Newbie / On the road to being smoke-free...(!)

[unquiet]

Hello ECF,

Imagine my story is similar to most noobs, but here goes...

Mid 30s, female, been a smoker for far, far too long. And despite all I know intellectually, it's been quite some time since I *felt* sufficient motivation to even try quitting. (Thy name is addiction.)

I had been vaguely hearing about these e-cig things for some time, but hadn't looked into it much. Then my mom (a 2-time and current ex-smoker herself) surprised me with an e-cig starter kit for xmas.

Con: Turned out to be one of those scam 'membership' things - the "E-cigs brand" - w. outrageously! priced monthly refills. (Have now gotten out of it, thankfully).
Pro: Got me started on this path and for the first time since forever, I feel like I both WANT TO and CAN become an ex-smoker.

Next step, finally started to do my own research, and discovered this whole e-cig 'universe' I had no idea existed. Currently still blown away by it. So many models, suppliers, techniques, the terminology, etc. - never imagined it would all be so complicated

And while ECF is clearly a premium resource/community, the place is quite overwhelming in its own right!

For the time being, I'm trying to K.I.S.S. and am eagerly waiting to receive my Vapor King (or KR808D-1 is it?) starter kit (and a whole mess of different flavored cartomizers to try out). Definitely at the wanting-it-all-to-be-as-close-to-an-analog-as-possible stage.

And it's working! In just a few weeks, I've already cut down from a pack+/day of smokes to just a handful - aka my "essentials": 1st thing in the morning, just before bed, and after meals/snacks. And I genuinely feel like once I get myself really set-up and figure out what all works best for me, I'll be able to make the switch 100%. Which is frakking astounding to me.

So that's my journey 'so far' into the e-cig world. I look forward to getting to know ya'll and benefitting from your expertise!

--M.

PS - A shout-out to DonDaBoomVape if you're around. Those "Wonderful World of vaping" posts are the best thing I've read here so far - really informative, and actually *understandable* to a super-newb. Thanks!

 

[Beccca]

Welcome unquiet! Youre at the right place. Isn't vaping a miracle. I never thought I'd ever quit and die smoking but now I don't have to. Try to give up one of your smokes like after a meal, etc. and vape like mad instead. Learning a new habit takes a while but think of the wonderful health aspects and you're worth it.

 

[IntelligentDesigner]

Howdy, greetings, salutations, etc. Welcome. New member, myself. Congrats on kicking the habit, or at least getting started.

I've been vaping and smoke free for just over three months now. I started with the "cig-a-likes" too. They're somewhat effective but I've found eGo assemblies and all the accessories better in many ways from being cheaper, more dependable, and more fun, among other things. Then there are variable voltage devices. I just got one of those. Start with whatever floats your boat but here you'll find tons of good reading about any and all options in vaping. You just might become hooked and find yourself becoming an aficionado as well.

 

[middleborn]

Welcome to the land of vape.
Good to have you here and good luck!

 

[Chimney34]

Welcome & Congrats on getting started on your journey! I still consider myself to be a noob! ECF is definitely the best place to come to for help, guidance & even motivation to help you fully kick the habit!! Take it a day at a time & before you know it you'll never want another stinkie again!!

 

[unquiet]

Aww, thanks for the welcomes!

So, I got my VK gear yesterday, and am very pleased so far. Only problem is the WOW brand chocolate cartomizers I bought. 1st one I tried was like it was a blank or something - I was sucking my heart out and absolutely nothing happened. I tried another and it didn't even fit w. my battery?? All the other packs I got are Cool Carts (Traditional Tobacco, a tobacco sampler, vanilla, a coffee sampler) and are completely fine...

I got 1 auto and 1 manual battery. The original ecig I had was auto, and I can't quite decide if I like the manual or not. Takes getting used to I guess. I really dig the (manual) USB passthrough though. I've been using it all day, and it actually seems to produce more vapor than the other batts.

So it's nearly 4pm and I haven't had an analog yet today!! I just decided this morning to see how long I could go, no commitment or anything, just experimenting, taking it as it goes - at this point I don't wanna say hard and fast that 'I'm gonna do this' or 'I'm not gonna do that,' b/c I feel like I'll just be setting myself up to "fail." I know some people need to go cold turkey, but I know me and it's not the way to go...

