New to just about everything ecig -- looking for opinions on getting off regular cigs

[Ajsin11950]

How's it going folks...

I'm a 33 year old guy from Long Island New York and I've been smoking between 1-2 packs a day since I'm 13.

Last Christmas my sister had gotten me one of those Kanger 510 style starter kits and kind of introduced me to vaping. Since then I had been using it here and there (especially if I was low on regular cigs) but I wasn't really into any of the flavors I had found and I could kinda take it or leave it..

About a week ago I ran out of cigs and went to vape and noticed it had a pretty horrible taste to it. It had been sitting a while and I didn't even remember how long it had been since I changed the coil so I figured I'd go to the local vape shop, replace it, and see if maybe I could find a juice I liked more then the peanut butter and jelly one I was using. When I got to the shop there were a couple of guys vaping on different devices and the clouds they were blowing out were huge and smelled really good. I talked to the guy behind the counter and after I told him that I had tried maybe 2 dozen different juices or so but really haven't found any that I thought were better then passable, he told me that he thought the reason I was having such an issue was a combination between the device I was using and the nicotine strength of the juices I was buying. Up until that point I had only used the Kanger with 18mg juices. He brought out a RDA unit (first time I'd ever seen one) and dripped a 6mg rocket pop flavored juice on it and had me try it. I thought it was amazing. According to him, If I was using a different device that could deliver (much) more smoke, better flavor, and just an all around better vape it would enable me to use a lower mg nicotine because I'd be getting more per vape. I wasn't really trying to quit smoking completely but I figured if I could cut down some it wouldn't be bad.

Anyway, after talking back and forth with him for like an hour and a half I ended up getting a new unit.. He definitely like sold the hell outta me but it was ok, I googled what he was suggesting while I was there and he was definitely giving me good prices and none of the reviews looked bad so I just went with it. I ended up getting an IPV 400, a Smok TFV8, and a 6mg Dragonfruit & Black Cherry juice. I Love It. It tastes great and just does everything it's supposed to do very well.

I apologize, I didn't mean for the length of this to be as long as it is already but now that you've got the background info my question is this: In your experience do you guys think a 6mg nic juice is really going to be enough to help me completely get off regular cigs? That wasn't even my intent in the beginning but now that I have a juice I can vape all day and enjoy and a device that really works well for me I can understand why people like it so much and are able to. I find myself going like 2 or 3 hours vaping and not even thinking about cigs in the meantime but I haven't committed myself to actually trying to stop yet. I think the vaping will help a lot and it definitely tastes better with the lower nic but I don't want to make it much more difficult for myself then it needs to be either...

What do you guys think?

 

[gandymarsh]

Welcome to ECF!

You're on the right track. Sounds like some good kit.

Don't kick yourself for still smoking. Keep vaping and you probably will quit. Some folks quit right away but it takes a bit longer for others.

Ask any questions you want here. We're all willing to help.

 

[r77r7r]

Welcome. What settings do you have your mod set at?

 

[djsvapour]

I think....

Many of us quit on 'old' tech gear (even if those useless cig-a-likes didn't quite do the job, despite the BS marketing).

We used 24mg, 18mg, some old hands even started on 36mg. Some even still vape 24 or 36.

Anyway.... 6mg at six, eight, ten! times the power of 24mg back in 2012 should be plenty.

 

[cdf294]

Gandymarsh is correct, you are definitely on the right track.

A little background about myself and my wife's vaping experience. I was a 30+ year smoker at around 2 packs per day and the wife was about a pack a day smoker for a similar amount of years. I had wanted to quit smoking for several years and tried all of the pharma options but nothing worked for me. I decided to try vaping as a last ditch effort and decided that the wife should also try it. We purchased some ego devices and I stopped smoking immediately, of course the desire to quit analogs was very strong for me, not so much for my wife. We both started at 24mg nic although I dropped to 12 almost overnight, after purchasing better gear.
As stated, I stopped smoking immediately while my wife did not. The ego setup just wasn't doing it for her. Since I knew that vaping was the key to my success, I started investing in better devices. The wife did cut herself back to around 1/2 pack a day for a couple months but never made any further progress with the ego. Well, I decided to buy her a better device (Provari) at which point she got herself down to 2-3 analogs a day for the first month or so. Once she found a juice that she enjoyed, she completely stopped the tobacco. I am now vaping between 0-1.5mg while the wife is still vaping 6mg.

