Smoking Analogs again....

[bluebunneh]

After I got my e-cig I pretty much quit analogs cold turkey. I didn't even want to smoke analogs either, I would occasionally have one but other than that I used my e-cig. It's been 4 months since I've had my e-cig and we've gotten along just great but here recently I've been craving analogs and have even purchased a few packs.

I don't understand why this is happening?? Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[Lashes]

DONT SMOKE"EM! BE TOUGH!

You just have to tell your self thats not what YOU do anymore, you are a vapor now. Think of all the benefits vapor has over smoke. Smoke is evol! dont do it man!

 

[sherid]

After I got my e-cig I pretty much quit analogs cold turkey. I didn't even want to smoke analogs either, I would occasionally have one but other than that I used my e-cig. It's been 4 months since I've had my e-cig and we've gotten along just great but here recently I've been craving analogs and have even purchased a few packs.

I don't understand why this is happening?? Has anyone else had this issue?

No, but that's because I have never denied myself a cigarette or two. I always have one in the morning with coffee. I honestly think this works better because I do not have to play psychological games with myself, claiming to have quit smoking. I have done this for over 10 months now, having gone from a pack a day for 40 years to 1/2 pack a day with the e cig, to 5-6 a day with the e cig, to my present 1 per day with the e cig. I always have cigs around, and if I want one, I have it. I don't even pretend to have quit smoking, so there is zero pressure to live up to that standard. If you deny yourself something for a long time, sooner or later, it starts looking very attractive.

 

[Nestran]

Don't smoke them. There have been studies showing that as little as 5 per day shows no appreciable difference in mortality rate vs a pack a day.

Yeah, I know we all are a but meh on studies, take it for what it's worth I guess..

Nestran

 

[Sad Society]

Ever consider that maybe it's the weather changing that makes you want to have a cigarette.

 

[jj2]

You could be right, but then again, those couple of cigs a day may have stopped you from losing the taste for the analog.
I just consider myself a converted smoker because I never want to put a smoker down. But for the grace of God and the e-cig, I'd still be smoking and I've seen too many people act holier than thou after quitting. This kind of attitude really ticks me off too.

 

[lkim65]

try upping you nic level in your liquid. I don't smoke analogs anymore but when I first started out I was smoking them along with the e-cig. If I wanted one I would just smoke one...

 

[Dredbull]

I loathe that I still crave em. A cut back is better than smoking IMHO. I cant get by without the morning cup of joe, a smoke while taking the morning trip to the pool to drop the kids off.

 

[Deschain]

How do they taste after 4 months of clean vaping?

I suppose you could up you nic levels with your juice or try another more tobacco-like flavour if you haven't already done so.

Anyways, sad to see somebody fall off the wagon after several months of good vapin' - Reconsider your position and try to resist 'em, they are filth.


.

 

[jennyhadadot]

No, but that's because I have never denied myself a cigarette or two. I always have one in the morning with coffee. I honestly think this works better because I do not have to play psychological games with myself, claiming to have quit smoking. I have done this for over 10 months now, having gone from a pack a day for 40 years to 1/2 pack a day with the e cig, to 5-6 a day with the e cig, to my present 1 per day with the e cig. I always have cigs around, and if I want one, I have it. I don't even pretend to have quit smoking, so there is zero pressure to live up to that standard. If you deny yourself something for a long time, sooner or later, it starts looking very attractive.

Was good to hear someone mention the 'coffee' analog! I got my Aunt (a 50 year smoker) to try e-cigs but she thinks she's failing because she still NEEDS that one cigarette with her coffee in the morning. I'm going to show her your post, that might make her feel a lot better. Going from a pack a day to one 'coffee' cigarette doesn't seem like failing to me!

 

[ItsNotToasted]

I read a thing about PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) some time ago. Usually it's in reference to harder drugs than Nicotine but I was able to learn a little nugget of info that related to my Nicotine addiction. It seems that right around 4 months is when you can be hit with major withdrawal symptoms. I've quit cigs a million times and I swear it was like clock work every time. 4 months came along, hadn't even thought about smoking for weeks and weeks and then suddenly I'm just subconsciously bumming a smoke and back on cigarettes full-tilt within a week.

You're never out of the woods with cigs. If you want to be free from them you just have to be vigilant in not smoking ever and dealing with whatever impulses you may have at whatever time you have them whether it's 3 days since you quit, 4 months or even years. I know this to be true as I've failed so very many times by not following this.

My advice would be to just understand that it's totally normal to be having these cravings and do whatever you want to do to deal with it. Just make sure you understand that it's normal and you can make better choices in this state of mind. Also keep in mind that the 4 month hump is very similar to the 72 hour hump in a quit. It passes so don't get to stressed out.

Good luck!

 

[jennlsnoopy]

Try your best to hold out on smoking an analog. If you've already gone 4 months you can do it. What do you think is the reason you are now craving an analog? If you think its the nicotine maybe you should up your nic level, or vape like crazy till the craving passes.

Maybe it's just a feeling you are getting now, and it will go away in a few days if you just hold out.

 

[jennlsnoopy]

Was good to hear someone mention the 'coffee' analog! I got my Aunt (a 50 year smoker) to try e-cigs but she thinks she's failing because she still NEEDS that one cigarette with her coffee in the morning. I'm going to show her your post, that might make her feel a lot better. Going from a pack a day to one 'coffee' cigarette doesn't seem like failing to me!

