Smoking leads to Banner Envy!

[Berylanna]

I'm still smoking combustables (1/3 PAD) after a year of vaping, and I have not seen a decrease in the last 4 months. Since I had so much decrease in the first few months of vaping, I was hoping that would continue down to like 3-4 a day, but that is not happening.

Looking at everybody else's banners is driving me crazy, I WANT ONE. But when I first get up in the morning, the idea of NOT having combustibles panics me.

I'm wondering -- for New Years -- if I should

1. Try to see how many days I can go on zero combustibles?
2. Resolve to never again have 2 or more a day and try to stick with that for a few months?
3. Relax and see what happens nearer to the 18-month mark, which I hear is a not-uncommon time to finally quit?
4. Resolve to put together a tool kit to handle all my occasional vaping failures? (*)

(*) So far, each advance in my vaping (devices, flavor, WTA, better devices) has led to a drop in smoking but right now my only remaining vaping problem is that I really need to rebuild Nova heads with cheesecloth to get a truly satisfying head that lasts for weeks. I'm also having some problems with occasional vapes not working because of center post issues.


Want....banner....want.....banner.....

 

[pianoguy]

I kept pushing that first cig of the day farther off, until one day I never got around to lighting up. I carried cigarettes around with me for a couple weeks, though, just to avoid feeling any panic about it. Everybody finds their own way, and however much you've reduced your smoking so far is a victory in its own right.

 

[denali_41]

your motivation to get the banner was the same as mine !! 24mg and changed all of my regular combustible habits ,,finally i got the banner



i had to remove for the current status though

 

[BWhare]

I found that as long as my smokes were easy to get at, I'd use them. Once I realized this, I put them in a drawer. They were then about three inches away form where they'd been. That's when I stopped altogether. All it needed was a bit of inconvenience thrown into the mix. It didn't hurt that I had really reached a peak of resentment as far as spending money on the ......things.

 

[singu]

When i first started i had a 1 or 2 cigs a day...usually in the morning. When my upgrade arrived i just said to myself i will not smoke in the morning and just stick to vaping. I kept hitting my PV like a crazy person in the mornings but managed to stick to vaping and after a few days the craving went away. It got easier and easier in time...so my advice is to just try not to smoke for one day and see how it goes from there. It really gets easier with time...and you should congratulate yourself for cutting down..

 

[NancyR]

I know you have been trying for a while now, my suggestion would be relax. Beating yourself up because you have a cig is only gonna make you wind up smoking more, not less. I do agree with doing the moving them to another area, and when you feel you want one try vaping first, then if you still want one don't beat yourself up because you have one.

Most of us have spent years and years smoking, and so not everyone is going to be able to easily walk away from them even with vaping.

 

[tommyfinger]

Dont stress over it. I am not an expert but I am proud to be 37days analog free. I was in the same boat as you. That morning cigarette was the one thing holding me back the other times I tried to switch to vaping. This time when I bought my own ego set, instead of borrowing my brothers, i told myself i will not smoke long enough to pay off what i paid for the kit. Kind of like an incentive that i felt i owed myself. I will tell you that my wife still smokes in our bedroom so there are always analogs around. I have fought the urge so far and i can say it does get better but I still have my moments.

 

[denali_41]

I found that as long as my smokes were easy to get at

i actually carried around an open pack for the first week and half of straight vapin,,i even forgot they were there i was so happy to not be smoking anymore,

the sense of freedom went a long way then to keep me from reaching into that pocket

 

[J.R. Bob Dobbs]

dude, just vape solid for 3 days then go smoke an analog first thing in the morning, not only will it wake you up really fast...since you will conveniently be on your way to the bathroom, you can just go ahead and puke while your there.

yes a cigarette will taste that nasty after merely 3 days of vaping.

 

[jmac1773]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I still have 5-7 analogs a day. Especially in the mornings. Don't beat yourself up over it!! Try a higher nicotine level in your juices. That's helping me.

Also, someone (I forget who) wrote something GREAT on here once: "It's not the cigarettes I smoke that matter - it's the ones I DON'T smoke that matter most."

Edit: Oh, I just realized that quote is in my signature line.... LOL!!

 

[noi_max]

I haven't payed much attention to the banner. Sorta stopped counting the days in my head. I know it's around a couple months.

When I get the analog craves, which are few these days, I just chain vape

 

[RosaJ]

The last time I had a cigarette I almost threw up because it was such a bad experience overall. And I only lit that last one because I hadn't touched one the day before and I my mind didn't want my body to go through withdrawals. I've been smoke free since then and that was 10 months ago.

Are you smoking cigarettes because you keep having problems with your vape gear? If that is the case you need to keep searching for a reliable setup.

I started with the eGo C batteries, got a vv eGo passthrough, got a Provari, and then got an L-Rider Lambo 4.0 as a back up to my provari. I'm only using the Provari and the Lambo as my every day batteries. As far as delivery system is concerned I finally settled for carto pyrex and polypro tanks because I got fed up with dry hits from vvn's and having to top off cartos. Only clearo I use now is the Kanger T3 and I am pretty much settled into a vape routine.

