intro for this new member

[cloudkat]

Hi all,
First I would like to say, “WOW”. When I first started looking into the e-cig thing this morning I thought that I was just one of a handful of people who would even be interested in something like this.
But these forums have shown me just how big the community really is. I am fully impressed and completely relieved to see such a showing of people.

I guess this is just an introductory post since I can’t do a whole lot more as a new member.

About me: I am a 38 year old father of 2 (a 14 yr old boy and an 11 yr old girl) with a beautiful wife. We are all originally from Florida, but currently reside in Knoxville, TN.
I work as a sub-contractor for the Dept. of Homeland Security. I travel all over the US going to the US/Mexico and US/Canada borders troubleshooting/repairing/upgrading the border crossing’s electronic security.
Any of you who live near a border crossing (aka: port) will understand what I am talking about. You know when you drive across the border, as you go through the lanes approaching the booth there is a lot of cameras and other equipment that takes pictures of your vehicle’s license plate, you, and there are now RFID antennae in the lanes as well to pick up the new RFID passports and cards.
Well, I work for the company that makes, installs and maintains all that equipment for the government.

I also own my own computer business that I run out of my home. I specialize in custom building desktops and laptops. I do custom case mods and paint jobs, water cooling, vapor phase-change cooling, and other case mods.

I am an avid gamer. I am currently heavy into COD4 on PC, God of War on PSP (when I travel), UFC: Undisputed and Ninja Gaiden: Sigma on PS3, and Last Remnant on 360.

I have been a smoker for 25 years. I smoke approximately 1 pack /day. For the past 3-4 years I have been smoking ultra-lights hoping it would help. Like many of you here I am sure, I have tried to quit many times over the years and finally just quit quitting.
But one day while on a job at Windsor Tunnel in Detroit I was asked a question by a non-smoker. I had just gotten off the phone with my daughter and we were joking about how much of a “Daddy’s Girl” she is and how bad she has me wrapped around her little finger. I lit a cig and started showing this person some pics I always carry with me of my family when she asked me, “Would you rather walk your daughter down the aisle and dance at her wedding, or die young smoking cigs?”
Now I know that it was just an extreme scenario, but it stopped me cold. And that question has haunted me for a long time now.

Then, just two days ago, my daughter came up to me while I was outside smoking (I don’t smoke in the house), gave me a hug and started talking to me. At the end of the conversation, as she turned to go back in the house, she stopped, turned and said with all the innocence of a small child, “Daddy, you need to quit smoking. Smoking will make you die. I don’t want you to die.” Then she turned and went in the house.

Well, it took me a few minutes, but I eventually wiped the tears from my eyes and went back in the house. I didn’t smoke again the rest of that day. But by the next morning I had another one lit and was puffing happily away.

I am addicted. I know it and freely admit it. But I am looking for something…ANYTHING to help me quit.

Thus the research began this morning on “stop-smoking aids” which lead to the discovery of e-cigs and the subsequent finding of these forums.

Anyways, I know that this is getting long winded, but for some odd reason I felt the need to put all this down. Sorry for this being so long.

I know that e-cigs are not perfect, but they are a far better option than continuing down the path I have been on for far too many years.
I hope that through these forums, and with the help of the community here I can find the right solution to my cig habit. So I will sign off for now and go continue reading through these forums looking for help in deciding on which dealer to use, which type, or model of e-cig to try and other info I need before making my first purchase.

 

[wv2win]

Being a Dad myself and hearing the same words, I fully understand. Be kind with yourself. Unless it fits with your plan, you don't have to quit completely the first day you get a PV. There is a learning curve with vaping in that it is different than smoking. I started vaping in February with a 901 and was able to cut down to 6-8 a day. It wasn't until I got one of the better PV's (personal vaporizers) in April that I was able to quit completely. I STRONGLY suggest that you get a manual switch PV, as they provide much more consistent performance, better throat hit, more reliable, no concern about liquid ruining your batteries and in most cases, the batteries only cost $2 instead of $13-$20, and YOU WILL be buying many batteries over time.

