New, and snusing

[meditateNbreath]

Well it took me an hour to register, but here I am.

Ive been smoking for 7-8 years, and the last year MAINLY snusing.

However I still find myself going back to smoking, 1-2 a day, and lately more.

I just ordered a Blu starter pack with an extra catridge.

Im okay with snus but I think what really helps me is the breathing. Taking time to just breath.

So Im a pretty consciencess person. I try smoking on my patio and someone nearby will cough.

Cigarettes help my moods.. snus is good and all but I have a depression tendency..

I just cant wait till I get this ecig so I can do long full inhales and hard exhales. When I smoke, sounds dumb, but I really want to breath and exhale hard and I dont want anyone to know Im smoking so I cant really enjoy it all the time.

I think cigarettes in the past have really helped me in life...because of the breathing.. so I want it back. I never really used to be self-conscious smoking... but it seems nowadays people are so against it it just pervades my conscienceness.. i can sorta get past it.

I know they say ecigs dont have the stuff that helps depression (maois), but Im curious if this ecig will help me.

I did have a username on this site before, and was pretty active.. I had an ecig but didnt notice much so went back to smoking.

Oh well, this is a 100 dollar experiment.

I just want to be able to "smoke" inside, away from negative antismokers.

I wonder if this will help!

Thanks for reading!

 

[BlueMoods]

I hear you, me too on the depression. Now logically I know vaping is simply having a placebo effect on that, aside form the mild stimulant effect of the nicotine, but, it works for me. Hey if a placebo effect does the trick, who cares, it beats smoking and it sure as anything beats psych drugs.

 

[meditateNbreath]

BlueMoods,

So your saying vaping works for the big D (depression).

Maybe its simply by taking nice deep breaths to get through the day.

 

[Susiejo]

Nic seems to help my depression, even in ecig form.
Here's an article about a study done on the link between nic and lower depression levels:

Nicotine Lessens Symptoms of Depression in Nonsmokers - DukeHealth.org

 

[evilfrog]

Swedish snus, not the camel crap?
Plenty of nic (and wta) in the Swedish stuff, through you could get some strong or extra-strong...

If you just need the smoking act, then try a cig-alike - but you can probably do better then blu. Volt maybe? I see a lot of erolls mentioned on here as well. Anyway, maybe the blu will be enough since you're getting most of what you need from snus....
You might consider looking up a B&M or two in you area to see what's out there. Ego twist with Evod seems most popular these days.

If you want to talk snus with other snus users here: Smokeless tobacco

 

[meditateNbreath]

I just saw the commercial on tv..

And didnt want to research much.

We'll see how it works..

I think its possible its just the breathing aspect that helps my mind, or the mysterious nitrates in tobacco smoke.

Because although snus helps, it doesnt seem to always cut it. Then again smoking isnt 100% way of getting rid of depression either. Ive just dealt with depression practically my whole life and smoking basically eradicated it most of the time.

Snus helps, and is so easy, but it doesnt seem to be holding up

Im just wondering if the ecig will work, since deep breaths stimulate the vagus nerve. Lol.. no idea.

Im not against smoking its just smoking a pack a day REALLY starts getting to me.

Hehe. But thats why i like snus.

 

[BlueMoods]

Don't forget you can put other flavors in an e-cig that we know help, like chocolate too so, if vaping isn't quite enough, maybe vaping chocolate with nicotine in it will be.

 

[Orb Skewer]

Plus 1 for all the good advice given above-including the comment from Evilfrog re the Blu, $100 would buy some great hassle free and less frustrating kit (but each to their own.
As for the stress-a digression I'm afraid--
If breathing exercises help you then seek out other avenues, exercise releases endorphine and other feel good hormones, an exercise can be as subtle as Tai chi (a local class or plenty on youtube/interwebs), yogic breathing exercises, or something more lung thrashing (this will of course depend on your physical condition) like badminton/swimming/base jumping etc etc.
While waiting on your 'kit' from the mailman (this bit can be mood elevating ) try breathing in and out through a drinking straw (advice given to me when I did major incident training/first aid).

Swedish snus is said to be 'cleaner' than others because it's pasteurised ?? cannot make comment on that 100%.
And last bit of advice-if you want a cigarette-then have one, the evidence that they kill people is quite weak (if you look into it), I'm not promoting it in any way, not smoking is better than smoking-thats a 'no brainer'.

Let us know how your doing after you've got your vaping gear-there are lots and lots out there like you-most will probably read/lurk and not have the bravery you have shown in posting up your dilema-they will be looking out for you and how your getting on.
And keep on keeping on

 

[SFBrianT]

Don't forget to breath. Breathing is very important.

 

[tinkrrrbell]

I tried a disposable e-cig, similar to Blu, as well as sampled some of my friend's blu flavors to see what they were like. I'm not a fan. It looks like a good deal because you can get a variety of flavors and an extra battery in one compact package, but the experience was not nearly as pleasant, at least for me. It also reminded me too much of analogs because of the size of the product and the "pack" concept.

I've used snus before on flights to get me through, but that was when I was a smoker. I know I've only been tobacco free for a few weeks, but I can't imagine the taste of it now.

I've got a evod clearomizer with an eGo battery and I really like it. It's simple and sleek. I can easily see how much juice I'm putting in and when I'm running low.

