That's it, I'm done...

[Renrav]

So it's been about a year and a half since I first discovered vaping. I got my first PV from a gas station, quit smoking, discovered ECF, and then upgraded to better PVs. I thought I was done smoking for good, but somehow I fell off the wagon. It was actually my girlfriend's fault(ok, not really, but smokers always have an excuse). When she and I met we were both reformed smokers. My constant vaping made her want a cigarette, so she bought a pack. Once I was around her cigarettes, I wanted to try one, so I ended up borrowing one, then buying a pack of my brand, then another, then another. I wasn't really smoking again, I could quit any time! It was just that I was stressed out that day, and then I was going on vacation, and then I had that argument with my girlfriend, and then [any number of a thousand excuses which any current or former smoker knows all too well], and soon I was pretty much back at my old PAD habit. I shamefully removed the "x cigarettes avoided" banner from my sig and quit coming to ECF quite so often.

Eventually I decided, again, that I had had enough. I cut back on the analogs, started vaping more, and renewed my daily ECF addiction. A couple of weeks ago I even turned ECF veteran. Yesterday morning I finished a pack, tossed my lighter in a drawer, and decided I'm done. I made a fresh new quit-smoking banner, and I'm not planning on changing it this time.

Sorry for rambling, and I'm not quite sure why I bothered to post all this, except that I hope it will be harder to give in now that I've announced publicly that I'm quitting. Also I hope that this might help others. I see a lot of stories of people who quit smoking the day they received their first PV. It's not that easy for all of us, but it's certainly still possible.

 

[Bullette the Cowdog]

Renray
Congrats on your decision. We're glad you're back.
See ya round the ol ECF, my friend.
Oh... And get yourself some awesome juice. You deserve it.

 

[Jefferson62]

Thanks for posting this. You and I quit about the same time last year.
Glad to see you back.

 

[Hulamoon]

Brilliant and well done. Yeaa! I'm still battling the last 5 a day - I was a pad smoker. Funny thing is, originally, I had no intention of quitting and only wanted a stopgap for a long trip involving a lot of no-smoking locations. Now I'm so encouraged by the 75% reduction! And for you, - even being away for 2 weeks in this industry....oooooohhhhhh.....just think of all those new and improved goodies just awaiting you!!!

 

[Jason McRoy]

Welcome back and good for you to have the courage to make your post above! Cigarettes are one hell of a trap aren't they?

Keep on posting and put this all behind you!

Vape on!

-Jason

 

[Waterlootian]

good for you renrav

honestly i think im always going to want a smoke
i read on here about people feeling smokings disgusting after using a ecig but i dont think im going to be one of those people.

i think im always going to have to watch the want for a cig
and im not even all the way off yet
im like hulamoon i still have a pack hidden away from my wife that i grab one out of every couple days

i need to just not buy another pack but that makes me feel panicky

Brilliant and well done. Yeaa! I'm still battling the last 5 a day - I was a pad smoker. Funny thing is, originally, I had no intention of quitting and only wanted a stopgap for a long trip involving a lot of no-smoking locations. Now I'm so encouraged by the 75% reduction! And for you, - even being away for 2 weeks in this industry....oooooohhhhhh.....just think of all those new and improved goodies just awaiting you!!!

 

[Bullette the Cowdog]

good for you renrav

honestly i think im always going to want a smoke

im like hulamoon i still have a pack hidden away from my wife that i grab one out of every couple days

i need to just not buy another pack but that makes me feel panicky

I'm glad you said that. I can skip a couple of days...no cig. But I need to know I've got some in the house just in case.
Dang, addiction is the pits. So stupid I am.
-Vaping on Kgo all day with Dark City Vapor's French Vanilla Capaccino. No cig yet today.

 

[RsK0807]

Thanks for sharing your story. There are new devices out every week, new innovations, a lot of things that make vaping so much more satisfying than smoking... I hope you find the setup that keeps you satisfied.
Good Luck and WELCOME BACK!!!!

 

[Waterlootian]

yeah this

i feel like if im out and i know im out it just makes me want one more
if i can forget about it i can go a couple days but then i remember and go get one

i know its a mental thing but that doesnt make it not there

its a work in progress

I'm glad you said that. I can skip a couple of days...no cig. But I need to know I've got some in the house just in case.
Dang, addiction is the pits. So stupid I am.
-Vaping on Kgo all day with Dark City Vapor's French Vanilla Capaccino. No cig yet today.