I would also suggest that you get liquid to re-fill your carts as the taste is much better than prefilled carts, it cost much less and there is much more variety. You will also need extra atomizers as they can die quickly.

Here are the models and suppliers that I recommend. The first list are the best PV's made with the best performance and fewest problems. They cost more initially but because the batteries are so cheap, they pay for themselves over time. With these you will get 6-8 hours on a charge whereas with all other models you will get any where from 1-3 hours:

The Big Five in Long Battery Life Manual Switch PV’s:

Screwdriver: ecigscrewdriver.com
The Black Screwdriver Kit / Totally Wicked eLiquid / Electronic Cigarette e-liquid shop
Prodigy: PureSmoker.com - Home of the USA Built PV !!!
GG: THE GG
JantyStick: http://jantyusa.com/index.php
LV/ZiMoshi: Zi Moshi Home


The Joye 510 is a manual that is well liked on this forum and is the one manual that looks more like a regular cigarette. Rule of thumb (except in the case of the 510) the more it looks like the real thing, the worst the performance. The battery life is short and the batteries cost more than the premier models but it is a good PV. Here are a few reputable suppliers:

e-Smokey Treats - Electronic Cigarette's, The healthy alternative to traditional tobacco cigarette's
Rocky Mountain Vapor you have reached the mountain top of electronic cigarettes! : Home
RUYAN Brown e-cigar with 25pc Cartridges - RUYAN e-cigar kit - Heaven-gifts.com Ruyandirect.com Best E-smoking Shop
www.eastmall.net - Eastmall International Co.,Ltd

I get most of my liquid from Rocky Mountain or Ruyan. Their Kent (best tobacco flavor I have found) and RY4 are my favorites. I use 24mg nic strength. 48mg is the highest.

Good Luck

 

[wv2win]

Double post: deleted

 

[marg]

Welcome cloudkat! Glad you found this forum, it helped me a lot.
My story: I first got a 901, only because it's was the only one the local place carried and I didn't want to wait, love it I didn't. I spent more time returning bad parts than vaping, although a lot of ppl here love theirs.
I got sucked in by the Blucigs, they are good for about town and I think down the road they will serve better purpose when I don't need as much vapor and throat hit.
Then I got a 510 and I AM LOVING IT! Plenty of vapor and throat hit, I wouldn't trade it. It needs juice though, the 510 really goes through it but well worth it.
Oh, another thing. It really helped me to switch brands of 'real cigs' for a few packs before I dedicated to Ecigs. I think it was getting over the crap of my usual brand first that helped and didn't seem as hard as before I switched.
That's my 2 cents from a fellow Floridian ....

 

[Al Bundy]

Welcome to the forum, my recommendation is the screwdriver:

The Black Screwdriver Kit / Totally Wicked eLiquid / Electronic Cigarette e-liquid shop

The price is a bit high initially, but after you factor in the battery life and battery costs for other types of e-cigs, you'll see in the long run it's by far the more cost effective solution. You'll break even in about 2-4 months depending the price per pack of analogs in your area.

I recommend Totally-Wicked for hardware/liquid and JuicyLiquid for liquid/accessories.

 

[Jim Davis]

You have the right idea. Research is the key to this whole thing. Look around and ask questions. What's good for one, may not be good for another. Sort of like buying your first car. People will jump in, saying buy this or buy that, and they have no idea who you are, what your needs, and preferences are.

Bottom line is, there's an e-cig for you. Check out the Forum, and don't hesitate to ask questions.

Cheers;
jd

 

[JustJulie]

You're coming in with the right attitude . . . you want to make a change in your life. I was a 2+ pack a day smoker for 30 years, and I tried everything to quit . . . finally resigned myself to being a smoker and decided to try to cut down. I figured if I could cut down by 1/2, I'd be thrilled. (Sad, I know, to be excited about getting "down" to a pack a day.)

