Newbe on how to use an e cigarette

[Deckerd]

Hi All,
I'm the new guy on the block. My Name is Cary and I'm soon to be 55 yrs old. I have been smoking pretty much since I was 17.
I have been experimenting with electronic cigarettes since June and still having a hard time giving up the analogs. My biggest stumbling block seems to be chain vaping. With the analog you always hard a start and an end to the cigarette. You light it take puffs on it then it burns down and you put it out. But with vaping you could keep on going until the battery runs down, then put on another battery. So I find that when I'm home I chain vape until I go to bed and this leaves me feeling keyed up.
Is there a certain method to timing your vaping so you puff on it like a regular cigarette then stop? Or take so many puffs and ten stop? Has anyone experimented with this? I'm interested in using e cigs to give up smoking but unless I can develop some sort of system I feel I'm just picking up another habit in addition to smoking. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Cary...

 

[XrisM]

You can just add enough juice to equal maybe 10 to 15 puffs and when that runs out, that is a cigarette. Wait a half hour to an hour and add more juice measuring to the exact same amount as the last time and when that's done, you repeat. It's the best way to do it. Every month you lower the nicotine amount until you use zero. If you are a smoker, the goal is to not use any nicotine and eventually quit ALL inhalant type delivery methods.

 

[Silent Knight]

Hi Cary.

Likewise, I'm 50 and have smoked about 35 years. Started vaping 5 weeks ago, and I know what you mean about the chain vaping. I'm still adjusting to it myself...like you say its different in that you had a start and end to a cigarette. A fellow co-worker (who also vapes) likens it to a baby's pacifier (lol). I tend to think the chain vaping will ease off after awhile and you'll get into a different rhythm with it. I started with a 16mg nic liquid - and moved up to 18mg...and the stronger throat hit seems to have help cut the frequency of craving a vape. Also, using a double coil instead of a single gives a better/stronger vape and throat hit which also might help lower the chain vaping.

Think of it more in terms that you're exchanging one habit (cigs) for another less harmful one. In that, you're already ahead of the game.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[fajuvo]

Hi sorry I'm new but not new to vaping, I started doing it every 2 seconds till i did so much i got sick i only vape about 2-3 ml max a day now and it feels normal you will slow down you're just now getting use to it..

 

[WillyZee]

welcome Cary ... you just have to learn how to pace yourself.

When I quit my 30 year smoking habit a few months ago ... I told myself, I will vape as much as I need to curb the cravings ... 3 months later, I am vaping less and enjoying it more.

Cheers and Happy New Year

 

[Free6413]

I have just started vap as a method of quitting smoking with great success (1 month without a cig after 2+Ppd for 35 years) I have found that keeping the juice content low in the tank as suggested helps. I have found that I try to keep myself and hands busy. This also helps. No matter what you are doing at first, it can't be as bad as the analog. I admit I feel better, foods and other smells are more vivid, I sleep better, the list goes on. Replacing carcinogens for vapor is not a bad trade off. My goal is to lower nicotine until I don't feel the need for anything. Right now it is the hand-mouth replacement therapy for me. The vap over cigs entirely is what I was looking for. Nicotine addiction is about as worrisome as coffee addiction to me. Good luck!

 

[Rossum]

If you are a smoker, the goal is to not use any nicotine and eventually quit ALL inhalant type delivery methods.

That may be your goal, but that doesn't mean it's the next person's.

IMO, chain-vaping is better than smoking even just a few analogs. My advice to the OP would be to get two devices. Keep low-nic fluid (6 or 12mg) in one and high-nic fluid (18 or 24 mg) in the other. Chain-vape the low-nic. Pick up the high-nic one only if/when the craving for an analog strikes.

 

[Free6413]

I am glad to see that I'm not alone......if I can go a month without even wanting a cig.....I will vap until I feel the need to change. Vapor over cigs are a winner no matter what...BTW what is the difference between a double and single coil??

 

[Silent Knight]

BTW what is the difference between a double and single coil??

I was referring to single and dual coil clearomizer tanks. I use an iClear16 dual coil clearomizer (two coils/two wicks) in my Innokin iTaste 3.0vv

 

[ElConquistador]

I never smoked in the house, so I had to go out to the garage when the urge struck. I keep telling myself that I need to keep the mod out there, or at least in another room, so I'm forced to get up to use it. But, of course, it's sitting right here by my side, like it has been for the past 9 months...far too easy to chain vape.

 

[Mrs C]

I didn't have a formal system. My main concern was whatever it took to keep me from lighting an analog. I vaped a lot during that transition period. As time has gone on I find myself going longer stretches between vape sessions.

Many here switch to a lower nic level juice a few hours before bedtime to avoid that keyed up feeling.

 

[Tinkiegrrl]

You could get a device with a puff counter, set a number of puffs for yourself, and only puff that many times within a certain time frame. The iTaste VV v3 and the MVP 2 has them, and I'm sure many other devices too.

 

[Tinkiegrrl]

Or, move on to dripping.
You drip a certain amount directly onto the coils, and when you're done vaping them, you're done vaping for that session. It'll give you a start and finish routine, like a cigarette.

 

[Chas F.]

Lower your nicotine content.

I knew from the start I'd be chain vaping to help me stay away from the analogs so I went with a weaker nic level than is normally thought correct for me. I chain vaped for a couple months then stopped and then I increased the nic level. (I do not plan on quitting nicotine).

 

[Chas F.]

