No matter how much I vape, I still want to smoke analogs (and i still do smoke) Havent quit yet, who's in this category?

[JuniorNA]

I've been at this over a year. Starting with a Joy306, moving up to a Joy510, now up to a JoyeGo 900 with LR attys and some of the best juices made in the USA. I still can't stop the craving for smokes. No matter how much i vape, (which is a lot)...I'm still at a pack to 1.5 packs a day. what i've noticed, is that vaping makes me want to smoke "More" because I get the simulation of smoking, but without the actual smoke filling my lungs. So i end up smoking an analog after I vape!

Don't get me wrong. On airplanes, bus rides, and long movies the eCig has saved and changed life in terms of functionality and comfort..but I don't see this as a replacement.

I'm not saying with a fact that an eCig should be a smoking cessation device, or that vaping can and would replace smoking analogs for me, but I see a lot of users with banners displaying when their last "analog" was, and how much money they have saved. It bums me out to realize I am not on of those people. I guess you have to "want" to stop, "want" being the operative word, and I have to teach my mind to realize that i am getting the desired nicotine intake when vaping, but for some reason, my brain does not click like others do. Perhaps my brain needs to be addicted to something, while i've had my fair share of terrible years filled with darkness, I don't have a family history of addiction. But for 20 years, smoking has been the only thing i've done with consistency....perhaps my mind and body does not want to give it up ?

Anyway, i just felt like ranting. I guess I need to set a quit date, and just vape...and show and prove to my body that i will not have a nicotine withdrawal while vaping. It's not like quitting cold turkey if I will be vaping every 2-4 minutes in a 24 hour day

I do want to save the money, I do want to be healthy, but I just feel i'm not as strong willed as others. It's more than just the nicotine for me. It's the smell, the burning of paper, the warmth of the analog, the filling of the lungs, the dangling while on the computer...it's a lot of triggers and memories that are too hard to break for me at this time .

I can admit that I don't have the urge to smoke a cigarette, well I havent had the urge to smoke an analog in over 15 years, but i still do it whenever I get a chance. It's just in me, chemically, to always have a cigarette in hand when there is a chance.

I will have to learn, with the help of others that smoking can and will be stopped, and while vaping is not much better since it's still trading one method of intake for another, it's a lot healthier (as of now) than the analog cigarettes.

I'm really just talking to myself here, lol - it's a mix of convincing myself on this forum, while allowing others to read my internal thoughts.

I hope most of you have moved on from analogs, and I know some of you stayed back like me. willpower is all that is really needed here and of course, motivation...unfortunately, i lack both in this area .

Anyone have a problem while making the transition? or is anyone still in the same boat as me ?

 

[lynleestar]

I'm right there with ya~! I crave analogs, but I can me smoking a cig and crave a vape flavor, weird

 

[JuniorNA]

Maybe it's also the fact that i'm sticking with menthol flavors. Perhaps its me, and the fact that i'm trying to mimick that analog taste. I'm use halo menthol Ice and it's a great taste, and great menthol, but it's not an analog.

I should probably go with a random flavor like cherry, banana, peanut..something that will not remind me of analog smoking.

 

[Sdh]

Hey junior..
Do you vape at 36mg. I do. Its the only thing that stops the cravings! I only smoked around a pack a day...however I find my absorbtion of vaping so different. Its like I am only getting a few mgs here and there. I also trained myself down to two cigarettes a day. Just keep at it. Wean down if you can or want to. Good luck!

BTW I have been vaping since July...still crave those two smokes....I wish I could stop.

 

[OldDragon]

You may need to up your nic level, at least for awhile. When I first started, i went with 18mg and hit the e-cig quite hard. Things really settled down for me when I went to 24mg. Now bouncing between 18 and 24mg.

 

[CardinalWinds]

Keep in mind that your body is addicted to other things in cigarette smoke besides the nicotine. Take me, for example. I've been vaping for 19 months now. Still at 24mg strength (I love my nicotine) and no matter how hard I try, though I used to be a pack a day American Spirit smoker and am glad I've cut back as much as I have, I still smoke two analogs a day. Exactly two. One within half an hour of getting up in the morning and one after dinner. And as much as I love my vaping, I still enjoy these two cigs a day. They give me "something" that vaping does not, whether it's psychological or physical. I went pretty quickly from a pack down to two a day, but getting rid of those last two has been a chore I haven't tackled yet. Hats off to those who dropped analogs completely and have stayed off of them. One day I hope to be one!

