Struggling

[pelouk]

Hello,

A new member here but with what, I'm sure, is an old problem.

I quit smoking analogues two months ago after 30+ years on a pack a day. Long story short, I'm still getting the cravings for tobacco. I absolutely do not want to start smoking again but I have to admit that it's really bugging me. I had thought (obviously naively) that after a couple of months most of the toxins and the habit would be out of my system but, no, I'm still getting those cravings daily.

Rather than relapse on to cigarettes, I'm wondering whether I can take a chance on using e-cigs instead - that way getting the nicotine supply but without the other 4,000 chemicals. Has anyone made such a switch successfuly (i.e. going from no cigs to e-cigs) and still managed to avoid sliding back into the tobacco habit?

Cheers,

Peter.

 

[Jenn1181]

First of all, congratulations on quitting. I went straight from smoking to vaping, quite literally. I smoked two analogs the morning my kit arrived before the mail came. Never touched a cigarette since and haven't wanted to. I get all of the pleasurable aspects of smoking and some added perks, like being able to do it in the house, not stinking and getting to try tasty new flavors. My husband quit a year ago and struggled terribly. When I ordered my kit I ordered him a bottle of 0mg nicotine liquid in a mocha flavor. He vapes whenever a craving hits him, because they still do from time to time. It's never made him want to go back to cigarettes.

I can say that with the right device and a good flavor juice you can't go wrong. Every smoker I've known who tried an ecig and went back to smoking got suckered into buying some exorbitantly expensive mall kiosk kit and horrendous tasting juice. Get yourself an eGo or Riva and try some juices made by quality vendors. I'm not sure who ships internationally, so you may have to look around. I personally recommend Puresmoker, Bluemist Vaping and Backwoods Brew for juice. With that said, you'd have to check their international shipping policies.

 

[kabonk]

maybe if you used 0mg ejuice you'd be fine because maybe its the act of smoking you miss because you are no longer addicted to the nic maybe you don't need it, just a thought

 

[Airbrusher]

Allo Guuv'nor

Hey man don't sweat it. First all people quit at different paces some smoke a bit longer while making the transition then others. Don't stress yourself on it because the stress will make you smoke more. I can tell you I will successfully run for a analog the first second I have battery probs, no juice or charging a battery... because I have.
Do you know the nicotine lvl of your juice/Carto's. It maybe too low for you and upping it may go far for ya. When I first started I was using 36 MG's. I am headed to 24MG's now. I too was a PAD guy. I would just stock up on Batts, attys and juice and have that analog when its bad but keep that analog free goal in sight. You'll make the switch. The more you worry on it the rougher you'll make it on yourself.

AB (who still has Tobacco in the garage)

 

[Smokin Joe]

Nicotine is fierce stuff. It may be out of your body, but you'll still want it. Too bad the old fashioned "delivery system" is incredibly dangerous because otherwise I would never quit. I was just not able to quit smoking totally. I'd always end up doing ok for awhile, then I'd buy a pack, and smoke those. Even if I didn't go back to smoking full time, every time I did something that I used to do while smoking, I wanted that damn cig and eventually I'd end up back on them.

I can say that ecigs did the trick for me. I control the dosage, I can use it or not, and it feels a lot like smoking did. I'm definitely using less nicotine than I used to when smoking, and my health has improved. A week or two after giving up the cigs for vapor, I could feel a definite difference in my breathing, I was less tired, I could smell and taste better, it's great!

 

[chimney55]

Hello,

A new member here but with what, I'm sure, is an old problem.

I quit smoking analogues two months ago after 30+ years on a pack a day. Long story short, I'm still getting the cravings for tobacco. I absolutely do not want to start smoking again but I have to admit that it's really bugging me. I had thought (obviously naively) that after a couple of months most of the toxins and the habit would be out of my system but, no, I'm still getting those cravings daily.

Rather than relapse on to cigarettes, I'm wondering whether I can take a chance on using e-cigs instead - that way getting the nicotine supply but without the other 4,000 chemicals. Has anyone made such a switch successfuly (i.e. going from no cigs to e-cigs) and still managed to avoid sliding back into the tobacco habit?

Cheers,

Peter.

Hi Peter,

Congrats on quitting the "stinkies". I agree with kabonk that you should probably get an e-cigarette kit with 0/low nicotine juice. It's probably the actions of smoking that you're missing--the hand to mouth actions, the inhaling "something" and then exhaling it. Rather than go back to analogs which would be a mistake, check out this:

E-Liquid

The prices mean nothing to me in pounds but generally, you can get a decent kit for not much from them. They also sell juices.

 

[No Brag]

I have quit smoking before, sometimes for extended times. I always went back, the cravings were always there for me. Not as bad after some time, but still there. With the e-cigs I don't have the cravings like just quitting. I won't recomend either way to you. I do feel that vaping is safer than smoking.

