Will i ever get off nicotine?

[Frenchfry1942]

I am working downwards. There are times when I can't vape for a "fix" but want to. I noticed early on that if I vape 24mg I need to about once an hour. If I vape 18mg it is a bit more often.

But, when vaping 18mg, I get busy and I push that urge away for a bit. I just get used to it.

I just started 18mg. I will run with that until my 18mg juice gets lower, then I will get some that is less and use both. Just that slow turn-over.

The nic urges can be disruptive. I want to go lower.

 

[Baldr]

When I started vaping, I was using 24, but I had to get some 30 to get off the cigs. Even then, 24mg was my "all day", and before long, I didn't need the 30.

After awhile, I decided I'd try to move down. I got some juice in 18, and I mixed the last of my 24 with the 18 so I had a 30ml bottle of roughly 21mg. I used that as an "in between" step, and when it was done, I went to straight 18 for awhile.

Eventually, I did the same thing moving from 18 to 12 with a 15mg in-between step. And again from 12 to 6. I didn't have much trouble with any of these, and I went a couple of months (which is likely more than needed) between down-steps.

When I had been on 6mg for awhile, I started buying some no nic juice and mixing it half/half with the 6mg so I was vaping at 3mg. I did that for months. Longer than needed, I think. I was really worried about going to 0mg. I'd been hooked on nicotine one way or another for decades, so the idea of not having any worried me. Eventually, one of the guys at a local vape store convinced me that the difference between 3mg and 0 mg was hardly noticeable, and so I tried going with just the 0 nic. I still had some juice with nic available, I just quit using it.

I've been off the nic for I think around 9 months now. I miss the throat hit, but other than that, it hasn't been an issue.

I had thought that if I were nic free, it would be easy to stop vaping, but I still vape almost as much as ever. Maybe not quite as much, but close. On the other hand, all of the things that made me want to quit smoking don't apply to vaping, so I haven't put a lot of effort into quitting vaping. I suspect I could do it if I really tried. I did go 24 hours without vaping recently after some dental work, and it wasn't too bad.

All that being said, nicotine isn't really that bad for you. I may go back to 6mg or something in that range.

 

[MikenGA]

Yep, I'm with the folks who suggest to allow nic to lower naturally. I started at 24mg, and before long my body was requesting a lower amount. So, I went to 18mg...then a few months later to 12mg. It took about a year and 4 months, but my body settled out at 6mg or lower. (Sometimes I now vape 0mg, but mostly at night before bed.)

This 'switch' will be easy if you let it.

You're doing GREAT, and learning how this stuff works as well as any normal user. So many interesting discoveries we're making!


BTW - After a certain time period at lower nic (and only vaping), you'll find you're no longer 'addicted' to nic. As others mentioned, it's about like a cup of coffee...I can take it or leave it, but sure do enjoy it when I partake!

 

[dannyrl]

Easiest way to go down in nicotine: buy a mech and RDA and start dripping. You "regular" doses will get you nic sick in no time and you'll want to go down if you want to continue vaping. I went from 18mg to 0 nic in like 3 weeks

In all seriousness though, shaking off nicotine will take a lot of dedication and discipline. Try your hardest to stay at 6mg, and maybe buy one bottle of 12 or 18 mg to shake off the really bad cravings every once and a while. Don't fill that craving every time it arises though, try and fight it back or find something to do that takes your mind off of it. It'll be a very gradual process, but you can do it!

I wasn't entirely kidding about dripping though. I really did drop nicotine completely in a matter of weeks after I started dripping. But everybody is different and results may vary, so I don't recommend you rush to buy a new set-up to shake off nicotine unless you were already looking into getting into RDAs.

 

[Dougiestyle]

Will I ever drink decaffeinated coffee? No.

The same reason I won't drink decaffeinated coffee applies to vapor, for me. I feel that the beneficial properties of nicotine outweigh the negative ones.

The only fault nicotine has is that it can contribute to high blood pressure. Otherwise, it is known to enhance mood, increase mental awareness, increase metabolism, etc.

I have the blood pressure "of a 19-year old marathon runner," says my doctor. Why would I want to lower my nic?

 

[cbrite]

I started with 12 mg and about 6 wk in dropped to 6 because 12 felt a little "rough." But I still have 12 mg juice and if I start to get that fidgety feeling and find that my dogs are suddenly really annoying, I grab some 12 mg. I always say there is no race to the bottom, just staying off cigs whatever that takes. So if I get to zero (which I'd like to before these FDA regs start making life difficult) that will be great. In the meantime, I do what my body needs to stay happy.

 

[zanthious]

i have noticed when i go lower the cravings also get weaker. I will puff more but then ill get side tracked for an hour and not even notice. *shrug* 18 mg to 16 mg to 12 mg to 6 mg in like 2 months.. i was on 16 for a year before i decided to go lower...

if your worried about going back to Cigs then go up in nicotine and try again later..

 

[Deeo]

i have noticed when i go lower the cravings also get weaker. I will puff more but then ill get side tracked for an hour and not even notice. *shrug* 18 mg to 16 mg to 12 mg to 6 mg in like 2 months.. i was on 16 for a year before i decided to go lower...

if your worried about going back to Cigs then go up in nicotine and try again later..

Oh I have no intentions of smoking again. I am to afraid to. I was wanting to lower my nicotine so I can worry less about having a stroke because of a possible mini stroke TIA back in Dec.

 

[Funk Dracula]

I may be in the minority, but when I switched to sub-ohm RDAs I welcomed the apparent massive increase in nicotine absorption efficiency with open arms, and instead of lowering my nic to compensate, I asked myself: "Now why the hell wasn't I vaping stronger stuff all along?? This is great. Nicotine is great."

If vapers should be concerned about "weaning" themselves off of anything, it should be the flavoring. That's the only potentially "harmful" ingredient that could be of concern. Who knows what's in some of these flavors and what chemicals are produced when they are vaporized, right?

There seems to be two major categories of vapers: Flavor chasers and Cloud chasers. Well now, mark me down in a third category; Nicotine junkies.

I love nicotine. What an awesome drug. I love how my set-up delivers my nicotine to me like it means BUSINESS.

Cheers

 

[edyle]

I am doing great 4 months quit today! However i have lowered myself to 6mg ejuice the past few weeks. I get cravings for analogs but i wouldn't really call them cravings , more i grieve them. My husband is using 18mg ejuice and i find that if i haul on his from time to time during the week that my cravings are not there. So i know i should move back up in nicotine. My question is does this mean i will never be comfortable at a low nic? Has anyone here ever moved down in nic and then back up to finally back down and off nicotine completely?

I think if you want to drop nicotine you should do like you did and

i haul on his from time to time during the week that my cravings are not there

Keep a second tank with the higher strength; it's one of the flexibilities you have with vaping compared to smoking.
When I started I almost immediately started using 0 nicotine, but I had a small v-nano sitting next to my computer at home with 24mg in it that I might just take a drag occassionally

 

[Cloud Junky]

You will eventually, you can continue on the 6mg and once in a blue moon vape a bit more heavy to delete those cravings. I moved off nic completely, I just vape with nic here and there for the throat hit and peppery flavor. I vaped for months without nic and I am fine. You will be fine.

 

[Rocketpunk]

Barring heart disease, nicotine is the one thing in a cigarette that will not kill you.

I compare it to a Starbucks coffee fanatic.

It's ok to jones for and flip out over caffeine, but nicotine is demonized?

I understand the idea of not being "addicted" to anything, anymore. Being an addict can be debilitating. But more power to you if your goal is to ween yourself to zero nic.