 

[JuniorNA]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. I should have been more informative. I currently vape at 24mg or 36mg. I don't know if it's physical for me. When I vape all day (for example on a saturday)....I never get a craving, I just physically am so used to waking up and having 4 cigs in a row while drinking coffee checking mail and reading the news on the laptop. Like i said, i know it sounds weird..but I never really crave cigs, because i've been smoking for so long and I usually never let an hour go by without an analog...so maybe I am getting the nicotine level I require, but don't realize it because I continue to smoke analogs normally.

Again, on an 8 hour flight from Jersey to Italy, I was vaping every 10 minutes, and felt great. If this was 5 years ago i'd be chewing nicotine gum and dipping chewing tobacco like I was going to die tomorrow. During that flight i felt fine and didn't even feel the urge to smoke as soon as i got off the plane (which i usually do). It's all about the physicality of it , the environment...those things are what burden us. for example, the after dinner smoke...i think that will impossible to break away from. uggh. this sucks. But one step at a time.

 

[kellogg]

I am right there with you Junior. My cravings at night are really rough.

Have you read about MAOI's in the health section here? I think that is part, if not, all of my problem. I got a higher nic level juice and vape like mad when the cravings hit. I also tell myself I can wait 10 minutes and if the cravings are still there then I will smoke. It has helped alot. I'm smoking about 3-6 a day now.

And as others will tell you, think of how many cigarettes you have not smoked instead of how many you smoked.

 

[ScotTex]

I quit analogs the very first day I received my Riva kit and juice, I think I did it so easily because of how bad my health has become and my horrible cough sessions two to three times a day. I had been a smoker for 20+ years, I was an outside-only smoker for about the last five, which I think has helped me quit a bit easier. Although now, when I get out in the yard, on our back porch, in the car or leaving a store, the very first thing I think is to grab a cigarette, it has been very tough to resist those urges for me.

 

[NurseCin]

I can understand where you are coming from! Doesnt it feel good to just vent and get things off of your chest? I havent been vaping long, I started Oct 18th and I still smoked but noticed I smoked less and less each day. I finally got down to 2 analogs a day. Just like CardinalWinds...One in the morning first thing and one in the evening. I finally got enough juices with different flavors that those 2 analogs started tasting like crap! I still want to go through the motions of going outside to smoke but the flavor is terrible so I end up putting it out. You may be surprised that a non menthol flavor may be just what you need. I havent had a analog in 3 days....I still miss that smoking "habit" though (holding it, flicking the ash, taking drags etc) Maybe you need to throw off your routine a bit? You arent alone...so dont kick yourself over this.

 

[grandmato5]

What I'm hearing you say that is different than most that continue to smoke while vaping is that you are NOT craving a cigarette as the vaping is pretty much giving you the nic you require but are you're unable to give up the HABIT of smoking and need to smoke that cigarette to handle the HABIT you don't wish to give up.

If that's the case don't give up the habit all at once, but ONE habit at a time slowly. You have to pick which one it is, but as an example if having a smoke is a habit right after lunch just give up that smoke each day for several weeks before the new habit is only vaping after lunch. When that one is conquered then try giving up another habit smoke. Who knows, you may be one of those people that always smokes 2 or 3 analogs every day but that's ok as every analog you do give up is one less.

I've vaped for over 2 months now and basically it was easy to give up analogs and I do love vaping and have no desire to go back to analogs BUT when I have to drive a long distance in a car that HABIT of smoking in a car while driving still remains with me and its the only time I would LOVE to have a smoke. I'm vaping and not having any nic fits but the HABIT still wants a smoke and I'm guessing will for a very long time.

 

[FreakyStylie]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. I should have been more informative. I currently vape at 24mg or 36mg. I don't know if it's physical for me. When I vape all day (for example on a saturday)....I never get a craving, I just physically am so used to waking up and having 4 cigs in a row while drinking coffee checking mail and reading the news on the laptop. Like i said, i know it sounds weird..but I never really crave cigs, because i've been smoking for so long and I usually never let an hour go by without an analog...so maybe I am getting the nicotine level I require, but don't realize it because I continue to smoke analogs normally.