It's kinda like alcohol. Drinking once and a while or just having one drink its ok. Drinking all the time is an addicition and not good for you. Although you have to be careful, because just one drink for an alcoholic usually can lead to many more. Probably a pretty close analogy for a smoker.

 

[emberl]

A craving lasts about 2 minutes.
When you want a cig. think of something else, take a little walk, put some music on.
Anything to get your mind of that ciggy.

Then 2 minutes later you're fine.

 

[beckah54]

After I got my e-cig I pretty much quit analogs cold turkey. I didn't even want to smoke analogs either, I would occasionally have one but other than that I used my e-cig. It's been 4 months since I've had my e-cig and we've gotten along just great but here recently I've been craving analogs and have even purchased a few packs.

I don't understand why this is happening?? Has anyone else had this issue?

Yes, I do understand what you're going through. It was about the three month mark for me. I wanted a real cigarette so bad, I broke down and bought a pack. I had one whenever I felt the urge. I bought another pack. It has been in my purse for three weeks, untouched. The desire for a real cig left almost as fast as it came.
But if I do desire one, I will have it and go on vaping the rest of the time. I didn't buy an e-cig to quit smoking, just trying to do less damage to my body. The fact that vaping does take away the desire for an analog (most of the time), is remarkable though.
Hang in there!

 

[sherid]

Was good to hear someone mention the 'coffee' analog! I got my Aunt (a 50 year smoker) to try e-cigs but she thinks she's failing because she still NEEDS that one cigarette with her coffee in the morning. I'm going to show her your post, that might make her feel a lot better. Going from a pack a day to one 'coffee' cigarette doesn't seem like failing to me!

Nope, and I just never worry about it. Why would I? One needs perspective. I am taken aback sometimes by so many evangalistic claims about "never smoking again" but then you do. Am I supposed to feel guilty about that? No Am I supposed to then switch to 60 mg of nicotine in order to avoid a couple of cigarettes? I don't think so. I have never used anything above 24 mg, usually it is 16, and frankly those big mg numbers worry me a lot more than a cig with morning coffee. I was under the impression that we were saying e cigs are not a stop smoking product but a smoking alternative. Sometimes, my alternative is a real cig.

 

[Hinterscher]

I smoked for 5 years (lightweight, I know) and quit for 5. All of a sudden, I started craving them so bad, I couldn't stand it and when I started talking about it, he did too. We both started back up last fall and kept it up all winter until last spring when I bought my first e cig. It took about of month of both before I quit and once I had about 3 kits and settled on one I liked, I gave the other 2 to my husband who quit in one day! He didn't smoke near as much as I did. But even just smoking through last fall and winter, loving vaping, I still get my occasional craving. At first, I gave in, like a lot have told you. Good advice because now I can make it through them knowing I'll only be wasting money because I won't smoke the whole pack. I still have my last "trial" pack sitting in my truck. It's all perfectly normal and above all, good luck.

 

[Eric in AK]

If all you did was vape for four months I'd be surprised if it had anything to do with nicotine levels as a reason for renewed analog cravings. There were good things associated with regular cigarettes, despite the obvious hideous damage to your health. The trade-off never made you quit back when you were a full-time smoker: those cigarettes were like your reliable friends, no matter how bad they treated you.

So maybe there's a subconscious thing that's telling you they weren't so bad after all, and they were easier to use than your current high-maintenance relationship with an e-cig.

You're an adult. If you feel more comfortable with analogs, no one here has a right to tell you to avoid them. Those of us who have dropped the analogs will probably unanimously wish you would leave them forever, but we can't look down on you if you choose to go back to them. Every one of us is vulnerable to the same renewed infatuation. I hate to think of it as analogous to drinking, but we all used to have a habit that was statistically just as much a death sentence as heavy drinking, and each of us chose to smoke despite the enormous risks. There must have been a strong attraction...very understandable that it might be harder for some to shake.

Best of luck to you.

 

[shiva]

No, but that's because I have never denied myself a cigarette or two. I always have one in the morning with coffee. I honestly think this works better because I do not have to play psychological games with myself, claiming to have quit smoking. I have done this for over 10 months now, having gone from a pack a day for 40 years to 1/2 pack a day with the e cig, to 5-6 a day with the e cig, to my present 1 per day with the e cig. I always have cigs around, and if I want one, I have it. I don't even pretend to have quit smoking, so there is zero pressure to live up to that standard. If you deny yourself something for a long time, sooner or later, it starts looking very attractive.

I agree with you, although I haven't kept them around regularly, I still will have a pack if I'm having a few beers, or bum one once in awhile on break at work, if nothing else just to get away from my desk and go outside.

I like your sig. Michelle Pfieffer...yummy...

 

[vapomike]

Well it's officially 2 weeks for me. I have only had 3 puffs off of a cigarette and have no desire to go back. I had 2 puffs 3 days after I quit and it tasted like crap. Then tonight my girlfriend wanted me to light her cigarette for her. So I did and it actually choked me up and burned my throat. Even if I did ever want one again I couldn't actually see myself enjoying it at this point.