All I worry about now is making sure I have enough boge cartos, Kanger T3's replacement heads, and juice.

Good luck with your search!

 

[zapped]

For me not having that first cigarette in the morning was key. I made sure my pv was all charged and full of juice and reached for it first thing instead of analogs and chain vaped all morning until it got better.

 

[volume control]

Stop buying analogs, its as simple as that. When you want to run to the store and buy a pack, vape until you no longer have the desire. If you work at a convenience store im sorry for suggesting this, and your best bet is probably to just stave off the first analog of the day as long as you can, thats the one that counts.

Good luck getting your banner. Im analog free for about 4 months myself, but im banner free too lol

 

[r77r7r]

I'm still smoking combustables (1/3 PAD) after a year of vaping, and I have not seen a decrease in the last 4 months. Since I had so much decrease in the first few months of vaping, I was hoping that would continue down to like 3-4 a day, but that is not happening.

Looking at everybody else's banners is driving me crazy, I WANT ONE. But when I first get up in the morning, the idea of NOT having combustibles panics me.

I'm wondering -- for New Years -- if I should

1. Try to see how many days I can go on zero combustibles?
2. Resolve to never again have 2 or more a day and try to stick with that for a few months?
3. Relax and see what happens nearer to the 18-month mark, which I hear is a not-uncommon time to finally quit?
4. Resolve to put together a tool kit to handle all my occasional vaping failures? (*)

(*) So far, each advance in my vaping (devices, flavor, WTA, better devices) has led to a drop in smoking but right now my only remaining vaping problem is that I really need to rebuild Nova heads with cheesecloth to get a truly satisfying head that lasts for weeks. I'm also having some problems with occasional vapes not working because of center post issues.


Want....banner....want.....banner.....

That was my final hurdle. I smoked and vaped until I could find something that worked as consistently as a ciggie. Fortunately, it was just going from cartridges/attys to cartos, nothing tricky like fiddling with wicks and coils.
And since that worked fine to get me off, that's still what I use now.

 

[Berylanna]

OK, after reading all these responses I have my plan.

Between now and New years:

-- Completely fix up and organize all my vape stuff, including what goes into recycling and what goes PIF.

-- Rebuild about 10 heads, including an M3.

-- Inventory my extenders and adaptors, see if I need more (to prevent center-post drift, per some other post I found in ECF"

-- Launder my 2 coats

-- ????? Tell my family and friends? Or keep it to ECF???????

New Years Resolution:

0. Make SURE vape is ready for the morning before going to bed.
1. Try to quit entirely, see how many days I can go. Or years.
2. If that fails, stick to 2 combustibles/day, moving them as late into the day as possible.
3. NEVER smoke without vaping 10 minutes first.
4. Walk around the block, fast, 3x/week, climb stairs 4x/week

 

[volume control]

Yep, just go right to the vape in the morning no matter how much your brain is telling you that you need an analog. I had that issue, after a long nights sleep you think about the vape and the analog and youre like oh yeah i need the analog! But without them around to use the choice is made for you, but you may find that if you just force yourself to vape a bit and you find you dont need that analog so bad anymore you may be ok.

Walking wasnt really great for me cuz walking and smoking go together so easily, idk if you have a bike but those work wonders, you cannot smoke and ride a bike easily at all! I ride every day

 

[Berylanna]

Yep, just go right to the vape in the morning no matter how much your brain is telling you that you need an analog. I had that issue, after a long nights sleep you think about the vape and the analog and youre like oh yeah i need the analog! But without them around to use the choice is made for you, but you may find that if you just force yourself to vape a bit and you find you dont need that analog so bad anymore you may be ok.

Walking wasnt really great for me cuz walking and smoking go together so easily, idk if you have a bike but those work wonders, you cannot smoke and ride a bike easily at all! I ride every day

I live on a hill, I no longer can smoke and make it up the hill at the same time. But it works fine with my pv.

 

[Tail11]

Sounds like a good plan Berylanna. I weaned myself down for a couple of months before making the total plunge into vaping. A lot of my problems had to do with habits and breaking them. My hang up was having nightly cigarettes. I was vaping during the day, but had to come home after work and have a cigarette. Finally, the cigs started to taste bad and I found that I wanted to vape more. I decided to stop buying cigarettes and actually threw 4 away that were in my last pack.

I also find that when I proclaim my quit to my friends, it enables me to stay on track. It's been a little over 3 weeks, and I don't find the want to go back to smoking. I'm enjoying smelling nice again!

Best of luck with your new years resolution!

 

[Sylvaria]

One thing that'll help... clean your house. Including wiping down the walls. When you see all that brown/blackish gunk coming off your furniture and stuff then stopping and thinking. OMG! that is in ME! You'll not want another one again. Odd, I just never noticed it before or didn't care to, more like. *sigh* Just freaks me out now to think about it. That might help a bit with the motivation. Also, I don't know what strength your using but I have had to use 36mg juice to stay off the others switching between 24 and 36 now to start tapering down a bit.


Syl

Edit: btw... just had to add a little, For the Horde! there ;P (Belf here, haven't played in awhile though)