Of course, I've also been vaping nonstop since I got up this morning. I'm well into my 3rd 18mg cart already. Im not feeling overdosed at this point, but I should probably go w. a lower strength next order if I'm gonna keep vaping at this pace (which I'm pretty sure I will be for a good while).

Welcome unquiet! Youre at the right place. Isn't vaping a miracle. I never thought I'd ever quit and die smoking but now I don't have to. Try to give up one of your smokes like after a meal, etc. and vape like mad instead. Learning a new habit takes a while but think of the wonderful health aspects and you're worth it.

Becca, it's the frakking revelation of a lifetime is what it is. I can't believe I can quit smoking...and NOT really have to quit smoking! How it took me so long to discover this I can't understand. I was also starting think I'd never quit, imagining myself smoking away even as I was dying from lung cancer (I know, morbid much?).

As I said, I have been vaping like mad regardless (and today at least not smoking at all), but even having only 1 cig at those times is big for me. Usually I would chain smoke 2, maybe 3.

Anyway, where in PA are you, Beccca?? I'm currently living a couple minutes outside NE Philly.

TTFN-
M.

 

[DuckysBooBoo]

Hi and wecome to the forum....All I can say is CONGRATS and isn't Vaping wonderful!!!!

 

[mpower8]

Congrats and keep it up! As long as you get off those cancer sticks, you've just made one of the healthiest decision of your life!!

 

[jfalbanese]

not totally a newb. tried the BLU cigs last year. worked in the beginning, but atomizer issues left me feeling discouraged, and went back to my monkey. still upset about cost of single packs. it really bothered me. so after years of watching the walking wounded fumbling around with rolling papers and baggies of tobacco at work. genius me decided to switch to RYO analogs. the works of course. electronic rolling machine, and 5 pound bags of tobacco. i'm a huge 420 fan, but looking at a 5 pound bag of poison gave me pause. just the thought of smoking all that tobacco grossed me out. it gets worse. after doing the math, i realized i had reduced the price of a pack of analogs to under a dollar. great news for a nicotine junkie like myself. so for a year i happily fed my 3 PAD monkey. 52 yrs old. started at 9 yrs young. favorite cigs are first one in bed when i wake up. first cup coffee cig. after food cig. and last cig of day in bed. these are the cigs that always sabotaged my efforts to quit.

about 1.5 weeks ago, the neighbors kid was over at my house. he gave me a inferno battery, and a filled clearomizer. told me to hold it for a week, and see how it fits. first day went from 3 PAD to 1 PAD. everyday after that less and less. to my target day (today.). timing was perfect as my tobacco supplies were running out. well on my way to success. after using RYO's, the idea of wasting 7 dollars on a pack of analogs is completely offensive. and further wasting 70 dollars on a 5 pound bag of tobacco is no longer an option. finally got my brain on the same page as me.

observations so far. hydration is key. never a huge fan of water, but i am drinking juices, and teas like mad. after 1.5 weeks my tongue is a healthy pink color. first time in over a decade. because of the hydrating, have really cut back on my coffee intake. from 3 pots to three cups. didn't plan on that, but so much the better. worried about headaches on the caffeine withdrawl, but will deal with whatever comes. sense of smell returning at a rapid pace. i work in a fish plant so that isn't necessarily as good news as one might think. my dogs don't hide in the other room because i'm smoking anymore. no more cloud of second hand smoke in my living space. going to enjoy detailing the inside of my trucks to remove ashtray smell. . will post more while my journey from tobacco slavery continues. keep vaping stay strong, don't give up.

 

[unquiet]

Day 2 of the totally-smoke-free experiment. The last time I even tried to quit was over a decade ago, and it was torture. With an ecig constantly hanging out of my moth though, it's, like, easy. Madness.

So scratch my chocolate carts problem from yesterday. Let's just call it a brain-fart and leave it at that.

Oddly, the choc is probably my least fave flavor I've tried so far. (This is coming from someone who firmly believes chocolate is a major food group.) It's not awful, but just meh.

