Tales from the Dark Side

[countrygirl1291]

I soooo appreciate all the excellent advice and support I've gotten from the members here, BUT ... I'm going to poke my eyes out and eat dirt if I read one more post from someone who put the analogs down right away and never looked back. It's just not happening that way for me.

Sooooo, is it possible that we could use this thread just for those of us who haven't been able to make the transition that easily? Is that against the rules? Every time I read one of the 'I quit analogs right away' posts, I feel like a loser, even though the posters generally say not to worry -- it'll happen.

I've smoked for nearly 40 years. (If anyone wants to read my 'intro' post, here it is.) At one point, I was up to 2+ PAD. Last year, I managed to cut down to 1 PAD. I've had my RiVa about 2 weeks. Most days, I'm still smoking about 10 analogs a day. That's good -- it means I've cut my analog habit in half again, but I'm still not feeling like I can stop. I've ordered 6 more juice flavors hoping that I just haven't found the right flavor. Those should be in Monday or Tuesday. All my fingers and toes are crossed.

Who else is paddling along with me (or has paddled this canoe before)?

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Hello and welcome....don't believe we've met.....May I ask what is the nic strength you are using? If you feel it is high enough for you there are other things that are in analogs that people are addicted to......like alkoloids(sp)..but first lets chat.
So what are the flavor you are using?

 

[AngusATAT]

When I first started e-cigs, I quit smoking the very same day, and didn't have a smoke for about six months. It was easy, and I was amazed.

After that six months, I went through a period of high stress in my life. I broke down and started smoking again. I figured it was no big deal, that when the stress was over, I'd just quit again like I did the last time. I was wrong. It was (and still is) amazingly difficult to capture my initial success. I'm pretty much just using e-cigs to reduce the amount I smoke now.

So don't feel bad. Some find it easy, some struggle with it. Some do both, like me. As long as you try to cut down on the cigs, you're ahead of the game.

 

[expat]

Previous paddler here

I was nearly a month before I gave them up entirely. Was down to just a few a day in the end. It took me a while to find the gear I liked, and a couple of flavours I could really enjoy. Trial and error mainly, and I did a lot of reading here. Great resource this place.
I'm not the sort of person either, you read about that has a half empty pack hanging around the place. If I had them, I would smoke them. So once I was happy with my set up, I didn't buy any more. So far, I haven't murdered anyone.

 

[trouble2k]

I hope I'm not intruding on an exclusive thread since I did finally quit. It took me over 3 months (July 14-November 1) to finally get down to zero cigs/day. I loved my cigarettes and it wasn't easy to find the right combination of equipment and juices when I first started out.

There are quite a few others who made the slower transition also

Whenever I introduce someone to vaping, the first thing I tell them is, "Don't focus on quitting right away. Just focus on making vaping as good as it can be. It will all fall into place after that."

 

[Hoosier]

Bah! Don't let the easy switchers get you down on yourself.

Took me FOREVER! Well, it just seemed like to at the time.

My key was the juice. What I thought I would like either was terrible or just didn't satisfy. Keep fiddling with the juice until I found one that made me think it was better than any cig. Weirdest damn flavor I never would have thought of too.

One day I discovered I had forgotten to smoke. That was a sureal morning. I loved smoking. I loved the taste of tobacco. I really couldn't believe it.

Sure it took me a long time. Sure I had to read all these folks "quit smoking the minute I got my PV" nutcases. It can happen to you too

 

[AttyPops]

It's not about them (except for them). I guess what I'm trying to say is that their quitting is about them, but your quitting/cutting back is about you. It's not the same thing. We're all different. And we have different stages. LIke AngusATAT said. Different each time for him.

When I quit, I "got my act together" and vaped for weeks making sure I had it all together and working 1st (security blanket start?). Eventually, I decided not to buy any more cigs, and when my last pack ran out.. that was it. I suppose those weeks could have been months, even years.

Every cig you avoid is a bonus. Please stop beating yourself up and give yourself a chance!

Even after a while (a month or so)... I ended up trying mods, and the moving to 5 volt vaping. It took the higher volt, warmer/fuller hit + 24 mg juice for me. I still have a real hard time with the standard 3.x volt stuff (like smoking lights or something... I was a full-flavor dude).

I also started fairly quickly with DIY mixing of juice. Kept me busy and gave me options.

