Some advice please...

[jandrha]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to ask advice please. I apologise in advance for this being a long, and quite possibly boring post. And I know this isn't essentially a help forum, but I stumbled across this site a few days ago and have been reading a lot of posts, and decided to post one of my own in the hope that someone might be able to offer me some advice. So here goes...

I stopped smoking cigarettes (20 a day) 11 weeks ago after a routine check up with my GP, when she near enough convinced me I had lung cancer (I haven't, it was just a smokers cough). She scared me enough to want to quit anyway - hadn't managed to in 25 years, so I suppose that's a result, and makes the following 3 weeks I spent worrying myself to death (binge-eating diazepam - why wait for the lung cancer to get me?!) while waiting for my CXR results almost worthwhile!

Anyway, I used nicotine patches and am on the lowest (7mg) strength now, and am due to come off them completely by Thursday.

The thing is, although I don't think I've had too hard a time nicotine wise - probably due to the help of the patches - after I got my clear CXR result back, I think my 'reason for quitting' went out the window, and my willpower took a dive.

I've stayed quit, but it's getting harder and harder instead of easier, and I feel more and more like going back to smoking. I'm sure I won't - I've come this far, but I'm really beginning to miss if not the nicotine, then definitely the ritual side of smoking.

I went out for my birthday a few weeks back and actually came home early (leaving all my guests out) because I hated the fact that I couldn't smoke (it's so much worse when socialising and having a drink!) and since then I've avoided all socialising. Obviously I can't stay in for the rest of my life, and I would like to enjoy a drink at some point in the future without risking smoking again. So my question is this - do any of you experienced e-smokers might think an e-cigarette might help? Or would it be a step backwards as I've been off cigarettes 11 weeks already, and it would just be re-introducing the behaviour back into my life? Also, would it be stupid to go back on nicotine when I've been weaning myself off it for the last couple of months?

I'm really scared of either starting smoking again, or having no life. (That almost sounds funny!)

Also, if I was to try an e-cigarette, which would be the best type, it seems there are so many. I would prefer one that looks close to a cigarette. And should I go for nicotine (low, obviously, as I'm on low patches now) or no nicotine (or will that still risk me craving a cigarette?)

Anyway, any advice will be very much appreciated. Maybe someone has been there?

Sorry again for the loooong post!

Cheers, Ruth

 

[dnakr]

Hi Ruth,

I know when I first tried to stop smoking what I really really missed was the act of smoking. I enjoyed taking that long drag and inhaling it and watching the smoke when I exhaled. It was so relaxing.

When I first tried e-cigs 7 months ago, I thought it would be another device that I would try and had no intention of quitting my real cigs. However, before I knew it, in 3 days I completely switched over to e-cigs, never had a problem giving up those cigs.

I was totally shocked that it was so easy for me to do this, but I found that I still had my long drag, my inhale, and vapor (smoke) to see. I began enjoying the fact that I controlled the amount of nicotine I got and I felt better. My lungs cleared up and I had more energy.

I personally do not think it would be a step backwards for you. It seems you are beginning to isolate yourself from things you enjoy because you can't smoke.

I wouldn't say e-smoking is a way to quit smoking, only an alternative to not having all the chemicals founds in real cigs. No one really knows if this is a healthier alternative, but we all do agree that health wise, we feel better. No tests have been done on the PG or VG to see if it is safe to inhale all of the time.

If you do decide that you want to try e-cigs, remember it is not the same as a cigarette, but with you stopping 11 weeks ago (congrats on that) you may find that it is a life-saver for you. I would go with a low dose and no nicotine because as you will find, you will suck on these things as an adult pacifier.

Since you want something that looks like a cigarette, the mini might be a good choice for you.

Rachel

 

[TropicalBob]

Ruth: Been where you are. Two years ago, I made it off cigarettes for 85 days, but decided I needed "my best friend" in various social and/or stressful situations. I went back. What the heck. We're addicts, after all.

A year ago in March, I had carotid artery surgery for 95% blockage. I was a week away from dying, the surgeon said. And every medical person who saw me blamed the cigarette that I thought had been my friend all those years. Again, I quit. For a month. Went back briefly. Saw how incredibly stupid I was being. Would I die for a cigarette? Hell no! On July 16, 2007, I quit for good.

In January, I discovered e-smoking. E-smoking gave me the physical experience of cigarette smoking --- hand-to-mouth, inhaling, exhaling vapor -- that nothing else provided. Pretty soon, I came to enjoy the taste of vapor more than cigarette smoke. That might well be your case, too. I confess that I still puff a pipe twice a day (never inhaling) and would relish a cigar now and then (never inhaling), but I really rely heavily on two pen style e-cigarettes -- a Janty Kissbox and a generic model from myecig.com.

The minis haven't yet cut it for me. It takes something at least the size of a pen style to provide vapor, battery life and cartridge life between changes.

This is not a practice without problems. E-smoking has many, not the least of which is the fact that you'll feel like a drug addict as you juggle the demands of your device. But for smokers like you, this is worth a try. I tell people I'm a smoker who just chooses not to smoke anymore. I still want one. I talked with a woman not long who quit 37 years ago -- and she still wants one.

But with an e-cig, you can get past those less-and-less frequent cravings. And you and I both know you'll be healthier for the remainder of your years if don't pollute your lungs every 30 minutes with toxic cigarette smoke. Go for it!

 

[jandrha]

Thanks very much both of you, for your very helpful replies. I am going to order an e-cigarette this morning and will get some of the very low nicotine and no nicotine cartridges as I have weaned myself off nicotine with patches and am now on the lowest dose (no point in working my way back up nicotine-wise!)

It will, I think (and hope), be the best of both worlds, in that it will stop me risking going back to smoking, but allow me to have a social life again. Can't get better than that! Whatever the safety issues (if any) with e-smoking, it surely can't be as risky as smoking cigarettes!

I feel happier already! My life goes on - was beginning to think I'd spend the rest of it killing myself (with cigs), or thinking about it (with no cigs!). Can't wait to get my e-cig!

My only question now is: how come e-cigarettes aren't well-known? With all the hoo-ha about quitting smoking, why aren't they advertised as a healthier alternative? Why aren't the NHS promoting them? I just stumbled across them by chance and everyone I've spoken to about them has never heard of them and think it's just a 'toy' or 'dummy' joke shop type cig I'm talking about as oppose to a real but healthier alternative to a cigarette. It seems strange.

Anyway, thank you again.

Ruth