Smoker for 38 years needs advice on Vaping and WTA

[beachpeach]

Hello, I just found this forum tonight and am so grateful that there are folks out there willing to help those of us who know absolutely nothing about e-cigs. I'm 51, have been smoking for 38 years, have COPD and Emphysema, and desperately need to stop smoking. I've heard all sorts of things about using e-cigs, the latest being about Whole tobacco Alkaloids. Is there anyone who can tell me what kit to buy, whether disposable cartridges are available for WTA, or is the liquid easy to use? Also, is it advisable to continue smoking regular cigarettes when starting e-cigs, or just switch completely? Also, regarding flavors, I have been smoking Virginia Slims Menthol all these years and would like something that tastes very similar if not the same, if it's available. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Have a beautiful day!

 

[JohnnyBGoode]

I suppose having COPD, the sooner you can get rid of regulars cigs the better. Some find it hard to swap at once. I took about 2 weeks and finished my regular tabacco and simply did not buy new.
It helps to start of with a relatively high level of nicotine.

Since vaping for some people can cause irritating of the lungs amongst others , you should consult with your doctor in any case before starting.

Flavors are very personal. The menthol will be no issue however getting close to tobacco flavor proves illusive. I did not try WTA eliqs but tbh I am a bit sceptic about them. Personally I found it easier to find a completely new flavor I liked vs trying to find a really good match with my old tobacco. Somehow it is never really the same and I ended up with a lot of disgusting eliquids.

Good luck and keep in mind most you read here is information based on personal experiences and very little based on (medical) research.
That goes for most of the vape scene.

 

[cbednar88]

Hello & Welcome!
I myself am new to this forum.. not so new to vaping though. I have been vaping for 6 months now. When I got my first ecig I still had a few cigarettes left in my pack. I smoked the rest of them in between using my ecig but once I was done I haven't bought a pack since. I know some people reduce smoking cigarettes when they get an ecig but continue to smoke. So it's personal preference in that department, but considering you have respiratory problems I would advise stop smoking all together.
There are lots of brands that replicate menthol and tobacco flavors.. Personally I went with fruit/dessert flavors to help me stop but one of my favorite menthol flavors was Nicquid's Smooththol. Strong creamy menthol/mint flavor. When I started vaping I went to my local Puff n Pipes and they had all kinds of flavors that you could try before you buy... most local shops I noticed are more expensive compared to online but at least you could sample some juices to give you an idea of what you might like.
I like the iTaste VV. I usually shop on myvaporstore.com and they have a starter kit for $57 that includes a 5 clearomizers, the battery, and the charger. How much are you looking to spend on a start up kit? There are cheaper options too.

I haven't heard too much regarding WTAs but they do come in liquid forms and from what I heard they are more expensive than normal juice.

Good luck!

 

[Mercinova]

Hi beachpeach,

You definitely need to quit smoking tobacco. I smoked for 27 years...2 packs/day. I just started vaping about 3 weeks ago and I can tell you...it's been the easiest way to quit smoking I've ever tried. I haven't had a traditional cigarette for over a week. There are a plethora of starter kits out there...all shapes, sizes and prices. Finding the right one just takes a bit of research. You need to find what will work for you personally and the right place to buy it from. There are a lot of vendors that price gouge and it seems the cheapest supplies comes from China. As far as what to start with...I suggest a single low-cost e-pen or disposable e-cig from a carryout or gas station to start and get a feel for vaping. E-Liquids are kinda hit and miss, if you're unable to taste before you buy. Local Brick & Mortar Vape Shops usually have Tasting Stations to sample e-liquids, but usually charge a bit more than what you can find online. I smoked a few cigarettes a day the first week I started vaping. Had really bad cravings for a real cigarette after waking and eating, but that has pretty much gone away now...and believe me...I was a hardcore smoker. I tried smoking a cigarette the other day and choked. It was very nasty tasting, unappealing and unsatisfying. About the Virginia Slims Menthol and E-Liquids in general...there are tons of Menthol Flavored E-Liquids available and they vary in taste. Like I said before, it's hit or miss. Some you may like, while others are off-putting, but there's something to consider. The average taste bud has a 10 Day Life Cycle and your tastes will change quite dramatically after quitting smoking for more than a couple weeks. Things that didn't taste so good before will start to taste better. I had a major problem with sweet tasting tobacco flavors when I started. I smoked Roll Your Own cigarettes for 10+ years and had developed a taste for dried-out bitter tobacco. Now I enjoy sweet rich tobacco mixes, as well as, exotic flavors. My best advice about a starter kit is to start with something simple & within your budget. Do some pricing research, so you're not being taken for a ride. Using the e-pens with e-liquids as opposed to e-cigs with cartridges is a bit more involving, but will produce better flavor, save money and personally, I feel it was more satisfying when I had a bad craving for a real cigarette. To get a low-end of the spectrum feel for pricing...visit FastTech.com and browse their e-cigarette section. Some of the cheapest prices available, but also know that they're based in China and some of their products are knockoff clones. Also, being based in China...it takes about 15-30 Days to receive your order, but on a high note...they have Free Shipping on all orders.