Hello,

A new member here but with what, I'm sure, is an old problem.

I quit smoking analogues two months ago after 30+ years on a pack a day. Long story short, I'm still getting the cravings for tobacco. I absolutely do not want to start smoking again but I have to admit that it's really bugging me. I had thought (obviously naively) that after a couple of months most of the toxins and the habit would be out of my system but, no, I'm still getting those cravings daily.

Rather than relapse on to cigarettes, I'm wondering whether I can take a chance on using e-cigs instead - that way getting the nicotine supply but without the other 4,000 chemicals. Has anyone made such a switch successfuly (i.e. going from no cigs to e-cigs) and still managed to avoid sliding back into the tobacco habit?

Cheers,

Peter.

 

[cskent]

A lot of us here on ECF have completely quit tobacco using PV's. I got my first one back in June. I've had exactly 3 cigarettes since, and those were just to see what I've given up. I don't want or need tobacco now. My health has improved and I don't stink like smoke anymore, and the best part, my wife doesn't _itch at me about it anymore.

 

[adeline]

Welcome to the forums, you have found the right place. Many of us are ex-smokers, and e-cigs were the only way we could do it. I personally tried gums, patches, cold turkey, lozenges, sucking on lollipops and twizzlers... and failed time and time again until I found the world of vaping. I think it's a great replacement for smoking.. and I intend to beat my nicotine addiction.

I started with a mid-range nicotine level.. 18mg. That did the trick for me. I've worked my way down to one flavor with 12mg and the rest is all 6mg. That's one great thing about vaping -- you pick where you start, and where to go from there and when. And the flavors will make you never want a cigarette again (from my experience anyway!). There are so many different choices in terms of flavors. Just make sure you get a good starter kit. Let us know about your smoking habits (how often, what kind) and what you're looking for in a PV (long-lasting battery, hard/soft throat hit, lots of vapor, small/medium unit, doesn't matter what it looks like, etc) and I'm sure folks will try to point you in the right direction.

Welcome, and congratulations!!

 

[willyfingers1022]

I decided this was exactly what I was going to do on the spot one day when I went into a 7-11 and just could not rationalize paying for cigarettes any longer. Your original post states that you are looking for nicotine just no longer in an analog which is unfortunate after 2 months but where you are nonetheless. I think that the route of getting 0 nicotine juice in an e-cig may be more of a trigger to smoke again if struggling with cravings/obsessions to smoke as it is (it would be for me). My suggesstion would be to start with the lowest nicotine level that you can find if you are going to go that route and work your way up if you need to in order to avoid smoking analogs again.

A word of caution here. I switched on a whim and quickly found that I didn't have enough esupplies to sustain me which became a struggle even though I did not pick up an analog. If you are going to try this I would suggesst planning accordingly so a lapse back into smoking doesn't happen. And by supplies I mean ejuice and cartridges/cartomizers (depending on what ecig you get) so that you don't introduce nicotine again and wind up in a spot where it isn't available through an ecig. Getting a back-up battery also probably a good idea.

 

[Barley]

Just my "noob" opinion. You definately want to vape, but I would still get a very low nic level as well as zero. Many moons ago I quit for two months as well, it's called boot camp! The first thing I did once on my way home was grab a pack of Reds. After two months the craving was still there. I would try 0mg and if that wasn't doing it then use the 0 to cut some 6mg and go from there. Just my two cents, "quitting is easy I've done it a thousand times" M. Twain

 

[Stubby]

No one can tell you what you should or should not do as far as using tobacco/nicotine, or if you might slip back into smoking if you use an e-cig, or slip back into smoking if you don't use an e-cig. That would be way to much speculation. Everyone is an individual and it's impossible to say.

What you can do is educate yourself on the concept of harm reduction. This would be a good place to start

Tobaccoharmreduction.org

The basic idea is simple. It's not tobacco/nicotine that is the problem as far as health issues, it's the smoke. Get rid of that and the vast majority of harm associated with tobacco is gone. Smokeless tobacco as in snus and PV's are about 99% less harmful then smoking.

I'm not saying you should start using these products as only you can decide that, but..... if you do go back to using tobacco/nicotine there is no reason to start smoking again. There are much better alternatives that won't destroy your health.

 

[pelouk]

Thanks for all of your replies so far. Just thought I'd add a couple of points.

Oddly enough, when I quit the analogues, I was pretty much psyched up to deal with the "triggers" that everyone experiences so I handled them OK. Ditto with the hand/mouth stuff. Also, I've had no real mood swings/irritability, etc which lots of quitters suffer from. So, all in all, I've been pretty fortunate except for the fact that I'm still getting those cravings. I've discussed all this with the practice nurse at my GP's and she feels that since all of the nicotine and toxic combustion products should be out of my system, then I just shouldn't be craving a cig.