Again, on an 8 hour flight from Jersey to Italy, I was vaping every 10 minutes, and felt great. If this was 5 years ago i'd be chewing nicotine gum and dipping chewing tobacco like I was going to die tomorrow. During that flight i felt fine and didn't even feel the urge to smoke as soon as i got off the plane (which i usually do). It's all about the physicality of it , the environment...those things are what burden us. for example, the after dinner smoke...i think that will impossible to break away from. uggh. this sucks. But one step at a time.

What you just said, along with you saying "the dangling while on the computer" in the first post . . . it kind of makes me think you should go backwards on the devices. You craved a cigarette because you got off the plane, because that's when you would be able to smoke. Maybe you would benefit from a more "cigarette like" device that the rest of us go past. Sometimes, while I'm at the computer, I will still grab my xhale super mini because I can let it hang in my mouth and puff it without pushing a button.

I don't know what type of juice you use, but I haven't seen pg/vg mentioned here. PG adds more of that throat/lung feeling, and some say putting some pga in . . . I don't personally know about that, but it would be a good search in the forums. Maybe in the DIY juice section.

But, mostly, I think that there should be no pressure. A lot of the people who quit, didn't intend on it, and some who try will buckle under the pressure and just say "forget it." I say, just keep vaping if you like it, and don't worry about the quitting. You may just find you prefer to vape one time instead of having a cigarette, then maybe another time.

I don't know, and none of us do. Just my nickel's worth. (Inflation, y'know.)

 

[DawnH]

I feel your pain JuniorNA! I too, am a menthol smoker, looking for that menthol taste to REPLACE and taste like what I love so much. People look at me like I'm nuts, when I tell them I LOVE the taste of my cigarettes and I am NEVER quitting. I can't tell you to save your money and NOT try the fruity tastes, but they didn't work for me. Some say THAT is what got them off the analogs, not me. I just keep trying menthol juices and even ordered some menthol crystals to add to juices that taste too "minty". Have you tried Vapor Renu's Re(4)nu menthol? I don't know why, doesn't really taste like an analog menthol, but it's really tasty. My first go to was 555 Menthol from The Vapor Room.........closest I had to analog. Wow, over a year and still a pack or more a day? I actually got down to 2 a day and I don't know if I'll EVER give those 2 up, but hey, they tell you here to count the ones you DON'T smoke. Don't beat yourself up. Sounds like you need to make new "rules" for yourself. Don't smoke in the house anymore, vaping only is allowed. When you feel you want a cigarette, just talk yourself out of it and tell yourself you really don't want it and vape away. I amazed at how many people here hit their "sweet spot" and never touched an analog again. Wish I could say I was one of them, but I'm not and I don't know if I'll ever be. I know when I'm under alot of stress, I just HAVE to have an analog and yes, it DOES make me feel better.
Hey, maybe we need banana nut bread? If you find one that works for you, let us know, so I can try it too.
Just don't put so much pressure on yourself. I did at first and it just wasn't working for me. Soon, you will WANT to NOT have so many every day. I would rather have TWO than NONE at this point. I actually went 3 whole days with NONE and could NOT believe it! We're here for you and sorry I went on and on, but I just wanted you to know I can relate, if that helps.
Do you have a passthrough? Use one of those when on the computer instead. Have you tried cartomizers? They are great for car rides. Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[JuniorNA]

DawnH, i appreciate the long post. The more information the better. Thanks so much! I agree with what a lot of you said...perhaps dropping one habit at a time, one small thing can do wonders. For example, i'll keep the 2 or 3 morning analogs, but won't smoke an analog until 3pm...maybe i'll try that. I'll see if I get any cravings, which I don't think i'll get if i'll be vaping every 5 minutes (5 hits total), every 5 minutes, to the second. I have a few passthroughs, but they come with a price..minimal vapor production, can't use an LR with regular 3.7v atty. and so on.

I'm going to try a few different flavors...and see how I take to it.

 

[ScotTex]

+1 for a USB PT. So convenient and I just use mine with a drip-tip, so the extra playing around with sample bottles keeps my hands and mind a little bit busier.

Edit: disregard... I didn't see your reply above.

 

[KissMint]

I still can't stop the craving for smokes. No matter how much i vape, (which is a lot)...I'm still at a pack to 1.5 packs a day. what i've noticed, is that vaping makes me want to smoke "More" because I get the simulation of smoking, but without the actual smoke filling my lungs. So i end up smoking an analog after I vape!

