Total noob here, need some help!

[Ashera]

Hi guys!

I started vaping about a week ago and I need some advice.

Pre vaping I was smoking between 15 and 20 analogs a day. Since I started vaping I've managed to cut that down to about 6-8 analogs a day. So far so good.

I have to be honest and say I enjoy smoking, and vaping is more a way of cutting back for me than quitting; I also do enjoy not having to pop outside in the freezing cold for a ciggie. I guess my problem is that as much as I enjoy vaping I find myself watching the clock to see when I can have my next analog (at the moment I'm trying to limit them to every 2-2.5 hours or so). While for the moment I am happy to have the occasional analog, I want it to be something enjoyable and not something Im counting down the minutes to. I'm vaping 24's so I don't think I'm nicotene deprived, and in addition to still smoking I have about one snus a day so I should be getting my MAOI's.

Has anyone else had this problem?

I'm also a little concerned that I'm more addicted to nicotene now than I was, and since I'm still smoking as well it bothers me a bit. Today I went for an hour with no vaping and no cigs and I couldn't believe how much I was jonesing for both, when a few weeks ago an hour without smoking would have been no problem.

Sorry for the rant-I know its early days still

 

[Mudder]

You need to just relax. It's ok to vape and smoke as often or as little as you need to. You don't need to have yourself on a timer or schedule, because that just puts too much pressure on yourself. It's not the nic so much that you need to worry about, it's the thousands of other chemicals that are added to the smoke, that are the problem. Give yourself some time, you'll be fine. There is no need to rush. You are on your own time, you don't need to keep up to anyone else.

 

[DM]

You need to just relax. It's ok to vape and smoke as often or as little as you need to. You don't need to have yourself on a timer or schedule, because that just puts too much pressure on yourself. It's not the nic so much that you need to worry about, it's the thousands of other chemicals that are added to the smoke, that are the problem. Give yourself some time, you'll be fine. There is no need to rush. You are on your own time, you don't need to keep up to anyone else.

Exactly what Mudder said. It's a transition...... stick to it..

 

[Duarte]

I agree with Mudder. Don't go into this thinking of it as a stop-smoking system. Try different cartos/ liquid, try diffrent PVs, find something that you enjoy, have fun and before you know it you will only be craving vapor and forget about analogs.

 

[Critter Man]

No one said it was going to be easy, it takes effort to kick analogs no matter what you do. I'll chime in with my opinion: If it stresses you out, change it until it doesn't. If 2.5 hours is too long for you, smoke more often. Many folks end up preferring the vapor, and find they desire analogs less and less.

Don't sweat it, just keep your eyes on the prize. To your health!

 

[Devilman2075]

The transition is different from person to person, but I wouldn't try and force any kind of schedule. I knew right away that I could quit analogs the moment I started vaping and thats how it was for me but many people I know couldn't do the same and still needed analogs throughout the day.

Just try different things out, learn what you like and in time you will get where you want to be.

 

[Ashera]

Thank you so much for the kind and prompt responses, I feel much better already! I definitely do enjoy vaping, so I'm going to keep at it and not stress the analogs too much.

You are on your own time, you don't need to keep up to anyone else.

I really should make this my motto, and not just when it comes to vaping

 

[ShannonA]

You may not have gotten all that other stuff in cigarettes out of your system yet. Nicotine isn't the only thing your body was hooked on. If this doesn't get better in another week and you really want to quit the cigs you could try snus to supplement the vaping. I've heard it works for a few people.

However I agree with the above just take your time and let it happen unless you're just in a hurry and then like I said give snus a shot.

 

[dormouse]

Yeah it is common for people to vape more often than they smoked but often for fewer drags. Also re jonesing - cigarettes have chemicals in them that makes nicotine more addictive. At home I leave the ecigs in a separate room so I have to get off my computer to go vape rather than sitting here using it like a pacifier. When I started vaping I was determined not to up my nicotine dependence and I've done a pretty good job.

What nicotine level are you using? And what ecig? We all loved to smoke so that is no excuse. That is why we vape - we loved to smoke and could not give it up but realized the damage to our bodies so we vape instead.

