So hard....

[Krisb]

Better gear worked for me more than just increasing your nic. Find your price range, then browse the forum and take a look around. No one can really point you to "the best" pv, it is a very personal choice. I had a hard time and still had cravings until I moved up my voltage from the standard 3.7. I quit smoking after a 27yr habit by not feeling guilty and just looked at vaping as switching brands. Sometimes just the idea of quitting the cigs sent me straight to the store for a carton and chain smoked. I now use a Darwin sold at nhaler.com with ikenvapes cannon attys and its the closest thing to smoking I've come across.

Also, if you are worried about buying something pricey just to find that it doesn't work for you, there is a classified section on this forum and stuff sells pretty easily. I had a $70 mod and sold it for $60.

A good place to start is a variable volt ego, sold at gotvapes.com. It does 3.2, 3.7 and 4.2 volts. Might be a great, and pretty cheap, place to start finding your sweet spot. Good luck!!

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[madjack]

Well, if someone out there can recommend a better PV and all the goodies that I need to go with it please, take me under your wing!! I am ready, willing and able to spend some cash to get the RIGHT set up. It will be worth every penny. Ok, I'm waiting to hear your recommendations! Thanks my friends!!

...my recommendation to you would be to goto Electronic Cigarette - Starter Kits - Riva 510 ...scroll down to the Riva 510 lite bundle (after clicking on the 20% discount button in the top left corner of website)...under 40 bux...then goto Crystal Clear Vaping and get either the Boge or Resurrector 15 carto deal...look at either of those sites(or others listed in the forum suppliers) and getcha some joose to load 'em up with and you should be good to go, long enough to do some more reading on the forum and figure what else you might want...but that's just me.............
madjack

 

[dudex]

Better gear is definitely a good starting point. I am at 1 month analog free and analogs are starting to smell like crap to me now.

 

[cags]

I have the riva 510 (which to me is like a cigar size) and the joye 510 (more of a cig size) been vaping since feb (2PAD smoker for over 30 years)....I still like the cig size joye 510, so it is the one I use the most. the battery life is not a problem for me - I am a chain vapor so I carry 3 of the joye 510s around with me all day, so the batteries last 3 times as long <g> oh, and for me....cigs still don't taste or smell bad... maybe my senses have been permanently fried!

 

[izabella]

Sometimes just the idea of quitting the cigs sent me straight to the store for a carton and chain smoked.

That describes me perfectly! I didn't want to quit smoking, I didn't think I could quit smoking, and the idea of never smoking again made me want to smoke more.

When I started vaping, I wasn't trying to quit entirely. I wanted to stop smoking in my house and in my car, and hoped that vaping would help me do that. I still smoked about 5 cigarettes each day when I first started vaping and I didn't feel guilty about it all. I was thrilled I had cut down to 5 per day! Eventually, over time, I tapered off those when vaping took over.

I still don't prohibit myself from smoking if I really want a cigarette. I give myself the choice, and I think that helps me in choosing not to smoke at all. It's mind games, but that's what worked for me.

 

[CaptainCook]

The guy that got me into vaping sounds like you... He smoked and vaped for over a year before he increased his nic level then no longer felt the urge to smoke... Myself- I tried quitting with nic gum once, the highest nic they sold, and I constantly longed for a smoke.... I was only on the gum for 3 days until I started smoking again.... With vaping I started out with 24 and 36mg nic-quid, I have only felt a strong urge to smoke once, and that was a few days ago.... I have been smoke free for almost a month and a half...

So experiment to see what works for you.... And don't feel guilty about having a smoke.... Every time you skip a smoke by vaping is a win...

 

[Luvs5rugrats]

Just keep in mind that going from smoking to vaping is quitting smoking, so even though you may satisfy nicotine cravings, there are other things we're withdrawing from that our bodies are so used to be pummeled with day after day. I just sucked on my PV like a pacifier in the beginning and sat here and read until my brains felt like they were going to explode.

I ordered new juices and stuff to keep me busy and excited about trying them. But like the advice that has been given, don't be so hard on yourself and sometimes by giving ourselves strict, solid rules just makes us want to break them.

 

[JuniorNA]

i'm the same way. I never thought Vaping would even remotely slow me down when it came to analogs. but I read and read, and then read some mores. That are a lot of other things were directly, or indirectly get addicted to when we smoke analogs. Alkaloids are in cigarettes and the other parts that i can't remember MAOI? (SP). basically, we're addicted to nicotine, yes...but we are also addicted to about 300 other chemicals that come along with a cigarette. I replaced that chemical addiction by using snuff (nasal snuff) and i still use snuff about 4-5 times a day for that quick nic delivery to the dome. Then i vape mostly all day (desk job) and have an analog or 2 later on...i don't beat myself up, because here in NJ..it's 8$ a pack, so going down from 2 PAD to 2-3 analogs a day is a HUGE saver on my wallet. I'd say, take it a step at a time, and try to vape and read.