Either way, congrats on making the switch!

 

[Hoofhearted62]

congrats on trying the switch

 

[Levitys]

I tried the Blu ecigs and hated them.
If your looking for a "Big hit" You will not get it from the Blu Ecigs.
You should definitely look into a something more advanced (and cheaper) like an eGo if thats what you want.

I'm still debating whether or not I consider using a Blu ecig "vaping" or not.

Good Luck Brother!

 

[glowplug]

I think you might be happy with the blu, but I have read a lot of people that pretty quickly went to an eGo or something like that. I love my eGos and my new ZMax. I tried the "cig a likes" a few years ago and it was a dismal, expensive failure for me. Operative words: "for me".

I took Chantix in about 2007 I think. Went into a tail spin of depression and anxiety. Family almost kicked me out! I did quit smoking for two years however. Then I started again. I was put on an antidepressant during the Chantix debacle. I now take Cymbalta for depression (I suppose I still have it?) and for fibromyalgia. I really don't do well with the pain if I don't take the Cymbalta. I am very lucky, Cymbalta does not have side effects for me so I have found an acceptable solution to the fibro and depression.

I quit smoking and started vaping about three months ago. I have not noticed any increase in depression whatsoever. I do have some insomnia but I can directly relate that to the nicotine I vape before bed. If I use my 6mg and 0mg juices mixed about half and half, I sleep just fine! I do not use the WTA (whole tobacco alkaloids) juices although I have read that they contain more of the same chemicals that cigarette smoke has. Maybe this will be a good alternative for you if vaping regular juices doesn't work. There are blogs as well as other references to WTA throughout this forum.

Depression just sucks. I know and I feel for you. Remember the herbals are pretty darn good for minor depression. St. John's Wort has been researched extensively and there are some very good reports.

FWIW, I find myself more motivated and able to do things since I switched to vaping. I thinks some of it is the increased ability to breath. Some of it might just be the lack of all the crap in cigarettes. I just know it works for me and I hope it will work for you!

 

[tinkrrrbell]

I'm still debating whether or not I consider using a Blu ecig "vaping" or not.
Good Luck Brother!

I'm not the only one who's had that thought? The feel is totally different. I know people who have them dig it but, I don't think it's even close to the same thing - totally different mouth feel and overall experience.

 

[Jazzi Mike]

I had a stroke at 24 and started to go into a deep depression after I got out of the hospital. Obviously, my stroke put the fear of God into me in terms of me putting my 2PAD smoking habit to rest, so I took up snus and nasal snuff. I had tried e cigs in the past, but I got ripped off with those Smoking Everywhere stupid things.

I still use snus (I have a ton of it left over). My intention was to use snus and smoke my ecig sometimes. I now smoke my APV 95% of the time and only use snus when I can't vape. You might like it so much you stop snusing!

 

[meditateNbreath]

Yeah it would be cool if ecigs work.

I do have back pain from a weightlifting injury. I really think that is helping increase depression since i think depression is pain related. Mental and physical pain just intermingle.

I like smoking but Im kinda just snusing during the day and smoking at night right now.

 

[kotobide]

I had a similar journey from regs i started with real snus not the American junk its as bad as chew for you.

Im a big believer in harm reduction and snus was giving me my nic without a lot of the dangers of smoking tobacco and that is how i see vaping as a harm reduction not as a healthy choice but as a much more reduced way to enjoy my nicotine habit.

 

[mkbilbo]

I hear you, me too on the depression. Now logically I know vaping is simply having a placebo effect on that, aside form the mild stimulant effect of the nicotine, but, it works for me. Hey if a placebo effect does the trick, who cares, it beats smoking and it sure as anything beats psych drugs.

It's not necessarily a placebo effect. I've run into such as what Susiejo posted. That nic may actually help. And that may play a part in people taking up and being unable to quit smoking. Though it didn't work at all for me, it was interesting that the anti-depressant Wellbutrin had--as a "side effect"--people quitting smoking (hence being repackaged as "Zyban").

I've been on an SSRI almost twenty years now. Depression runs in my family. It's been just forever since I had serious, clinical level depression but I still did notice an improvement in my mood overall as I switched off cigs and onto vaping. I suspect losing the negative effects of smoking but keeping the nic (which has its positive effects) accounts for much of it.

If nothing else, dumping the negative drag on your health that cigs are makes you feel better and that can certainly help...

 

[mkbilbo]

I just saw the commercial on tv..

And didnt want to research much.

We'll see how it works.

Blu works for some but not many. May be fine for you. However, do keep in mind if it doesn't work, there are other alternatives out there. Blu ain't the only game in town.

I started with them. Cut way, way back on my smoking using them. But couldn't get to full "quit" with 'em. Still, got me started in vaping and I'm not sure I would even be here if I hadn't tried Blu and gone looking for something better...

 

[indoorsindica]

Blus are just convenient

Everyone starts somewhere. Although you could have skipped a couple chapters and gone with a cheap variable voltage battery, a couple tanks and cartomizers with some liquid for about the same maybe less. Highly suggest some of the YouTube review videos like grimmgreen or indoorsmokers or pbusardo, any of their videos will help you take the next leap.You can read all day and night but I find the videos really help make sense of things.