Still smoking support and chat thread

[Topdogie01]

cant remember if i posted yesterday before i took my nap which turned into all night or not...

Child won. 4th year in a row. we were joking last night wondering if there is a special trophy for kids who happen to win all 5 years in a row or not. will post a picture of all 4 lined up in a few days.

 

[etherealink]

cant remember if i posted yesterday before i took my nap which turned into all night or not...

Child won. 4th year in a row. we were joking last night wondering if there is a special trophy for kids who happen to win all 5 years in a row or not. will post a picture of all 4 lined up in a few days.

Very cool! Waiting on pics!!

 

[darksparkle13]

Hey guys, been a while since I've posted in here. Still feeling silly vaping and smoking :\

But I'm realizing what works better for me re: vaping - heat. I think I need to play around and find some juices that are good for high heat. Now to find some cartos to experiment with...

Smoking and vaping yes still the same here! But holding at 5-6 a day! The other day was driving home and did not crave a smoke, but rather a vape! It was awesome and I relished the feeling!

 

[Tisha Kann]

I decided on a whim to completely quit smoking analogs. I didn't like the taste and I was tired of always paying such a high amount each week on a product that was not serving my needs. I was wheezing and the whole nine yards.

Well, that stuck for about 5 days. Then I went to visit my partner. She smokes. For the first couple of hours, I though I could make it. She was even smoking outside. I smoked about 5 cigs over the weekend. It had nothing to do with her. It was me.

I don't put myself down for the 5 cigs. I figure that's a lot better than what I was doing. I was smoking 12 cigs a day.

Here's the problem : I feel like all of the symptoms I experience on the first 3 days of my quit are back with a vengeance. if it's possible I am even more moody, more angry and more ...... off. I am vaping like crazy, but nothing seems to satisfy this nicotine craving.

This is a vent. I am proud of myself for what I have accomplished! I didn't intent to quit out of the blue. I had a plan of quitting closer to my birthday in November. I need to remember how I am feeling right now. When the temptation to light up hits me again, I will have a vivid memory of what it's like the next day.

I am very thankful this thread exists. It is really helping me.

 

[Topdogie01]

Finally have time to upload the picture of all 4 of cholds pretty baby trophies.

Spent most of the day showing girlfriends sisters boyfriend different ecigs online and the strength of each. And how to rebuild his new protank coils. So he should be set for a little while with what I could spare him.

 

[etherealink]

OK, quick recap...

5 weeks smoke free.

A friend asked for a cloud chasing build so I made it and he can't handle the thing. BTW, he still can't wrap a coil and is the one that got me into vaping but wants to try all the new gear I get... do I feel bad about hooking him up with screaming hot coils?

Not a chance.

 

[ShariR]

Poetic justice.

I also have a friend that can not handle 12mg juice on a 2.0 coil on my r91 with my Provari. He still smokes like a chimney and very rarely uses the cigalikes I gave him. He is also on 24hr oxygen. It takes all kinds. I have not given up on him even though he has given up on himself. Actually breaks my heart when I see him.

Some people have a hard time embracing the suck. Some people also can not get the hobby aspect and building aspect of vaping. I thought I was one of those. I am learning, slowly, but learning.

Ooops. Almost forgot. YEAH YOU!!! Five big weeks! That is awesome. Something is working for you. Keep it up.

OK, quick recap...

5 weeks smoke free.

A friend asked for a cloud chasing build so I made it and he can't handle the thing. BTW, he still can't wrap a coil and is the one that got me into vaping but wants to try all the new gear I get... do I feel bad about hooking him up with screaming hot coils?

Not a chance.

 

[Timothy Moore]

Yep, the "I can have a cigarette later" trick really works for me, too.
I will have to say that the habit aspect of it, for me, is sometimes worse than the addiction. At the end of the day, we are still getting nicotine. So truth be told, if we give vaping an honest chance, whether using nic juice or WTA juice, we are still getting the chemical fix we need.
Sure, the rush of smoking is different, esp if you aren't using WTA.
But again, I find that after the stress has been dealt with, if I smoked long enough, it takes real effort to get back into vaping.
Vaping really does work for me. Sure, some stress and I light up. Which is wrong. But has been the pitfall for me. (Tired/stress). On a not-so-bad day, I can light up under stress, stop a second and get my head straight and go back to vaping.
But if I have a heavy smoking day, it kinda carries on, even if I have dealt with my stress. Like today, things were hitting my mind, but I wasn't letting myself get worried/depressed, etc. (I have been forced to deal with the stress for reasons other than vaping. lol)
Yet, even though last night and today were real break-thrus for me and I was really happy, I still had a hard time breaking the habit. Finally, broke out my mod just now after an all day chimney-a-thon. Scratch that, a chimney-a-thon since Thursday.
Like I have said before, the more I vape, the easier it becomes to vape. The more I vape, the less I even want to smoke. But give me more than a couple cigarettes, and I will smoke for a few days.
But I am not frustrated. I think yesterday was a turning point for me in a lot of areas, not just vaping.

