basic idea is, if you're staying off the stinkies, you're doing it right.

 

[stevegmu]

18 to 12 is a big drop in a short amount of time. I can't even feel 12. Tried it, chain vaped, and went back to 18, then back to 24. Were you chain vaping when you dropped nic.?

 

[Kellyrob1uk]

Well done on getting of the stinkys! I started on 12mg 4 weeks ago and this week I have decided to drop to 6mg, I have only used my 12mg a couple of times to help with cravings. I have been suffering quite badly with a sore throat for the past 2 weeks. Not sure if it's vape related or to do with giving up the cigs or even a illness I just hope it disappears. Keep it up

 

[Grimwald]

I just let my body decide. I was a 40+ year very heavy chain smoker. I started off at 24mg on cig-sized batteries and cartomizers. After a couple of months I started to get symptoms of too much nicotine...sleeplessness, anxiety, woozy, generally running around like a headless chicken. I cut back to 18mg.

As my equipment got better, and my need for nicotine decreased, I found that I needed to cut back every 6 months or so...18 to 15 to 12 to 9 etc. After 3 years I am down to 5mg.

My experience was to cut back if I started getting those symptoms of too much nicotine, and likewise to increase if I got too many cravings.

 

[Ou2mame]

I went down one notch every month or so, and when I got to 6 I switched to subbing so I went to 3 and have been fine. If i could order 1.5 I would, but I'm considering mixing 0 and 3 on my next orders

 

[Frenchfry1942]

About every two months. Since I buy juice for a one month steep, I had to keep that in mind. I am at 3 right now and I am trying to remove it from my "habit" moments like after a meal or getting into the car.

I may start ordering zero to mix with my 3mg.

 

[Katya]

I started at 12 mg/ml 5.5 years ago, still at 12 mg/ml today.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

 

[Semper911]

I started at 18 and after 2 months even 6 is too much for me. I will be subohming soon so then it will be 3 for me. I still hit the 18 on the pen-vape when I need a quick stealth vape.

 

[ringling]

I attempted a new juice. I went with 50VG/50PG this time. As I was not enjoying such a strong throat hit. I also went to 12mg. Been vaping 12mg up to this point. Since this change though, the sore throat has gotten way worse and has continued now for almost a week. Now, I have more cold/flu like symptoms as well.

I hope you are not allergic to PG. I imagine a allergy would indeed produce flu/cold like symptoms. First thing I would suggest to you is start vaping 70 VG / 30 PG. Drop the PG and see if there is any improvement with the flu like symptoms. Dropping the PG should also help a little with the sore throat. Lower nicotine will definitely help the throat as well. As far as dropping nicotine, I have helped many with this. I have blended special juices for people (Nic level adjustments) and every 100 mls of juice would drop their nic level 2mg. Basically when dropping only 2mg at a time the person just vapes a little more at first without even noticing it. As they finish up the 100 mls of juice they are completely settled on the new nic level and are ready to drop another 2mg of nic. Of course we continue the process until they at at the desired end result nic level. This really does work, try it.......