Lost my analog virginity... barf...

[StormFinch]

First off, hurrah for Starry for the offer of lozenges and Atty's suggestion of PIF.

Look gang, I know you are trying to help keep still off cigarettes, but please ease up just a little. Jobs are nigh on impossible to find at this point, especially if you're under trained or have a limited work history, doctors want paid up front and ERs charge a full week's wages plus for someone working minimum wage. Medications are sometimes addictive and a lot of the time make you feel worse than what they're treating, and that's if they flipping work at all. I have health problems of my own that I have to live with, not the same as still's, but... I can tell you right now that if I could feel even halfway normal again by lighting up I would do it, even after almost 30 years of smoking and watching two grandmothers die from smoking related diseases. An unknown amount of 'normal' life while playing russian roulette with cigarettes would be better worth it in my own opinion than living into old age with a debilitating condition. And let's face it, we all probably started smoking for a lot more stupid reasons than this.

 

[stillalive]

Yeah, it's bizarre. I've tried literally hundreds of medications, treatments, etc. and nothing worked. I was briefly put on a seizure medicine and it made them much worse and less predictable and I started to get some deadly side effects. I had severe depression nothing would help, I couldn't walk on my own due to joint pain and neurological problems. I had pretty much resigned myself to being sick forever when I decided to try vaping for my ADD and depression... and lo and behold I was suddenly able to walk, and my seizures are a lot more predictable. I wasn't expecting it to help those! It's very lucky that it works, though, because the only place that called me for an interview out of the dozens of places I tried was the restaurant, and I needed/need money so desperately.

I am changing to a desk job but I can't start for another month. I need to eat in the meantime, you know? Hopefully this is the last time it'll ever be an emergency if I can't self-medicate. But it looks like I'll be able to get some things for vaping thanks to the lovely folks in PIF, so I won't have to worry about the gag-worthy analogs for a while. I swear, the past year has been the most difficult I could ever imagine, but it's been a great exercise in learning to ask for help from other people. I don't know why it never occurs to me to say, "hey, I literally have nothing in my fridge except ketchup, could I borrow $20?" I'm learning, I guess.

and on that note, I should probably get some sleep, since I still need at least 10 hours of sleep and I have work in the morning!

 

[TomCatt]

First off, hurrah for Starry for the offer of lozenges and Atty's suggestion of PIF.

Look gang, I know you are trying to help keep still off cigarettes, but please ease up just a little. Jobs are nigh on impossible to find at this point, especially if you're under trained or have a limited work history, doctors want paid up front and ERs charge a full week's wages plus for someone working minimum wage. Medications are sometimes addictive and a lot of the time make you feel worse than what they're treating, and that's if they flipping work at all. I have health problems of my own that I have to live with, not the same as still's, but... I can tell you right now that if I could feel even halfway normal again by lighting up I would do it, even after almost 30 years of smoking and watching two grandmothers die from smoking related diseases. An unknown amount of 'normal' life while playing russian roulette with cigarettes would be better worth it in my own opinion than living into old age with a debilitating condition. And let's face it, we all probably started smoking for a lot more stupid reasons than this.

Yeah what she said .

 

[stillalive]

First off, hurrah for Starry for the offer of lozenges and Atty's suggestion of PIF.

Look gang, I know you are trying to help keep still off cigarettes, but please ease up just a little. Jobs are nigh on impossible to find at this point, especially if you're under trained or have a limited work history, doctors want paid up front and ERs charge a full week's wages plus for someone working minimum wage. Medications are sometimes addictive and a lot of the time make you feel worse than what they're treating, and that's if they flipping work at all. I have health problems of my own that I have to live with, not the same as still's, but... I can tell you right now that if I could feel even halfway normal again by lighting up I would do it, even after almost 30 years of smoking and watching two grandmothers die from smoking related diseases. An unknown amount of 'normal' life while playing russian roulette with cigarettes would be better worth it in my own opinion than living into old age with a debilitating condition. And let's face it, we all probably started smoking for a lot more stupid reasons than this.

Thanks so much for your nice words, StormFinch. You hit the nail exactly on the head; like I said, if cutting off legs or inhaling tar and arsenic is what it takes for me to be able to function even a little better than where I was, I would do it.

Honestly, cancer and emphysema don't even scare me much. I've been through some very comparable stuff (went bald, threw up all the time, lost a bunch of weight, gained a bunch back, had scary treatments, lost most of my immune system, slept all the time-- the whole nine yards), so I know I can handle it, and at least I know I would be able to get disability assistance and insurance if I had either, as awful as that sounds. And it's not that I WANT cancer, but if it's a choice between being as sick/disabled as if I had cancer for my whole long, miserable life and having a shorter but happier life... I mean, that's not even a choice!

BUT luckily it looks like I won't even have to start with analogs, because there are so many wonderful people here. Hopefully I can make the choice to have a long AND happy life.

 

[wdave]

I'm honestly not sure why anyone would CHOOSE analogs over vaping, except of course that you don't have to rely on the effing USPS for that.

Uhh...because I miss the taste of real tobacco? You have my permission to continue both vaping and smoking

 

[JW50]

wdave - Sounds like e-cigs fall a bit short for you. You might look up some Tropical Bob stuff. Seems as if he has tried a gazillion ways to get the nic that he enjoyed when smoking.

