Why should I reduce Nic level?

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dr1gonfir5

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Jun 23, 2013
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I've been considering moving down my Nicotine level one step from 18mg, as I've already been vaping for more than 3 months. It seems like it would be easy enough, my only question is, why should I? The only reason I can think of is to make it easier when I can't vape, to lengthen the time that I can go without experiencing nicotine withdrawal. Normally I can barely go 2 hours without nicotine withdrawal making me feel uncomfortable. Logically it seems that If I lower my Nic level, I should be able to go longer more comfortably without withdrawal. But on the other hand, I use nicotine for several personal ailments, like anxiety and ADHD. If I go to 12, will I get the same effect from the nicotine?:blink:
 

Recon Number 54

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If you are ingesting nicotine for therapeutic outcomes and have established a self-medicating level that "works for what ails you", then reducing the nicotine concentration means that if you don't alter your vaping frequency, you will be (in essence) "weaning yourself" off of nicotine. Which (as you mentioned) may reduce your cravings and allow you to go longer without the stimulant and help you make it through periods when you can't vape.

If you can do so without any adverse effects (such as losing the benefits that you currently experience from your existing nicotine input) then you can decide for yourself if the reduction is what you want to do.

But, if (as you say) you know that you get specific benefits from a particular amount of nicotine per/hour and try reducing that level, you should evaluate whether or not you are losing those self-observed benefit(s).

No harm in trying a lower concentration, but see if it helps or makes you crave vaping more frequently.

Self-medicating (which most people do in one form or another, whether it be nicotine, caffeine, alcohol or other substances) is a combination of basic math complicated by how our bodies react to the presence or loss of the substance.
 

Izan

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I have lowered from 18mg to 12mg so I can vape more often without getting too much nic.

If I can vape all day, I'll vape .06.
If I have to stealth, or go for extended periods, 1.8-2.4.
It also depends on the device and the flavour.
Think of it like tea or coffee...you know when you have had too much....

Thanks for sharing
I
 

Spazmelda

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I kind of had to move down. I started at 24, and that was good for maybe a week and I moved to 18. That was good for about a month and then it started to be too much for me. I went down to 12 and that's been good for a while. I sometimes do 10.

I do DIY, so theoretically, going down with nic saves me money, but I've got so much nicotine in the freezer that it will probably actually go bad before I get to it all.
 

RT88

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your brain has nicotinic receptors. your brain produces tiny amounts of a nicotine like neurotransmitter. smoking and vaping flood these. you can google health affects of regular nicotine use and theres not a lot of bad outcomes unless you OD by drinking it or spilling it on your skin and not washing it off. you'll get sick and throw up prob as a warning sign.

like everything else i do, i believe in moderation. i know people who drink too much and smoke a quarter oz in 3 or 4 days. they're not dead but its not something i want to do. i think its too much. same w/ 32oz big gulps. you can wean yourself down to lower levels and still get satisfaction, it just takes time.
 
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grandmato5

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Choosing to reduce your nic level or not is entirely your choice. Only you can know by trying if reducing your nic level will change your anxiety level.

When I first decided to attempt to reduce my nic level several years ago we were still awaiting Judge Leon's decision as to if ecigs would be considered a drug delivery device or not. If he'd ruled them to be a drug delivery device it would have pretty much killed the vaping industry. Once I'd kicked that 30 + yr smoking habit I knew I never wished to return to it so reducing my nic levels at the time made sense to me in case vaping became difficult.

I also didn't like being addicted to HAVING to have my high levels of nicotine even if I could continue vaping forever. Personally I'm convinced that low levels of nicotine are no more dangerous then low levels of caffeine which I don't consider harmful. I agree with my doctors assessment that moderation vs excessive is often the difference between something being harmless and something becoming harmful to our health.
 

Grimwald

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I just listen to my body (and the little voices in my head). I was a very heavy long term smoker, so I started at 24mg. That was good for about 3 months. Then I found that I had some anxiety, sleeplessness, the jitters, light headed...so I cut back. I slowly dropped over the next 6 months to 9mg, which is where I have landed after 13 months. On a side note, I also cut back on caffeine and other stimulants like sugar. This whole quitting smoking thing seems to change your body, so my advice is just go with it....let your body help you decide.
 

glassgal

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Well, I'm of the opinion that I had such a hard time quitting, and wanted to keep smoking because my body must have needed the nicotine. The only reason I wanted to quit at all was to get my husband, who has emphysema, to quit... and also so I don't get sick.

Well, if I don't have to worry about tar, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide from cigs killing me... WHY should I cut down on my nicotine? It makes me happy, I'm no longer harming myself, and I'm not harming anyone else with 2nd hand smoke. I see no reason to either cut down nicotine or stop it.

If there's a good reason, I'd like to know what it is too!
 
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