As far as developing another habit, I believe it is easier to quit vaping than smoking. With vaping you can gradually decrease the nic content if that's what you want to do and then you can work on the 'hand to mouth' habit.

 

[vjdossey]

It is an adjustment and there is a learning curve to this... Biggest thi.g is no analogs... for the first few months I wore my lanyard ALL the time. I vaped a lot more then than I do now (most days) because I was.learning what worked for me. I found holding vapor in my mouth for a few seconds makes me feel like im getting my nicotine delivered better. Like more absorption. Could be all in my head but it works-if I do that a few times then put my 'nic stick' down as opposed to carryi.g or wearing it)I vape less... Just an idea. Ya gotta tey different things, see what works for you. Vaping is a very individual thing and for a lot of us the most we have in common is that we vape. Not our choices in flavors, hardware or styles... It is very customizable-can be frustrating if we let it be. Best tip I got was 'don't be so hard on yourself' it's a process... One day at a time!!! Happy vaping!!! And good luck!

 

[Rickajho]

Hi Cary

Everyone changing from smoking to vaping has to sort this issue out for themselves. There are no hard and fast rules. Here's a few things you need to understand that may help you figure it out.

I have said it a bazillion times: vaping isn't smoking. That may sound so "duh" but you need to understand the differences so you can adjust your behavior to vaping accordingly.

Your observations about smoking versus vaping are correct - you lose the auto-pilot you were used to with smoking. Lighting a cigarette started it's own process as to what happened next and for how long. You only had two options: smoke it, or let it waste turning to ash in the ash tray.

At the same time there is nothing auto-pilot about vaping. You have to pick up a PV and push a button - every time - if you want it to do anything. Consequently most people new to vaping actually have to work up to a sufficient vaping level in order to deal with quit smoking cravings.

The other big "vaping isn't smoking" problem is you cannot chase cravings with an e-cig. By the time you are having a full blown craving fit - it's too late. Anyone who has tried quitting smoking with Nic-O-Gum knows what that is like and knows the consequences: By the time you get the gum in your mouth you are dying to have a cigarette. It doesn't end well. Nicotine from vaping is pretty much absorbed the same way - via the mucous linings in the oral cavity. This is a relatively slow process - not the instant buzz of a cigarette rush. Trying to reach for a cigarette like buzz when you are new to vaping - you can vape yourself sick doing that.

Add both those points together and it comes down to you need to develop a consistent pattern of vaping when you start in order to get a stable amount of nicotine in your system and to minimize cravings when you are quitting smoking. Cycling up and down with intermittent fits of vaping doesn't work very well.

You didn't say how much you are still smoking. So... how much is it? Are you committed to quitting? Ultimately how well this works for anyone comes down to whether you really want to quit or not. If you are going down a path of "I'll smoke during the day, because I think that looks more socially acceptable. Then I'll only vape at home at night." you will drag this out for years, with a good probability that you will just quit vaping. Another "vaping isn't smoking" issue is this isn't just about the nicotine. Some people go through serious quit smoking withdrawal, even with vaping. I know I did. All the "fun" of any other quit smoking attempt with patches or gum for the first two weeks. But I got through it. There is a boat load of chemicals that come along with burning processed tobacco. The further you get away from smoking the easier vaping will work for you.

While you are still smoking - and for several months after you quit - you will be leaning on a PV somewhat like a pacifier. Yeah - we do. It's what it takes to keep from smoking and deal with the cravings. One of the keys as to why this works is the flexibility. If the cravings at night have more to do with "an oral thing", drop your nic level at night when you chain vape. If you get hit with serious "wanna cigarette" fits - up the nic level again.

Again, not sure where you are in this process but symptoms like nervousness, insomnia, irritability... all quit smoking symptoms too. If you are continuing to combine smoking and vaping that will only make it harder to sort out which is causing the problem(s). You need to play with:

If you need to just chain vape to keep from smoking but feel it's "too much" drop your nic level.
If you drop your nic level but cravings to smoke get markedly stronger - you need to work on quitting smoking more.

I took three months to quit a 30 year smoking habit, so it can be done. But you have to be willing to play with the flexibility of vaping hardware and liquids. And you have to really want to quit too.

 

[Dakota Jim]

I switched 100% on day one (mainly due to buying a PV kit instead of a carton of cigs), chain vaped myself stupid the first week (while discovering that a cartomizer was NOT the same as 2 packs of cigs as advertised) until I started setting a timer for 5 minutes to train me to stop (yes, semi pavlovian - but it worked for me). I am now down to 2mg nic (DIY) and go through between 5-7ml per day.

It was easier once I got some APVs and tanks for proper flavor and vapor (I stocked up on Protanks and now I much prefer my Kayfun lite+ and can hardly taste my Protanks, oh well, still cheaper than cigs)

Keep after getting completely of the analogs and it will get much easier after that

 

[Free6413]

Thanks. I have very little knowledge go the lingo used or types of units out there. I bought my first one about a month ago and have not ventured out from there yet. I bought a middle priced one and a tank and sone juice all at once to get started. It has served its purpose for now. I want to become more familiar before going deeper. I would like more vapor at a time but don't want to spend an enormous amount of money when the one I have is barely used yet. Thanks again!

 

[Grimwald]

I was a very heavy 40 year chain smoker. Now I am a chain vaper. I limit the nicotine in the juice...started at 24mg and have weaned down to 7mg after 16 months. I hope to go lower next year, but I will probably still be a chain vaper.

I was getting too much nic in the beginning, so cutting back on the nic level was pretty much a necessity. I just don't have the will power to cut back the vaping.