Vaping Diminishing Returns

[Ryedan]

It's been about 18 months since I've had a cigarette. I smoked for 37 years and started vaping using 18 mg nic. I got cravings the first few months and used to be able vape through them. It did take some willpower not to smoke then. At four months I was still having the occasional craving, but much less than at first. At that time I had reduced my nic level to 14 mg. By the end of the year, after eight months, I was not having significant cravings anymore (I didn't have to do anything different to get through them) and I had reduced my nic level to I think 4 mg. I realized I would not smoke again this summer when I spent a couple of months around a bunch of smokers and I didn't have a problem with it. That was at fourteen months smoke free.

Four months is not a long time even if you have been craving free for that time. We are all different and this journey is a personal one. I would try higher nic juice first. You might find that higher nic in the mornings and tapering down a bit through the day will work too.

Try a smoke. If it really puts you off, that could be a very good motivator for you. It works this way for most of us, but not everyone.

WTA juice has helped people over humps. Whatever works for you is good.

Best of luck with it and for sure let us know how it's going

 

[SharonH]

Would assist us in assisting you if we knew what, how much and long you smoked.

My general minimum guidelines for my new v-verts are:

2.5+ PAD > 32mg
2 - 2.5 > 24mg
1.5 - 2 > 18mg
1 or less > 12 or 15mg

Please note that these are just rough starting points. I try to closely monitor my v-verts' progression (or lack thereof) in order to sate their needs without over nic'ing.

Just wondering why based on how much someone smoked? Personally, I smoked 50/day but smoked ultra light 100's (0.4 mg nicotine each) and found even 24 mg too much for me. My sweet spot is 10-12 during day and 10 at night.

 

[cmdebrecht]

Just wondering if maybe something happened in your day to trigger your craving. Maybe there's an emotional or psychological reason for your craving? If on the off chance you can identify it, you can either try to avoid the situation in the future, or at least be prepared for it should it happen again.

Sometimes when I walk past our sliding doors to the deck, I automatically think it's time to go out for a smoke. That's where I did 75 percent of my smoking so it's a conditioned response. Sometimes a physical craving follows, sometimes not, but it's definitely a trigger.

 

[Ryedan]

Just wondering why based on how much someone smoked? Personally, I smoked 50/day but smoked ultra light 100's (0.4 mg nicotine each) and found even 24 mg too much for me. My sweet spot is 10-12 during day and 10 at night.

This general rule didn't work for me very well either. I smoked 25 light cigs a day and started with 18 mg juice. That was too much for me. I've seen people go way off that general guideline successfully. But it is a general thing and we need some kind of starting point.

Personally I think TH is more important, but that's just me.

 

[madqatter]

That's so true, the trigger effect.

 

[Myrany]

many people find that the rule of 3s is the danger points
3 days
3 weeks
3 months
3 years

TO have a problem at 4 months isn't too far off that.

As others said though we are all different. I had my first real OMG I need a cig now or I am going to hurt someone moment at 6 months stinkie free. Go figure. hehehehehe

One thing to remember IF you should have one of those horrible bad cravings and you are away from your higher nic juice. NJoy kings are very high nic. Not the greatest thing in the world but they might get you by in an emergency.

 

[Iffy]

Just wondering why based on how much someone smoked? Personally, I smoked 50/day but smoked ultra light 100's (0.4 mg nicotine each) and found even 24 mg too much for me. My sweet spot is 10-12 during day and 10 at night.

Please note that I first asked what, then how much (many?) and finally how long. I also stated those numbers are guidelines, not rules.

Just as in joose preference, there are few people with exact smoking histories, ergo guidelines.

 

[Robino1]

many people find that the rule of 3s is the danger points
3 days
3 weeks
3 years

TO have a problem at 4 months isn't too far off that.

As others said though we are all different. I had my first real OMG I need a cig now or I am going to hurt someone moment at 6 months stinkie free. Go figure. hehehehehe

One thing to remember IF you should have one of those horrible bad cravings and you are away from your higher nic juice. NJoy kings are very high nic. Not the greatest thing in the world but they might get you by in an emergency.

If you hadn't said that about the three's, I would have.
It really seems to be true. How many times have we seen threads or people state: It's been 3-4 months since I started vaping and I'm getting serious cravings.?

What the heck did they put in cigarettes that raises its UGLY little head months down the road?

 

[Nightcall]

It might be your body's last ditch, all out effort to get you back to cigarettes, before it finally gives up and lets go. Years ago before vaping I quit for 5 months two different times using nic gum, eventually transitioning into cold-turkey nic free, and at that 5 month mark I began to get intense cravings as if it were the first week quit.