 

[Thank You]

i cant believe i just read this.

 

[stillalive]

the package of juices showed up today, but we have confirmation that the cartos are lost forever. Luckily I think someone is going to drop a couple of cartos in the mail for me and my financial situation should improve in a couple of days. Good news!

 

[wdave]

wdave - Sounds like e-cigs fall a bit short for you. You might look up some Tropical Bob stuff. Seems as if he has tried a gazillion ways to get the nic that he enjoyed when smoking.

My observation is that most newbies seem to be more interested in winning a battle against current smokers than they are with vaping. The battle is going on in their heads. Most people don't care one way or another about ecigs. Very few smokers will switch no matter how much you promote ecigs. And smokers comprise such a small percentage of the population in the first place. The idea that we are in a war with smokers is pure fantasy.

 

[JW50]

I am not understanding your meaning here. But on some of items you raise - I tend to think many smokers would prefer not to smoke as long as there is no significant loss of whatever cigs gives them. And what cigs give - varies widely. On few smokers will to switch - I think the snowball is rolling down the hill and it will only get bigger as time passes. Smokers, although not a majority, represent a significant part of our population. I don't find that to be particularly a positive for our society but I believe more accurate than "small percentage". For me, I don't think of suggesting e-cigs as "winning a war" but instead as possibly saving some lives. And, at same time, trying to protect with larger numbers, a substitution method that works for me, reduces harm to me, and that I do not wish government or "saviors" to outlaw or prevent or in any way interfere with my choices I might make. If someone wishes to continue smoking - their right as far as I am concerned. But I am not hesitant to suggest options available that they may be unaware of.

 

[stillalive]

to get slightly back on topic, I saw some of my doctors yesterday and brought up the nicotine/analog thing with them. Both were very supportive, even of the analogs if necessary. I guess it helps that they've been treating me for several years but have felt kind of helpless when it came to actually helping me at all! Anyways, I just thought that was interesting... I suspected them to be okay with the vaping but that I would have to argue in support of the occasional analog in emergencies, but they were both completely fine with it when they heard it worked. Huh.

 

[bobsyeruncle]

That's cool. I guess your doctors understand the pro and cons of smoking vs. living with seizures more than the rest of us do.

 

[dave8944]

If you have some juice you don't really need to vape it. You can absorb nicotine directly through your skin, but be careful as it won't take much and will be MUCH less than you would use vaping. A single droplet of any strength will be more than you need for a fix.

 

[wdave]

But on some of items you raise - I tend to think many smokers would prefer not to smoke as long as there is no significant loss of whatever cigs gives them. And what cigs give - varies widely. On few smokers will to switch - I think the snowball is rolling down the hill and it will only get bigger as time passes. .

You are joking, right?

 

[ElectroDude]

Nicotine addiction is not something to play around with. If you were not already addicted, then get away as fast as you can.

It's not healthy
It's not cool

We chose vaping for the lesser of two evils.

Absolutely... well said!

 

[stillalive]

Absolutely... well said!

I guess it's a good thing I'm not doing it to be healthy or cool, then. Same reason I vape... because even analogs is the lesser of two evils when it comes to the meds I would have to take to function.

 

[prometheus]

If your doctors support it then why do they not prescribe you nicotine?! This sounds very fishy. The last doctor my mother went to offered her several different options for nicotine and they are all covered by medical insurance. One was even a vaporizer type of thing. It vaporized nicotine in PG and you can pick it up at the pharmacy... If your doctor doesn't give you the drug then stay away.

 

[mohawkx]

This thread is so sad for so many reasons. But it was predictable. To understand why, one just has to look at the first post of the Op on ECF to see the progression.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...7-never-smoked-analog-but-vaping-awesome.html

For all those wanting to take up vaping when they have never smoked here is the poster child thread on why not to. And as Prometheus noted, If nicotine were the proper drug for Still's condition, then the drs. would perscribe it. They must have been treating her for a very long time with the physical and psychological problems she has so they know her condition well. To say that self medicating with nicotine is the only solution to her conditions above and beyond her doctor's diagnosis and subsequent methods of treatment is to be self delusional. I have my opinions and I stated them in the second post in the thread I've linked and for me, nothing has changed concerning this issue. I feel great compassion for StillAlive but not for her percieved victimization but for her mindset that has taken her down this road.

 

[stillalive]

Why would a doctor prescribe it? It's OTC. That doesn't make sense. It's like saying "if aspirin really helped, doctors would prescribe it." My doctor recommended nicotine and even the occasional analog just like she recommends things like aspirin. But she'll never prescribe any of them, because they're OTC.

And mohawkx, you can get on your high horse all you want, but you're not the one who went from bedbound to being able to work on your feet. Unless you want to pay my medical bills, rent, groceries, etc., you should probably keep your opinion to yourself. If taking crack helped me function, I would probably do it, but luckily what helps me is legal and not likely to fry my brain. If you don't understand what it's like to be at that point, then pray to the deity of your choice that you never get there-- and don't judge those who have been there and found something to get them out of that situation.

 

[oldsoldier]

Closing this thread at the request of the original poster.