Spontaneous drop in nicotine need

[telsie]

So this is odd. I woke up yesterday feeling just as groggy as I always am when I wake up. I fed my cats, I made my coffee and then I started surfing the web. A few minutes later I remembered my e-cig. Oh yeah... nicotine! I just didn't feel that urge for it. Of course, once I thought about it, habit kicked in if nothing else and I wanted it. But rather than force some nic into my system that maybe I didn't need, I decided to fill my cart with about half zero stength and half low (11mg) strength. And that was... fine. Weird.

As the day went on and my nic need kicked in a bit more, I still just mostly vaped low strength. I think twice during the day I topped off with medium. Normally, I vape low, med and high throughout the day (mostly medium). I haven't actually been to bed yet since I had an all-night amount of work to do (and yeah, I worked all freaking night with only low strength nic), but I'm going in a few and when I get up later, I'm curious if I'm still going to be fine with low strength or if yesterday was a fluke.

Anyone else experienced a spontaneous drop in nic need?

 

[Scottbee]

It used to be that the very first thing that I reached for in the morning was my analog. Not my coffee.... not my dog.. not my wife (8-o)...

That has changed with time and PV's. My PV still gets a decent hit within the first 15 minutes of morning consciousness..... but it's not necessarily the very first thing.

 

[nubee]

Same boat for me too. I get up, grab the cup-o-joe and start reading the web news. A good story could be me out 10 minutes before I screw on the atty and load up my cart.

Now, that being said, could I then finish that morning, shlog to the office and return home without touching it.......don't think so.

I have also noticed a similar "lower need" during the work day sitting in some of those power, 1+ hour meetings. I'm not looking to break any tackles to get back to my desk

 

[The Wiz]

Unfortunatly the first thing I grab in the morning is my PV.....Generally followed up within minutes by a cup of coffee and a pinch of snuff!! The only time I seem to require less nicotine is when I am preoccupied at work.!The Wiz!

 

[telsie]

Years ago, I got out of the habit of lighting up the a smoke the minute I got out of bed, so I never reach for my e-cig immediately either. But generally, I'm feeling a bit hurried to get to the point that I'm sitting down with my coffee and ready to vape, just as I always was with smoking. Something seems different now, though. There's less urgency to get to it. I'm only vaping low strength today and it seems to be all I need. I hope this lasts. It's awesome to just need less without trying

 

[dlynne]

I just love to vape. However, I notice too that the urgency to smoke a cigarette is not present with my vaping habit. This can only be some fort of progress.

 

[cassey808]

i have also noticed some vierd lows in my smoking, but have always considered them a good thing. maybe they are caused by the fact that regular cigarettes have lots and lots more additives in them that just nicotine...i mean all the stuff like things used in nail-polish remover and so on. Maybe its just that once you don't get the extra additives the body grows more conscious and readjusts its nicotine need, that being lower than you were used to...
or maybe I'm just talking plain nonsense right now

 

[Ysabet]

I have always been a wierd smoker. I never smoked until late in the day ... usually after supper. Then I would smoke while watching tv till bedtime. A pack of analogs would last me approximately 3 days.

Never even carried smokes with me if I left the house.

But since I have started vaping I need (or want may be better) a good vape with my morning coffee. I now also vape most of the day and the evenings.

I am not sure what I am getting from the vaping but I am loving it and I am NOT reaching for any analogs.

So I figure all is good!

 

[myownslave]

i ran really low on juice just before the 1st so i mixed up a batch of 20ml VG and dumped in my last 5ml of 18 mg in it. so about 25ml of REALLY THICK 3.6mg if my math is right. didnt kill the craving but helped a little, by day 5 i was perfectly fine with it and i got an immediate buzz off my 11mg that showed up. now vaping at zero most of the day with a couple puffs of 11. could have NEVER done that with analogs.
*edit* got off subject, and yes i dont vape for the first 20 min of the day, used to be immediate with cigs.

 

[telsie]

I haven't had to vape any high strength (24mg) liquid since I posted this. So it would seem that my spontaneous drop wasn't a fluke. Before, I was mostly vaping medium (18mg) along with high sometimes and low sometimes. Now I'm mostly vaping low (11mg) with medium sometimes and zero sometimes.

Here's another cool thing I've realized...

I mentioned before how I've been feeling less urgency to start vaping in the mornings. This morning I figured out why that is: My brain doesn't seem to need the nicotine to wake up anymore. I'm not a morning person, so I'm never not groggy when I get up. Within maybe 10 minutes of getting out of bed, however, I feel quite mentally alert without even having vaped yet.

I'm still having a very distinct craving in the morning for nicotine, but because it doesn't seem to be involving my head, it's not as strong. I don't know if that made any sense at all, but it's the only way I could describe it.

 

[Milano]

I just love to vape. However, I notice too that the urgency to smoke a cigarette is not present with my vaping habit. This can only be some fort of progress.

same here!

 

[Outlander]

I smoked a pack a day for over 40 years and when i got my PV I started with 0nic juices and a bottle of flavorless nic at 18mg. Would do a nic shot once or twice a day and all was good. Still is after 3 months, the whole time I never desired an analog but I vaped a lot more than I smoked. I don't vapetherockies as much as I did in the beginning, but it is still more that I smoked, but it is all because I like it better.

 

[Vocalek]

Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2000 Jan;55(10):737-41.
Site of nicotine absorption from a vapour inhaler--comparison with cigarette smoking.