Since i'm in computer support, it's so EASY for me to take a smoke break, have 2 analogs in a row with friends and come back inside, I had to change that habit, just like a drug addict would, because we are in the simplest form of the word, drug addicts. Addicted to a drug that is or is not legal, is an irrelevant point. So i had to change the way I lived.

On a 30 minute ride to work? i'd chain smoke 4-7 cigs depending on traffic, then about an hour later, smoke break with friends, then lunch time...more chain smoking, and ride home, another 4-8...so my pack was finished by 5pm every day.

Now I chill at my desk, and surf instead of going outside to smoke, and vape. Then when and if i really need a cig, i have one because I'm not about to give myself a deadline or a goal that i NEED to beat, i'm all about taking it 1 day at a time. I put myself in a position to vape, and to not have any triggers, again much like someone addicted to a narcotic. and when you put yourself in a better environment, your mentality changes...and you adapt...trust me, it's happened to most of us.

I'd say the people that started vaping and never smoked an analog again, either told their story too soon, and went back to analogs, or truly did stop for good, but again, it's probably a very small percentage. And everyone is different, based on will-power.

ok i'm rambling, peace.

 

[Jackiej5407]

Another thing that JuniorNA touched on was the missing alkaloids not found in e-cigs. One (very smart) e-juice company has developed, and will soon be releasing, juice known as WTA ... Whole Tobacco Alkaloids. Company is Aroma e-Juice, and you might want to read up on it in this ecf thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...bacco-alkaloid-wta-faq-info-aroma-ejuice.html

I think you'll find it highly interesting, and may be just the thing you need to throw out the analogs!

 

[DAlberto]

hello there,

I started vaping a few months ago as I felt I was about to start smoking more. Not that I smoked a lot, about 3-4 cigs a day but this was after having given up almost completely for 2 years, I started up again for a few months and was feeling the urge to smoke more so I ghosted these forums for a while then got a 510 kit from cignot.com (Vicki is awesome and she also gave me great advice on what to get).

I found that while the 510 kit did help me stop smoking, I wanted more and soon upgraded to an Ego-T "B" tank system (again from cignot.com, can't say enough about how helpful Vicki is) and that's hit the spot for me. Longer battery life, tank holds about 2mls of liquid, and my old 510 attys fit the ego-t batteries. At the moment still experimenting with juices to find ones that I like.

Did visit my family in europe this past summer and so many people smoke there that I thought I'd give it another go while sitting outside enjoying espressos, so I bought a pack of Gauloise (one of my favourite brands) and found that I couldn't even get through half a cigarette. I find I get more satisfaction and no horrible flavours in my mouth from vaping so ended up giving away the rest of the pack. I think at some point you'll find that cigarettes just taste bad but, as others have suggested, I would go with a higher nic content and hopefully soon you'll find that you're smoking less.

Good luck.

 

[CWatkinsNash]

You've already gotten some great advice and recs here. I just wanted to add my recent experience. Until just over a week ago, I was a pack+ a day smoker for over 22 years. I won't get into my reasons for suddenly deciding to quit, but I designed my own quitting program. Everyone is different, so I had to figure out what actually worked for me, not what everyone else thought should work for me. I think the key to my success so far, besides my PV, is this: I didn't keep my regular smokes around the house when I started the program. I used to roll my own, so I had the gear and some REALLY crappy, stale tobacco hanging around.

Weeks 1 & 2 - allowed two analogs a day, but not during the morning coffee because that decades-long habit needed to be broken ASAP. The first part of week one was a terror. My PV (an Njoy that I bought two years ago when I thought I was going to quit but never got around to trying) died. (Well, okay, I dropped it and killed it. Good riddance, ultimately.) I went to ELP and ordered a Solarflare 2012 (re-branded DSE-103) on clearance along with some juice and carts. I got the black one because I felt I should get one that didn't look too much like a cigarette - break the association. It came quickly, and things got immediately better. At the same time, I was starting to get my smell and taste back and got the full impact of just how awful that crappy RYO tobacco really was. Oh, and jalapenos go a lot further than they used to. Had to change my dip recipe because it now tastes completely different.

