Two weeks in - am I getting healthier?

[mailliw]

Hi,

I'm two weeks into vaping and it's been going incredibly well. I have had one cigarette in that time, which is a miracle; I've smoked since I was 13 (I'm 30 now) and been on a pack a day since I was 17. I have hardly missed a day since. I'm using Vapestick from the UK, where I live, and it's absolutely awesome.

But two weeks in, I'm having weird doubts. This is all great, but am I actually getting healthier? This will sound ridiculous but I thought after a week or two not smoking "real" cigarettes, I'd start feeling really healthy and have lots more energy. I haven't got my hacking smoker's cough any more, but I assumed I would be coughing up lots of disgusting tar etc. I've had none of that.

I suppose I just need a bit of reassurance. I never felt ill smoking real cigarettes (more's the pity - I LOVED them), but have grown increasingly concerned about my long-term health if I continue. So, bizarrely, I find myself in this odd period of doubting whether there's any point in vaping, even though I know that's complete bollocks and I MUST be getting healthier.

So, what have others experienced after two weeks? Any change? What about after a month? Have you felt more energetic?

The one weird side effect so far has been some extremely fruity wind! Google tells me others have had that, but I was not expecting it at all...!

Cheers

Will

 

[zapped]

2-3 weeks in its not uncommon to get quitters flu. In a nutshell thats your bodies reaction to eliminating the other 3996 chemicals found in analogs. I had severe cramps and slept all the time but the good news is it will pass. Everyones body is different but at the 4th week up until right now Im feeling great and starting to see those benefits.

You abused your body for 17 years, have a little patience and the benefits will come. Just not overnight.

 

[MiamiMom63]

I never experienced coughing up alot of phlegm when quitting, but some have. I guess everyone is different. I smoked for 30 years. One major thing I have noticed is that I used to have a horrible post nasal drip and use a prescription nasal spray every night, which didn't seem to help any. The doctor told me it was strictly from smoking. I would wake up with a horrible glob of stuff in my throat, and I literall would feed it dripping down my throat all day. It drove me nuts! I hated it! After about a month of not smoking and just vaping, I threw away the nasal spray and my nasal drip is gone! I no longer wake up gagging on stuff in my throat. It's been wonderful As far as being more energetic, well...I'm not as young as 30 yrs old or maybe I would be, and I"m still dealing with some injuries that keep me from having too much energy. lol. Honestly, I think if you smoked for that long, it is going to take more than 2 weeks for your lungs to heal good. At least you didn't smoke and have as much damage to your lungs as I have (not to mention in my days I smoked alot of "other" stuff that I shouldn't have). lol.

 

[Kopfstimmen]

I didn't feel any noticeable changes either - of course, I vaped and smoked together for 6 months. On the other hand, I go hiking every weekend (about 13 kilometers) which I didn't do before. I honestly think I'm better at it than I would be if I was still smoking.

 

[E Dub]

Started vaping a year and half ago. Never missed smoking analogs. Battery failure once forced me to go back to my old ways and I hated the taste. I believed I smoked analogs for 30 years only because I didn't know better.

 

[marre]

I smoked for 43 yrs - about a pack to pack and half a day. I noticed a difference after a week. I no longer had that hacky cough, I slept better - I think I wasn't breathing well during sleep and would wake up every couple of hours. So now I can sleep pretty much through the night. I never coughed crap up when I quit...but I did notice that I didn't have to blow my nose as often and I wasn't blowing out tar - sorry to be gross! Food tastes better.

 

[yzer]

A year ago I started to cut down cigarette by cigarette, replacing it with vaping for five months before I smoked the last cigarette seven months ago. Some of the improvements I noticed will be different from someone who quits smoking cold turkey and starts vaping.

I lost the wheezing during the cut-down period and my lung capacity increased.

The next changes didn't take place until three weeks after I quit smoking completely. That's when I started to notice a big reduction in cravings and improvements in my senses of taste and smell. As the weeks and months passed I continued to notice improvements. I would notice tastes and smells I hadn't experienced for years. I could sleep better. My breathing improved and my chest no longer felt tight. I could do a lot more physical activity without feeling winded.

I'm still noticing improvements even now, seven months of vaping later and without a single cigarette. I smoked for 35 years, so I'm not surprised that good things keep coming with time.

 

[Gstavrev]

Your body is recovering day by day, dont worry about it. I`ve been analog free for 6+ months now, and just as an example a few days ago i was playing with a cousin of mine whos 5 years old and has a lot of energy. We were running around, i was carrying him on my shoulders (hes about 20kg heavy) ext ext. And when we finally stopped i realized that i was not tired and was not brething heavy or anything.

 

[tnt56]

It takes time to heal all the damage from the cigarettes. I still smoke along with vaping. I know I'm doing better. I don't have the copd attacks like I use to and also don't have to use all the darn breathing treatments. I can do perty good unless the Oklahoma wind kicks up . Which it has. Go figure.