Now, listening to what some of you good folks are saying, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I'm pretty much hooked for good on nicotine and therefore need to find the safest way to handle it. I haven't decided what to do yet (except to stay well away from cigarettes!!) so I'll give it a bit more thought and listen to some more advice from the voices of experience.

Many thanks,

Peter

 

[mlinky]

Man oh man, hard decision. You are currently nic-free, and we all know nicotine is addictive, so why go back on if you're off? All I can say is IF you still have cravings, getting an e-cig is WORLDS better than picking up an analog to satisfy those cravings. So the question is, can you continue to beat the cravings?

 

[Mudflap]

According to everything I've ever been taught about smoking, nicotine, and addiction, you are physically past your chemical addiction to nicotine and the other chemicals in tobacco smoke after two month of no smoking. What you are describing is your psychological addiction to smoking. The brain is powerful. In your case, it's working against you by feeding you cravings.

I'm jumping on the bandwagon here and will strongly urge you NOT to put any more nicotine in your body from ANY source.

That's the beauty of vaping. You can choose to try it with 0mg nicotine flavors. And so many flavors are so tasty!

If you're truly at the point where you have to do SOMETHING about the cravings you still have, try a PV and an assortment of 0mg nicotine flavors. If it's not for you, you've lost nothing but some money spent on hardware and juice. There's a classifieds subforum here that would serve to help you recoup some of your investment.

You've done a great thing. Stay away from nicotine. (Hey! That rhymes!)

 

[EynaraWolf]

Also, complete honesty with yourself here is key.

What was it you enjoyed the most about smoking? It probably wasn't the lungs full of smoke and other toxic chemicals and you can get the same "high" from caffeine as you do nicotine.

Mayny people find that hand to mouth oral fixation is what they need the most. I tortured a ton of pens and pencils every time I tried to quit and then I came to the realization that I LOVE to smoke. After I processed that revelation for a while, I also did some other research about nicotine for my own personal journey with vaping. But you don't seem to "need" the nicotine.

My suggestion would be to get a basic electronic system, probably a KR808 or 510 and learn how to mix your own 0nic juice since you don't need the nic and it's far less expensive to make your own. It might help you kill the hand to mouth craving without delving back into the world of nicotine addiction.

 

[pelouk]

I LIKE this forum!

I especially appreciate the straight talking from the voices of experience who tell you what you NEED to hear as opposed to what you want to hear. Any further observations and advice will be gratefully received.

P.

 

[floridamale]

Allo Guuv'nor

Hey man don't sweat it. First all people quit at different paces some smoke a bit longer while making the transition then others. Don't stress yourself on it because the stress will make you smoke more. I can tell you I will successfully run for a analog the first second I have battery probs, no juice or charging a battery... because I have.
Do you know the nicotine lvl of your juice/Carto's. It maybe too low for you and upping it may go far for ya. When I first started I was using 36 MG's. I am headed to 24MG's now. I too was a PAD guy. I would just stock up on Batts, attys and juice and have that analog when its bad but keep that analog free goal in sight. You'll make the switch. The more you worry on it the rougher you'll make it on yourself.

AB (who still has Tobacco in the garage)

Maybe you should re-read the OP's post he quit cold turkey and is wondering if a PV will help because 2 months in & he is feeling like he wants to light up again.
To the OP my feeling is like others have said get a good PV and some 0 nic juice and see if it helps what could it hurt.
Good Luck

 

[JC Okie]

Just to add a little practical note here, Liberty-Flights has a UK division. They are the ones that have the GREAT prices on the GREATEST pvs right now....the Riva. They're selling them here for $29.99....and they are really, really good....and that is REALLY a bargain. They sell juice, too.....I'm assuming they sell 0 nic juice. If not, you can find that pretty easily. Anyway, I highly recommend getting one of those, then starting with 0 nic juice. You very well may find that it's not the nic that's beckoning you back....it's just the "habit" of smoking that you're missing. These things are so fun, and taste so good that I really think part of the battle of quitting smoking is derailed by just having a new "habit" or "hobby" to mess with to take your mind off the old smoking habit. Many of us weren't even looking to quit....we wanted to try this just to supplement the smoking.....because of the cost of cigarettes, or the stigma of being a smoker, or the stink of it, or of having to go outside to do it, etc. And we quit because this did it for us. It's not just all about the nicotine. I do agree with those who say try the 0 nic juice first. You can always get some nicotine if you find that doesn't do it. Good luck.

 

[Nashy08]

Congratz on quitting! I like many others went strat from smoking to vaping. I haven't had sn analog in almost three weeks. Since vaping I haven't had the urge to smoke even after being around a lot of people who were. If anything, the smell now just makes me want to avoid it. Seems like I can pick up on someone smoke from quite a ways and to me, it stinks like a stale ash tray. I have had no desire to go back. What ever you choose, I wish you luck!