Imagine my surprise when I was immediately down to one or two cigarettes a day . . . and within a few days, I figured that I really could give up the stinky sticks entirely.

I'm a few weeks shy of being tobacco-free for 6 months.

It's a freakin' miracle.

Do yourself a favor and get something good to start off with. Don't just dip your toes in . . . get your entire foot wet. If you think you need the comfort of having something that kind of, sort of resembles a cigarette, then go with a 510 with a manual battery. It packs a powerful punch for such a small e-cig. The battery life isn't great, but with at least 3 batteries and a PCC (portable charging case so you can charge batteries on the go) . . . and maybe a USB passthrough battery so you can vape near a USB outlet without worrying about battery life . . . well, you'd be good to go.

If you don't think you need something that's kind of cigarette-like in its look, then I'd recommend you check out the models recommended by wv2win. Those models are all known for long battery life and a powerful punch. They cost a bit more, but those of us who own a model like that figure it's well worth it for the superior vape and the longer battery life. In fact, I'm vaping with my Screwdriver right now.

Oh, whatever model of e-cig you order, be sure to order some liquid so you can top off/refill your cartridges.

Welcome . . . browse the forum, make new friends, and get excited about the possibilities.

 

[elevenzen]

Hi Cloudkat,

Thanks for sharing your story.

E-cigs have changed a lot of people's lives that post on this forum. Hopefully we can add you to our numbers.

After smoking for many many years... My habit just kept getting worse - I was so hooked, I couldn't even imagine my life without them. It took me 2 solid months of vaping before I completely stopped smoking. I cut down on cigarettes a lot, but still had one now and then. As of today I have gone without smoking a cigarette for 1 month. I occasionally think about them...but I can't say I even really want one, it's more the thought of "oh yeah, I used to light up cigarettes and smoke them everyday and I don't anymore".. I still have 1 pack laying around, at this point it doesn't even tempt me - which is pretty amazing considering I was a chain smoker with an overflowing ashtray at the beginning of April.

E-cigs are a little more work than just lighting up and smoking a cigarette, but you will find it is worth it and then some.

Good Luck

 

[SudokuGal]

Hi Cloudkat...welcome to the forum. People have been after me for years to quit, but I always pointed out that since I don't have children it didn't matter to me if I took a few years off my life. The first night I used my SmokeStik, I thought, "oh well, this wasn't a good investment." But within two days I preferred it over a real cigarette. I still occassionally have the real thing, but it's so little I don't considered myself a smoker anymore...just a vaper! I think you'll like vaping so much you'll be able to stay the same. Best wishes!!!!!

 

[KreeL]

Hi, and welcome to the forum, cloudkat!

There are a great many former smokers that were hooked far greater than you that have totally given up the analogs, and sometimes without even trying, by using these great devices. I was a 36 year hopeless chainsmoker of high nic tobacco. I was off it by the 3rd day using a Joye510. Nothing short of a miracle.

 

[laurel099]

Good luck! I think that you've been given some great advice!

I recently gave up my habit of about 25 years with the help of my Screwdriver. Once you get find the model and juice that works for you it will be easier to give them up. For me I'm still amazed how easy it was.

I am very hopeful vaping will help you give up the cigs too!! Best of luck!

 

[cloudkat]

Wow..thx everyone for all the support.

I believe that with the help, support and advice that is available here that I can finally kick the monkey off my back.

After reading through these responses and doing a little research, I will be ordering the screwdriver. It is currently out of stock at Wicked, but I will be keeping an eye on it as soon as it comes back into stock.

Once again, thx to all of you for your advice and help so far.

 

[laurel099]

You can order directly from Trog... I'm in US (FL) and it arrived within a week from the U.K.

www.caveman.com/screwdriver

I ordered the classic first, just received a mini to try today... I don't know if it's better but I know I LOVE my classic SD!

 

[Vaping Angel]

Wow..thx everyone for all the support.

I believe that with the help, support and advice that is available here that I can finally kick the monkey off my back.

