Quitting all nicotine

[Dlpsr]

History. I'm 66, smoked for more than 30 years, quit when I had a small heart attack at about 47-49 years old. BP issues requiring meds and other health issues.

About last August 2019 I had a bunch of stress come up and handled it badly. I started on mild cigars and moved to medium strong. Got in a situation where I couldn't smoke a stogie, so bummed a cigarette. That morphed into smoking more than a carton and stogies.

I knew they'd kill me so I picked up a Juul 3%, not enough moved to 5%.
Moved on to a Vinci x and 50 salt.

Have been mixing and dropping the salt and was to 25ish. Was getting a lot of choking white phlegm every morn. vaping mostly tobacco with very little flavor. 70-30 was better than 50-50 for muscus/phlegm problem.

The purpose of vaping was to avoid analogs and eventually quit all nicotine.

I'm into the second day today. Piece of nicorette gum in one cheek and a nicorette lozenge in the other. Both 2mg. Consult your doctor on doubling up patches, gum etc.

Withdrawal wasn't bad so far at all. Don't know if vape nic absorbs different or not. It's different than quitting analogs somehow for me anyway.

Anyhow, passing it on for anyone thinking of going down the path of being nic free again. I was off everything for 15+ years and for my heart and health am going there again.

I do have to say though that vaping definitely kept me 100% off analogs once I switched. And didn't palpitate or sense any issues from it, other than a 20 count BP rise.

I vaped lightly, 100-150 2-3 second puffs per day. I still have the equipment and juice if I fail, but so far it's going well.

Dave

 

[classwife]

Wishing you the very best !
I believe you really will have a much easier time as you do not have all of the chemicals in you that are in cigarettes. (I have also heard from others that have said how much easier it is)

 

[Dlpsr]

Thank you! I appreciate the support.

 

[Don29palms]

For alot of people it's not just the nicotine. It's the habit. Breaking the habit can be just as hard if not harder than getting off the nicotine.

 

[Dlpsr]

For alot of people it's not just the nicotine. It's the habit. Breaking the habit can be just as hard if not harder than getting off the nicotine.

For sure for long timers. The first heart attack was convincing. Being away so long and only having several months of exposure to cigars and cigerettes and only a couple months of vaping helped as well for me. Frame of the mindset also makes a difference, will power level and who know what all. Technique in using the nic alternates, as well tapering those. Day two has gone real well. No backslides.

 

[Dlpsr]

For alot of people it's not just the nicotine. It's the habit. Breaking the habit can be just as hard if not harder than getting off the nicotine.

PS: Originally after quitting chewing sugarless gum became the new habit. I still chew about 500 pieces a month and it causes cancer in California.

 

[Skunk!]

PS: Originally after quitting chewing sugarless gum became the new habit. I still chew about 500 pieces a month and it causes cancer in California.

Good thing you're in Pennsylvania
Congrats on getting off the smokes. I am using 4mg/ml now. Slowly working my way down. Keep it up. It gets much easier.

 

[Vandal]

When I stopped smoking and started vaping, I did notice some withdrawal which, after doing a bit of reading up, I attributed to withdrawing from the chemicals that were in the cigarettes. That lasted about a month. Now, after having been a chain smoker and now chain vaper, I can be in a situation where I can't vape and an hour will pass without my even thinking of it (which amazes me to this day). With cigs, after 15-20 minutes, I'd have been jonesing.

There is a difference for sure, at least for me. If I had to quit nicotine, I think I'd just vape nic free. If for some reason I couldn't do that, I would have to find something to do with my hands. Fidget Spinner maybe? Lol. I did buy a few.

 

[X_tina]

Dave,

Congrats to you, and keep up the good work!
I have smoked for 3/4 of my life. Cigarette free for one week today. No heart attack here, but chronic cough, and chest tightness.
I’m hoping to transition to nic free in the future.
Wishing you strength and success in your journey!