And I went back to smoking both times. Right now I'm at a month and a half so I might have some battles ahead of me. I don't know it doesn't seem so because vaping because has been a miracle and I enjoy it. But I'm prepared this time if intense cravings surprisingly appear down the road, and you've reminded me that it can happen. We'll see.

When you perform a repetitive behavior such as smoking all day, every day for ten years, your physiology and psychology adapts itself around it until it becomes as necessary to the body as breathing and eating. Stopping it suddenly is a shock to the system, it's not just the nicotine.

 

[ut1205]

I'm at about 2 1/2 months analog free but still a couple of times a week I get a strong almost panic desire for an analog. When I stop and think about it I am doing some activity where I always reached for a smoke (getting out of my car, off my motorcycle, ect). That tells me that at this point in time it is more of a "habit" than a "need".

 

[gotch23]

I'd second the notion of first trying to bump up your nic...
and have some even higher-dosed liquids at hand for acute risk situations.

If that doesn't work... I would try swedish snus.
As also has been pointed out, there are a lot more alkaloids in tobacco-smoke beside
the nic, that can have an addictive effect.
Swedish snus delivers that... with greatly reduced health-risks as compared to other
forms of smokeless tobacco. Ofc it's a bigger health-risk than just vaping... but if
that's what's needed to keep you of the stinkies, i think it is a good trade-off.
Most vapers that use snus kick the habit along the way, as they get more used to vaping.

 

[Burnie]

I keep one EVOD filled with 36mg juice, and if I feel a craving I just switch to that tank. I was a 2 1/2 pad a day smoker. When I started back, I tried to start on 18mg but after a week had to go up to 24. Last week was a stressful week, and the cravings were REAL STRONG, but the 36mg got me through it. I do my own liquid, so I can bump up any flavor I want any time I want if need be. Good Luck and Hang in There.

Vape On

 

[wv2win]

I agree with those who suggested upping the nic level. 12mg is low for many new vapers. This fixation by some on ECF that all vapers must lower their nic levels to 0 is not helpful to new vapers (and many vet vapers, also). Let's stop playing into the hands of the ANTZ's by demonizing nicotine. Many of us suggest that whatever nic level you need to stay free of analogs is a good thing, whether it be 2, 6. 12, 18, 24 or 36mg. Don't be afraid to up the nic level (or lower it). Just experiment until it works for you.

 

[FlamingoTutu]

^^^^^^^^^^^ I think you just hit the sweet spot of sensibility with that post wv2win.

 

[SmellYaLaterCigs]

Hey everyone, Thanks for all the great advice!

I went to the shop this morning and picked up an 18mg and a 24mg (just in case) bottle of my favorite juice. I've been vaping the 18 mg for about an hour now and I feel very relaxed!

As I mentioned these cravings really took me by surprise since i'd been nearly craving-free for so long, I had even been considering dropping to 6mg. This thread has reminded me however that while it's great that i'm smoke-free, I am still using nicotine routinely so I shouldn't be surprised if occasionally my body wants a larger dose.

Thanks again for all the help and happy vaping

 

[lvm111]

Plenty of good ideas here. Don't we have a great group of "friends" on the forum? We all have something in common and share a beautiful goal. To acquire more devices, tanks, and juices than anyone could possibly use up in one lifetime! Just kidding, no seriously, of course it's to stay off the stinky cancer sticks.

I'm really feeling the love here lately! Good job helping a struggling fellow vapor folks!

best regards, larry mac

 

[madqatter]

We all have something in common and a beautiful goal. To buy more devices, tanks, and juices than anyone could possibly use up in one lifetime!

That's my goal

 

[EvilZoe]

I started on 12mg and found that wasn't quite cutting it so switched to 18mg. Sometimes even THAT wasn't enough so I got some 24mg, but lately I'm finding the 18mg is a tad too much for late in the day so I've been ordering some 12mg.

I do a lot of mixing and matching of flavors and I've got some DIY gear and ingredients so I'll be able to play around with it.

Really, I'm all over the board nic-wise and I find it really knocked out the cravings.

Now if I could just find/create the perfect ADV I'd be golden.

 

[WillyZee]

nice to hear you passed a hurdle SmellYaLaterCigs ... keep it up

 

[Visus]

It hits by surprise and not knowing what to do and not to feel like a loser because you analogged again is difficult . This forum pulled me through that stage as well.
Up the ante works suprisingly well -- it actually makes you again aware of vaping awesomeness..