Journey Journal of Coastie

[Linden]

I am going to echo (and strongly) the advice of the posters just previous to me.
1. increase to AT LEAST 24mg. You are absorbing nicotine at 50-90% less efficiency than a cigarette. Don't be afraid to bump it up to 36mg. In addition, the uptake is slower in getting to your neuroreceptors.
2. Learn how to stealth vape at work (usually if you just take some air in through your nose and hold a few beats it will get rid of the plume when you exhale) and do it ALL DAY. No limits, this is your life we are talking about and you are worth it!
3. Plan to invest some more $ in flavors. It took me about 7 months and 40+ flavors to find something that really made me HAPPY. Not all of us like strong flavors. I am like you and very much stuck on ritual. I knew i needed to find a 'perfect vape' that I could consistently use every day without getting sick of it(ps...cinnamon gives great throat hit!). Many others enjoy several different flavors per day. vaping a flavor that you aren't keen on will make that analog more appealing.
4. I've found that the best refill method is what we call the "Taryn spin" as I found the condom method tended to swamp my cartos and cause a mess. You can look it up on YouTube.

 

[BikerBob]

Hey Coastie...... how ya doin?

He did say he had important meetings this week....but hoped he would have checked in once or twice.

 

[Coastie3202]

Your approach of keeping the vaping to a minimum is the opposite of what anyone here would recommend to you.
Perhaps you could elaborate a little more on why you are taking this approach?

I think it is because I fear that I will simply replace one habit for another. So I was keeping the vaping to a minimum. I have however seen the error in my thinking and now vap to enjoy. Frequency is now only dictated by my work, and nothing else.

 

[DC2]

I think it is because I fear that I will simply replace one habit for another. So I was keeping the vaping to a minimum. I have however seen the error in my thinking and now vap to enjoy. Frequency is now only dictated by my work, and nothing else.

Good move.

You'll probably find that reducing nicotine strength is much easier than you expect it to be.
So the first concern should be doing whatever it takes to get off the smokes.

 

[Coastie3202]

Hey, I'm back. Wow has life been busy, meetings out town, plumbing work at home, and my new grandson due any hour now. Phew.

But I'm still at it. I am below a half PAD, with no stress, no strain. I am very happy with myself for that as I have never been able to do that without stressing every second about my next analog. Ah PV, you're so good to me. Funny thing, once I reached the 1/2 PAD level I found that I continued to drop the numbers without even trying.

I've learned alot in the past few weeks, and have progressed in my vap'n. Through experimentation and a great deal of excellent advice from the inmates of this forum, I have done the following:

Realized that 18mg NIC just wasn't gonna do it. So ordered some new juices in 24mg.

Realized that variety when vap'n is cool, so my juice supply is increasing to include: 555, Desert Joe, Wow Margarita, Ice Menthol, Black Licorice.

Ordered some Clearomizers from SI. I am really stoked to get those as I have read and heard that they are hands down better than cartomizers and reloading and cleaning them is easier. Plus I will be able to see my juice level instead of guessing.

Volt X2 is next on the shopping list, for home use. I will continue to carry the mini auto and manual to work.

I have stopped "keeping my vaping to a minimum". Hell I'm enjoying it so I'm gonna go for it. Alot of my apprehension in releasing the hounds was the fear of developing another habit, as I stated in an earlier post, and the unknown factor surrounding cost and longevity of the PV products, such as the cartos and batts. I certainly did not want to get in an expensive habit that exceeded the cost of the analogs. Time has taught me that I have nothing to fear, and I keep my costs down by refilling the cartos, keeping everything clean, and charged.

I ordered the Wow Margarita, Black Licorice, and Ice Menthol so that I can move away from the tobacco flavors of the 555 and Desert Joe. Until I put those behind me analogs will never taste bad, and I want them to.

Life is good, the wife is supportive and happy with my progress and enthusiasm, and my daughter is gonna give me a new grandson. How much better can life be?