Just give it time now that you have a better device and once you find the juices you are happy with, you will succeed. If you find 6mg just isn't keeping your desire to smoke at bay, make an incremental increase in nic and see if that helps.
I have some devices that make me dizzy at 1.5mg and others that are great at the same nic content.

 

[Bonskibon]

Hi and welcome! Great reading your post and looks like you got a decent set up. As far as quitting, just keep vaping and like many of us here cigarettes will just fade away. 6mg juice is what I use, and I chain vape. I keep a 12mg. tobacco flavored simple ego setup for those times I need the extra hit. Any cigarette you don't smoke is a victory.

 

[bnrkwest]

Welcome and congrats on your new gear Finding a good flavor is a win/win!

 

[ghola1was]

Hello, Ajsin11950, and welcome to ECF. Congratulations on deciding to quit the smokes! As you can see, there are many friendly folks here willing to help.

I think that once you commit to the quit, you will be able to do it. You have the equipment, you have the juice, you have the desire. Go for it!

 

[Grimwald]

I was a 40 year very heavy chain smoker. My biggest hurdle was liquid (both flavor and strength). Yeah, I was using 2012 style equipment, but I quit smoking within 3 days. However, my sense of taste changed several times...ornery little critters, those taste buds. And, I had to adjust the nic level often. Once you think you have everything dialed in, your body changes and your taste buds rebel.

 

[daviedog]

If you can go 3 hrs vaping without a smoke, you can go 6, 12, A DAY!

 

[DingerCPA]

How's it going folks...

I'm a 33 year old guy from Long Island New York and I've been smoking between 1-2 packs a day since I'm 13.

Last Christmas my sister had gotten me one of those Kanger 510 style starter kits and kind of introduced me to vaping. Since then I had been using it here and there (especially if I was low on regular cigs) but I wasn't really into any of the flavors I had found and I could kinda take it or leave it..

About a week ago I ran out of cigs and went to vape and noticed it had a pretty horrible taste to it. It had been sitting a while and I didn't even remember how long it had been since I changed the coil so I figured I'd go to the local vape shop, replace it, and see if maybe I could find a juice I liked more then the peanut butter and jelly one I was using. When I got to the shop there were a couple of guys vaping on different devices and the clouds they were blowing out were huge and smelled really good. I talked to the guy behind the counter and after I told him that I had tried maybe 2 dozen different juices or so but really haven't found any that I thought were better then passable, he told me that he thought the reason I was having such an issue was a combination between the device I was using and the nicotine strength of the juices I was buying. Up until that point I had only used the Kanger with 18mg juices. He brought out a RDA unit (first time I'd ever seen one) and dripped a 6mg rocket pop flavored juice on it and had me try it. I thought it was amazing. According to him, If I was using a different device that could deliver (much) more smoke, better flavor, and just an all around better vape it would enable me to use a lower mg nicotine because I'd be getting more per vape. I wasn't really trying to quit smoking completely but I figured if I could cut down some it wouldn't be bad.

Anyway, after talking back and forth with him for like an hour and a half I ended up getting a new unit.. He definitely like sold the hell outta me but it was ok, I googled what he was suggesting while I was there and he was definitely giving me good prices and none of the reviews looked bad so I just went with it. I ended up getting an IPV 400, a Smok TFV8, and a 6mg Dragonfruit & Black Cherry juice. I Love It. It tastes great and just does everything it's supposed to do very well.

I apologize, I didn't mean for the length of this to be as long as it is already but now that you've got the background info my question is this: In your experience do you guys think a 6mg nic juice is really going to be enough to help me completely get off regular cigs? That wasn't even my intent in the beginning but now that I have a juice I can vape all day and enjoy and a device that really works well for me I can understand why people like it so much and are able to. I find myself going like 2 or 3 hours vaping and not even thinking about cigs in the meantime but I haven't committed myself to actually trying to stop yet. I think the vaping will help a lot and it definitely tastes better with the lower nic but I don't want to make it much more difficult for myself then it needs to be either...

What do you guys think?

Welcome!

Everyone's journey is different - as others have already mentioned. With the higher-powered units and the heavier-duty tanks, lower mg juice would be reasonable. You'll feel it, if you overdo it. Dizzy, nauseous - that's the beginnings of what is called "nic sick"

I had my mod in my hand ALL THE TIME when I first quit smoking. I was using 8-10 mg juices, even with older/less powerful equipment. THAT was sufficient for me. I'm down to about 6mg, and I run it in all kinds of devices.