 

[Dlpsr]

Dave,

Congrats to you, and keep up the good work!
I have smoked for 3/4 of my life. Cigarette free for one week today. No heart attack here, but chronic cough, and chest tightness.
I’m hoping to transition to nic free in the future.
Wishing you strength and success in your journey!

Thank you! Sounds like you are on the right path. Vaping gets you off cigerettes and the transition a little later is much easier to move on to freedom.

 

[the wind]

if i remember right,i coughed up stuff for the first month. having been a long time heavy smoker.sounds like you got this!

 

[Dlpsr]

if i remember right,i coughed up stuff for the first month. having been a long time heavy smoker.sounds like you got this!

I've always had post nasal stuff. I've only smoked for about 4 months, and vaped for 3, not enough time to accumulate smokers sludge again. Smoking and vaping aggravate my nasal problems so I'm just looking to improve those issues as well as my general health and stay away from tobacco. Had it before though years ago. Thanks for the input.

 

[somdcomputerguy]

Congrats on quitting the combustibles, Dave. Nicotine via vaping hits one slower than from a cigarette. Salt nic is quicker hitting than freebase nic, but still not quite as fast as from a cig. The other chemicals in a lit cig are more addictive than than nicotine, whether it's from a vape or a cig, but a vape doesn't put tar in ones lungs..

 

[bnrkwest]

Congrats! If you get the urge to vape you can always go zero nic and don't inhale. But keep up the good work!

 

[Don29palms]

Sorry wrong thread

 

[Opinionated]

Congratulations on the move..

I quit nicotine and just chain vaped zero through the cravings... we all do what works for us! Hope it continues to go well for you.

 

[BrotherBob]

The purpose of vaping was to avoid analogs and eventually quit all nicotine.

It can be done, I'm at zero nic so you have a bigger incentive than I.

 

[Dlpsr]

History. I'm 66, smoked for more than 30 years, quit when I had a small heart attack at about 47-49 years old. BP issues requiring meds and other health issues.

About last August 2019 I had a bunch of stress come up and handled it badly. I started on mild cigars and moved to medium strong. Got in a situation where I couldn't smoke a stogie, so bummed a cigarette. That morphed into smoking more than a carton and stogies.

I knew they'd kill me so I picked up a Juul 3%, not enough moved to 5%.
Moved on to a Vinci x and 50 salt.

Have been mixing and dropping the salt and was to 25ish. Was getting a lot of choking white phlegm every morn. Vaping mostly tobacco with very little flavor. 70-30 was better than 50-50 for muscus/phlegm problem.

The purpose of vaping was to avoid analogs and eventually quit all nicotine.

I'm into the second day today. Piece of nicorette gum in one cheek and a nicorette lozenge in the other. Both 2mg. Consult your doctor on doubling up patches, gum etc.

Withdrawal wasn't bad so far at all. Don't know if vape nic absorbs different or not. It's different than quitting analogs somehow for me anyway.

Anyhow, passing it on for anyone thinking of going down the path of being nic free again. I was off everything for 15+ years and for my heart and health am going there again.

I do have to say though that vaping definitely kept me 100% off analogs once I switched. And didn't palpitate or sense any issues from it, other than a 20 count BP rise.

I vaped lightly, 100-150 2-3 second puffs per day. I still have the equipment and juice if I fail, but so far it's going well.

Dave

Hey all, Thought I'd check back in and report all is still going well. I quit on leap day so I'm 10 days out with no back sliding. Still chewing nic gum and lozenges together, about 6 times per day
and trying to taper down slowly.

I'll still check in on my fellow vapers from time to time. I appreciated having a place and experienced input when I started. Plus I have to get my son off cigs. He fell off the wagon about three months ago as well.

Take care and thanks!
Dave

 

[CMD-Ky]

For alot of people it's not just the nicotine. It's the habit. Breaking the habit can be just as hard if not harder than getting off the nicotine.

I am one of those people, the hand to mouth action was critical.

 

[Charlotteson7thcloud]

Wow that's inspiring me. I slightly vale, too. But would love to have some puff in the stress time. I plan to reduce the nicotine level to 4-9mg. Keep up your good work!