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Unfortunately, I know all too well that nicotine is only a small part of what forms the addiction to smoking, and a great deal of that addiction is also psychological. However, here I was simply talking about nicotine, which IS highly addictive. I went through a number of withdrawal symptoms, and then somewhat settled down (although not entirely). I now am less in need of a fix (even though I still allow myself a couple of cigarettes a day -never before 4 PM). Yet, I appear to consume about the same amount of nicotine a day as before. Some people on this forum seem to be taking in amounts of nicotine that are barely compatible with survival (such as 2 ml or more of 36 mg liquid), and their heart has not given up on them after weeks or months of this. I am simply wondering whether perhaps we absorb nicotine differently with this system....
When I first quit, July 17, 2007, I used Chantix. Very bad side effects, but I took the whole course (if I pay for something, I USE it up). Nothing really changed with my smoking desires while using Chantix, but I didn't smoke. Willpower, I guess.
Still, during the day, I went crazy. I ate Coffee Nips all day and then started non-stop with Ariva and Stonewall (I still chain Stonewall!). Went to snus as I had done the year before when I was off cigs for 85 days. Then started buying pipes off E-Bay. I smoked a pipe during smoke breaks with fellow workers.
In January, I bought an e-pipe, then the e-cigar, then several e-cigs. I was allowed to vape at my desk. Only the non-smokers in the office gave a damn. They hated me vaping.
The answer to your question is "no" I haven't been off all nicotine but e-devices. But you might have a point. I've read that any smoking rekindles the nicotine receptors in the brain and they start demanding nicotine through cravings. So even though I don't inhale the pipe or cigar, I might have stirred up my hard-wired nicotine receptors.
Right now, I'm dependent on my Kissbox, Java Stonewall and pipe. I think I'll try to wean off snus, since I'm not sure of the impact on oral health.
Even with all this (and I do enjoy the variety), I think of tobacco cigarettes much of every day. I miss them. I don't miss the cough, etc., but I miss them nonetheless. I have, however, made it through numerous stressful situations in the past 16 months, so I know I can stay off if I really want to.
I think I understand what you're saying, but I lack the courage at this time to boot the pipe, Stonewall and infrequent cigar. I do know they add a dimension missing with my e-smoking.
Still, during the day, I went crazy. I ate Coffee Nips all day and then started non-stop with Ariva and Stonewall (I still chain Stonewall!). Went to snus as I had done the year before when I was off cigs for 85 days. Then started buying pipes off E-Bay. I smoked a pipe during smoke breaks with fellow workers.
In January, I bought an e-pipe, then the e-cigar, then several e-cigs. I was allowed to vape at my desk. Only the non-smokers in the office gave a damn. They hated me vaping.
The answer to your question is "no" I haven't been off all nicotine but e-devices. But you might have a point. I've read that any smoking rekindles the nicotine receptors in the brain and they start demanding nicotine through cravings. So even though I don't inhale the pipe or cigar, I might have stirred up my hard-wired nicotine receptors.
Right now, I'm dependent on my Kissbox, Java Stonewall and pipe. I think I'll try to wean off snus, since I'm not sure of the impact on oral health.
Even with all this (and I do enjoy the variety), I think of tobacco cigarettes much of every day. I miss them. I don't miss the cough, etc., but I miss them nonetheless. I have, however, made it through numerous stressful situations in the past 16 months, so I know I can stay off if I really want to.
I think I understand what you're saying, but I lack the courage at this time to boot the pipe, Stonewall and infrequent cigar. I do know they add a dimension missing with my e-smoking.
In over 20 years, I have never tried to quit cigarettes, and only a couple of times I tried to reduce my consumption from above 20 to around 10. Both times it was very difficult, as I counted the minutes between the cigarettes I allowed myself.
With the e-cig, I had not planned on quitting, or even on cutting down a lot. I was only looking for something that I could use at work when they started the tobacco ban on the whole campus. I did not have any obvious cough, or anything, other than probably silently clogged lungs. With the e-cig, it was relatively easy to cut down, but the qualitative leap for me came when I gave up cigs in the morning, about 5 weeks ago. The first few mornings were hell, and I could hardly wait for the time after lunch. I then moved that further up, and now I don't even think of cigarettes for most of the day.
