Vaping as an alternative to smoking

[striker42]

All good info provided above lesley1 so I have nothing much to add. I stopped vaping after a heart attack and it did take a bit of will power to stick to vaping as my first step into vaping wasn't particularly pleasant, but I knew going back on the stinkies was a direct route to a wooden jacket and a six foot hole. Sticking to vaping, finding this place and the great advice I received from the good folks here, along with some better kit, taught me something about myself. I had will power of a sort, I had the will and power to stick with vaping until I got something that suited me rather than take my chance going back to smoking and probably not seeing a life expectancy of more than 5 years. On the nic situation, don't rush to reduce, set dates to be nic free or reduce strength, you're only putting yourself under needless pressure which most of the time leads to failure. As ever keep asking the questions and hang in there, I'm sure the good folks here will manage to guide you to a happy vaping experience.

[lesley1]

Feb 12, 2017 22:40:02 GMT darlo1 said:

I stopped smoking october 2015, i switched to vaping and cut the ciggies overnight, i now make my own juice and am on 2 mg or less, had a few cravings in the first week but since then i have'nt looked back. Will never smoke again if i can help it and the money i hve saved is very nice plus the health benefits to. If you wanna do it do it, but get all the advice off here that you can.

That's good. Go you!! 
The forum was a lucky find but glad I did as everyone seems happy to share their own experiences,
offer advice and guidance and provide support and encouragement. I'm trying to limit the number of really 
dumb ass questions lol

[lesley1]

Feb 12, 2017 21:49:19 GMT lobeydosser said:

Feb 12, 2017 21:26:35 GMT lesley1 said:

Is there a secret formula to quitting? I smoked for nearly 30 years until I had a stroke in November, by then I was up to between 25/30 a day.
I'm have been using a 50/50 juice at 18mg nicotine for the last few months and still have a yen for a cigg (i need to have at least one in the house all the time, the problem is i need to smoke the other 9/19 to get to one :-()
Is there a timescale for reducing the nicotine level? I'd like to eventually be completely nicotine free.
How did you all manage?

Hi lesley1 I smoked for 49 years and only switched to vaping 4 years ago. By the time I switched I was on 40 super kings a day.

There is no one answer fits all. I switched for health and financial reasons.

One thing I have found is that life is a lot easier if I just do things one step at a time.

Forget trying "to go nicotine free" and just concentrate on finding e-cig flavours and equipment that suit you.

Also, if you are vaping and still thinking about having a ciggie now and then, then you are not vaping a high enough strength.

I vape at 24mg and cutting that by even 2mg puts me back to thinking about having a smoke/ciggie.

Once you are vaping and not thinking about a smoke, when vaping is just something you do without thinking about it, when you are enjoying the taste that vaping brings you, when you realise that vaping is so cheap that you can now afford the many luxuries that in the past you could not afford to buy, THEN, you can decide whether reducing your nicotine level is something you want to go for or just stick with what suits you.

Please remember that your vaping is something for you. Don't be influenced by what other people do or do not do vaping wise. We are all different and what may be easy or difficult for others, may not be for you.

Hiya 
Well done you :-)) 49 years is a very long time. 
You're right and the consensus seems to be taking it at my own pace and finding what suits me  is the way forward. 
I need to stop stressing about it / 
I'm working through flavours at the moment, there are so many options and I still haven't found one I couldn't live without. 
I think finding one or three that I really really like would make a big difference :-)

[striker42]

Feb 12, 2017 23:18:23 GMT lesley1 said:

Feb 12, 2017 22:40:02 GMT darlo1 said:

I stopped smoking october 2015, i switched to vaping and cut the ciggies overnight, i now make my own juice and am on 2 mg or less, had a few cravings in the first week but since then i have'nt looked back. Will never smoke again if i can help it and the money i hve saved is very nice plus the health benefits to. If you wanna do it do it, but get all the advice off here that you can.

That's good. Go you!! 
The forum was a lucky find but glad I did as everyone seems happy to share their own experiences,
offer advice and guidance and provide support and encouragement. I'm trying to limit the number of really 
dumb ass questions lol

No dumb ass questions here, all will be answered based on members collective knowledge. Fire away till your heart's content.

[lobeydosser]

If you can mix a recipe that has 4 ingredients, then you can mix your own e-juice.

From looking out the ingredients to cleaning the equipment I use, it takes me 20 minutes to make up 200ml of e-juice and that will last me just over 2 months.

Some folks around here are on 45mg e-juice whilst many are on 24mg. The only ones that use less than 24mg are all sub-ohming.

