Brad, I feel as though I'm pulling for you and I'm nervous for you, at the same time I'm rooting for vaping to hold you steady as an ex-smoker until you know you're in the clear. It's like this is you, and me too. Hard to explain.
You need high enough nic to keep you feeling secure. The addiction to cigarettes is as much about the nicotine in tobacco as it is about chemical additives put there by tobacco companies to enhance the experience and keep you coming back.
When I went through that first six weeks of dual use, both smoking and vaping, before leaving cigarettes behind for good, I had to find the combination of flavor, strong throat hit, and the right nicotine strength, in order to feel that satisfaction, the cheeks full of happy puffs, the mood elevation. It had to be what it had to be.
Around two weeks after my last cigarette, I actually had to lower my nic strength because I was always feeling like I just had five cups of coffee. I was waking up in the middle of the night, wired. I lowered my nic from 18 mg to 12, the level I've kept from 2012 until now, satisfied, no cig cravings.
It's all discovery until it becomes your very own forever vape. Never feel like you have to give up. There is always an adjustment to try. And keep inquiring in this forum.