So......ONWARD & UPWARD. (Thanks for checking in on me folks. It means a lot, truly.)

 

[hnyb0210]

Awesome, awesome, awesome - I love reading your updates! I'm experimenting w/my first clearomizer (from SI, as you said). I find that it's definitely a different experience/noticeable difference, but I haven't figured it out enough to be able to articulate it properly just yet I was going to order a couple more, but they were out of stock last time I checked.

Congratulations on the new addition to your family!

 

[Ozzy414]

just made it through the thread, congrats on the new grandson coastie, as well as the cutting your habit down.

I just started my journey and approached it at the beginning that I couldn't smoke anymore. that did not last long at all, I find that allowing myself to smoke when needed has really helped me to stick with vaping. Hopefully once I find the flavors that do it for me I will cut back more. Already I find the suggestions of vaping before smoking to really help. My analogs no longer give me the "man that was satisfying" feeling. I find that I can't make it through a whole cig if I vape first. I have not overcome the morning and after meal cigs yet either, but I'm not letting that discourage me.

Good luck on the journey, Your thread is helpful to me if that means anything to you. Keep up the good work an keep us informed.

 

[Coastie3202]

just made it through the thread, congrats on the new grandson coastie, as well as the cutting your habit down.

I just started my journey and approached it at the beginning that I couldn't smoke anymore. that did not last long at all, I find that allowing myself to smoke when needed has really helped me to stick with vaping. Hopefully once I find the flavors that do it for me I will cut back more. Already I find the suggestions of vaping before smoking to really help. My analogs no longer give me the "man that was satisfying" feeling. I find that I can't make it through a whole cig if I vape first. I have not overcome the morning and after meal cigs yet either, but I'm not letting that discourage me.

Good luck on the journey, Your thread is helpful to me if that means anything to you. Keep up the good work an keep us informed.

Hey Ozzy. Congrats on your decision to switch to a healthier inhalation habit. I wish you the best of luck. You'll have bad days and good days, but do as I have, just bounce right back up after a bad day, and congratulate yourself for the good ones.

I never started the PV with the thought that I will smoke analogs no more. I know myself well enough to know that had I went at it that way I would surely have failed. So I elected to go with baby steps. Turns out my baby steps were much larger than I thought possible, and I continue taking them while looking forward to the day I can run.

I actually do not have a big problem with the first thing in the morning analog or the after meal one. I just grab the PV with the thought of putting off the first analog as long as possible. Works well for me. It is just a matter of changing your habits, ingrained as they may be.

I am glad my thread has helped you. It certainly helps me to put down my thought, worries, and celebrations in print.

Good luck and keep moving forward.

 

[Lavaca5]

Just came across this thread and wanted to congratulate you all and wish you well on your respective journeys. Good luck to everybody and keep on vapin'!

 

[BikerBob]

There he is! Missed you Coastie! Congrats on the grandson!

Wonder if you'll notice the same thing I did: clearomizers vs cartomizers--I find a difference in flavor using the same ejuice in each. Sometimes I'm in the mood for one, sometimes the other.

As for strength, I'm typically at 24mg...sometimes I feel it is not strong enough, other times too strong. My next juice order will probably have a smaller bottle of either 36 or 18 (12?) of the same flavor. I figure worst case would have me blending the 2 to make my usual 24.

 

[Coastie3202]

There he is! Missed you Coastie! Congrats on the grandson!

Wonder if you'll notice the same thing I did: clearomizers vs cartomizers--I find a difference in flavor using the same ejuice in each. Sometimes I'm in the mood for one, sometimes the other.

As for strength, I'm typically at 24mg...sometimes I feel it is not strong enough, other times too strong. My next juice order will probably have a smaller bottle of either 36 or 18 (12?) of the same flavor. I figure worst case would have me blending the 2 to make my usual 24.

Yep. Can't wait for the order to get here. On mailman watch again.

