nothing is really satisfying

[Birkilover]

I think it also needs a lot of self control and determination to want to ditch the real deal. I had to suffer through withdrawal symptoms in the first two weeks and it got better day by day. Now I can't even imagine to pick up a regular cigarette anymore. I would have never thought that day would come for me. I feel so relieved


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[FireDragon1138]

I smoke cigars and pipes so I can relate to the relaxation aspect of smoking and that bit can be missing from somebody who just views cigarettes as stimulant. Sometimes I will smoke a pipe at night and it helps me unwind. Not a lot of nicotine but there is something else there that seems to work.

I'm still experimenting around with WTA. I've tried Aroma e Juice and I also plan to try out WholeCig. When I'm under no stress I think I can get by with regular nicotine e juice- I don't really miss the mild buzz. But when crap hits the fan and I revert to stress smoking, nicotine e juice just doesn't cut it. I believe this is one reason why ordinary juice works for some people, and not others.

I'm starting to try some better juices so I've even considered the possibility I will eventually give up my pipe and cigar hobby in favor of vaping.

Good equipment and juices seems to be critical to this experience. I'm having a heck of a time with my 510 cig-a-likes (admittedly they are all mods put together from parts, not a kit, I cant seem to get the resistance for the cartomizers right, currently vaping with 2.5 ohms), but better experiences with my Mistic and my KR808 (higher voltage, 3.7v and resistance about 2.8 ohms). My eGo is mostly a flop too, the CE4 is a little better but its just messy to use and I don't go through that much liquid right now.

 

[Solid Lifters]

I smoke cigars and pipes so I can relate to the relaxation aspect of smoking and that bit can be missing from somebody who just views cigarettes as stimulant. Sometimes I will smoke a pipe at night and it helps me unwind. Not a lot of nicotine but there is something else there that seems to work.

I'm still experimenting around with WTA. I've tried Aroma e Juice and I also plan to try out WholeCig. When I'm under no stress I think I can get by with regular nicotine e juice- I don't really miss the mild buzz. But when crap hits the fan and I revert to stress smoking, nicotine e juice just doesn't cut it. I believe this is one reason why ordinary juice works for some people, and not others.

I'm starting to try some better juices so I've even considered the possibility I will eventually give up my pipe and cigar hobby in favor of vaping.

Good equipment and juices seems to be critical to this experience. I'm having a heck of a time with my 510 cig-a-likes (admittedly they are all mods put together from parts, not a kit, I cant seem to get the resistance for the cartomizers right, currently vaping with 2.5 ohms), but better experiences with my Mistic and my KR808 (higher voltage, 3.7v and resistance about 2.8 ohms). My eGo is mostly a flop too, the CE4 is a little better but its just messy to use and I don't go through that much liquid right now.

I'd like to hear more from you and your personal experiences with vaping. We seem to be in the same boat. Post as often as you can so I can read up on what you've discovered.

Since I'm a noob at this vaping thing, what can you suggest for me to learn the basics? Any help would greatly be appreciated! Trying to read as much as I can here. It's a bit overwhelming and a bit confusing to start, put I'm going to go through with it. It's a must for me to get off those cigars!

 

[FireDragon1138]

I'm considering I'm having issues with PG. Yesterday and the day before, a few hours after vaping (no analogs), I get the feeling of being thirsty, a little bit of a headache, increased heartrate, and a feeling of exhaustion- like I've been in the sun a lot sweating (but I hadn't been). I thought at first it was the nicotine, it doesn't happen fast enough for me to believe that is the case- I've vaped the same before earlier in the day and I feel fine. Drinking Gatorade seems to help. I think it's the PG because I notice with certain juices, the vapor is less dense, and I assume that's due to high PG. When I've vaped blends I've made myself, I work with VG or 50/50 VG/PG and that doesn't seem to happen. Still, I'm hoping its a temporary thing, and not permanent.

I've had lots of detox reactions in the past couple years (when I tried to get healthier, I'd just feel sicker), so it wouldn't surprise me to find I have sensitivities to vaping. About 5 months ago I ended up in the emergency room with the diagnosis of exhaustion (I felt like crap all over, I was convinced I had something really bad), the only thing they could find in my blood tests was elevated liver enzymes. I had tried a gluten-free diet for a while, they were doing tests to see if I had Celiac disease, but the results came back negative.

 

[FireDragon1138]

Since I'm a noob at this vaping thing, what can you suggest for me to learn the basics? Any help would greatly be appreciated! Trying to read as much as I can here. It's a bit overwhelming and a bit confusing to start, put I'm going to go through with it. It's a must for me to get off those cigars!