I think you have a handle on it. In AA I learned this little acronym for helping to avoid certain triggers, and it may apply to the smoking addiction too, as it seems to apply to all my other addictions:

H A L T - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired -- hungry and tired, well there went my Happy Hour excuse. Angry -- I had to learn to consciously change "I'm so mad at you, I'm gonna get drunk!" into "you're so infuriating, you're NOT WORTH KILLING MYSELF OVER!" Lonely... well that's a big bad, no matter what one is addicted to. I've always been a loner by nature, but sometimes lonely can overtake loner. In recent years, when I've felt lonely (or self-pity, or other really negative emotions I'm having a hard time handling), I often just go take a nap; sure it's escapism just like drinking/drugs were, but at least it won't kill me, and won't wreck my sobriety. Eventually I wake up, and sometimes feel better after a nice rest.

One trick I used to great advantage, there at the end when I was trying to wean off cigarettes and back onto 100% vaping, was procrastination. When I'd feel the urge to smoke, I'd just think, well I'll do this instead right now (vaping) and later I can have a cigarette if I really want to. Often the urge passed, and there was another one I didn't smoke.

You're right though, that it's so much easier to smoke, to give in, than to vape. I had a real hard time with that one, this last go-round, trying to get off the cigarettes *again*. But I finally just had to keep asking myself, and reminding myself, "just what do I really want? Do I want to be a non-smoker, or not? Or do I want to go back to being helplessly addicted, just wishing I could get off the stupid cigarettes?" I got enough of a taste of being a non-smoker during that 115 days before I succumbed to those god-awful cravings after my illness, that I knew, I really do want to be a non-smoker; my self-esteem has probably never been higher in my life, having beaten this awful addiction, so much stronger than any other addiction I've fought. But I know now, it's a lot like my alcohol addiction -- once an addict, always an addict, and I can't afford to relax my guard even for a minute. There's a cigarette out there just waiting for me to smoke it, and there's a beer with my name on it too, just waiting for me to drink it. If I want death, and lingering horrible illness before that death, I can go find that smoke and that beer. But if I want to live, and enjoy living, I can keep living without them. Somehow, some way... one day at a time.

Andria

 

[Timothy Moore]

Wow, a really good point.
Truth be told, I have a dripper ready to go. I have extra devices as backups. I got them for backups. But I forgot I got them for backups, if that makes sense. I get so caught up in making my tanks work that I forget I have my IGO-L coiled, wicked and ready to go. lol And it is sitting right next to me.

So yeah that is a good point. ANd the whole reason I got into redundancy. Just been so long with dual-use I forgot what my initial backup strategies were. Thanks for the reminder.

Tim. I think you hit on a very important point. When we are tired or hungry or just so done that we can not think, that is a very dangerous time for anyone with a weakness, be it smoking, drugs, alcohol, eating a dozen donuts, etc. Very good observation.

I think one of the main reasons I have been able to fight off cravings or the I can't be bothered moments of rebuilding or rewicking my r91 is that I have been using plain old 510 attys to drip juice into almost since the very beginning of my vaping.

No matter what juice delivery system you have it is going to either need maintenance or fail at some point. I found that I needed something absolutely foolproof that I can pick up in a moment, drip a few drops of a favorite juice, and be assured of getting a satisfying vape. Both flavor and vapor. Something that would scratch that itch. My 510 attys can do that for me. They are not the same vape as my r91 and maybe not as flavorful for some of my flavors, but they do the trick for a whole bunch of juices, especially my tobaccos.

Plus they are cheap and simple. I have many of them so if one is bad I just pick up another one. I throw them out when they die. The process of dripping 3 drops at a time makes me slow down and think about what I am doing with my vaping. It helps me slow down period. Almost like I would think a good cigar after dinner in front of the fireplace would be like. Let your mind unwind and get back to basics.

Sorry to go on about this, but I do think your discovery is an important one for all of us. Sometimes we need to be prepared for vaping to be very simple and effortless. Have a backup that can do that for you. All the fancy setups and toppers, clearos and super duper builds may be too much in a real immediate need situation. A 510 atty does not care how cool or hot it is outside. Drip, drip, drip.

 

[Timothy Moore]

Vapers helping vapers
I love this community

OK, quick recap...

5 weeks smoke free.

A friend asked for a cloud chasing build so I made it and he can't handle the thing. BTW, he still can't wrap a coil and is the one that got me into vaping but wants to try all the new gear I get... do I feel bad about hooking him up with screaming hot coils?

Not a chance.