Lunell E, Molander L, Ekberg K, Wahren J.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the site of nicotine absorption during and after use of a nicotine-vapour inhaler compared with that after cigarette smoking. METHODS: Using a catheterisation technique, the nicotine plasma concentration-time profiles in arterial and jugular venous blood after using a nicotine inhaler were compared with those achieved after cigarette smoking a in seven healthy habitual smokers. RESULTS: After use of the inhaler, arterial nicotine concentrations rose slowly to a maximum level of 5. 9 +/- 1.5 ng/ml at a mean time to reach peak concentration (t(max)) of 9.0 +/- 1.1 min, whereas jugular venous nicotine levels peaked at 25.4 +/- 5.4 ng/ml at 6.7 +/- 0.3 min. The concentration-time curves indicate that the absorption occurs mainly via the mucosa of the oral cavity and the pharynx, and that there is minimal absorption via the lungs. In contrast, after smoking a cigarette, arterial nicotine plasma concentrations rose quickly to a maximum level of 49. 2 +/- 9.7 ng/ml after 4.0 +/- 0.6 min, while the maximum concentration of nicotine in the jugular vein was 22.4 +/- 3.9 ng/ml after 6.4 +/- 0.4 min, indicating primarily pulmonary absorption of nicotine. CONCLUSION: Nicotine absorption after use of the vapour inhaler occurs primarily via the mucosa of the oral cavity; the absorption occurs slowly and the arterial nicotine concentration spike, typical of cigarette smoking, is avoided. Thus, the likelihood for abuse of the nicotine inhaler is probably small.

Of course this article predates the existence of the nicotine inhaler as we know it. But the Health New Zealand report did mention that the absorption of the nicotine is not deep in the lungs as it is with tobacco smoke.

On a personal note, I do not get the periodic cravings throughout the day that I used to get for a tobacco cigarette. Thus, I have to remind myself to use my PV periodically. If I start to make a lot of stupid mistakes, that's my clue to take a puff.

 

[Valhalla1]

here is a study which says the nicotine+maoi's in analog cigs produce a much stronger addiction than nicotine alone
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition Dramatically Increases the Motivation to Self-Administer Nicotine in Rats -- Guillem et al. 25 (38): 8593 -- Journal of Neuroscience

Nicotine is the major neuroactive compound of tobacco, which has, by itself, weak reinforcing properties. It is known that levels of the enzymes monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and MAO-B are reduced in the platelets and brains of smokers and that substances, other than nicotine, present in tobacco smoke have MAO-inhibitory activities. Here, we report that inhibition of MAO dramatically and specifically increases the motivation to self-administer nicotine in rats. These effects were more prominent in rats selected for high responsiveness to novelty than in rats with low responsiveness to novelty. The results suggest that the inhibition of MAO activity by compounds present in tobacco smoke may combine with nicotine to produce the intense reinforcing properties of cigarette smoking that lead to addiction.

 

[Tuesday]

Since my first e-cig I never had the desire to have a analog cigarette again. My need to grab my e-cig is there in the a.m. but it is NOT the frantic urge I had when I smoked analogs. (non-smoker for over 4 months)

 

[telsie]

On a personal note, I do not get the periodic cravings throughout the day that I used to get for a tobacco cigarette. Thus, I have to remind myself to use my PV periodically. If I start to make a lot of stupid mistakes, that's my clue to take a puff.

Aside from mornings (when I still feel a need, it's just a weaker need that it was), I don't ever get cravings like I did for cigarettes either. I assume that's because I don't have to think about going to have a smoke. I can't just grab my e-cig and vape any time, so that nic craving rollercoaster we lived on as smokers is gone. I still use my e-cig A LOT, but since I really think it's more habit than addiction at this point.

here is a study which says the nicotine+maoi's in analog cigs produce a much stronger addiction than nicotine alone
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition Dramatically Increases the Motivation to Self-Administer Nicotine in Rats -- Guillem et al. 25 (38): 8593 -- Journal of Neuroscience

It's quite interesting how complex cigarette addiction really is, isn't it? All I ever used to hear is how incredibly addictive nicotine is. But more recently, it seems like the truth is more that the nicotine in tobacco cigarettes is what's so incredibly addictive. That certainly seems in line with my experience.

Since my first e-cig I never had the desire to have a analog cigarette again. My need to grab my e-cig is there in the a.m. but it is NOT the frantic urge I had when I smoked analogs. (non-smoker for over 4 months)

Yeah, that's basically exactly the same for me. I still need it, but I don't NEED! it. I'm over 4 months now too. Congrats to us

 

[supernicguy]

my morning routine used to be wake up, shower, instant breakfast, then monster energy and a smoke on my way to class. now its pretty much the same, but there have been a few times that Ill forget about my pv until im pulling into the parking lot at school. its rather nice being able to get going in the morning without the gnawing need for a smoke

 

[Agentaaron]

My non-smoking wife and I always carpool to work. We have never smoked in our vehicles, though she is even more sensitive about it being that she has never smoked.

My morning routine during the week was always wakeup, shower, feed all the animals, drop the kids off at school...then drive as fast as I can to work so I could light up.

Now that I have cut out analogs and only vaping, I still follow the same basic routine...only I dont feel the need to rush to work, and Monday...I didnt bust out my PV until almost 11:00

...On a side note, I notice that it is much easier for me to fall asleep as well at night.

 

[traderblue]

...On a side note, I notice that it is much easier for me to fall asleep as well at night.

Yes, me too. Easier for me to fall asleep and much deeper sleep also at night. I think the usual suspect is nicotine.

 

[timothy]

ive noticed this too was at 36 than it seems like every 2 or 3 weeks i dont need as much and now im at 11 to 8 mg only crave 18 or 24 first thing in the mornings