 

[everton10]

i haD to stop the cigs a yer ago smoked about 40 a day the vaping has helped me through put theres not a day i dont have a craving for a cig but health wise i feel a lot better no coughing every morning is a big bonus

 

[Cyrene]

Everyone is different, but it's been only 2 weeks. Your body will recover better than a lot of people here, as some of us were
smoking for well over 30+ years. It took about 6 weeks before I hacked up some of the junk, and that lasted about a week or so, and
that's gone.

I sleep way better, my nose is never plugged up (I used to use nasal sprays 2 times a day) and I don't need coffee in the afternoons
any more. My sense of smell is better, and a HUGE plus for me - I don't STINK anymore! Even my car is happy.

Give yourself some time. If you didn't do any type of aerobic exercise like jogging, it's kind of hard to gauge your progress, but
I'd wager a bet that you are farther along than you think. Hang in there!!

 

[Zarapa]

I have two weeks on vapor. I am sleeping better, smelling better and, more important, breathing much better. Also, now I can laugh without any signal of a cough crisis.

 

[jimmyh]

First all, congrats on giving up the stink sticks. Like everyone already said it takes time to feel the effects of not smoking. I know I breathe easier and no longer get out of breath so easy. Your lungs will start healing 24 hours after your last cig. It does take time to heal and feel the total effects of not smoking. I smoked for 30+ years 2 packs a day and put on too much weight and now to zero cigs, walking and working out and eating healthier. Its now been 6 weeks and I feel great compared to back then. Hang in there, you're doing the right thing and you will notice improvements.

 

[zzipy]

4 weeks into vaping, i noticed that i don't dry cough for 10 minutes before going to sleep. I wake up much better and refreshed. The afternoon slump is not too noticable, before around 4 I used to feel tired and dragging my body.

 

[Sovran]

Compare your resting heart rate to what it was on last doctors visit. That should be incentive to continue as physical proof you seek. My resting heart rate for the last 28 years has been 84 PBM. It is now down to 76 in about 2 months with no changes in lifestyle except not smoking.

 

[gavind4]

Hi,

I'm two weeks into vaping and it's been going incredibly well. I have had one cigarette in that time, which is a miracle; I've smoked since I was 13 (I'm 30 now) and been on a pack a day since I was 17. I have hardly missed a day since. I'm using Vapestick from the UK, where I live, and it's absolutely awesome.

But two weeks in, I'm having weird doubts. This is all great, but am I actually getting healthier? This will sound ridiculous but I thought after a week or two not smoking "real" cigarettes, I'd start feeling really healthy and have lots more energy. I haven't got my hacking smoker's cough any more, but I assumed I would be coughing up lots of disgusting tar etc. I've had none of that.

I suppose I just need a bit of reassurance. I never felt ill smoking real cigarettes (more's the pity - I LOVED them), but have grown increasingly concerned about my long-term health if I continue. So, bizarrely, I find myself in this odd period of doubting whether there's any point in vaping, even though I know that's complete bollocks and I MUST be getting healthier.

So, what have others experienced after two weeks? Any change? What about after a month? Have you felt more energetic?

The one weird side effect so far has been some extremely fruity wind! Google tells me others have had that, but I was not expecting it at all...!

Cheers

Will

Welcome. Don't get it .... about tit! Are you doing the right thing, ABSOBLOODYLUTELY ! You know smoking is all fur coat and no knickers! Bin them.Get yourself all mod cons, take the anchors off and have at it. Wishing you a reet result!

 

[mailliw]

Some amazingly insightful, helpful replies. Thanks everyone very much. Great to hear your stories and receive the encouragement. I'm also really, really intrigued hearing about the tiredness and "afternoon slumps". I've had them for years but put it down to stress (I lead quite a difficult life, in relative terms of course). I can't say I feel much more energetic, but perhaps that will come.

And yes, the lack of a hacking cough is an amazing feeling. I would spend my first waking hour clearing the tubes (which always felt quite nice. It became a bit of a ritual!), and it's astonishing how quickly (just a few days after not smoking) the lungs begin to clear out the crap.

Don't do any serious anaerobic exercise due to the smoking - my lung capacity has been truly awful, so I've always got out of breath extremely quickly. I'll do a long, fast walk tomorrow and see how the lungs go.

Oh, and the financial incentive is almost equivalent to the health benefits. I've saved nearly £90 in two weeks. That's nearly 150 of your US dollars!

 

[gavind4]

Sweet! 10.70 u.s. a pack? Ouch!!! You can get a lot of vape gear for that$$. Best wishes.

 

[666weasel]

Glad to hear others are reaping and feeling the benefits! I am down to 2-3 analogs a day from 30 or more...Been spending nearly as much on mods and trying a variety of juices but I feel a lot better, sleep better and have more energy...3 of the guys at work have followed me into vaping also and that feels good too, one of em smoked 60 a day for 30 years and he's down to about 10 a day now and falling.

Even if you dont feel health benefits from day one, even if you dont save money from day one vaping is a win!

 

[bimetallic]

I've tried cold turkey countless times.. But vaping have really been a good alternative to help cut down on analogs.