YOU will know if it's working for you. If not, grab something a bit stronger and use that during the more intense cravings. Back off for "normal" usage.

Good Luck

 

[RainSong]

As soon as I had a device and liquid that worked for me I no longer had any desire to light a cigarette. I don't want that stench on my hands or face ever again. It was pretty much overnight for me, once I had the right device and juice. Reading on this forum was a great help to me, as well as having a good B&M store to go to. I was a pack a day or more smoker for the better part of 25 years. I use mostly 6mg juice but also have a bottle of 12mg if I need it. As far as flavors, it was suggested to me that you can also use an unflavored juice in your desired strength. I'll also be looking into DIY juice crafting, once I have some more experience and some funds to set up for it. Good luck to you on your journey! I'm now trying to get my husband to give up the stinkies in favor of vaping.

 

[RainSong]

The best advice I received, over and over again, is to have back ups, as far as hardware goes and to find a great all day vape juice that you like.

 

[Heatingman]

Op,
I was smoking at that level up to about a week and a half ago. I am using 6 mg nicotine strength, and as soon as I set it up, I was able to stop and never looked back. Obviously its only been a week or so, so who knows for sure. But, I still even have a 1/2 pack that stares me in the face when Im driving to work and have not even been temped. All you really need now is to make up your mind that you actually want to make the changw and quit. You do that and you'll be good to go. If you say to yourself maybe I will, then you wont. Like anything else that you want in life, you need to decide 100%. When you do, you will be succesfull.

Good luck

 

[BrotherBob]

Welcome and glad you joined.

I find myself going like 2 or 3 hours vaping and not even thinking about cigs in the meantime but I haven't committed myself to actually trying to stop yet. I think the vaping will help a lot and it definitely tastes better with the lower nic but I don't want to make it much more difficult for myself then it needs to be either

After vaping a while, I bet you will start to feel so much better and your mouth will not taste like a dirty ash trey all the time.
Might like to read:
Beginner | Guide To Vaping
ECigarette Academy: Essential Need to Know for New Vapers
One Stop Reference Shop For New and Experienced Vapers
Learn About Vaping Here - Everything Ecigs - From Beginner To Advanced
http://onvaping.com/guide/beginners...cig-battery-basics-cig-a-likes-egos-and-mods/
(10) Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods | E-Cigarette Forum
(1) Proper Terminology - Is it a carto, a tank, or what? A Guide to Juice Attachments. | E-Cigarette Forum
(4) Good Starter Setups for a Beginning Vapor | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[mcclintock]

Op,
I was smoking at that level up to about a week and a half ago. I am using 6 mg nicotine strength, and as soon as I set it up, I was able to stop and never looked back. Obviously its only been a week or so, so who knows for sure. But, I still even have a 1/2 pack that stares me in the face when Im driving to work and have not even been temped. All you really need now is to make up your mind that you actually want to make the changw and quit. You do that and you'll be good to go. If you say to yourself maybe I will, then you wont. Like anything else that you want in life, you need to decide 100%. When you do, you will be succesfull.

Good luck

I'm glad no one told me that. I wasn't capable of making that decision when I was a smoker, I had to just try it and see how it went, allow the way I thought about smoking to slowly change. The important thing is to not give up, such as when someone tells you it's easy and it doesn't seem that way at all. Also, some people will just not feel good if they immediately quit, at least unless they use WTA (whole tobacco alkaloid) ejuice. I got headaches either from having only pure nicotine or excessive nicotine consumed due to it being insufficient in its pure form. Progress was often so slow as to be invisible, but I didn't give up, not so much from some kind of faith as that I wasn't in a terrible place just not there yet. Not trying to give an excuse to dual use unnecessarily, but people ARE different. A transition of a few weeks or even many months is a short time in the scheme of things. I did have the advantage that I found easily and early on that I really loved a good vape, I just didn't see what that had to do with smoking or stopping it.

Edit/P.S.: I'm saying what not to say, but still don't know what TO say. I know several I've tried to get to switch, 2 I've given equipment to. A common thread seems to be they claim to NOT like smoking and yet want something that tastes exactly the same, and then start talking about quitting altogether but they keep on smoking. The important things are find something you really like, no half measures, and keep on vaping despite setbacks.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

I switched overnight. I had my simple tank filled, actually three, and batteries charged. As soon as I woke up, I vaped as my body needed. I mostly noticed my mouth/gums yelling for it. I took about 4-6 draws and put it down until I felt the need again. I found that I needed it about every 45 minutes...just like a cig.

