With Draw Al

[notdanielbutdaniel]

Hi all.

I recently switched from Anablarghs to vaping. I have a box of Marlboro Lights sitting on my desk which I haven't touched in 5 days, and I don't think I ever will. The first two days were actually quite easy, however by last night (day 5) I had quite severe withdrawal in the form of mild anxiety, back muscle pains, and mild insomnia.

I'd like to ask about your experience re the addictiveness of vaping versus ciga....s. I'm assuming that because I am suffering from withdrawals, that I am using a product which is ultimately less addictive than ciggies, and thus in a few months time should ultimately be a calmer person with a better functioning CNS. I'd like to hear input from other vapers who're a couple of weeks/months/years down the line.

I am aware of the addictiveness of the DIY element and collecting mad expensive gear etc, my question pertains to the act of vaping and the physical signs of craving.


Happy Fry Day !

 

[Choc_Addic]

Hello,
You did not mention how much you smoked and what is the nic level your ejuice is.

But generally insomnia is caused by too much nic in your vap a couple of hours before going to bed. Lower your nic levels a couple of hours before bed time will help with that.

Anxiety also may be caused by too high a nic level, but may also have to do with habitual act of smoking. IE. If you smoked after meal at certain time and place. So changing your habit may help. If you smoked at coffee table after breakfast, then have breakfast in the living room and vap after. Or just keep yourself something to do when you crave. I would go out for a short walk instead when I can't sleep and thing about having a cig.

Not sure about muscle pain.!

Do a search on " A list of symptoms when quitting tobacco and changing to an e-cigarette " on google and read up on some of the articals published will also be of help.

Keep it up and congrads on quiting.

Regards

 

[SASmith]

Hi Daniel

I was a two pack a day smoker and started with 24mg juice, in the past I had tried just about everything to quit and vaping really seems to be working. I think that even though there are some withdrawal symptoms and everyone's experience is different....vaping is easier because you can still inhale and go through all the physical rituals of smoking.

I had some withdrawal symptoms, a little anxiety, some insomnia, some extra aches and pains. My withdrawal symptoms would come and go over the first month and then seemed to fade. I have dropped down to 18mg juice and everything seems fine so far. I would like to mention that drinking plenty of water is important as vaping is dehydrating and some symptoms of dehydration can mimic withdrawal symptoms.

I also had a habit of blaming everything on withdrawal (probably the anxiety mentioned earlier), get a headache, runny nose, not sleeping gee it's got to be withdrawal or vaping. However I do get migraines , it is allergy season and I've always had mild insomnia. I started making a real effort to try not to blame everything on withdrawal or vaping and everything seems to have smoothed out.

By the way...Welcome to the forum, congrats on your 5 days and enjoy your vape

 

[notdanielbutdaniel]

Thanks for the responses

I was a pack/pack-and-a-half-a-day smoker. I'm vaping 18 mg juice, which is I think is 100 % VG (just looked at the bottom of the bottle and it has a sticker on it that says VG). Weird thing is actually I didn't have any intention of stopping on Saturday, but I had a bad-.... hangover, had a cigarette at about 2 pm and then almost threw myself off my balcony I felt so sick. I'd heard about vaping, so I went online and did some reading, then went out, bought a unit and decided that evening that I was never going to touch smokes again. Anyways, I digest... I mean digress...

SASmith, I totally get what you're saying and I guess when we make any significant changes we'll tend to be hyper-alert and attribute everything to that change ; even though there may be nothing new going on.

Thanks Choc, will do exactly that

The main thing I'm wondering is .... would it be easier for you to cold turkey quit vaping now versus cold turkey quitting smoking when you were a smoker? Are you less addicted to vaping than you were to cigarettes?

=)

 

[Myrany]

The main thing I'm wondering is .... would it be easier for you to cold turkey quit vaping now versus cold turkey quitting smoking when you were a smoker? Are you less addicted to vaping than you were to cigarettes?

=)

Let me answer your question with a question. Does it matter if we ever quit vaping or not?

I am down to 3 mg nic from 12mg in 3 months. I plan on getting to zero in the next couple of months. I have no intention of quitting vaping. I enjoy it. I know it is far less harmful than smoking. Heck vaping sweet juices has helped me lose nearly 30 pounds. I really can't see a reason to stop vaping unless I just get tired of it.

 

[SASmith]

Actually, I think it would be easier to quit, I don't seem to crave vaping as much as I craved smoking and I do plan to slowly cut down my nicotine levels. Right now I'm not sure if I will ever quit vaping. I'm still very focused on doing whatever I need to do to not smoke. I hadn't thought about gaining weight, the last failed attempt I made at quitting smoking I did gain weight and I know that I haven't gained weight vaping. Things that make you go hmmmmmm!

 

[Choc_Addic]

The main thing I'm wondering is .... would it be easier for you to cold turkey quit vaping now versus cold turkey quitting smoking when you were a smoker? Are you less addicted to vaping than you were to cigarettes?

It would be easier to quit vaping if needs be I imagine. I tried cold quit on cig's a couple of time and it didn't work out for me.

But about a week ago, I had no access to my e-cig (stupid, unplanned shot trip for a couple of days) I did not smoked nor vaped! But I would be lying if I didn't want to drive to a store and pick up a e-cig. But I succeeded in not doing that and I'm proud of that.