After reading through these responses and doing a little research, I will be ordering the screwdriver. It is currently out of stock at Wicked, but I will be keeping an eye on it as soon as it comes back into stock.

Once again, thx to all of you for your advice and help so far.

Hi cloudkat,
I was a pack a day smoker too. I have 2 children ages 7 and 10. They don't know that I smoke because I'm a "closet" smoker when I'm around them. I don't ever want my children to pick up this nasty habit.
I was in Los Vegas one day and saw a kiosk selling e-cigs that looked like cigarettes. I got suckered in, and purchased the whole kit and extra carts ($330.00). The batteries wore out too fast, then the performance started to drop. It got really frustrating, and they lied to me. They said that 1 cart was equivalent to 20 cigarettes. It's more like 2 or 3 anologs and that's being generous. It was so frustrating and it didn't help me to quit analogs.
Like you, I started to search the internet thinking there has to be something better. My search first brought me here, I spent days being glued to this forum and just reading and reading, which lead me to buy the screwdriver.
OMG! No frustration, Trog gives superb service, rechargable batteries last 5 to 8 hours. I have the silver mini, I traveled to Canada and back with no problems at the airport. I loved it so much that I purchased another screwdriver, the black mini just in case I need a back up.
I've tried everything before to quit analogs, it took the screw driver for me to finally quit. I don't miss analogs anymore, I don't miss the smell, nor the bad breath. I don't get lectured by my non-smoking clients about health risks associated by smoking.
I'm not a manufacturer, just an end user and now a proud ex-smoker and fulltime vaporer. In time I hope to lower my nicotine dosage, then eventually break the habit all together....one step at a time.
You won't regret it and your children will be really happy not seeing you in front of the house smoking anymore. You also don't have to worry about first and second hand smoke.

 

[pattyjo]

Welcome!!! Im sure with all the info on this forum you will find the right ecig for you .As many of us can attest it is a trial and error at first but you will get the hang of it and I think like most of us here you will get frustrated at times, impatient waiting for your order , etc that being said I think you will love it. I do I wont give it up till they throw shovel of dirt in my face. You can rest assurred that you are not putting a whole lot of carcinogens in your system any more and when your daughter sees you vaping you can tell her you have quit smoking because you want to walk her down the isle someday . Good Luck I have been smoke free for almost 2 years now but only been vaping since March 2009. I had been addicted to nicorette gum before I found the ecig and I was ready to go back to smoking because the gum didnt work fior me anymore. Thank God for the ecig!!!!! I actually gag now when I smell cigarette smoke I will never go back

 

[Moonflame]

When my 17 year old son first started school and got the "smoking will kill you and it will kill your parents if they smoke" speeches he would come home and try to talk me into quitting. I tried then, but there was no way. I figured I could quit, but I'd end up in jail for killing some poor hapless fool who ...... me off. My daughter was in kindergarten this past year and came home with the same sad little face after hearing that "mommy is going to die." and I was able to tell her that as soon as the car was paid off the next month I'd be ordering the e-cig and quiting smoking. Thankfully I'd found this website a few days before. She is so proud of me now. Of course I won't let her know how easy it was to switch, she might not be as proud . I am enjoying vaping every day, the only hard part is trying to decide which of the great flavors I want to use each time I refill . It does take a while to learn the best sucking method (insert rude comments here), easiest ways to refill and top off carts, and how to try to avoid sucking juice. but it's so worth it.

 

[cloudkat]

You can order directly from Trog... I'm in US (FL) and it arrived within a week from the U.K.

ww.caveman.com/screwdriver

I ordered the classic first, just received a mini to try today... I don't know if it's better but I know I LOVE my classic SD!

Thx for trying to help, but the link you gave is dead.
Can you, or anyone else, post a live link please??

 

[JustJulie]

Thx for trying to help, but the link you gave is dead.
Can you, or anyone else, post a live link please??

The ScrewDriver Online Electronic Cigarette Shop