Six weeks ago I experienced a weird eye pain/loss of vision. After a couple of weeks running around, I had a diagnosis and a warning - this episode had a possible Multiple Sclerosis link and I needed to do more testing. Doing a little reading, I discovered how bad the combo of MS and smoking was, and since I'd been wanting to quit, I decided that was the time; just in case. After all, even if nothing ever came of it, smoking has certainly never done anything to help me. Got a good starter PV, lots of great juice and started on a journey of discovery.
In the month since I officially quit smoking, I've been through about thirty flavors and spent more money than I would have smoking. And that was with a pack and a half a day Marlboro Red habit. Time and again I try a flavor thinking "this is the one", only to like the next one even better. I started with tobacco flavors, like so many, trying to replicate my first love of the past 15 years. No dice, I didn't love any of them and the one I thought I liked, I couldn't stand after just a couple of days. Then I thought sweet was it for me, ordered big bottles of sweet and fruit flavors only to start feeling like I'm living inside a doughnut shop. One month in, I'm back to my very first tobacco flavor. It was the one I liked the least when I started. I'm also on my third strength, starting with 24, going up to 30, up to 36, now back down to mostly 24. I've played with my PG/VG ratio also, thinking I have the perfect set up and then deciding the next one works just a little bit better.
In that month, I've had one analog and it was terrible. I was out drinking, so it wasn't a surprise that I caved, but after just that one smoke I knew I was done. vaping had done for me what Chantix, Zyban, the patch, the gum, the inhaler and willpower had never managed. I found something I actually prefer to smoking, even when I'm struggling to figure out what my taste buds are doing that day. I'm lucky to have a brick and mortar juice store in town that is fabulous (even though I do all my ordering from them online, knowing they are there is a huge comfort). I've bought batteries to back up my batteries and chargers to back up my chargers.
This past Friday I was officially diagnosed with MS. I have told very few people yet in my real life, and I'm not very active on the forums. No one knows me and I'm finding comfort in my anonymity here. Smoking didn't give me MS and quitting can't change the fact that I've got it. But it's a step in the right direction to take charge of my own health, my own future.
I am SBelle82, I have MS, and I vape.
In the month since I officially quit smoking, I've been through about thirty flavors and spent more money than I would have smoking. And that was with a pack and a half a day Marlboro Red habit. Time and again I try a flavor thinking "this is the one", only to like the next one even better. I started with tobacco flavors, like so many, trying to replicate my first love of the past 15 years. No dice, I didn't love any of them and the one I thought I liked, I couldn't stand after just a couple of days. Then I thought sweet was it for me, ordered big bottles of sweet and fruit flavors only to start feeling like I'm living inside a doughnut shop. One month in, I'm back to my very first tobacco flavor. It was the one I liked the least when I started. I'm also on my third strength, starting with 24, going up to 30, up to 36, now back down to mostly 24. I've played with my PG/VG ratio also, thinking I have the perfect set up and then deciding the next one works just a little bit better.
In that month, I've had one analog and it was terrible. I was out drinking, so it wasn't a surprise that I caved, but after just that one smoke I knew I was done. vaping had done for me what Chantix, Zyban, the patch, the gum, the inhaler and willpower had never managed. I found something I actually prefer to smoking, even when I'm struggling to figure out what my taste buds are doing that day. I'm lucky to have a brick and mortar juice store in town that is fabulous (even though I do all my ordering from them online, knowing they are there is a huge comfort). I've bought batteries to back up my batteries and chargers to back up my chargers.
This past Friday I was officially diagnosed with MS. I have told very few people yet in my real life, and I'm not very active on the forums. No one knows me and I'm finding comfort in my anonymity here. Smoking didn't give me MS and quitting can't change the fact that I've got it. But it's a step in the right direction to take charge of my own health, my own future.
I am SBelle82, I have MS, and I vape.
