Still smoking support and chat thread

[Hopeful64]

Hi guys and gals. Just catching up. Wow, (((Thaya))) so sorry to hear about hubby's diagnosis. My thoughts are with you, my dear. The doctors can do so much today for all the different cancers today. There is so much more hope. Hang tight and keep us posted.

And (((Skwij))) my thoughts are with you also. Let the good doctors take care of your mom. My fingers are crossed for a good outcome for your mom.

And congrats to all of you who did well this summer with quitting smoking and successful vaping.

I've been a very bad girl this summer. Back to a pack and a half every day (and sometimes more) with very little vaping. This support group is my last hope to get back on track. I was trying to sneak away and never come back here because I can't seem to conquer this and was embarrassed... but this morning, I thought to myself, ''Get back on the site, post and report to your friends''. I am thinking that if I could get back to the 'harm reduction' stage, I would be happy. Under a pack a day would be my new goal. But I don't feel as motivated as I did when I joined here back a few months ago. Can someone kick my a#s for me today? Lol I know it's me who has to make up my mind to get back on track.....

I really have missed you guys. Love and ((hugs)) to all of you.

Donna

 

[tgs3]

Hi Hopeful, glad you decided to come back. Setbacks are normal - what matters is how you deal with them. Set yourself a realistic goal - say no more than one pack a day (or whatever) and try to stay there as best you can. The point is to smoke less consistently - even if it is only a bit less. But the other thing is to start vaping again a lot - both before and after you smoke!

One last thing that worked for me and for some others here on ecf - get a little pocket notebook and write down the time of every cigarette before you smoke it - at least you have to pay attention and not just light up mindlessly. I began to make real progress after I began that practice.

Everyone has to follow their own road, but building a strong vaping habit is crucial.

Keep coming back!

 

[Chajo]

Hi. Just venting, I guess. Someone on another thread suggested I post here too.

I really have only seriously tried for about two weeks to use my vape regularly and significantly reduce my cigarettes. I've had my mod since May, but have used it more off than on until a couple of weeks ago. (Was having what was likely 'operator error' issues that discouraged me for quite a while.)

I was doing OK, I guess - down to 2-3 cigarettes a day from around 10-11 before. But, then, BOOM, one day I ended up smoking 6 cigarettes. Now, I am fighting to just get back down under 3-4. No one is likely to have any real solution for me, but maybe some of you will take the time to let me know this isn't uncommon. Words of wisdom??

I am in the process of buying a second mod, and may need go up on the nic level (12 to 18??) as well; I've heard that on this site before.

More info:
40 year smoker, usually about a 1/2 pack a day (at least in the last 10 years)
Salem Slim 100's
Currently using Aspire Zelos/N2 tank
Buying Innokin Kroma/Zenith
12 Nic - Halo Mystic menthol blend 70PG/30VG combined with Evo Spearmint 30PG/70VG

Just trying to get back on the train... Thanks.

 

[FranC]

I have no magic words for you other than don't give up. Finding the set up (mod and tank) that works good for you will make a big difference.You may have to play with your nic level or just buy your 12mg and also 18mg. When I starting vaping I needed a higher nic for my early morning vaping. Good luck

 

[Colombia]

Almost 5 months shy with out smoking and yesterday saddly i fell of the wagon.

Being a very stressful couple of days and yesterday I lost my job....I usually MTL but not even the DL was calming my stress, that was too much to process...got a package of smokes and finished them in couple of hours...sigh...

 

[Chajo]

Almost 5 months shy with out smoking and yesterday saddly i fell of the wagon.

Being a very stressful couple of days and yesterday I lost my job....I usually MTL but not even the DL was calming my stress, that was too much to process...got a package of smokes and finished them in couple of hours...sigh...

Total bummer - about your job and the cigs.

I haven't come close to quitting and there is no way I could possibly smoke that many cigarettes in that short period of time and not feel sick and have my chest killing me!! If nothing else, I hope you felt pretty bad physically afterward - maybe that will help you not to do a repeat. I am NOT trying to be mean - just hoping you kind of got the cigarettes out of your system again.

Have nothing I can offer about the job - but, hopefully, you can successfully search for a new job ASAP. Best of luck!!

 

[Colombia]

Total bummer - about your job and the cigs.

I haven't come close to quitting and there is no way I could possibly smoke that many cigarettes in that short period of time and not feel sick and have my chest killing me!! If nothing else, I hope you felt pretty bad physically afterward - maybe that will help you not to do a repeat. I am NOT trying to be mean - just hoping you kind of got the cigarettes out of your system again.

Have nothing I can offer about the job - but, hopefully, you can successfully search for a new job ASAP. Best of luck!!

Thank you so much for your kind words. Did not feel bad and the cigarrettes actually helped me with the stress. I am good now already have 2 jobs offers hopefully will start this week.

I dont feel the need to smoke again at least not for now.

 

[Skwij]

Hooboy.
Been doing pretty well then fell down the emotional well of this song


Yeah I'm in the garage having a skinny cigar and bawling . My Dad wanted this song played at his Celebration. It killed me then and it's killing me now That's the new strategy though. Small strong Cigars with lots of vaping.

 

[Skwij]

@Chajo and @Colombia welcome. We are NOT broken. We vape. We smoke. We try.
And try, and try again. As long as we try, we win, right?

 

[Skwij]

Almost 5 months shy with out smoking and yesterday saddly i fell of the wagon.

