Week one down but.....

[tribe]

Dear Alliebar, I hear you! After 40 years of smoking I get those moments where only a real cigarette would fit and as I realize I don't smoke anymore I feel a tremendous sadness. This all happens in one second. What I do is get my PV and vape my face off and it goes away!!. Please please hang on there you will feel so GOOD and so proud!!

lots of love!

 

[o0StatiK]

I may only be two days in, but the two days I've gone through weren't easy. Especially because I go out to the bar with my GF(who still smokes) and a bunch of our friends who smoke. Last night was a real test for me but I made it through.

If I made it through, you can, easily. I'm as stubborn as a mule sometimes.

 

[Wickedwench]

Alliebar, quick question; what would an analog give you that vaping hasn't? I don't mean that to trivialize what your going through (been there, done that, didn't want the frigging t-shirt). The answer to that question is the answer you need when that craving hits. It may be nicotine which can be fixed by a stronger juice, it could be the flavor which you can hunt down in juice form.
Great to know the new job starts so soon, but the stresses on you right now are high! Maybe in that stress, you remember how much comfort there was in that white paper full of dried leaves. It made you feel better in the past.... one problem. Your relationship with that tube has changed. I would bet if you tried an analog now, your first thought would be all the reasons you were wise to move on. The past, past ways always look better than they were.

 

[RavenTai]

I am month in and I have been feeling down lately, my car got crushed by a tree and a project I put a lot of effort into at work failed, I figured that was the cause of my moodiness, maybe there is more to it, there is a lot more in an analog than just nicotine, I tried one a few days into vaping and it tasted horrible, have absolutely no desire to smoke another one and the health effects I have noticed already are too good to go back now, just have to push through it.

Feeling angry at myself for allowing the tobacco companies to screw me over for so many years.

 

[RavenTai]

"What our study demonstrates for the first time is that chronic smoking produces biological changes in the human brain that are antidepressant-like," said Dr. Gregory A. Ordway, the study's principal investigator. The lead author and collaborator is Dr. Violetta Klimek. He is a professor and she is an assistant professor in UMC's Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior.

The investigators said the biological changes probably are not caused by the nicotine in tobacco alone, if at all. It appears that a compound produced when tobacco burns causes the changes in the brain; that compound probably includes a nitrate, they said."

http://mentalhealth.about.com/library/sci/1001/blsmoke1001.htm

 

[Debadoo]

congrats statik! Keep it up!!

I totally agree with wicked. We each have to find our motivation and our pitfalls. What do you love the most about NOT smoking (motivation). What do you miss most about it (pitfall). But it's not pinpointing just the thing....but why it's the thing. Ex.... what I miss most maybe is..... the aroma of the tobacco. Ok, WHY is that what you miss most. Dig deeper and realize that it's because it reminds you of your grandpa's pipe. So what you're missing isn't the cig at all really....it's the connection to grandpa. Ok, so that was silly probably, but you see what I'm getting at. Good luck!

 

[mccrji]

I'm constantly being asked by co-workers in the "smoking" area what I have. They are intrigued and a few have stated they would like to try vaping. My best friend always chimes in at that point...well, she hasn't really quit smoking...she's still getting her nicotine. It really rubs me the wrong way and I'm getting ticked over it. I keep remembering the time she "quit". The only thing she quit was actually buying cigs as she was still bumming them from me and smoking them. I haven't said anything to her yet, but if she continues I will have to as it really is bothering me. I've come so far and am proud of myself! Don't let anyone take that away from you!

 

[lettucehead]

From what I understand, feeling down or even somewhat borderline depressed is natural after quitting smoking just from the chemical changes that are happening in your brain from smoking chemical withdrawal. I.E. serotonin/norepinephrine/dopimine (neurotransmitters that regular mood/happiness) are 'wonky' (that's an official medical term, by the way (not!)) for a while. Your neurotransmitters DO regulate after a while and it does pass.

What I find more interesting, is the grief at quitting smoking.
Your cigarettes were your solace, friend, companion, boredom-reliever, personal-time maker, etc, etc, for years.
You are entitled to feel grief at that loss.
It will take time to work through that loss and grief.

Be kind to yourself...

 

[Debadoo]

I'm constantly being asked by co-workers in the "smoking" area what I have. They are intrigued and a few have stated they would like to try vaping. My best friend always chimes in at that point...well, she hasn't really quit smoking...she's still getting her nicotine. It really rubs me the wrong way and I'm getting ticked over it. I keep remembering the time she "quit". The only thing she quit was actually buying cigs as she was still bumming them from me and smoking them. I haven't said anything to her yet, but if she continues I will have to as it really is bothering me. I've come so far and am proud of myself! Don't let anyone take that away from you!

I'm not suggesting a confrontation, and I obviously don't know the girl, but if you can deal with it in a way that she won't over react, I certainly would. One reason......it might get her off your back about it. Two and maybe more importantly.....the folks that you are talking to about possibly becoming vapers......they need to know that this is NOT smoking. Not even close. They need to see a very defined clear cut difference. Let her know that nicotene is addictive, but it is not the harmful component of smoking. It's all the other crap they put in the cigs, plus additional extracts from the leaves, plus the carbon from burning etc. You aren't getting all that other stuff in Ejuice. That's why docs prescribe nic gum and nic patches as a safer alternative. Many people, especially smokers, will poo poo what you're doing, because you're sort of leaving them behind and being healthier. Until they jump in the pool, they don't want to think that you've really done anything. Because if it is something really great....they have to answer for themselves, why aren't they doing it too.

 

[Cloud Wizard]

Stick with it, you're definitely not alone. When I started vaping (after 33 yrs 1.5PAD) I had those moments too. It's really hard to leave behind the ritual and the fact that nicotine from tobacco ash has almost immediate affect (has to do with the particle size and Ph of the nicotine that affects how it's absorbed into the body). Fortunately for me, when I had some of those moments my wife literally sat my down at the table and said keep vaping till it goes away. Once or twice I ended up with the chain vaping headache (not a great thing to get...), but held off. Now, I can't believe I ever smoked.

 

[Accomplice]

Hi! I agree with everything that’s been said. And thanks for posting this, I feel a little better just having read the responses!

I’m in the middle of my third week and I have to say the second week was hard. I didn’t feel good, everything tasted funny, the “newness” was wearing off and I felt that “old” desire. I staved it off by shopping!! Haven’t really stopped, more coming tomorrow! Yea! I ordered a Lot of sample flavors and quickly discovered that the ones that tasted like analogs were a bad idea for me. They mostly tasted the way an unlit analog smelled, and that made me want to light it! Not good. So like someone else said, I went for the fun flavors! Much better!!

I also vaped myself silly during “those” times and quickly dehydrated myself! Don’t do this. Drink a Lot of water, or whatever. You will feel better and the vapor will taste better too. Give the back of your hand a little pinch, and if the skin doesn’t quickly flatten out you could be heading for trouble.

Speaking of trouble, “She hasn’t really quit smoking because she’s still addicted to nicotine.”!!! WHAT!? Holy Crap!! Would they say that to someone chewing nicotine gum?? Would they say that to someone wearing a nicotine patch?? No, they wouldn’t. They shouldn’t say it to us either! I think that’s just being .....y (Can I say that here?) I’m still looking for the perfect response to this type of comment, it completely ticks me off! I was even thinking about starting a thread about it but there probably IS one already!! LOL I Love this forum!

Good Luck to Everyone!! Vape On! Vape Up? Vape ‘em if you’ve got ‘em!!