Hope that helps and give vaping a solid chance. It may take a bit to get used to, but it's certainly your best chance of quitting smoking.


Edit for grammar...

 

[cyrix]

I switched 5 years ago to Vaping. I did it as soon as I got my first little manual 510 and 901 screwdriver. It was rough but the devices and liquids have come a long way since then. Now I have a huge collection of devices (too many probably) and make my own juices and I'd never go back to smoking. I enjoy Vaping enough to just quit all together if it became unavailable for any reason. Best of luck to you.

 

[masterdaver]

I smoked a pack a day for 15 years. I quit immediately upon receiving my first e-cig order. I was a bit irritable the first day, but I haven't looked back. I started with the skinny little e-cigs (that look like cigarettes) but soon upgraded to a vamo for more power & battery life. Good luck with quitting smoking.

 

[NewellVW]

Welcome beachpeach! A wealth of knowledge and help here. I am 61 and smoked for 45 years. Bought an e-cig with cartridges at a gas station out of curiosity and immediately cut back on my smoking using it so it got my interest up and I started researching cheaper options. Found and bought this Series 3 - V2 Cigs been using it for 2 weeks now and love it! Very easy to use, pretty good price and no weird tinkering with electronics. Just fill and vape! But there are a LOT of options out there so surf the site here and read other stories, visit on-line vendors and see what you might enjoy.
But I can tell you that this vaping stuff works! No cravings, no withdrawals ( makes wife happy ) and I feel better already and it's only been a couple of weeks so don't give up! Find something that will work for you and enjoy! Good luck and Happy Vaping!

 

[Berner]

Welcome to the forum. I've been vaping for a year and started with a South Beach smoke kit which was OK but didn't really do it for me ultimately. In the interim I've tried pretty much every type of device on the market and have sampled hundreds of eliquids and have learned to make my own as well. I tried WTA juices as well but didn't really feel that they provided anything that I wasn't already getting in my pure nic eliquids. After all is said and done, I mix my own juice now with just PG and VG and some menthol; gives me the throat hit I need and some menthol for flavor. I'm using nic at 10 mg now and tapering slowly. I use a DNA-30 device now with a silica style atomizer (i.e. Russian or something similar) or my trusty old Reo Grand. All the advice above is sound; read as much as you can and ask lots of questions. When I started I smoked and vaped at the same time and after about a week I just stopped the cigarettes, at that time they started to taste pretty disgusting; the transition was really easy. You may also find it helpful to watch some vaping videos, go to you tube and look up Rip Trippers, Phil Busardo, etc., they have generally excellent advice and good reviews that I have found helpful. Good luck!

 

[Warpigs]

Welcome to ECF. I smoked Marlboro Red's for 30 years, and chewed Red Man along with it. The day I got my set-up I have not had a cig/chew. It's not easy to quit those evil things. But the Vapeing helped me alot. I started with high nicotine 36mg as to make the transition easier. I still craved cigs for about 3 weeks but it got to the point were I didn't even think of needing one. Been smoke-free for a little over a year. One of the worst things I started, and one of the best things I quit.

 

[crg31953]

Welcome beachpeach! You have definitely come to the right place for guidance and help.
I smoked for 44 years and e-cigs was the only way I was able to quit. Now it has turned into a hobby for me and I love it!

Good Luck my friend!!

 

[Kaezziel]

Hello, I just found this forum tonight and am so grateful that there are folks out there willing to help those of us who know absolutely nothing about e-cigs. I'm 51, have been smoking for 38 years, have COPD and Emphysema, and desperately need to stop smoking. I've heard all sorts of things about using e-cigs, the latest being about Whole Tobacco Alkaloids. Is there anyone who can tell me what kit to buy, whether disposable cartridges are available for WTA, or is the liquid easy to use? Also, is it advisable to continue smoking regular cigarettes when starting e-cigs, or just switch completely? Also, regarding flavors, I have been smoking Virginia Slims Menthol all these years and would like something that tastes very similar if not the same, if it's available. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Have a beautiful day!