 

[Timothy Moore]

You said you feel silly, but think about this. There are so many people who try vaping just a couple times, maybe a couple different setups and give up on it. A lot of the people who are consistently vaping had really good early experiences. That found something that at least kinda worked early on. You have had a hard time since the start, yet you stayed with it, gradually finding the right setup for you. There is something to be said about that.

Hey guys, been a while since I've posted in here. Still feeling silly vaping and smoking :\

But I'm realizing what works better for me re: vaping - heat. I think I need to play around and find some juices that are good for high heat. Now to find some cartos to experiment with...

 

[Thayamax]

Getting into a groove with vaping is very important to staying with it. Cigarettes are so darn easy and readily available compared to vaping gear. There is no cleaning or upkeep with cigarettes. I agree with Timothy that if you have a good experience starting off, you're more likely to stay with it.

It took me 3 tries over the course of 4 years before technology finally advanced far enough to give me the best vape experience and allow me to quit smoking. Everyone's needs are different and the trick is finding out what works for you. It's never going to be as easy as lighting up a smoke, but it's the next best thing that can enable you to quit in a much less painful way. Keep searching.

 

[ShariR]

I am thinking that learning about yourself and what your smoking triggers are is a big thing. Also learning about your vaping and giving that a good college try before lighting that first cigarette helped me a lot.

I vaped solely just dripping into my 510 attys for several months. The repetition, the single flavor most of the time, and the manual process of dripping seemed to satisfy that need to smoke most of the time. I had to keep my mind and hands busy.

Sounds like you are on a steep learning curve that is going in a positive direction. I applaud you.

Yep, the "I can have a cigarette later" trick really works for me, too.
I will have to say that the habit aspect of it, for me, is sometimes worse than the addiction. At the end of the day, we are still getting nicotine. So truth be told, if we give vaping an honest chance, whether using nic juice or WTA juice, we are still getting the chemical fix we need.
Sure, the rush of smoking is different, esp if you aren't using WTA.
But again, I find that after the stress has been dealt with, if I smoked long enough, it takes real effort to get back into vaping.
Vaping really does work for me. Sure, some stress and I light up. Which is wrong. But has been the pitfall for me. (Tired/stress). On a not-so-bad day, I can light up under stress, stop a second and get my head straight and go back to vaping.
But if I have a heavy smoking day, it kinda carries on, even if I have dealt with my stress. Like today, things were hitting my mind, but I wasn't letting myself get worried/depressed, etc. (I have been forced to deal with the stress for reasons other than vaping. lol)
Yet, even though last night and today were real break-thrus for me and I was really happy, I still had a hard time breaking the habit. Finally, broke out my mod just now after an all day chimney-a-thon. Scratch that, a chimney-a-thon since Thursday.
Like I have said before, the more I vape, the easier it becomes to vape. The more I vape, the less I even want to smoke. But give me more than a couple cigarettes, and I will smoke for a few days.
But I am not frustrated. I think yesterday was a turning point for me in a lot of areas, not just vaping.

 

[GtrSoloist]

Hey everyone, long time no drop in.

My A/C died a couple weeks ago on a Friday so that really sucked. Couldn't replace it until Monday, so that made for an uncomfortable weekend. Now I'm having A/C issues at the rental house... I really don't need another $4500 bill right now. :/

Tim, I really don't know how you do it. I'm in the Las Vegas area too, and I've given up on vaping until it gets cooler. It's too hot, and too dry. I just can't drink enough fluids to vape and not be dehydrated / have a permanent sore throat. Come fall, I'll redouble my efforts. BTW, I have some unflavored Wholecig WTA I'll be happy to send you if you want to try it. Just send me your address via PM.

Thankfully, this house doesn't really have bugs.... EXCEPT for the occasional spider and baby scorpion that wanders in to say hello. I have a catch and release policy but if anyone else spots a scorpion first it's stomp city.

I'm happy to report that I'm finally making some medical progress. I had an MRI last week and will be going over the results with a specialist next week. We know what the problem is, the question is what the Dr and or the insurance will do about it. Will they really treat it, or do I cut my losses (and the 5 or so medications that can't be good for me) and just get an MMC to mask the pain / symptoms like they're doing now without destroying my liver and g-d knows what else.) I'm rambling sorry...

Have a good night everyone I need sleep.

 

[etherealink]

Hey everyone, long time no drop in.

My A/C died a couple weeks ago on a Friday so that really sucked. Couldn't replace it until Monday, so that made for an uncomfortable weekend. Now I'm having A/C issues at the rental house... I really don't need another $4500 bill right now. :/

Tim, I really don't know how you do it. I'm in the Las Vegas area too, and I've given up on vaping until it gets cooler. It's too hot, and too dry. I just can't drink enough fluids to vape and not be dehydrated / have a permanent sore throat. Come fall, I'll redouble my efforts. BTW, I have some unflavored Wholecig WTA I'll be happy to send you if you want to try it. Just send me your address via PM.