Being a very stressful couple of days and yesterday I lost my job....I usually MTL but not even the DL was calming my stress, that was too much to process...got a package of smokes and finished them in couple of hours...sigh...

Yeah, we get the "too much to process".

 

[FranC]

You're all doing great. Keep up the good work and never stop trying

 

[Skwij]

Happy Thanksgiving to the Canucks in here!
Commercial Salt And Pepper GIF by Holidays - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

[United States]

Wow. I found an oasis.

Try, try, try as I might vaping isn't replacing cigarettes. It's helped reduce the number. But when I was an alcoholic I tried beer instead of liquor thinking being bloated would cause me to drink less.
Nope, my belly just stretched. So I tried wine and became a wino. Then went back to liquor. Rum was my favorite vice.

Sooooooo, I figure the vape is doing similar, as in helping some but causing cravings to grow for my favorite nic fix method. Upping nic only kept me stoned while I smoked. So I settled on 6ml (from 3) at 13.5 watts as a smoking reducer.

Basically for me it's not a simple stop A by using B. My goal is to be nicotine free. I have read lots of great ideas here, but have been a slacker about implimenting them. And like with drinking there just has to come a day when I say ENOUGH.

It's not stress, or other typical trigger things that cause me to smoke. I Like Cigarettes.
I had a scare in June and decided to try vaping. While scared I was on good behavior. But after a bunch of tests my doctor said "it's amazing but you're not ill at all." Slowly I smoked more, vowing to do better tomorrow. Since June I'm caffiene free and nearly sugar free. I do not smoke after meals anymore, nor with my (decaff) coffee. I wait at least an hour before the first one. Yet somehow through the day I manage to puff a pack. Often though I only take a few drags from it and put it out.

Thanks for reading this and I look forward to chatting with others struggling too.

 

[United States]

Todays commute to work involved an unlit cigarette between my fingers. At times I'd stick it in my mouth and take an unlit drag. Put it back in my hand and hit my JAC Vapour Sandstorm. I drove 3 hours without lighting that cigarette.

Hey, it's a start, right?

 

[FranC]

Sounds like a good start to me

 

[Skwij]

Wow. I found an oasis.

Try, try, try as I might vaping isn't replacing cigarettes. It's helped reduce the number. But when I was an alcoholic I tried beer instead of liquor thinking being bloated would cause me to drink less.
Nope, my belly just stretched. So I tried wine and became a wino. Then went back to liquor. Rum was my favorite vice.

Sooooooo, I figure the vape is doing similar, as in helping some but causing cravings to grow for my favorite nic fix method. Upping nic only kept me stoned while I smoked. So I settled on 6ml (from 3) at 13.5 watts as a smoking reducer.

Basically for me it's not a simple stop A by using B. My goal is to be nicotine free. I have read lots of great ideas here, but have been a slacker about implimenting them. And like with drinking there just has to come a day when I say ENOUGH.

It's not stress, or other typical trigger things that cause me to smoke. I Like Cigarettes.
I had a scare in June and decided to try vaping. While scared I was on good behavior. But after a bunch of tests my doctor said "it's amazing but you're not ill at all." Slowly I smoked more, vowing to do better tomorrow. Since June I'm caffiene free and nearly sugar free. I do not smoke after meals anymore, nor with my (decaff) coffee. I wait at least an hour before the first one. Yet somehow through the day I manage to puff a pack. Often though I only take a few drags from it and put it out.

Thanks for reading this and I look forward to chatting with others struggling too.

Welcome to the safe haven for the rest of us.

I truly think there are more of us dual users than the rest of the forum lets on.

It's a struggle, for real. It's hard; it's crazy-making; it's exasperating to be one of those that picks up a vape and doesn't "accidentally" quit. Quitting is hard work. The physical is tough; the mental aspect is ridiculously difficult.

Hang in there and touch base with us! We don't bite, and we're usually a chatty bunch in here. Not just about smoking or dual using, but just life stuff. After all, life stuff is what trips us up, right?

 

[Skwij]

Todays commute to work involved an unlit cigarette between my fingers. At times I'd stick it in my mouth and take an unlit drag. Put it back in my hand and hit my JAC Vapour Sandstorm. I drove 3 hours without lighting that cigarette.

Hey, it's a start, right?

That's freaking AWESOME.

 

[Skwij]

We had a bonus day today. 80+ F in the middle of October is amazing. Great golf was done (77 for me) and decent for hubs (79).

Then off for custom wings at our favourite watering hole.

Settled in on the porch for a vape session and maybe even some dripping

 

[United States]

Removed the embarrasing rant about losing power and neighbors' all night generators.
Thanks to anyone reading the original and not thinking "dude get a grip".

It has been a rough few weeks and I finally lost it for a few hours and posted a bunch of stuff while coming unglued.

Thing is I thought I'd chain smoke a whole pack but stopped at about 8 or so....
So there is that.

 

[United States]

Talked to the folks restoring my power. Sadly where they live there's no electricity either. I went to a store and bought them all a quart of gatorade as a thank you. Other folks gave them flowers, coffee, cash.. lol

They said they'd been working since Thursday night (now Saturday) and sleeping in their trucks a few hours at a time. One guy said he hopes to have his list of repairs done by Tuesday. Yikes.

So with all that said my new Zenith tank leaked all of the sauce out overnight. Those threadless coils are great, unless you don't pop it in exactly right. It's almost like you need to prime the o'ring to swell slightly because each time I start a new one it leaks the first day or so.

Ok, off to vape some, nap some, vape some more and nap some more.