I do think we have a lot in common, especially as I have sometimes had a preference for cigars over cigarettes. I'm still new too, maybe somebody else can help you out. Watching Youtube has helped. SmokenJoey and PBusardo mostly.

Vaping seems to go in all different directions- there are some people that judge a vape by vapor production (cloud chasing), some people that become obsessed with flavor (and get into Naturally Extracted Tobacco), equipment hobbyists (rebuilding and mechs), and there are a lot of people that just stick with cig-a-likes because they want to try to have something that mimics a cigarette. So, it seems increasingly like there is no right or wrong approach to vaping, it's all about your personal preference and what you want.

If you want to just quit smoking I think the "cigalikes" like the KR808's from a good company like Halo or Smokeless Image are the way to go. They pick out the hardware so it plays well together. If you go the route of buying an inexpensive EGo battery and a clearomizer- there are a lot more choices there and mods you can do, but fewer guarantees you'll have a good experience. I think the EGo + CE4 would be a good setup for a heavier smoker to start out. But eGo's come in many different voltage regulation schemes and run at different voltages, so it can be confusing, especially when you pair it with an atomizer. The Twists and variable voltage Ego's are all bulkier, too, than their unregulated counterparts, and I've rarely found a need to alter the voltage.

 

[FireDragon1138]

Today was more cigarette smoking but I used some Ariva lozenges and nasal snuff. I tried vaping and it went OK for about 2 hours ,but in the evening I tried vaping again, I was out and we were walking and riding the bus and coming home from dining. I got a craving for a cig, took 4 short drags on my e-cig and got a mini panic attack. I was vaping nic-only e-liquid. I think I'm ready to just throw in the towel, nic-only just doesn't work for me.

I wish I had known about these issues before I tried vaping... I might have avoided it altogether and just got the smokeless tobacco route. But now, I want this to work so bad... maybe I should just throw in the towel. Seriously, vaping doesn't deliver the goods of cigarettes, it's not a substitute for cigarettes. It's its own thing.

The only kind of vaping that seems safer for me with nic-only liquid is slow chain vaping, taking a drag every 10 minutes or so. Trying to vape like an analog just gives me panic attacks.

 

[FireDragon1138]

I think I will try something different- I'm not expecting vaping to replace smoking cigs anymore. I'll do the vaping when I'm feeling OK and want to have the rituals of smoking- after eating and so on. But when I really need a cig I'm going to reach for some smokeless tobacco.

 

[birdSmok]

Here is the perfect combo of pipe and cigar in one bottle. I love this stuff. I RYO and smoked cigars and pipes. I broke off filters for more strength.
Mad Tobacco

 

[Caridwen]

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/337017-inhalation-technique-e-cigarette.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/211345-new-users-nicotine-strength-questions.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ette-vs-e-cigarette-nicotine-equivalency.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...hen-quitting-tobacco-changing-ecigarette.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-liquid-discussion/230570-wta-e-liquid-issues.html

 

[FireDragon1138]

I did some DIY yesterday, mixing some FlavorArt Cowboy Blend and some vegetable glycerin I had (diluted it water) at around 2% flavoring and zero nicotine. This has to be one of the best vapes I've tried in terms of flavor. I wish the throat hit were there, but the flavor is very much like an analog cigarette. I'm going to have to look into getting some PG.

I think some blenders overdo the flavors, and that bit turns me off.

 

[FireDragon1138]

Today I mixed my first DIY with nicotine and Cowboy Blend flavoring. I watered down the VG with about ten percent water because it was so hard to draw. This stuff has a little throat hit, unlike the zero nic batch I made yesterday that had none. The overall nicotine content works out to around 12mg. This level seems satisfying for a few hours with no cigarette cravings, sitting through a movie or two and not getting up for a cig break. I was also vaping some 11mg PG based liquid.

Now, I am experiencing some vaping related side effects. I've got a weird case of feeling dehydrated and craving water, even though my mouth isn't dry. Maybe it's the nicotine. I did drink a 10 ounce cup of coffee at supper, though.

I'm doing better, I cut way down on my cigarette consumption. I discovered if I stay away from store-bought cigs, I crave the tobacco alkaloids less and miss them in e-juice less. So now I just inject a few cigs a day using American Spirit or Good Stuff Gold. Not so buzzy. I also discovered later in the day the buzz is gone anwyays, and I can vape more without noticing the lack of buzz or calming effect.

