My Story, Ordering My First E-Cig!

[deathyon]

Hello everyone!

I tried my first cigarette when I was 14, by 18 I was a regular smoker. Started out at about a pack a week, but quickly moved up to 1/2 - full pack of newport 100s a day. Even at 22 I've already got a few failed attempts to quit under my belt, the longest I managed to go on will power alone was about 1 month.

Some time in the past couple of years my body started coughing up some brownish ick every once in a while, but during my most recent quit attempt I noticed this happening about 1-2 times a day. I find that pretty scary considering my age, so I finally decided to go ahead and give electronics a try.

I bought an njoy King menthol at the drug store to get my feet wet, and to be honest it wasn't too bad. These disposables are incredibly well designed as far as imitating the look and feel of a real cigarette, and the vapor had a nice taste that seemed to scratched the itch for a smoke. Their battery life however was extremely disappointing and I felt pretty ripped off after paying $8 to replace about ~6-8 real cigarettes when their package claims 2 full packs! Inevitably I was back at the store buying a pack of Newports by the end of the night..

However, I couldn't help feeling bad about buying that pack, so I finally decided to bite the bullet and order my first real e-cig. I had been kicking the idea around again the past few days, and once I was confident I had enough information to make a good choice I placed an order at caterpillarvapes(anyone have anything good/bad to say about them?). Their kits didn't seem too bad at all for the price, but in the end I decided not to go with a kit and instead just order exactly what I want/need.

Here's what is in the mail:

1 eGo 900 mAh passthrough style battery /w cable
1 CE5 Clearomizer tank (holds 1.6ml, 2.4 Ohm replaceable coil heads)
1 2.4 Ohm Replacement coil head
1 30ml Hangsen Menthol Full Flavor(22mg/2.2%)

Came out to just under $30, shipping included.

Pretty anxious for my package to arrive.. I hope I made a good choice and found a fair deal. I couldn't find very clear answers for how long the atomizers typically last, or roughly how many cigarettes 30ml of juice could replace, but if 2 atomizers and 30ml juice can last me about 2 weeks I'll have already broke even..

If anyone wants to weigh-in and reassure me, or point me in a better direction, I would really appreciate some feedback!
Anyways, here's to a healthier life without cigarettes!
-Deathyon

 

[BostLabs]

Welcome Deathyon!

I've been at this about 5 weeks now. I have yet to lose a coil on my Kanger T3's.
I haven't gone through a 30 ml bottle yet, but I keep changing out my flavors (getting a good selection going on).

I did go through a 20 ml bottle of Ice Mint (18mg) (not really menthol but darn tasty) in a week. And that was pretty much vaping a lot.
If I vape only one flavor out of a single T3 it will get me through the work day.

HTH!

 

[Chad Olmsted]

Sounds like you got a prety good deal. I started out in a very similar fashion. I was a pack and a half to two pack a day smoker 4 months ago. First off, stick with vaping, YOU CAN DO IT! Recommendations: Get an extra battery as a back up. Stay on here and talk to other vapors about what they like. This community sticks together and most people are more than willing to express their opinions! Watch some reviews on YouTube. I HIGHLY suggest PBusardo or GrimmGreen. I have literally wachted counltess hours of their reviews and learned an immense amount of information from them. Stay strong and vape on!!!

 

[djsvapour]

Well done! I'm sure you'll do well with the kit. CE5 on an ego battery is good.

I often read posts about the disappointment of small look-a-like e-cigarettes. Claims about "40 cigarettes or 2 packs-worth", all that business and I just wonder....

If we are still vaping a few years from now (it doesn't get banned or effectively banned) will the big companies that sell these products EVER get pulled up for the complete BS they talk in their marketing?

In England, we have a small group of 4 or 5 brands all looking to make £millions by selling mini e-cigs. How long can the public go on buying such disappointing products before everyone sees through this nonsense.

Anyway, I find the atomiser heads on clearomisers don't last very long. If I was using only 1 (I usually have 4 or 5 filled, to choose between flavours) even 4 or 5 days would be an achievement. Depending on the juice, I would expect to swap out the heads quite often. Certain flavours gunk up the coils pretty fast. A good menthol could last a week or two. A strong tobacco-type, only 2-3 days.

30ml of juice can last a long time. That's around 2 weeks for me. If I puff 20 times a day, I suppose it's replaced my old habit of 15 cigarettes a day, so that's 200 equivalent. But everyone's different.

 

[DC2]

You might want to start planning to buy more juice...
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/polls/153112-how-much-juice-do-you-use-per-day.html

 

[BostLabs]

I guess I should note that I have several Kanger T3's (like 7. 3 are out on loan right now with a couple of eGo T batteries to a friend who I hope is trying them. )

So take my 'success' with my coils/heads with a grain of salt.

You are on the right path my friend. Someone will always be here to help if your path gets rocky.

 

[Baditude]

Congrats on not giving up on vaping.

Luck may be with you this time as you have found an excellent resource of information right here with experienced vapors more than willing to give you pratical advice and support. As you found out with the "ciga-alikes" from N-Joy, the smaller batteries just don't keep up with most of our demands. The eGo batteries generally provide a much better vaping experience once you get over their larger size (which is honestly all in your head when you think about it.).