 

[Mudder]

Just do your own thing. If you feel like vaping, then vape. If you feel you need to have a smoke, then smoke. If you want to take out one smoke with vaping, then do so. Just whatever you like, and are comfortable with. You're doing well already. If you find a flavor you really really like, in time, you'll rather vape that flavor, then have a smoke. It takes time, so don't rush it.

 

[studio52]

I vape often I guess, but no harm to me anymore..so whats the problem?..None with me..I love it..if you want to vape vape.

 

[Rickajho]

What dormouse said. The nicotine level coming from your e-cig experience might be too low right now if you really want the analog more than the e-cig.

From one noob to another for me the transition just happened. I didn't force it, but I found in short order that I liked vaping more than I liked smoking. In a matter of days I went from a PAD+ to 10 cigaretes, to 6, to 4. There were times when I would pick up the e-cig in one hand, a .... in the other, and go through a minor brain fit until I decided which one I wanted. Some times I would find myself just going through the motions of holding onto an analog and fiddling with it, eventually putting it down - unlit - and picking up my e-cig.

From what you described though it sounds like you are going through some serious nicotine withdrawal issues if you are clock-watching until the next smoke or vape. Get back to us on what liquids you are using and the nicotine level. Sounds like too little. In my experience I went through some pretty bad quit smoking withdrawal symptoms during the first two weeks of changing over from smoking to vaping. (But nothing as bad as trying to quit cigarettes with conventional quit smoking therapies.) And I was using 26 mg nicotine liquids when switching. It got ever so much better after the first two weeks.

You simply may not be vaping enough either. Cigarettes are "natural" to us. You light it, you smoke it till it's gone. You know when to expect the next craving. E-cigs weren't "natural" to me - it's not the same. It's new. You push the button and inhale - once. Then you can just put it down and it just sits there until you make the effort to pick it up again and repeat. You aren't wasting anything like with a .... burning itself out in an ash tray. In other words, you actually have to work at/work on vaping. It's takes a while to get the feel for how much is enough.

Don't punish yourself with too low a nicotine level. You may need to up your nicotine level and up your vaping frequency as well.

Rick

 

[Ashera]

I'm using the shorty KR808d1 (I think-from V4L) and 24mg cartomizers. I thought that would be strong enough for a pack a day smoker? They certainly gave me some lovely palpitations on the first day

In regard to flavours, I originally ordered a tobacco sampler pack but the company also kindly included a cinnamon cart which was brilliant-that ran out yesterday so I've been using the tobacco ones which I've found I don't really like. I got more cinnamon and coffee carts on the way though! It certainly makes me less inclined to vape when I don't like the flavour.

I definitely agree that vaping takes some time to feel natural-the act of smoking a cigarette has a very defined beginning and end, like Rickajho said, and it does feel weird not to have those natural stop and start signals. But I'm sure that will come with time. Besides which, smoking didn't come naturally to begin with either-I vividly remember my first inhale!

 

[jillhumb]

hey i'm new at this too, and kind of in the same boat as you, i agree with everyone, don't stress yourself about it - progress is prrogress . . . PERIOD!!!!!! Right now i'd like to find a juice with a coffee flavor, maybe with some smokey tones, any suggestions would be great! but, anyhoo, hang in there with the rest of us newbies!!!!

Jill

 

[GIMike]

I started out on 36 mg awhile ago and have pretty much settled with 24 mg now. It keeps me satisfied with no cravings for cigs. I think the majority of it all depends on your PV and your liquid. Your PV may not be the right one for you. I haven't had the experience with the different types of e-cigs as many people here have. But I can imagine that it may be that the PV you have may just not be producing enough vapor to keep your cravings away. If you were only smoking a pack a day, you should (everybody's different) be able to get by with vapor only. I was a pack and a half a day smoker and I was able to pretty much give it up completely. I only smoked once or twice a month. But that's just my experience, others could vary. Could be I found the right PV for me right off the bat *shrug*

 

[dragonlover]

Stop watching the clock and let your body tell you what you need at that moment. It took me at least two months to get off analogs totally. I found it was easier the less I thought about it. I still have cravings once in awhile it really depends on how stressful my day is and what i'm doing. Don't rush yourself.