 

[FireDragon1138]

I'm noticing this morning less cigarette buzz. One thing that is different- I cut down on my melatonin consumption last night, cutting the tablets into tiny pieces. The past few days I've noticed a lot less cigarette craving and being more content with ordinary e-juice.

I've actually read about a UK study that cannabidiol (CBD) cuts down on cigarette consumption. I've been taking that at night to sleep also. I've not noticed any effects on my own cigarette consumption or vaping, however. I'm probably not taking enough of it to notice.

I'm hoping I can get used to ordinary e-juice but I think I will use the WTA when I really need it, and I feel like I'm ready to start quitting analogs for good. I've had enough positive vaping experiences with the equipment I've got (some cheap 510 batteries and cartomizers, a Mistic from a gas station, some better KR808 equipment, and a few cheap Ego clones) and juices (Hangsen, Dekang, Totally Wicked, Aroma, Wholecig). Smoking analogs just doesn't seem as attractive anymore. Vaping just tastes better and has fewer drawbacks.

Of course, I had to throw a bit of money at this to try a lot of different things

 

[birdSmok]

I do think we have a lot in common, especially as I have sometimes had a preference for cigars over cigarettes. I'm still new too, maybe somebody else can help you out. Watching Youtube has helped. SmokenJoey and PBusardo mostly.

Vaping seems to go in all different directions- there are some people that judge a vape by vapor production (cloud chasing), some people that become obsessed with flavor (and get into Naturally Extracted Tobacco), equipment hobbyists (rebuilding and mechs), and there are a lot of people that just stick with cig-a-likes because they want to try to have something that mimics a cigarette. So, it seems increasingly like there is no right or wrong approach to vaping, it's all about your personal preference and what you want.

If you want to just quit smoking I think the "cigalikes" like the KR808's from a good company like Halo or Smokeless Image are the way to go. They pick out the hardware so it plays well together. If you go the route of buying an inexpensive EGo battery and a clearomizer- there are a lot more choices there and mods you can do, but fewer guarantees you'll have a good experience. I think the EGo + CE4 would be a good setup for a heavier smoker to start out. But eGo's come in many different voltage regulation schemes and run at different voltages, so it can be confusing, especially when you pair it with an atomizer. The Twists and variable voltage Ego's are all bulkier, too, than their unregulated counterparts, and I've rarely found a need to alter the voltage.

I Ego. Any questions I will try to answer.

 

[FireDragon1138]

I just got done mixing down some WholeCig American Cigarette 24mg liquid down to 11mg, using PG and a bit of water and a touch of flavoring. I filled up a small Vision Nano and put it into my Ego and took a few drags... All I can say is... OMG, it's killed my desire for a cigarette! Pleasant relaxed feeling, throat hit, it's all there.

Could this render ordinary e-quice worthless? It seems like ordinary nicotine just kills some of the crankiness from not smoking for me, but it doesn't actually stop me from wanting to smoke.

The WTA in the e-liquids I've tried from Aroma and WholeCig might actually be a stronger effect than your typical analog, actually.

 

[FireDragon1138]

An update... I've been trying to vape ordinary e-juice. I've encountered some situations where I'm pretty sure I'm OD'ing on nicotine and chain vaping. I rarely OD on nic smoking cigarettes, but with vaping it seems a real problem. I've tried WTA a few times in the past few days and it just seems to be more satisfying, but still, last night I had symptoms of nicotine OD- and I didn't think I was vaping that much. Being wired, jittery, trouble sleeping. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the WTA that was responsible, but the buildup of ordinary nic-juice I was vaping earlier. My body was craving something else and all I was getting was nicotine.

I filled up a clearomizer with some carefully prepared 11mg e-juice, using WholeCig's 17mg WTA a bit of FA Cowboy Blend and some Dirty Ashtray and I'm going to rely on that exclusively... just WTA, no nicquid, and see if that doesn't help. I may be completely intolerant of nicotine e-liquid, which bugs me as it's so much cheaper than WTA. The only other option I see is to try 6-8mg, instead of 11-12, and vape more often.

I'm getting the sense that nicotine e-liquid (Let's call it nicquid) doesn't send all the cues to the brain to provide the sense of satisfaction . I think the other alkaloids in tobacco help steer the nicotine experience and actually make nicotine safer to consume. Honsetly, it makes more sense to vape WTA than nicquid if you are trying to quit smoking tobacco, being holistically minded, I can understand that an herb's pharmacology is more than the sum of its parts.