Anyway, I did that through the morning and in the early afternoon, realized that I didn't need a cigarette, I just needed to vape. I didn't care about taste, clouds, nothing. I WANTED to get away from cigarettes. At work, I just kept it in my pocket and extra stuff in the car. Oh, have back-ups. Let their be no excuse for getting a cigarette.

My vaporizer, and spares, were always close by.

 

[Ajsin11950]

Wow- thanks everyone for all the replies, advice, and support.. I'm sorry it took me so long to get back, got pretty busy at work Saturday and yesterday I had a 12 hour shift at my regular job then 6 hours doing service and support so by the time I got home I pretty much just crashed.

I'm definitely thinking you're all probably right, as soon as I really decide to quit I don't think I'm going to have much trouble. Yesterday really without any effort I smoked a total of 4 reg cigs. One as soon as I woke up and then one after each meal. I ended up with like a 20 min headache after each cig I smoked (besides the one when I first woke up) so that kinda makes me think the vaping is covering the need for nic.

I've had the ipv400 set to around 94w most of the time and that seems pretty good.. the coil I'm using is the same as the one that comes with the tfv8, it says 0.15ohm, 50-180w, best 90-150w on it so I guess maybe I'm keeping it set a little on the low side? Either way, it tastes good and is comfortable for me at that setting with the air flow all the way open.

I really like the dragonfruit black cherry juice I've been using like non-stop too so that's good. I've got the day off today though so I'm thinking when it stops pouring I'm gonna go up to the local shop and pick up another something to have as a back up just to be safe... I might take the advice of putting a slightly higher nic tobacco flavor in that one just in case I feel like I need it. I'm really not liking making myself smell again and definitely not liking getting a headache from smoking after going hours and hours without a regular cig; so I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and go straight to my IPV400, gonna finally cut the regular cigs out completely.

I don't know if I want to blow that much cash on another IPV400 and TFV8, although I might, I really like this thing lol.. what do you guys think would be a decent unit for a backup?

Thanks again

 

[Baditude]

I don't know if I want to blow that much cash on another IPV400 and TFV8, although I might, I really like this thing lol.. what do you guys think would be a decent unit for a backup?

I think you definitely need some sort of backup device.

You can't vape if you don't have a working battery device with charged batteries, a working juice attachment (tank or dripper), and e-liquid. Don't give yourself a reason to buy another pack of cigs because your ecig is suddenly not working. Have a backup for everything that you use to vape.

There's a bunch of regulated mods on the market for under $50. A bunch of different tanks on the market for under $30. Don't allow yourself to get low on e-liquid; maybe find another favorite flavor in case your favorite is sold out. Brother Bob has links to my blogs on different gear to consider.

 

[RainSong]

Wow- thanks everyone for all the replies, advice, and support.. I'm sorry it took me so long to get back, got pretty busy at work Saturday and yesterday I had a 12 hour shift at my regular job then 6 hours doing service and support so by the time I got home I pretty much just crashed.

I'm definitely thinking you're all probably right, as soon as I really decide to quit I don't think I'm going to have much trouble. Yesterday really without any effort I smoked a total of 4 reg cigs. One as soon as I woke up and then one after each meal. I ended up with like a 20 min headache after each cig I smoked (besides the one when I first woke up) so that kinda makes me think the vaping is covering the need for nic.

I've had the ipv400 set to around 94w most of the time and that seems pretty good.. the coil I'm using is the same as the one that comes with the tfv8, it says 0.15ohm, 50-180w, best 90-150w on it so I guess maybe I'm keeping it set a little on the low side? Either way, it tastes good and is comfortable for me at that setting with the air flow all the way open.

I really like the dragonfruit black cherry juice I've been using like non-stop too so that's good. I've got the day off today though so I'm thinking when it stops pouring I'm gonna go up to the local shop and pick up another something to have as a back up just to be safe... I might take the advice of putting a slightly higher nic tobacco flavor in that one just in case I feel like I need it. I'm really not liking making myself smell again and definitely not liking getting a headache from smoking after going hours and hours without a regular cig; so I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and go straight to my IPV400, gonna finally cut the regular cigs out completely.

I don't know if I want to blow that much cash on another IPV400 and TFV8, although I might, I really like this thing lol.. what do you guys think would be a decent unit for a backup?

Thanks again

I'm a newbie myself, using the eleaf iStick nano 40w. It was about $55 at my B&M but I've seen it online for less. I don't have much to compare it to but it helped me quit cigarettes so I'm in love.