On WTA's do a forum search on DVap... he's done quite a bit with the WTA's and could probably tell you everything you want to know about that!
I'm sorry to hear about your health conditions and sincerely hope that you can make the switch to vaping... it will help you tremendously in that aspect! I've noticed a huge improvement over the years, even within the first few months!!
Most of the eGo kits are pretty good for intro to vaping, but you may find that you'll want to jpgrade to a variable voltage/wattage device soon. My suggestion would be to still start with something simple though... but better than Blu or the gas station e-cigs.
Keep asking questions and I'm sure there are more than a few people here that will point you in the right direction!
Good luck and have a wonderful day!!!

 

[beachpeach]

Hey Everybody! Wow, what a wonderful group of people! I truly appreciate all of your advice, good wishes, experiences, etc. I have been spending about $316 monthly on analogs, that being 6 cartons of my brand. I have read that vaping is much less expensive, and that would be a bonus. My main goal is to live a few years longer, without turning into someone extremely difficult to live with if I'm without nicotine.

This forum is becoming my "go to" place in my search for freedom from traditional tobacco, as I have found an abundance of valuable information here, coming from folks addicted as strongly as I am. My biggest problem out here in the non-internet world is that former smokers seem to be the first to say "Quit cold turkey, don't even try those e-cigs!", not to mention the arrogance they present as if my being a smoker is the worst crime a human being can commit.

I have located a local tobacco shop that does sell a variety of e-cigs and liquids with many flavors. I'm going to give them a visit when I get paid again on September 1st to see what I can try out. I'll continue to follow this forum, as a lurker most likely, but will definitely let everyone know when I get started on my new adventure. Wishing everyone happy days ahead!

 

[Grimwald]

I was a 40 year chain smoker.

I started with really basic cig-sized batteries and cartomizers. Things have changed a great deal in the last 2 yeas, but I would still suggest something basic to get started. Soon you will be a "veteran" as you get used to how this all works and try new things...even things that haven't been invented yet. If you have a local vape shop, that's a good place to start. I can't even begin to tell you how much this forum help me. I was o here hours everyday as I tried to figure things out.

As for juice...I have never found the need to try WTA, but I did need higher nic levels when I started (24mg). No one can tell you what juice you will like. Again I would recommend a local shop where you can sample juices. It might cost more per bottle, but you will save a ton of dollars if you don't have to order dozens of samples searching for that elusive flavor that you like. One word of warning...your tastes will change a your sense of smell and taste return...be prepared for that.

 

[Spiceman1967]

Welcome to the forum. When I started vaping 6 months ago the hardest time I had with ditching the analogs was getting past that wake-up morning cig. I just kept my eGo-VV on my night stand and reached for it first thing. So, after about a week I was done with analogs and haven't looked back.

As far as the tobacco like e-liquids that was my first concern. I wanted something that was like my Camel Lights. But like most have said here, I didn't find anything. Interestingly enough, the closest I found was the disposable red NJoys. Now I don't miss that analog taste at all. I am hooked on Cinnamon Redhot

Brick and mortar stores are nice to see what is out there or if you just can't wait to get something. I bought my first setup at a local shop and spent about twice as much as I would have if I had ordered from MyFreedomSmokes or Sweet-Vapes.

Good luck on your journey and welcome to a world smoke free!

 

[NewellVW]

Hey beachpeach, Spiceman1967 is right, B&M prices are 2-3 times the price of buying on-line. The problem buying on-line is you don't get to see what things look like or how big and bulky they are in real life. Nothing like being excited about a purchase, waiting for the mail, opening the box and here is monstrous, gigantic piece! Also you mentioned you were a menthol smoker as was I. Salem it was, and the link I gave you has some kick .... menthol juice that has a nice kick in your throat that gives you that feeling of smoking. My initial cost for the V2 Pro, 1 exra tank, 50ml of menthol, 25ml of Red ( kind of like Marlboro ) and overnight shipping was quite reasonable @ $130 and I now know that the 2 bottles of juice will probably last more than a month! So a lot cheaper than what you were spending anyway. Best wishes and good health. Vape on, live longer!

 

[Adrian Arcoleo]

Like most everyone else here I smoked for a very long time and really wanted to quit. Tried some of the less expensive "throw-aways", which only somewhat worked. Then I set up with a good mod and atty weherin the vape was pleasant and have not had any desire for a sig. You can do it.