Clearomizers, despite being probably the better first juice delivery device for beginners, are rather hit or miss. Typically they are meant to last 2 -- 4 weeks, but some only last a couple of days and some might last over a month. Luckily you got the ones that have the replaceable head which should prolong their usefulness.

I noticed you only got one clearomizer. I can understand only getting one to "test" to see if this vaping thing will work, but once you make the decision to totally quit smoking, you will need backup batteries and backup juice delivery devices and plenty of e-liquid to last until you can receive more. You don't want to not be able to vape to give you an excuse to go back to smoking. Smoking is far too easy. Just buy a pack, light it up, and you are good to go. Vaping requires planning for the present and the future for it to work.

There are several different juice delivery devices that can go on top of your eGo battery. All are a little different in their construction and vape that they produce, and how much juice they can hold. People tend to prefer one over another, and there's no telling which one YOU might prefer until you have tried them out. I've written an article on the more common ones here:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...k-what-primer-juice-delivery-attachments.html
___

Concerning e-liquids, here are some basic facts. Most vapors consume 3 - 6 ml of juice daily. New vapors who smoked 1 ppd should start out with a nicotine strength of 24mg. You won't find a flavor that tastes like a cigarette...it's just not possible (so don't waste money trying to find one). If you were a menthol smoker, you may find a menthol that comes close.

Best to focus on finding a flavor or two that you don't mind vaping all day. This might be a fruit, candy, coffee, or desert flavor. Don't be afraid to try different flavors; you may be surprised what you like. I wasn't a fan of cinnamon candy, but I love cinnamon flavored e-liquid. (see the caution in this link: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...6-something-safe-cinnamon-citrus-flavors.html ).

Best way to find flavors is to purchase sampler packs from online vendors that offer them. You don't want to spend a lot of money on 30 ml of juice and then find out that you can't stand it. Once you find a sampler flavor you like, you can purchase a larger quantity with your next order.

Your taste in flavors will change over time. Years of smoking have damaged your taste buds and many flavors will taste off or be non-existant. Practice exhaling some of your inhaled vapor through your nose, as it can assist your tongue in "tasting" flavors.

Nicotine in vapor is absorbed differently than nicotine in cigarette smoke. Most is absorbed in the mucous membranes of our mouth, throat, and nose. So to best benefit from this, take slow long drags into your mouth...hold for a second or two, and then inhale. Think a straw in a thick milkshake.

If you are not quitting cold turkey with your eGo's, try limiting your daily cig total. Smoke only when you really need to, and then smoke only "half" of a cigarette. Keep that half for later. Eventually those cigs will start to taste bad, and you'll begin to prefer vaping to smoking.

Should you get frustrated and have a tough time, just remember, "It's not the number of cigarettes you end up smoking that count, it's the ones that you don't."

 

[Killowatt]

I still use the ego's I started with, was just OK at first, then got some evods on them, and I love them now. I'll 2nd on getting a 2nd battery, one charging while you vape with the other. As said, try small samples, then get larger bottles of the ones you like. One shop told me to get 80pg/20vg juice, but I like 50/50 better. To each their own with that, and flavors. I started with 18mg nicotine and it works for me, you just have to try, and see what works for you.

This is the place for help, great bunch of people here, we all started at the same place. Keep posting to get past 5 posts, then you can post in the other sections. Good luck to ya.

 

[brock957]

You did ok on your kit. Stick with it. All the cool kids vape. Lol. Vape on.

 

[ElConquistador]

I think you made good choices to get going and see if you're going to like it. Like everyone else said, you'll soon begin to worry what will happen if your battery craps out or your clearomizer quits working, so backups are a good idea. I don't leave the house without a spare charged battery, a small bottle of juice, and a spare clearomizer. Don't want to get caught without them.

 

[wandawag]

order more juice and another battery. those are the 2 things that are needs, not wants. welcome to ecf and enjoy your stay!

 

[candik]

You've gotten some great tips here about another battery, more juice delivery devices and the juice flavor research in the responses to your post. If you find you're not getting the vape that does the trick, keep in mind, different juice delivery devices and different ratios of pg/vg can be just as important as the nic level and flavor. You might even find that flavor isn't for you and decide to vape unflavored. Also,, it can take a bit of adjustment since this isn't quite the same as a cig. I have faith that if you give this a fair chance, it'll work for you as it has for so many others. Welcome to Vapeland and congrats on making such a great choice!

 

[Tila]

Been vaping for 7+ weeks now. Four and a half weeks since I touched my last cigarette!!