I will still be vaping tho. I will be trying to get myself down to 0 nic level soon as possible.

Good luck

 

[SFBrianT]

Nicotine is what's addictive in both ciggies and e-juice so I would expect quitting either cold turkey would be difficult. That being said, I think it is a heluva lot easier to wean yourself off the nic with vaping. Mainly because 18mg RY4 tastes the same as 6mg RY4. ( I can't speak for 0mg because I haven't gotten there yet.

 

[notdanielbutdaniel]

Great, thanks !

@Myrany - Yeah to me it matters. I don't like the idea of being addicted to something, so I'm just wondering if by switching to e-cigs I will technically be less addicted than I was to ciggies.


hmmmmmm indeed haha. A significant portion of the 4000+ other chemicals that are in cigarettes are probably also addictive, and hence that's why we have a bit of difficulty in transitioning to a vape. I find it very encouraging that you guys are lowering your NIC doses, I think I plan to do the same

Thanks ! ! !

 

[cocacola31173]

When I quit I fell apart the first month even with vaping. My head stayed stuffed up and my whole body hurt! I did some research and they said this was normal cause your body is getting rid of the built up carbon dioxide and all those other chemicals outta your body.

The funny thing now is after about 9 months I have no cravings at all! I can go all day without vaping (if I want to....I don't!) and it doesn't bother me. I even use 0 nic after 5 in the evening and have no cravings then either.

The only reason I guess Im keeping a some nic is cause of the taste. 0 nic has no throat hit and I like that so I hover between 12 and 6 mg of nic.

But it does get better!

 

[notdanielbutdaniel]

When I quit I fell apart the first month even with vaping. My head stayed stuffed up and my whole body hurt! I did some research and they said this was normal cause your body is getting rid of the built up carbon dioxide and all those other chemicals outta your body.

The funny thing now is after about 9 months I have no cravings at all! I can go all day without vaping (if I want to....I don't!) and it doesn't bother me. I even use 0 nic after 5 in the evening and have no cravings then either.

The only reason I guess Im keeping a some nic is cause of the taste. 0 nic has no throat hit and I like that so I hover between 12 and 6 mg of nic.

But it does get better!

That is AMAZING to hear. ) Thank you !

 

[AttyPops]

Cigs = 7,000 to 10,000 chemicals.

e-cigs (unflavored) = 3 chemicals...(well, some additional residual from nic extracted from tobacco...but at low levels...so there's hope)

You are/were addicted to chemical #4150 (and a few others working in combination) also (get it? 4150 = ALSO)

Anyway, the withdrawal lasted about 2 or 3 weeks for me. Vape through it.

 

[notdanielbutdaniel]

That's the plan

I find evenings the most difficult... get muscle twitches and really struggle to focus - but won't touch an analogue.

 

[Karla Lyle]

Cigarettes have a lot of chemicals added to them that cause you to be even more addicted than just to the nicotine. I too felt some withdrawals that nic did not fix. It will go away though. I have no cravings for cigarettes any more at all now. It will pass.

 

[AttyPops]

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...hen-quitting-tobacco-changing-ecigarette.html

 

[Jazzi Mike]

Meh 18 mg is a little low to switch from analogs to e cigs. I started with 24-36. The 36 was too much for me though. I would get sweaty and dry mouth when I vaped it.

 

[Bill Oso]

No substantial withdrawal symptoms yet, but it's only been 12 days with absolutely no tobacco. A couple times when I was bored I did crave a traditional cigarette (during a rain storm while waiting for e-cig supplies to arrive in the mail). No plans in the near future to reduce nicotine levels (12mg currently) or stop vaping entirely. Just happy I'm not smoking tobacco right now and can vape inside my home.

 

[Faylool]

My experience with the CNS system lead me to add snus and snuff and when I have extra cash WTA e juice. I got wired from chain vaping. I got very communicative to the point of blathering. 6 months in to it to save money on WTA I started snus and snuff after learning more about them. I do all three. Anyway. I was getting off a 10 year Nicorette gum habit which I chewed a LOT. I think I ended up vaping more than I chewed though because it was new and fun. Everybody is different. I have in the past gone years without smoking or chewing or any replacement. I did fine eventually but didn't stay quit for a variety of excuses. When I quit Nicorette without replacing with vaping I lasted 3 months. I never made it to a normal state. I was clinically in a state of anxiety...yes I had some things to be very anxious about going on and still do! So I vape, snus and snuff. It helps a LOT!

 

[Kenny Young]

I've had 5 cigarettes in 45 days, however, recently travelled and when I got in the car, my mod slipped out of my pocket and rolled under the seat. I didn't notice it had happened until we were about an hour from home.

I reached into my pocket to have a vape and it was gone.

Talk about PANIC. I'm not sure if I was *ACTUALLY* craving the nicotine, or just freaking out because when I needed it, it wouldn't be there. Not a good feeling, but I NEVER thought of stopping to buy cigarettes.

What a relief that I found it. The Casino would have sucked without it.

 

[Retro68]

My input, I had withdrawal for about the first week, then for a day or two when I stepped from 36 to 24 to 18 (where I am at now, and intend to stay). I dont vape to quit cigs, I vape as a much healthier alternative. I have no desire to quit nic since it calms my nerves in stressful environments. I work in customer service at a grocery store, and anyone who has been in that environment can relate im sure.....