Still smoking support and chat thread

[Thayamax]

It's good you have a week head start. I know that after I had a few months or under my belt I kept going because of not wanting to break my streak. It was the longest I'd ever been without a cigarette in 42 years.

I used 24mg nic and 70 pg for a long time after I quit. Finally after a couple of years I went to 50/50 but stayed at 24mg nic for close to another year before I started cutting down. I'm now at 70 vg and 3mg nic. I don't see myself cutting back any further.

Most people seem to need a higher nic to start in order to fight the cravings. Some use a lower nic most of the time but have 1 setup with higher for when the cravings hit.

 

[Foggy Road]

It's good you have a week head start. I know that after I had a few months or under my belt I kept going because of not wanting to break my streak. It was the longest I'd ever been without a cigarette in 42 years.

Heh heh, yeah it was 45 years for me. I used to say AND believe if I could just go without for 24 hours I'd have the nasty things beaten HA!

I used 24mg nic and 70 pg for a long time after I quit. Finally after a couple of years I went to 50/50 but stayed at 24mg nic for close to another year before I started cutting down. I'm now at 70 vg and 3mg nic. I don't see myself cutting back any further.

I started at 24mg same power range I'm at now. (But my DIY coils are much more productive than comparable factory coils) Lowered the nic as I went to subohm but when I moved back above ohm I kept the nic low just to conserve it.

Most people seem to need a higher nic to start in order to fight the cravings. Some use a lower nic most of the time but have 1 setup with higher for when the cravings hit.

I've seen that higher nic for cravings but never did it. For a looooooong time the hard part was the first vape of the day. It seriously was not appealing at all. It would take some time to work my way into the first vape of the day.

To be honest I have or DID have trouble with vaping due to my COPD. My lungs are always loaded with phlegm from the disease NOT from vaping. But I believe the dehydrating aspect of vape cause a thickening of that mucus that for a long time actually made my morning "throat clearing" cough quite painful. The stuff would get so thick overnight that it just didn't want to break lose and move in the morning. It would sting trying to make it move out. My 50/50 mix seems to have alleviated the worst of that issue for now. I think VG was the culprit.

 

[Thayamax]

I haven't yet been diagnosed with COPD, nor do I have asthma or allergies, so I consider myself lucky so far. The first time I vaped a high VG juice I woke up the next morning with my chest feeling so heavy I had a hard time catching my breath. It was downright scary. I backed off the vg for a little while and reintroduced it more slowly. Now I vape 70 to 80 without a problem. Of course I'm not suggesting anyone try that. Some people just cannot handle high vg either from COPD, asthma or allergies. Same with pg, some people's bodies simply cannot handle it.

 

[Foggy Road]

Here's something for those who beat themselves up every time they read " Quit with my first vape and never looked back ".

Imagine how I felt with my wife (most amazing creature on the planet ) quitting years ahead of me. She simply flipped the switch, one moment smoker the next moment not!!!
No patch no gum no vape no struggle no nuthin!

Also with the "never looked back" folks you may notice how many state that they had already quit several times but it just never stuck. So. IMO some already had most of what it takes and vape provided the extra little bit needed.

We need the vape to carry the whole load and we need to keep faith that it can. When I would have a lit cig in my hand and start reaching for my vape with the same hand, I really wanted the vape more. This is what made me feel like I'd rounded the bend.

Sitting here again this morning with the papers and tobacco right in my face and a mod right next to it. No contest, that little Pico W/eGo ONE tank is calling me much louder than the other.

 

[Sir Kadly]

When I would have a lit cig in my hand and start reaching for my vape with the same hand, I really wanted the vape more. This is what made me feel like I'd rounded the bend.

Kind of funny that you mention that. Many times I've reached for my vape shortly after finishing a smoke, but I had never ever reached for it while smoking, until this morning. I don't think I'd had more than a couple drags off that cigarette when I realized it was still burning between my fingers and I was vaping away. Maybe that's a sign that I'm getting there.