I'm new to vaping and I use to smoke 20ish analogs (menthols) a day. I have 36mg menthol juice that I use when I crave for nicotine. I think the menthols help me relate vaping to smoking. I'm not sure if you still really smoke 1-1.5 PAD or mostly light it up and take puffs here and there? The reason I'm asking is, I find that when I smoke after vaping high nic juice I would feel very dizzy, heart beat too fast and I know I had too much nicotine. I get more nic from vaping than smoking. So when I crave for cigarette, it is possibly for something that are in those cigs.

I vape constantly all day unless I'm busy. I have to use 18-24mg juice (mostly fruit flavors) during the day and evening so that I don't hit too much nicotine, I can't sleep otherwise. I'm training myself to break the habit. When I crave for nicotine I need to grab the ego not marlboro. It is difficult since marlboro is what I've been grabbing for the past 20 years when I have that urge.

I wouldn't say I'm smoke free. I haven't smoke for 3-4 days because I felt really sick after that one cigarette I had. I'm just very happy to smoke much less than before I started vaping. The hardest cig habit for me to break is when I'm stressed.

Just chain vape Junior. Have something in your hand and mouth, keep them busy. Every time you think of lighting a cigarette, grab your EGO and vape vape vape. After 5-10 mins if you still want a cigarette then have one. Hope that helps.. Take it easy

 

[Godzilla]

For me, I am always up for a challenge, and the challenge here was that I was going to quit, and I needed to show my wife I could quit (with the e-cigs her mom bought both of us) My wife is still smoking, and not vaping at all.

I just decided I was not going to have an analog again. I made sure my stock of juice was good. I went on a juice buying binge, and I laugh when I hear people have run out of juice. LOL. I have collected over 75 flavors from different vendors, mostly 5ml, and quite a few 30ml that I like.

I really enjoy Tasty Vapor Atomic Cinnacide. I use 24mg, but would recommend 36 for you. It is a huge throat hit. Its also quite sweet.

I want to encourage you that after about 2 weeks it got easier, and after 30 days even easier. I am a week shy of 3 months. I feel so much better, and am also glad I finally found an all day vape. I am waiting for Backwoods to get a flavor back in stock. I really enjoy their juices too. More tobacco like for sure. I like to alternate.

I would also recommend a a box mod as you suggest. I do not use one. I use carotmizers for thier convience, and I can easily have one last me all day (about 60 drops or so of liquid)

I smoked 1.2 packs per day.

 

[MsOceanCity]

I also had trouble giving up those last couple/day. When I first started vaping, it only took me 2 weeks to cut down from my normal 15 analogs/day to 3 but it took me 15 months to give them up completely. My biggest obstacle was resisting the urge to pick up an analog, right after meals. The key was finding a flavor I loved so much, I could pick it up anytime and forcing myself to vape it immediately after meals. It was difficult, at first, but within 10 days, it really didn't bother me That was the way I found to beat the craving. The juice, in my case, is V4L's Wow Peppermint, in either 24 or36mg.

 

[shanagan]

You mentioned the feeling of smoke and the warmth filling your lungs as being something you miss - have you considered going to an eGo type device? For me, that was what sold me on vaping - I took one drag on the eGo and realized "holy ____! this is like SMOKE!!!" and that was it, I never had another analog. I was also ready to give up Being A Smoker, though. It didn't define me, it burdened me.

But more than that, there was a bigger tradeoff for me - just as you noticed on the flight to Italy, vaping is just more convenient in some cases, and in "my" case, because we didn't smoke in the house, being able to vape in the house was awesome. So my advice would be to ban smoking in your house (or ban "your" smoking in the house, if you have a sig. other who smokes) but allow vaping. You may find that if you're wrapped in a blanket in the garage or back porch to have your analogs, it doesn't have quite the same appeal any longer.

It isn't about willpower, in my opinion. It really is about hitting the sweet spot with your vape and finding the right tradeoff - for me it was convenience plus flavor (plus, vainly, knowing how my hair smells now).

Good luck - and remember, you didn't start this habit by smoking a pack and a half a day, so maybe you need to keep that in mind when it comes to quitting. Cutting way down is just as good as quitting altogether for now.

 

[JuniorNA]

Totally agree with you there. I do have an ego and I use that exclusively . With an LR atty I do get the warm vape but perhaps its the juices that are not helping. I keep ordering menthol type ejuice to mimick analogs and I think I need to stray from that. Maybe something totally different or maybe tobacco flavor because no menthol really tastes like a menthol cig . You're right. One less cig at a time ...

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