Let me introduce myself....

[rideronthistrain]

Absolutely a vaping newbie. My sole reason for vaping is to quit smoking entirely. I've smoked anywhere from 3/4-1 1/4 packs a day for decades. Never been successful with other smoking cessation products like gum. I've come to the conclusion that it's about the throat hit and having something in my hands that have made other methods unsuccessful for me.

Been thinking about trying vaping for months and on Jan 3rd stopped into a Vape shop mid afternoon on a whim. Talked with 2 other customers there who were former smokers and who both said vaping is what made them stop. So, I took the plunge and bought a Smoove passthrough 650 battery with a Kanger Evod 2 cartomizer (correct me if my terms are incorrect since I'm completely uneducated on all the terms, parts etc). Started with 18ml of nicotine menthol juice (smoke menthols). So far happy with the system since I get a good draw out of this system.

1st night smoked 5 cigarettes (haven't a clue how many I smoked that day before I bought the system). Second day 9 cigarettes, yesterday 8 cigarettes and today so far have only smoked 1.5 cigarettes. First 2 days I was mentally consumed with when my next cigarette would be smoked (I set time limits) but today which is Day 4 I find myself not thinking about it so much and going way beyond the time limit I set for my next smoke. Also finding they don't taste as good as they used to. I have about a pack and a half left and don't plan on buying anymore.

So, I'm optimistic that this is the method that will finally get me off of cigarettes for good. I won't start ramping down the juice until I'm completely off of analogs.

Luckily in spite of my habit I have no health issues and am fairly active and cycling is my sport. I work at a horse farm for disabled riders which is my post retirement job (retired from VA as a therapist). So a couple questions to board members who quit smoking:

1. How long did it take you to get off cigarettes completely?
2. Am I asking too much of myself by so drastically cutting back and therefore am I setting myself up for failure? I'm just finally at the point where I truly want to quit!

Helpful suggestions welcomed!

 

[Spidey2011]

I actually teetered back and forth. I ran into some equipment issues that sent me back to smokes for a few days, and then I would have one when I got really stressed. Went about two weeks without touching one and then left my vaporizer at home when I went on an overnight trip this weekend. Figured the $6 for a pack of camels was cheaper than $10 for the disposable blu. Smoked 4 cigarettes the whole time I was gone. They were absolutely disgusting to me. Lol. I don't think I could go back to them now even if I wanted to.

 

[Falkor]

Congrats on taking the plunge! Vaping got me off the cigs (been off them almost 3 months now)

The only thing that really caused me to trip up a few times was equipment failure. Make sure you have backup could for your tank and at least one spare battery so you always have a charge.

I found after the first few weeks my desire to smoke cigs just went away as I began to prefer vaping.

I hope it works well for you as well

 

[SuperTaz]

Hello rider and welcome. Congrats to you. I was able to quit after 40+ years smoking when I started vaping. The day I started vaping was the day I had my last cig. So go at your own pace. It's not how many cigs you still smoke that count but the ones you don't!!!! You will get there. After all you already took the first step!! You will find all the support and advice you need here on ECF

 

[rideronthistrain]

Well that is reassuring! I realize I'll need to invest in another setup so I have a backup. Don't think I'd ever forget to bring it on a trip LOL.

 

[rideronthistrain]

Hello rider and welcome. Congrats to you. I was able to quit after 40+ years smoking when I started vaping. The day I started vaping was the day I had my last cig. So go at your own pace. It's not how many cigs you still smoke that count but the ones you don't!!!! You will get there. After all you already took the first step!! You will find all the support and advice you need here on ECF

That's what I have to keep reminding myself of so I don't beat myself up in a weak moment and give up......what counts is what I don't smoke!!!!!! Thanks for that thought.

 

[AndriaD]

Welcome, rider!

I wouldn't say you're doing it too fast, or too slow; just do it at whatever pace is comfortable for you. I was a pk a day smoker, and it took about a month-ish to gradually phase smoking out and vaping in, and after I got to about 5 a day or less, the cigarettes tasted so filthy I couldn't figure out why I was still bothering with them; I smoked ultra-lights for 20+ yrs, so vaping gave me a MUCH better throat hit than the cigarettes did. The thing is, when you do it this way, there is no pressure, just your own free choice, your own preference. Why keep doing something, when you prefer doing a different thing that replaces it? That's really why this method actually *sticks* -- you actually prefer it to smoking; the amount of time for a person to achieve that preference varies wildly -- from the first vape, to multiple years. What the first vape showed me was that it was *possible* so I kept doing it, and kept a tally of how many I smoked each day, and it just kept going down, and down, and down... till the cigarettes just disappeared.

That's not to say that it won't take *some* effort -- to just keep vaping, despite difficulties, and trust me, those "technical difficulties" show up regular as clockwork, so it does take some commitment -- for me, buying a lot of vape gear when I first started was a great way to truly commit, because no way would I waste all that cool shiny stuff by going back to smoking. And the withdrawal from cigarettes isn't linear; after finally quitting, there seem to be hotspots of cravings, depression, anxiety, and other "typical" withdrawal symptoms, according to the "Rule of 3s" - 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months -- something complicated about all the different chemicals in cigarettes and their various half-lives in our bodies. Sometimes knowing about those ahead of time will let you "gird your loins" against them, so they don't ambush you.