 

[Foggy Road]

Kind of funny that you mention that. Many times I've reached for my vape shortly after finishing a smoke, but I had never ever reached for it while smoking, until this morning. I don't think I'd had more than a couple drags off that cigarette when I realized it was still burning between my fingers and I was vaping away. Maybe that's a sign that I'm getting there.

I truly believe it's a very positive sign! Vape On!

 

[Foggy Road]

Try this at night.... lay out your pack of smokes and sit a mod on top so you have to grab it and move it in the morning. Can't hurt to see what happens???

DON'T force the choice, just make it obvious and see what happens? Don't stress over it either way. Just look at it as playin a game with yerself.

 

[Sir Kadly]

Interesting idea. I think I'll actually give that a try.

 

[Thayamax]

I think you guys are on to something. Good luck!

 

[KC0YNU]

I want to thank you all for the running commentary on your journey of quitting. It has aided me a lot the last few days. As I have been struggling with the inability to overcome the vaping first thing in the am, right after eating, and just before bedtime.

 

[KC0YNU]

Last night was first night was able to vape through, but morning just had to burn a couple.

 

[Sir Kadly]

I want to thank you all for the running commentary on your journey of quitting. It has aided me a lot the last few days. As I have been struggling with the inability to overcome the vaping first thing in the am, right after eating, and just before bedtime.

Yep those are the hardest ones for me too. I think it's because in some ways those particular times have a kind of trigger that reinforces the habit.

 

[Foggy Road]

Thanx for chiming in! Every post helps to rebuild this community and get it active again. Anyone who spots us in the new posts thread may be able to help or possibly be helped. Glad you got some encouragement from the discussion.

 

[Thayamax]

@KC0YNU That's fantastic that you were able to vape past that 'last one before bed' smoke!

The last cigarettes are definitely the hardest. Those triggers are pretty much a given for any smoker. I know my car wouldn't start if I didn't have a smoke in hand.

I was a smoker who had to have a cig as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning. I started keeping my mod on my nightstand at night so it was the last thing I did before bed and the first thing I reached for in the morning. That made it more convenient than going for a cigarette.

 

[Thayamax]

You are so right, Foggy. The more posts that are made here make this thread more visible to the general forum members and lurkers. Hopefully those who are struggling will check us out and post here with their issues and everyone will be able to help each other. The more people the better.

 

[Foggy Road]

I know my car wouldn't start if I didn't have a smoke in hand.

 

[tgs3]

I have been at 9 cigarettes a day for three days now thanks to vaping. I got some new carts from v2 with 2.4 nicotine strength. Pretty similar to the American Spirit blues and blacks I was smoking. I am allowing myself a smoke every two hours with one exception. As a lot of you have mentioned the morning is the toughest, so I have two with my coffee. I am still on vacation until 9/6 so my only goal is to stick with my current schedule.

I have not had less than 20 cigarettes in a day for over 40 years. So, this is kind of a miracle for me. Let's keep this thread going. I check it everyday.

 

[Thayamax]

@tgs3 Woohoo! Congrats on getting down to 9 smokes a day, especially when 2 of them are in the morning. I'm anxious to see how it goes when you go back to work. I'm hoping for the best!

 

[Foggy Road]

Kudos to Ya @tgs3 ! I can remember when I thought I'd never be down to 9 a day. Smart thinking actually. Now you have LESS than a half pack a day habit to kick when Ya get back to that beloved distraction called work!

 

[Foggy Road]

Well, chalk up another day of freedom. Blew no smoke yesterday. Did wake up in the middle of the night/day to vape a couple times. That's unusual, think the vape is finally becoming the more "natural" habit. Guess with just sticking to it for 2 years it would have to dontchya think? Right now I'm in a Tennessee highway rest area. Woke up in the middle of the eclipse.
Since I didn't actually know I had quit I didn't Mark the date on the calendar. I've decided to be conservative and choose August 14. I know it's been at least that long.