I'm a couple days into Week 2 right now. Already my "allowed analogs" are no longer something I wait for with impatient anticipation. It's like a bonus but I no longer drool over getting my analog fix. Progress! I'm also walking up to 5 miles a day, which I could not have done just a week ago. When I have my evening analog, I wait until it cools down outside enough to shut off the AC and open the window. Otherwise the cigareek bothers me.

When I get to Week 3, I will be allowed one analog a day. Starting with Week 4, if I am successful, I will officially be a non-smoker.

None of this would work without the PV, but finding a method that works for me was just as important. I'm not over the hump yet, but I'm far enough to along to recognize why it's working. Smoking isn't just one habit, for a lot of us it's a combination of addictions and rituals we do throughout the day. Each one has to be broken in its own way. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, because if you're anything like me, the more constrained you feel, the more likely you are to just jump off the wagon. If you know you're likely to cheat, do what I did and work it into the program. If it doesn't work at first, don't beat yourself up over it, just start over.

I also have an app on my Android phone that keeps track of how many analogs I haven't smoked and how much money I've saved. It's a good motivator! Good luck - to both of us!

 

[swedishfish]

It takes the right PV, the right nicotine strength and the right mindset. We've all told ourselves we should quit smoking. When you get to that point where you want to quit smoking, you can do it.

I never started vaping to quit. I started because my mother had to quit and I'm around her. When I started vaping and realized it was actually possible I could quit, I really embraced the idea.

I just couldn't stand it for one more day that people thought I stunk. It bother me tremendously. Especially the "ew, I smell cigarettes" and people would crinkle up their nose like someone stepped in dog s*it. I thought no one knew I smoked until I stopped and realize you can smell a smoker a mile away.

I couldn't stand how limiting smoking was. How you can't go certain places or stay in certain hotels or be around some people because they don't smoke and you do. We went on vacation and I had to stand outside the house like some kind of loser because I smoked. You pick the people you associate with based on a bad habit you share. I hated people coming in my house unless I did a douse of Febreeze and didn't want to give people rides in my car.

Once you committ to stopping it's very freeing. I'm not saying everyone can or should stop. I'm a battery charge away from being a smoker myself. But I am so happy that I stopped.

It didn't happen overnight and I didn't try to make it happen overnight. As time went on I found I enjoyed vaping more than smoking. I don't miss smoking or any part of smoking at all.

 

[swedishfish]

You've already gotten some great advice and recs here. I just wanted to add my recent experience. Until just over a week ago, I was a pack+ a day smoker for over 22 years. I won't get into my reasons for suddenly deciding to quit, but I designed my own quitting program. Everyone is different, so I had to figure out what actually worked for me, not what everyone else thought should work for me. I think the key to my success so far, besides my PV, is this: I didn't keep my regular smokes around the house when I started the program. I used to roll my own, so I had the gear and some REALLY crappy, stale tobacco hanging around.

Weeks 1 & 2 - allowed two analogs a day, but not during the morning coffee because that decades-long habit needed to be broken ASAP. The first part of week one was a terror. My PV (an Njoy that I bought two years ago when I thought I was going to quit but never got around to trying) died. (Well, okay, I dropped it and killed it. Good riddance, ultimately.) I went to ELP and ordered a Solarflare 2012 (re-branded DSE-103) on clearance along with some juice and carts. I got the black one because I felt I should get one that didn't look too much like a cigarette - break the association. It came quickly, and things got immediately better. At the same time, I was starting to get my smell and taste back and got the full impact of just how awful that crappy RYO tobacco really was. Oh, and jalapenos go a lot further than they used to. Had to change my dip recipe because it now tastes completely different.

I'm a couple days into Week 2 right now. Already my "allowed analogs" are no longer something I wait for with impatient anticipation. It's like a bonus but I no longer drool over getting my analog fix. Progress! I'm also walking up to 5 miles a day, which I could not have done just a week ago. When I have my evening analog, I wait until it cools down outside enough to shut off the AC and open the window. Otherwise the cigareek bothers me.

When I get to Week 3, I will be allowed one analog a day. Starting with Week 4, if I am successful, I will officially be a non-smoker.

None of this would work without the PV, but finding a method that works for me was just as important. I'm not over the hump yet, but I'm far enough to along to recognize why it's working. Smoking isn't just one habit, for a lot of us it's a combination of addictions and rituals we do throughout the day. Each one has to be broken in its own way. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, because if you're anything like me, the more constrained you feel, the more likely you are to just jump off the wagon. If you know you're likely to cheat, do what I did and work it into the program. If it doesn't work at first, don't beat yourself up over it, just start over.

I also have an app on my Android phone that keeps track of how many analogs I haven't smoked and how much money I've saved. It's a good motivator! Good luck - to both of us!

Great post!!