There is a withdrawal from tobacco, even when using nicotine. It passes fairly quickly tho. And vaping helps enormously!

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Sure it took me a long time. Sure I had to read all these folks "quit smoking the minute I got my PV" nutcases. It can happen to you too

Hey, I resemble that remark....lol....and I never said it was EASY. I guess I didn't realize that some people think this is a competition or a race or something.....which it is not....

 

[Stosh]

I transitioned quickly, but certainly not easily. It took near constant vaping, and augmenting
that with nicotine gum (usually 2 pieces at a time), and I still craved a cigarette. It took a
couple months for me to find the equipment and juice that would work for me. Also in time I
learned how to draw a vape better, to maximize the vapor and nicotine hit, made me crave
the cigarettes less.

So far you've cut smoking in half, relax, pat yourself on the back for the progress and try to cut
it in half again. Vape more, and don't be discouraged if you still smoke a cigarette. Quit on your
own schedule.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

It can take more time for some people than it does from others, especially if they're trying to quit. That's puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on them. Some people find that upping the nicotine level works and still others don't. If you keep putting pressure on yourself to quit completely and focusing on those of us who were able to quit right away, that's just going to make it harder. Instead, focus on smoking one less cigarette a day and don't beat yourself up if it takes you longer. There are plenty of folks around here who took months to put down the cigarettes.

I've been smoke free for nine months. I wasn't even planning on quitting when I first started vaping, but it just worked out that way. However, here lately I've been going through a lot of stress due to my health (not smoking related) and find myself wanting to smoke. I haven't, but it's hard sometimes. I've taken to mixing up some 24mg juice again. If I break down and smoke, I'll be disappointed, but I won't beat myself up for it.

ECF is my biggest support network and almost like a second family to me. All of these people are supportive and kind and I know that I'll be okay, even if I backslide.

 

[maddawg7]

I to had smoke for nearly 41 years then the doctor did not give me s choice after the last stent was put in. His nurse recommended vaping to me. Got my first PV two days after the hospital stay and quit smoking two days later. I started out at 24 mg, then 18mg and now starting getting 12 mg. Feeling much better. I did buy a pack last week, smoke one and threw the rest away, they tasted awful.

 

[redheadone]

I think everyone is different. Some find it easy and others struggle a bit. My ex quit right after getting his e-cig kit. Me it took about two weeks and my ex brother-in-law finally gave up analogs after about a month of using e-cigs. I think as some do that the nicotine strength has a lot to do with it. Once I raised my nic level I found it pretty easy to get off the analogs. If you are finding it a bit hard please don't beat yourself up over it and don't think that if someone else did it right away that you have to I say different strokes for different folks and you will get there. Just keep the faith

 

[swedishfish]

I didn't keep any of the 'good' stuff (for me, fresh pack of Newports) around. Just a couple crappy RYO's. So if I did smoke it wasn't particularly great.

I didn't start vaping to quit. I didn't put that pressure on myself so it was pretty enjoyable. As time went on I found I enjoyed vaping much better than smoking. A couple turned into 1 or 2, then none. If I wanted to smoke I'd tell myself I'd wait an hour. Usually I'd forget about it. Keep the cigs in an inconvenient place that's a PITA to get to.

Keep some high nicotine juice around for those times-

Good luck!

 

[Phroge]

I smoked for about 30 years, and had to quit the analogs due to failing health. I couldn't go just drop the nic addiction due to an overly stressful life, so a friend told me to try Skoal. Said friend neglected to mention dipping is about as addictive as crack. I didn't really mind... my lungs felt better, my clothes didn't stink, and as long as I had dip, I didn't feel the need to climb a bell tower with a sniper rifle. Then my wife was told to quit smoking and I knew that I had to find an alternative for her, and something I could do as well for support. After dipping for almost 6 years, I picked up a PV about 3 months ago, and I haven't looked back. I like it. My wife... she still struggles with the analogs, but she is slowly vaping more and smoking less. The problem that she has seems to be finding the right combination of nic level and flavor. I'm pretty sure, now that I'm starting to DIY liquids, I'll be able to find a mix that will get her off of the analogs and into the much safer world of vaping. Not everyone has the mindset and/or strength of will to switch from smoke(or dip) to vapor overnight. Many do need time to find the PV or liquid strength/flavor that they are most happy with. In the words of the legendary Jimmy V: "Don't give up. Never ever give up."