Personally I use an Eleaf Istick 20w with an Aspire Nautilus 5ml tank.
The Istick I charge overnight and fill the tank the night before. That way when I unplug it in the morning, it is ready to go and will last me until bedtime, or beyond if I choose to stay up.

While other are right into fancy recipes or building their own mods and coils, I like to keep things simple and now that I have gone from spending about 18 quid a day on fags to 30p a day vaping, I can afford to buy what I need and I'm content with what I've got.

[DaveJ]

Hi @lesley1 - you've already been given really useful advice.

Can I add my opinions and experience to endorse what others have already said? And the best of luck to you in making the switch, the effort is very worthwhile.

Feb 12, 2017 21:26:35 GMT lesley1 said:

Is there a secret formula to quitting? I smoked for nearly 30 years until I had a stroke in November, by then I was up to between 25/30 a day.
I'm have been using a 50/50 juice at 18mg nicotine for the last few months and still have a yen for a cigg (i need to have at least one in the house all the time, the problem is i need to smoke the other 9/19 to get to one :-()
Is there a timescale for reducing the nicotine level? I'd like to eventually be completely nicotine free.
How did you all manage?

There is no secret formulae to quitting. I think each here will have slightly different stories about their own experience. That said, we all have been through what you doing now and we all can share our common thoughts with you. We all want to see you win this thing.

I was a heavy smoker for 37 years (30 to 50 a day) Not as long as some, longer than others - certainly long enough to know it was hurting me and to want to be rid of the damned things.

My first comment would be do not fear the nicotine. As others have already said, that's the least of your problems. Get a juice mix/flavour and nic strength that works for you and do not be scared to use it for a good long while - months or even years if necessary. The nicotine is not your enemy, it's all that other shit in tobacco (ATOSIT) that does the serious harm and, to me, seems to "supercharge" the addictive properties of the smokes. I'm convinced it's that other stuff I was craving for so long after I switched to vaping even though I knew I was getting sufficient nicotine.

I managed with a couple of extra strong e-juice brews (high ratio nic) for "those times"... coupled with a little will power ("I'll just hang in there for a few more minutes before I go for the smoke"), the knowledge others I knew in places like this forum had already "done it", the support of my Wife and, finally, the security blanket of that unopened carton in the kitchen cupboard ... which I only just recently disposed of after THREE YEARS.

My point is it isn't a short term thing you do. You are trying to change a lifetime habit. You need to unlearn all those smoking habits and relearn replacements. That takes time and some effort especially in the early days. Some have an easier time than others - but we all needed to "work at it" at least a little to get there.

Feb 12, 2017 22:12:35 GMT lesley1 said:

Hi
I did try the higher strength briefly but had a mad coughing fit in the shop lol! I have some in the house so could try it again.
I was a bit concerned about the amount I am vaping, I seem to be using it all the time....a bit like a security blanket I think.
At the minute i'm using an Istick 20w but I am waiting on a Pico to arrive. I didn't realise it came with sub ohm coils which
will be of no use at all for me so currently looking for something suitable.

Nicotine and coffee....my current vices....I'm a lost cause :-( I really don't want to be back on the ciggs and in the hospital.

Thank you :-)

Again - nicotine is not your enemy. Until you have got comfortable in your new smoke free place, don't be scared to vape nicotine and vape frequently. I think many of us here vape a lot. I mean a huge amount more then when we smoked. I certainly do.

Your body will tell you if you are overdoing it. If that happens, just cool it for a bit, no problem. But until that stage, use the nic.

The way you draw on your e-cig can have a bearing - as well as the flavour, the ratio of PG to VG, the type of attie as well as the power you run it at. It will take a little time to find and settle on a combination that works best for you. Don't be scared to seek out and try different equipment either - each of us prefers different types of gear - each of us likes different things. It may be possible that something else will work better for you. And don't be scared about asking for others views about equipment - lots here have tried all sorts of atties and mods.

Oh - a reminder, if you've not already heard it. Vaping tends to "dry you out". Drink lots of water. Then drink more. You will need it.

Feb 12, 2017 22:45:35 GMT lesley1 said:

Thank you.

I'm going to try a 24mg tomorrow but I was a failure at science so don't feel in any way confident adding nicotine to my existing ones. I'm a liability and its v toxic, it would be a disaster lol!!
It is worth baring in mind though. I'm sure as I get a bit more confident I may want to try things out myself.
Well done you :-))

If you are not "sub ohming" at high power levels, then 24 mg/ml nicotine is not overly strong for an ex-heavy smoker, especially when going thro the transition. I've heard of folk needing far stronger than that to succeed. Don't be scared to have one setup with a very strong brew for those times of particular stress or need.

If you do wish to add extra nicotine to existing juices but are unsure how much... then ask. There are several around here who are very clever with numbers and very willing to help with those sort of questions.