I left the 2-3 cigarettes at night so that, if I get a craving, I know that in a few hours I can satisfy it, but I have now smoked 1 or 2 without going for the third. I know that this is qualitatively different from quitting, but it is still a victory for me. It does seem to me that I now could avoid smoking for one whole day and not suffer too much. I cannot, however, tell myself that I will NEVER smoke a cigarette again. That is just too painful a thought, so I can understand how you are feeling, TBob. I admire your willpower. I am just trying to muddle through this as best as I can. Even though my current status is the best possible one, I am sure it beats smoking over 2o a day. I am also hoping that the apparentely diminished dependence may get me a step further still.
With the e-cig, I had not planned on quitting, or even on cutting down a lot. I was only looking for something that I could use at work when they started the tobacco ban on the whole campus. I did not have any obvious cough, or anything, other than probably silently clogged lungs. With the e-cig, it was relatively easy to cut down, but the qualitative leap for me came when I gave up cigs in the morning, about 5 weeks ago. The first few mornings were hell, and I could hardly wait for the time after lunch. I then moved that further up, and now I don't even think of cigarettes for most of the day.
I left the 2-3 cigarettes at night so that, if I get a craving, I know that in a few hours I can satisfy it, but I have now smoked 1 or 2 without going for the third. I know that this is qualitatively different from quitting, but it is still a victory for me. It does seem to me that I now could avoid smoking for one whole day and not suffer too much. I cannot, however, tell myself that I will NEVER smoke a cigarette again. That is just too painful a thought, so I can understand how you are feeling, TBob. I admire your willpower. I am just trying to muddle through this as best as I can. Even though my current status is the best possible one, I am sure it beats smoking over 2o a day. I am also hoping that the apparentely diminished dependence may get me a step further still.
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I have no idea how the CPU usage caused this post to end up here -- double posted, no less. Sorry.
That CPU usage thang was wierd. I was burning a copy of a dvd and reading the forum when grey screen of death came up. For a moment, I thought "1Click DVD" killed my connection.
Chantix gave me strange dreams. My last memory of it was that I was running with Japanese villagers scrambling to escape Godzilla. When we spoke, our mouths weren't in sync with our voices.
My last attempt to quit was laser therapy. Well, that was $300 that I may as well have smoked.
I'm now using JC 11mg. The product is fine and crystal clear. But it's too strong for me, so I'm now following the suggestions in this forum to cut it back a bit and have also acquired some flavorings. I still fall back on Misty Menthols occasionally, which I don't like all that much. But I'm still finding my way here and hope to hit on the recipe that's right for me.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your ideas and experience.
Chantix gave me strange dreams. My last memory of it was that I was running with Japanese villagers scrambling to escape Godzilla. When we spoke, our mouths weren't in sync with our voices.
My last attempt to quit was laser therapy. Well, that was $300 that I may as well have smoked.
I'm now using JC 11mg. The product is fine and crystal clear. But it's too strong for me, so I'm now following the suggestions in this forum to cut it back a bit and have also acquired some flavorings. I still fall back on Misty Menthols occasionally, which I don't like all that much. But I'm still finding my way here and hope to hit on the recipe that's right for me.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your ideas and experience.
This is how Jane from E-cigsales put it:
"I still believe we are looking to reproduce the tar and carcinogen "feeling" with more nicotine. That's why they put carcinogens in the regular cigarettes to begin with."
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-reviews/3322-janes-kick-juice.html#post52428
I think that there are other ingredients in cigs that make us crave more and that the nicotine is less important for some of us. Not to say we're not addicts, just that nicotine isn't the whole story with smoking addiction.
"I still believe we are looking to reproduce the tar and carcinogen "feeling" with more nicotine. That's why they put carcinogens in the regular cigarettes to begin with."
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-reviews/3322-janes-kick-juice.html#post52428
I think that there are other ingredients in cigs that make us crave more and that the nicotine is less important for some of us. Not to say we're not addicts, just that nicotine isn't the whole story with smoking addiction.
I really appreciate the detailed reply. It just goes to show that smoking is a hugely complex and very personal behaviour/addiction. As long as you're happy, TBob - that's the holy grail in these matters.
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