 

[Astatine]

Really? I'd say congratulations! 75% is a BIG deal! Good job. (you should see me when I get to buy something at a 75% discount )

This is not a competition. If others can quit smoking in a snap, good for them. They are just sharing their enthusiasm.

If it makes you feel better, I am still smoking. Just dropped to 0.5% of what I used to smoke. Gradually...The down side of this success, is that I had to spend quite a bit of money and time to keep it satisfying and interesting. No savings for me!

You are doing great! Just be happy for those who have an easier time at it, and keep your own rhythm.

Feeling better?

 

[snails1023]

Hi, well I didn't quit the same day, it took me a month of vaping and smoking at the same time. Then eventually vaping was the majority and smoking the minority. Until one day I woke up put the cigs in my purse "as back up" and vaped on the way to work.
I kept those cigs for about a week in my purse, then a month in the kitchen drawer. Finally after about 2 months ran across the cigs in the drawer and threw them away.

 

[fright88]

I know what you mean it took about 3 weeks for me to quit and I only managed after starting the patch. Before the patch I went fom 40-50 a day to 18 or so.

Anyways good luck

 

[Rickajho]

You won't get any arguments from me - my first two weeks were rough. But not as bad as any attempt to quit with nic gum. The worst part was the brain fart syndrome during that period - ability to concentrate and focus was shot to hell. I couldn't get anything d... - what were we talking about?

I had no idea what I was doing, or any real plan either. It just sort of happened. The first day of vaping I dropped my PAD/1.5 PAD habit down to 10 cigarettes. Next day six, next day four. That's just the way it went.

But in the first month, let alone those first two weeks, the learning curve was all over the place. I have said this in other posts: I had to work on/work at vaping enough. It's simply very different than smoking. It takes time to figure out how much to vape and how often is enough.

And there's the nicotine level learning curve too. Some people need more, some people seem to do great on lower levels. You have to figure that out as well.

Please do get back to us on that point, what nicotine level you are using. You can always buy some higher nicotine juice and as "insurance" get some plain 0 mg liquid to dumb it down if you think you need to. I did that, I never used though.

I had outside pressure on me to quit. (No explanation needed.) But I didn't put any pressure on myself as to when I had to be cigarette free. Hell, I was so impressed that with vaping I cut from a 20 to 30 analog a day habit to only 4 butts in a matter of three days - without even really trying - that I figured things would sort themselves out.

And I started in a funny place: I had bought my monthly four cartons of butts about 12 days before I started this. I had about two and a half cartons left! What the hell was I going to do with all those cigarettes? I felt weird about giving them away: "Here, have a pile of carcinogen." And I couldn't bring myself to throw them out at mAssachusetts prices. So sure, I kept smoking here and there. Some days were worse than others. I think the worst day I had, in context of my former habit, was six cigarettes in one day. That was a rare exception though.

After two months there are still six packs left from those two and a half cartons. I had one yesterday. The day before that I got through the entire day before I realized I didn't even have one. Once I realized it I went to bed feeling especially good that night.

And today I find myself contemplating throwing the rest out. The desire is really that far gone now. But it did not happen with "the first time I picked up my pv I never touched a...

Rick

 

[countrygirl1291]

Hello and welcome....don't believe we've met.....May I ask what is the nic strength you are using? If you feel it is high enough for you there are other things that are in analogs that people are addicted to......like alkoloids(sp)..but first lets chat.
So what are the flavor you are using?

Hi. Thanks for the welcome. I'm currently using 6 and 11 mg in a 50/50 PG/VG mix. I was thinking maybe that isn't high enough, so the order I just placed was for 18 mg in a 33% VG blend. The flavors I'm using are EV's cherry, strawberry and butterscotch. I tried their vanilla, caramel, and Green USA (menthol), but didn't really like them much. I still have an RY4 Vanilla Caramel that I haven't tried yet. The juices I have on order are Throwback Vanilla Cola, Cups O' Peanut Butter, French Toast, Cherry Toot See, French Vanilla and Watermelon.

 

[countrygirl1291]

I hope I'm not intruding on an exclusive thread since I did finally quit. It took me over 3 months (July 14-November 1) to finally get down to zero cigs/day.

Absolutely, you're not intruding. Sounds like you're a been there, done that paddler so your experience is definitely encouraging.