Since you seem to be really serious about vaping instead of smoking, I'd say just go with the flow -- whatever feels comfortable and natural to you, because that way when it finally happens, it sticks. Have fun -- because it really IS fun! A lot more fun and interesting that just turning money into ashes!

Welcome to a whole new world!
Andria

 

[Sunburst]

I think I got lucky with my juice choice. I picked a juice that wasn't anything like smokes. It was a peach flavor made for my local shop by a bigger juice firm. I got my nic in a way where I didn't have to have a whole smoke to feel like I wasn't being wasteful. It's only been about three weeks, but I never looked back. I smoked a pack, up to, two packs a day for fifteen years and I have no desire to have another one. I was super dependent on smokes. Don't talk to me before a cup of joe and a smoke, kind of guy. We can't shop for too long in a store lest I get grumpy. Now, I can just excuse myself out the door of the store, take a quick rip and head back in. No need to take 5 minutes to come in smelling bad. I love vaping. I feel like I get to snack or drink whatever I want all day. I'm only limited to the flavors I keep on hand.

My wife, on the other hand, has been a <half a pack smoker for about the same length of time. She's quit multiple times, cold turkey, whenever she's felt like it. She still smokes on breaks at work because she says it helps her time her breaks. I'm not going to get all up in her business for it. That's two cigs a day compared to the 8 or so she used to have. I'm okay with that.

I wish you the best in your transition from cigarettes to vaping. Do it in a way that you're comfortable with. There's no one-size-fits-all answer here.

 

[Jockamo]

Day 4 I find myself not thinking about it so much

That's a good sign.

I too was consumed with when and how I would be able to smoke again. It is such a liberating feeling to relax a bit and just take a puff when you feel you need one. It allowed me to change my habits. Going outside after a meal, grabbing a quick one before getting in the car etc. That for me was the biggest hurdle. I could get all the nicotine I could handle with the Evod and 24mg liquid.

Getting a backup is important. You don't want a failure or dead battery to drive you back to the stinkys at this point. If you keep on this path you're likely to be smoke free a lot sooner then you expected. I know I was. A bag of roll your own was on top off my fridge for a month just in case but I never needed it. After 7 months without a cig I have no desire to smoke even if I'm around friends that are smoking.

 

[ScandaLeX]

Welcome & Congrats to you!!!! ​

We all fare differently so don't take our experiences as expectations for yourself. Take one day at a time & if you should happen to find yourself lighting up a cigarette, don't kick yourself for it. What's important is you're smoking less.

As someone else mentioned, get yourself a backup. Personally I've never liked callind additional devices backups- I see them merely as additions topped with a different juice. This will ensure yo have something to vape while the other is charging & a different flavor means your tongue won't get bored vaping the same ole thing resulting in vapers tongue (you can taste food- not your juices).

AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!!!!!!!

Vaping will dehydrate ya!

 

[drunkenbatman]

1. How long did it take you to get off cigarettes completely?

For the most part, a few days. But I had already cut down to just a few a day trying to quit so vaping was like someone going off a diet and showing up at the buffet for me.

2. Am I asking too much of myself by so drastically cutting back and therefore am I setting myself up for failure? I'm just finally at the point where I truly want to quit!

Nope, not at all. Just make sure you have a high enough nic that you have the physical side satisfied, and experimenting with flavors can really help the mental.

 

[rideronthistrain]

Thank you all for the advice and sharing your own experiences. It's reassuring to know that I need to do it my way. I know I need to stay committed but like Andria, from the first vape 4 days ago I knew quitting was now a realistic possibility for me! I have to stay committed and these past 4 days haven't been easy but I've been firm with myself. Today is the first day I'm "letting go". It's now 5:30pm and I've only had 2 cigs! I do live alone so when I'm home that is the hardest time for me not to smoke but I've been home all day long and only 2 cigs so far! This is the first time I realistically feel that I can kick those butts.

 

[philoshop]

Sounds like you're doing great Rider. Welcome to ECF!

 

[2naphish]

welcome to the ECF. if you really want to quit smoking this is the single easiest way. best of luck becoming a quitter.

 

[musicmanryann]

Everyone is different, and it is totally ok to supplement cigarettes if you feel the need. It took me three days to go cigarette free when I started. I fell in love with vaping immediately and focused on enjoying the experience of it, and that helped me tremendously. For many, finding that juice flavor you can't get enough of really helps so I would recommend trying a bunch of different flavors to find something that "pops" for you. It sounds like you are a the right nic level for how much you were were smoking so that wasn't an issue, but if you find your juice isn't cutting your cravings, you may try to up the nic level a bit. This helped me get off the stinkies as well. Beast of luck and congrats on your new adventure!

 

[dgm76513]

Took me a couple years. Didn't quit dual using till I got into dripping.

Take your time. It'll happen. You don't even need to try. Trying induces stress.

Also, don't be discouraged if you fall off the wagon a couple times. It happens to the best of us.

I haven't had a cigarette, or even a craving for one since June 1, 2012.

Best of luck to you!

 

[rideronthistrain]

I'm doing well, only one cig today. Stopped into the Vape shop and got two flavors since people have advised me to try some. I'm now vaping watermelon with menthol in it and I like it! Haven't tried the Apple with menthol yet. I don't like sweet but so far the watermelon is really pleasant!

 

[Sunburst]

My wife has a watermelon and honeydew vape (Mountain Oak Vapors - Water Malone) that I absolutely adore. I steal tokes when she's not around, lol. I'll be ordering another bottle or two when hers is empty.