I won't comment on hardware as I am still trying to figure all that out myself. I will leave those comments to the veterans. But, I will offer this advice:

1. Be very careful who you purchase from online. In the first month I had my credit card number stolen twice. I narrowed it down to one vendor, but apparently, this happens enough that the common thread of wisdom is to use reloadable Visa cards (or, a Visa gift card) to make online purchases. One vendor I would recommend using is AquaVapor. I have received some great quality products at great prices from them and they ship same day if you place your order in the morning. Plus, I trust them with my credit info.
2. This is an expensive "hobby" to start up. (For the record, I don't consider this a hobby. This is a life saving endeavor.) Anyway, I have probably spent more than half of what I would have spent on smokes for me and my husband in the first 6 - 7 weeks. I have been trying different items (refilling supplies, PCC cases, different juices, etc.) until I found what works for us and our lifestyle. Today, I spent about $100 on juices, cartomizers, needle caps for loading my cartomizers, and a couple of more batteries and spare chargers. But, I expect that should carry us through the next 6 weeks or longer. So, hopefully I will start seeing the true cost savings now.
3. As far as using this as a way to quit smoking, stick with it! This may sound counter-intuitive, but, try a cigarette every few days in the beginning. When we started on the e-cigs, I had a pack that had 15 analogs left in it. In the first 24 hours, I think I smoked 2 of them. Then I went a few days with 1 a day. And, then I went 2 days between for a couple a rounds. Then 4 days and then 5. But, what I found, and my husband experienced the same thing and I have seen numerous people on here state the same experience, is each time I smoked a cigarette, it was nastier than the last time. By the time I got to that last one 2 1/2 weeks later I made myself smoke it (or tried). Gagged and coughed through each drag and gave up after 3. Gross! How did I do that for 30 years?!? And, 20+ times a day? I am finding now that I can't even tolerate the tobacco flavored juices anymore. I'll just stick with my vanilla, mint, and cinnamon. But, you might want to consider trying this approach and see if it works for you. (But, if you find you still like the analogs after a few days, then go cold turkey and don't touch them! Just indulge yourself in the nicotine from vaping.)
4. Enjoy, no revel, the improvements to your health as they start becoming apparent. After 3 days my body all of the sudden felt "clean." After a week, 5 years fell off the age of my skin. My fingernails are stronger. My hair has a natural shine to it that wasn't there before. More importantly, I don't get winded just walking 50 feet or have my heart beating out of my chest because I have carried in a couple of bags of groceries. I have noticed over the past few days I can now smell the Sweetpea flowers that grows wild on the side of the interstate on my drive to and from work. Never noticed them before even though I have made that drive for years. Don't know if because my sense of smell was severely compromised or because the car smelled like smoke (Downside - I can now smell the more unpleasant things in life (like my cat's litter box) I never noticed before but I know was there. Oh well. C'est la vie!)

Tomorrow I plan on trying the stairs at work. The last time I was forced to use them due to a power outage they nearly killed me. I think I will do okay with them now.

Good Luck! You can do it. My stepmother-in-law was a 3 pack a day smoker who continued to smoke even though she was on oxygen for COPD. But, even she quit using e-cigs. Unfortunately, she quit after she was diagnosed with breast/lung cancer and passed away a few moths ago. But, she is proof it can be done! She died smoke-free and that is what she wanted.

 

[Litta'sGabby]

Welcome to ECF! I think you got a great deal on your kit! I am not familiar with the vendor, because I am still new myself. Sorry, I can't help with that. I will echo the comments above about getting another battery and more juice. Oh, and you will LOVE trying out new juices. I love my eGo, I have not had any problems with it. I enjoy clearomizers, and I've only lost 2 in a month. There are videos on YouTube that can help you understand the best way to clean them. I have tried many varieties, and I found I prefer bottom coil or wickless clearomizers. It works for me. Keep strong, use the NJoy or another disposable until your kit arrives. I found that having that disposable came through for me when I got frustrated learning how to vape. It was easy to use that to calm my nerves and figure out if I was doing something wrong. Glad you are here! Let us know when your kit arrives and how it's working for you!

 

[deathyon]

Thank you to everyone who replied for all the information, suggestions, and most of all encouragement!

I know I went with pretty much just the bare minimum commitment for my first purchase, but I was feeling uncertain and being very hesitant to actually complete the order.. and to be honest I was only comfortable to spend what I felt I would piss away on cigarettes within the next week or two anyways. If this works for me though, like I'm hearing it has for so many others, you can bet I will take your advice and get the back ups and other essentials you all suggested for me when I make my next order.

I am hoping to explore the forums for some more information, but right now I feel like I'm hearing a lot more about people using the vapes to quit smoking rather than to give up nicotine all together. I do have a desire to do the latter, but I have a hard time believing I really could.

Although I can't deny that just using the vapes in place of smoking would most likely result in some major harm-reduction at the least, I am unfortunately one of those individuals who is probably susceptible to nicotine's effects on the cardiovascular system.. My grandfather was said to be as high as a 3-4 packs a day smoker, and got very sick when he was still pretty young.. really destroyed his CV system which left him with many complications the rest of his life. Another branch from that side of the family is being studied at one of the universities in Ohio because of a genetic vulnerability to stroke/aneurysm. Don't mean to kill anyone's buzz, but these are things that I have to take into consideration personally.

Tracking says my order should be here by Monday, it shipped out quick and I'm pretty excited. I will be sure to check back in once I get everything and get to try it out.

cheers!

 

[jfalbanese]

keep at it. there is no textbook. trial and error gets you where you are going. everyone is different. looks like you are off to a good start. no backsliding, failure is not an option. and welcome.