Feb 12, 2017 23:18:23 GMT lesley1 said:

.... I'm trying to limit the number of really dumb ass questions lol

Ask away! We've all been through it. We all understand what starting out is like.


Keep at it, Leslie. The end results are well worth this initial confusion and learning.

[lesley1]

Feb 12, 2017 23:29:39 GMT striker42 said:

Feb 12, 2017 23:18:23 GMT lesley1 said:

That's good. Go you!! 
The forum was a lucky find but glad I did as everyone seems happy to share their own experiences,
offer advice and guidance and provide support and encouragement. I'm trying to limit the number of really 
dumb ass questions lol

No dumb ass questions here, all will be answered based on members collective knowledge. Fire away till your heart's content.

Ohh I know but it's like being the new girl in the office. What's this? How does this work? Do I need to know this? Lol!

[Bobsbeer]

We have all been there lesley1, and all been equally confused, but hang on in there, the water is beautiful once you are in as they say.

[Q]

I started vaping 3 years ago on 18mg, I had been a smoker (20-30 per day) for 41 years, the longest I had given up was the 2 weeks of my honeymoon.

I dropped to 12mg almost immediately, and then started mixing my own, realsed that a division of 72 was the easiest formula so I dropped to 7.2mg, then 3.6mg and then 1.8mg it was becoming obvious that I didn't need nic so I mixed some nic free, left them unlabelled & mixed them with my stash... I couldn't tell the difference

So I made the decision to go totally nic free and have been that way for best part of a year.

The other day I came across some older juice that I'd forgotten about, it was 1.8mg so I thought "that is so little I wont notice it" I DID, I felt physically sick, I now know for certain that I will NEVER have another cigarette, all I have to do now is use up the 200+ bottles of concentrate that I've collected.

[lobeydosser]

I have a shed in the back garden where I escape to, to get out of doing any housework.

I have my tools there to potter with and I also do my e-juice mixing out there.
On the shelf, amongst other mixes is one of a 30mg mix. I haven't used this one for a wee while now, but it is there just for those occasions when I get stressed or things are not going the way I want them to. It works. It calms me down. It is not an overly strongly flavoured juice. It simply gives me that extra boost of nicotine when and if I feel I need it.

That's the beauty of Vaping. You can have a number of e-juices to suit your every need.

[striker42]

I don't mind housework lobeydosser.............................................................................as long as my cleaning equipment consists of nothing more than Kanthal and Cotton.

[lobeydosser]

Feb 13, 2017 12:32:47 GMT striker42 said:

I don't mind housework lobeydosser .............................................................................as long as my cleaning equipment consists of nothing more than Kanthal and Cotton.

My preferred "cleaning equipment" are Pipe Cleaners!!!

But with our present weather, for the most part I am not actually working in the shed, but sitting at the door looking out through the drizzle at all the work I should be doing in the garden.

Oh and vaping ofcourse.

Vaping makes non-working worth while.  

[lesley1]

Feb 13, 2017 8:53:06 GMT Bobsbeer said:

We have all been there lesley1, and all been equally confused, but hang on in there, the water is beautiful once you are in as they say.

I will definitley hang on, I guess like everything we all have good days and bad. I may have to get a little stash of higher nic juices for the bad 🙂
I've been mooching on the mixing part of the site maybe when my brains back to normal (assuming it ever was 😛) I may give it a bash

[striker42]

Feb 13, 2017 16:50:32 GMT lesley1 said:

Feb 13, 2017 8:53:06 GMT Bobsbeer said:

We have all been there lesley1 , and all been equally confused, but hang on in there, the water is beautiful once you are in as they say.

I will definitley hang on, I guess like everything we all have good days and bad. I may have to get a little stash of higher nic juices for the bad 🙂
I've been mooching on the mixing part of the site maybe when my brains back to normal (assuming it ever was 😛) I may give it a bash

Your in good company, you may not have noticed, but there might not be as many " normal" brains in here as you imagine.

[Greg]

Feb 13, 2017 16:50:32 GMT lesley1 said:

Feb 13, 2017 8:53:06 GMT Bobsbeer said:

We have all been there lesley1 , and all been equally confused, but hang on in there, the water is beautiful once you are in as they say.

I will definitley hang on, I guess like everything we all have good days and bad. I may have to get a little stash of higher nic juices for the bad 🙂
I've been mooching on the mixing part of the site maybe when my brains back to normal (assuming it ever was 😛) I may give it a bash

Keep at it lesley1, I don't post much these days but I smoked 25 a day for the best part of 30 years. 
I also quit vaping last March after slower reducing my nicotine levels over a year or so to Zero.
its worth it