I think vanilla is probably my favorite thus far. Not really surprising. For the past 2 years+ I've actually been smoking 'little cigars,' not cigarettes (and my fave has a mild vanilla taste) -- I also refuse to pay $60+ dollars for one freaking carton of cigarettes (not that I could afford to anyway), and you couldn't buy them online for a while. All cigars however are immune from all the taxes on and laws controlling cigarettes, and I was getting them online for about $15 a carton. But I digress...

 

[Ruth-Ann]

I am also a female in her 30's who has (had) been smoking for 15+ years and a PAD++.
I learned about e-cigs from my tattoo artist and after doing some research successfully made the change from analogues to vaping.
I have been smoke free for 2 days now and I am amazed at how easy the transition has been.
It is possible that e-cigs have saved my life. My previous quit attempts have been disastrous. I really think more people need to spread the word about vaping, this is such an amazing option!

 

[Ruth-Ann]

I also find I really enjoy the vanilla!

 

[akatina]

Another lady in her 30s, PAD smoker. Just wanted to drop in to let you both know you can do it. I'm at almost 5 weeks and aside from technical issues (possibly user related, who knows), it's been complete smooth sailing.

Take care of yourself while you make the switch. Drink plenty of water, eat good food, get enough sleep. Start using your cleaner lungs and go for a walk on nice days. Your body is making a change and detoxing from all the other crap that's in smokes so you need to give it all the tools to do it right.

 

[Ruth-Ann]

Ty!! Part of the reason for quitting is I am trying to get more active and my muscles are up for it but my lungs are not!
I am hoping to get the healing started so I can hike in the woods with my dog without my lungs tasting like blood!

 

[73ckn797]

Experimenting can be key. After a few days vaping and still smoking it became a comparison. Vaping won out as the cigarettes began to be repulsive and tasted very bad. I actually like the tobacco flavors available.

Not much more I can say that others haven't already said.

Welcome to the forums. You can be victorious in this.

Aww, thanks for the welcomes!

So, I got my VK gear yesterday, and am very pleased so far. Only problem is the WOW brand chocolate cartomizers I bought. 1st one I tried was like it was a blank or something - I was sucking my heart out and absolutely nothing happened. I tried another and it didn't even fit w. my battery?? All the other packs I got are Cool Carts (Traditional Tobacco, a tobacco sampler, vanilla, a coffee sampler) and are completely fine...

I got 1 auto and 1 manual battery. The original ecig I had was auto, and I can't quite decide if I like the manual or not. Takes getting used to I guess. I really dig the (manual) USB passthrough though. I've been using it all day, and it actually seems to produce more vapor than the other batts.

So it's nearly 4pm and I haven't had an analog yet today!! I just decided this morning to see how long I could go, no commitment or anything, just experimenting, taking it as it goes - at this point I don't wanna say hard and fast that 'I'm gonna do this' or 'I'm not gonna do that,' b/c I feel like I'll just be setting myself up to "fail." I know some people need to go cold turkey, but I know me and it's not the way to go...

Of course, I've also been vaping nonstop since I got up this morning. I'm well into my 3rd 18mg cart already. Im not feeling overdosed at this point, but I should probably go w. a lower strength next order if I'm gonna keep vaping at this pace (which I'm pretty sure I will be for a good while).



Becca, it's the frakking revelation of a lifetime is what it is. I can't believe I can quit smoking...and NOT really have to quit smoking! How it took me so long to discover this I can't understand. I was also starting think I'd never quit, imagining myself smoking away even as I was dying from lung cancer (I know, morbid much?).

As I said, I have been vaping like mad regardless (and today at least not smoking at all), but even having only 1 cig at those times is big for me. Usually I would chain smoke 2, maybe 3.

Anyway, where in PA are you, Beccca?? I'm currently living a couple minutes outside NE Philly.

TTFN-
M.

 

[jfalbanese]

day 2. and nothing to do. feel fine, slight dry throat. but hydrating is helping. juvenile remarks at work because i'm not feeding the monkey. of course from lifetime smokers like myself, who are not convinced this could actually work. same as last time i tried this. my so called friends just sat there crapping on my submarine.idiotic remarks, insults, ect. want to really quit? don't look for support from friends. as i read through these postings, am surprised to find lots of helpful supportive people on here. staying strong and committed.