Thankfully, this house doesn't really have bugs.... EXCEPT for the occasional spider and baby scorpion that wanders in to say hello. I have a catch and release policy but if anyone else spots a scorpion first it's stomp city.

I'm happy to report that I'm finally making some medical progress. I had an MRI last week and will be going over the results with a specialist next week. We know what the problem is, the question is what the Dr and or the insurance will do about it. Will they really treat it, or do I cut my losses (and the 5 or so medications that can't be good for me) and just get an MMC to mask the pain / symptoms like they're doing now without destroying my liver and g-d knows what else.) I'm rambling sorry...

Have a good night everyone I need sleep.

I'm currently reminded of a song by Zakk Wylde w/ Black Label Society... Angel of Mercy.

But I digress, Gtr, what are you vaping (pg/vg content)? It can have a huge impact. I nearly dropped off one of my heart meds sue to the dehydration till I learned a simple and cheap cure.

What are you vaping on?

What did you smoke/are you smoking now?

I think there's an easy fix to the whole mess.

Also, congrats on the progress (I don't bring my laundry here, they'd have to rename the thread lol) and just 2 words... glue traps!

 

[etherealink]

Just a quick off topic note... its been suggested to ask for a sample of rayon for wicking from the rayon thread... think I should take the leap?

 

[darksparkle13]

OK, quick recap...

5 weeks smoke free.

A friend asked for a cloud chasing build so I made it and he can't handle the thing. BTW, he still can't wrap a coil and is the one that got me into vaping but wants to try all the new gear I get... do I feel bad about hooking him up with screaming hot coils?

Not a chance.

5weeks awesome! Great job!

 

[darksparkle13]

Just a quick off topic note... its been suggested to ask for a sample of rayon for wicking from the rayon thread... think I should take the leap?

Just sent you a pm! Let me know!

 

[darksparkle13]

Hey everyone, long time no drop in.

My A/C died a couple weeks ago on a Friday so that really sucked. Couldn't replace it until Monday, so that made for an uncomfortable weekend. Now I'm having A/C issues at the rental house... I really don't need another $4500 bill right now. :/

Tim, I really don't know how you do it. I'm in the Las Vegas area too, and I've given up on vaping until it gets cooler. It's too hot, and too dry. I just can't drink enough fluids to vape and not be dehydrated / have a permanent sore throat. Come fall, I'll redouble my efforts. BTW, I have some unflavored Wholecig WTA I'll be happy to send you if you want to try it. Just send me your address via PM.

Thankfully, this house doesn't really have bugs.... EXCEPT for the occasional spider and baby scorpion that wanders in to say hello. I have a catch and release policy but if anyone else spots a scorpion first it's stomp city.

I'm happy to report that I'm finally making some medical progress. I had an MRI last week and will be going over the results with a specialist next week. We know what the problem is, the question is what the Dr and or the insurance will do about it. Will they really treat it, or do I cut my losses (and the 5 or so medications that can't be good for me) and just get an MMC to mask the pain / symptoms like they're doing now without destroying my liver and g-d knows what else.) I'm rambling sorry...

Have a good night everyone I need sleep.

Good
Uck on the medical front!
Suggestions for dehydration that have worked for me! First lemonade, not sure why but seriuosly helps with vape tongue, Gatorade , coconut water it a wonderful natural liquid, I mix it directly with my tea! And cucumber mint water, cool refreshing and super good for you. Also I notice that when I am smoking more and vaping that I feel dehydrated, but the more I vape the lessor the effect!

 

[compile]

I just started vaping a week ago. I can't seem to stop smoking as well. Sometimes my setup will satisfy my urge and sometimes its not enough. I a running a Vision Spinner II with Manger AeroTank Mini, with 16mg. I don't know if my dosage is high enough, but when I crank the voltage and open the air port and take a drag I'm left coughing for 5 mins and my throat being irritated. I'm not sure if its the juice mix or the nic strength.

I've tried quoting cold turkey and it turned me into the incredible hulk (very ...... off). I've tried Champix and it worked (for a week).

I don't mind continuing the sensation of "smoking", I just don't want the 3000 chemicals, the combustion or the smell of it anymore. My daughter means the world to me and I feel like .... when I sit next to her after a smoke. That's my reason for wanting to quit, so my daughter will have her daddy there the day she gets married (she's only 2 BTW).

My wife is thrilled I'm trying to quit. My sis in law is going to get her husband to vape.

Please help guys. I don't know if I should up to 18+mg or just drop down and crank the Spinner up. I really don't want to wake up feeling like I ate asphalt. I smoke about have a pack to a pack a day.