Thanks for the congrats on the grandson. Nothing yet though. Daughter in the hospital while they induce labor so the baby watch is underway.

 

[balbrt1]

First of all...CONGRATS!!!! you have made the first step on the journey to quick the reg. cig. I smoked for 41 yrs. so I am right there with you. Never tried to quit before now and with the Volt and some juice I finally like I am happy to say I have been tobacco free for 9 weeks. First of all when you get your kit turn right around and reorder some more batts asap. I have 6 78 and 3 650. Backup, backup, backup...Never run out of juice. I put my Pall Malls down the day I started vaping and I like most of us are so excited. You can do this. I could not have quit if it was not for the e-cig. It was quite easy . I do not like the carts. I use the ce3's or tomorrow they are bringing out new clearos. They give more vape, th and taste is much better. No batting inside to suck on. Good Luck and welcome to the board. We are all here for you...

 

[ec6270]

Coastie, I have been reading posts in the forum but have not joined. until I read your posts. Love hearing about your journey. You are inspiring others. Please keep posting.

 

[kiwivap]

Great to hear an update Coastie. I think you'll enjoy your X2. I'm on mailman watch for a purple one I ordered. And yes, moving to non-tobacco flavors is another step I found - like I'm enjoying my taste buds being alive and not just trying to replicate smoking. All the best - and congrats on the grandchild.

 

[Coastie3202]

Still trying to get all the terminology right. I stated earlier that I have an order into SI for a Clearomizer, but my order is actually for the 5 pack of CE3 Cartomizers that are bottom feeders. If I like these I will graduate to a Clearomizer when I buy my X2 batt.

No baby boy yet, but stay turned.

 

[Renolizzie]

Hi Coastie, following along. Love the CE3's. They are wonderful!!!! They look great on the 78mm, too. Yes, it is a bit of a long ciggie look but it is definitely still a nice incognito look. I took my bigger 650 X-2 over to the neighbors and was vaping in her house!!!! She has always given me a bit of a hard time about smoking saying "oh I see you got your smoke in" when we would go shopping in town together.

I have cut way back but I haven't quit. Took me awhile to find a set up I like with mg and flavors. Also, it has been very hot and I am drinking sooooo much water that I can't bear the thought of drinking even more water if I vape more. Once it cools down a bit, I think I will be cutting way back and quitting altogether.

Let us know about that grandson.

 

[Coastie3202]

Gonna be a bad day for leaving the analogs alone considering that waiting for a baby birth is somewhat stressful. But I'm not gonna worry about it. If I fall off I just get back on.

Wow! This is sure a new mindset for me. Other times when I tried to quit I would use any excuse to go back to my old habits. Now I an constantly moving towards remounting the anti-analog horse. This must mean that I am finally ready to quit. That and I enjoy the PV.

I have also found out that the 555 and Desert Joe, 18mg just isn't doing it for me. Not real fond of the taste. My new order, once it gets here will take care of that though.

ONWARD & UPWARD

P.S. Contractions at 2 minutes apart and counting. Come on Baby Boy, get a move on. Grandpa doesn't like waiting for anything. LOL.

 

[Linden]

2 minutes apart? Is this her first child? If not, I bet that it won't be long now if he isn't already here. Congrats grandpa!

 

[Coastie3202]

2 minutes apart? Is this her first child? If not, I bet that it won't be long now if he isn't already here. Congrats grandpa!

Nope, second child. My wife is there helping my daughter, along with the babies daddy. I am here at the house trying to keep track of a 2 year old. Geeze, I had forgotten how quick they are.

Push Momma, for the love of god, push. LOL

 

[JENerationX]

I found that same thing with the tobacco flavors. They didn't do it for me because they didn't taste like a cigarette. Bottom line, nothing really does because it's not burning. Once I left the tobacco flavors behind, cigarettes themselves started tasting awful.

CONGRATS ON THE BABY!!!!! Just think. You can hold that new baby boy without the stench of stale tobacco on you.