 

[dirfm]

Congratulations waterlootian (love the Napoleon reference!). I have been going strong for about 8 months...I still want one every now and then, especially since alot of my friends are still smokers. Give it a few days or weeks, and having an analogue will not taste that great. I had one a few weeks ago and thought I would die. Love the story!

 

[DummyMe]

Cigarettes can get ahold of you, but vaping can, too. I smoked for 45 years, at least!!!! I'm coming on 11 months vaping with zero cigarettes! I haven't even tried one. I am proud of me. People ask me when I'm going to quit vaping, they say it's a crutch & is probably as bad, if not worse than smoking. I say, I may never quit vaping & it HAS to be better than smoking those 4000 or more chemical additives to the tobacco.

Renrev, my advice to you is to simply do the best you can, even if you just cut down on the ciggies at first. Vape when you can & if you falter & smoke a few, chalk it up to a learning curve. Hang in there & keep on vapin'. I always say, "if I can do it, anyone can." Good luck & keep coming back to ECF for moral support.

 

[AceCC]

Awesome Renrev!! Keep giving it your best shot and vape like crazy.

 

[genelman]

Welcome back, good to have you again.

 

[DMF]

WB! We saved a carto for ya!

 

[anavidfan]

Just curious, what nic level are you using? Maybe you need a higher nic level or you might look into the new nic, the WTA? not sure if I spelled that correctly. I believe it stands for whole tobacco absolue? Ive read a few threads that it has helped alot of people who are having a harder time with the transition.

 

[radiokaos]

Just curious, what nic level are you using? Maybe you need a higher nic level or you might look into the new nic, the WTA? not sure if I spelled that correctly. I believe it stands for whole tobacco absolue? Ive read a few threads that it has helped alot of people who are having a harder time with the transition.

WTA = Whole Tobacco Alkaloid

WTA is a matrix of minor alkaloids from the tobacco plant along with nicotine (also another alkaloid) which "may" be able to provide for "SOME" people not all.... a fuller vaping experience.

WTA It is not even close to Tobacco Absolute which is basically "the essence" or flavor from tobacco.

WTA is not a quick fix and everyone should educate themselves if they wish to try a new modality of vaping.

Support from peers, recognizing triggers, adjustment of nic levels, and trying different hardware are options that should be explored first. I implore that "Renrav" seeks support from here in the community and at home when it comes to Kicking the analog habit.

 

[ChipHead]

Good luck on your journey. Plenty of good folk here to help.

 

[silversx]

i fell off the wagon once.. and back at it full force..

one thing i noticed is vaping some fruity yummy flavor when stressed or upset is really weird... those occasions almost begs for a cig...

maybe need to have a nasty bitter dirt flavor liquid for those occasions..

 

[martsumoto]

You did right with that post mate, the first step towards recovery is understanding that yes, all smokers have a valid excuse for doing it, reading your post was like seeing myself months ago.

I'm the living proof of being much better vaping, I can't even stand the idea of ever smoking again, I wasnt even enjoying the habit, now with vaping and all those yummy flavors I'm finally home!

welcome back and enjoy the ride, just an old japanese proverb:

fall seven times, stand up eight!

 

[Renrav]

Thanks for all the words of encouragement everyone! I have thought of WTA or adjusting my nic level avidfan, but I probably won't. I started off vaping at 24mg. Over just a couple months I stepped down to 18 and then 12. WTA was just being introduced by then, but I knew I could quit without it so I didn't worry about trying it. Now that I've slipped and come back...I will probably still avoid it. I think I will have more willpower, and I also have a different job. Until this spring I was an automobile mechanic, a job that can create a lot of stress. It was very common for me to walk away to smoke a cigarette and come back to find that something was much easier to handle once I wasn't so frustrated. Besides, now I have a lot more fun vaping toys to try! I'm still happy with my Reo, but now that I have the option of a kicked Reo or Ego twist I might have to give VV a try.

And to Hulamoon, Waterlootian, and Bullette, I completely understand that need to have a pack around, or at least close by, just in case. After all, I had a pack in my pocket for over a decade, it's hard to lose that security blanket. When I quit(both recent times) I broke myself of that habit slowly. Instead of buying a pack early I would wait until I was completely out. This made me realize I was ok without a pack. After all, they were always just at the store. I would be without a pack for a couple of hours, then half the day, then maybe all day. Then when I finally put them down for good it's not quite as hard.