Need some help, on quiting cigs..

[OutHouse]

I still sometimes have a dreams in which I'm smoking

me too!! its fricken weird and scary how mentally addictive smoking is.

 

[jupiter57]

When I quit 3 years ago (35+ year smoker), I used these:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nicorette-...1-ct./14282416

Worked like a charm as far as nicotine replacement.
The thing I missed most was the morning and the after dinner smoke, there was just something about the taste, it's hard to describe, just wanted to taste something different after eating I guess, but the mints weren't cutting it.

Picked up some Skoal Pouches, after eating and upon waking, I would pop one of those in my mouth. Did the trick for me.

Nowadays, I'm kinda addicted to the Skoal, run through a tin a day most days, but to me, it seems much easier to not use them for long periods (anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days) than it did for cigarettes.

One thing I have learned, everyone is different.
For some, quitting is as easy as simply not smoking anymore (or so they claim), while others battle intense cravings hourly.
That said, just try different things, give it time to see if it works, and once you find what works for you, then stick with it.

EDIT: I forgot SmokeAway!
Tried that 5-6 years ago.
I don't really remember exactly what all came with the kit, but I remember it came with an herbal tablet to take.
Quitting was Sooo easy! Only problem was when I ran out of the herbal tablets, the cravings came back & the refills cost far more than the entire original kit! (Making your own herbal equivalent was impossible as the ingredients weren't listed) it was cheaper to smoke!

 

[dust]

i smoke about a pack and a half a day of marlboro lights, i enjoy smoking tobacco, i don't know if its because im addicted or actually enjoy the smoke, but reguardless, i had an upper GI done for what they though was an ulcer (it was not, thank god)and was told i have the lungs of a 90 year old, that really scared me...i have tried quitting twice before never making it past a half a day without going nuts.i tried the patch/gum combo last time and i was just dying for a smoke... i plan on buying an e cig that will suffice my need to smoke, the problem is, they range from $4.00 online to 100$locally. the $4 versions can be only gotten via Chinese export websites, and they don't sell just the refill's separately so im pretty much paying $4 for an throw away e cig or paying 100$ for ones locally that work with some sort of liquid and rechargeable battery... does anyone have experience on quitting the ecig way? any of you quit from it? which e cig did you use and did it literally feel like you were inhaling smoke? thats a big thing for me!... i want to be able to close my eyes and think its a real cig,and not waste money on some gimmick...

so ATOT hit me with your best shot, fire away...

You're not 90 are you?!

Why is everyone so concerned about being healthy towards their old age, do they want to die at full health?:hmm:

 

[jupiter57]

There are good information in ecig forum that are objective and detailed.

Personally, I have no significant issues but am aware that some people can be allergic to PG (Propylene Glycol) which is one of the more common ingredient in e-liquids. Those people typically use VG (Vegetable Glycerin) in place of PG in their e-liquids.

Aside from that, ALL ingredients in a proper e-liquid are FDA approved food classification - mebe except nicotine which in itself is addictive and potentially fatal in large dosages but harmless in small intermittent dosages which is not unlike caffeine.

One can research and come to your own conclusions.

Hmmm, I used e-cigs for a few months when they first came out, seemed to work pretty good aside from being a PITA, but after contracting Bronchitis twice, my Dr. told me that he thought the vaporized liquid may have triggered it.
I was not aware of Vegetable Glycerin, probably didn't exist at the time.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'll be 22 on may 6th, i've been smoking since 16 years old.

Fuck dude, you got it easy. Quit now. I mean right now. This is the best chance you have of quitting and it being successful long term.

No time like the present!

 

[dank69]

If you don't want to quit you will fail. I quit just over ten years ago and I still crave them. That's the one thing that keeps me motivated to not even have "just one." Knowing that even ten years later I'm still programmed to want them. So yeah, if you don't want to quit, you will eventually find an excuse to start again.

 

[Edgy]

Hmmm, I used e-cigs for a few months when they first came out, seemed to work pretty good aside from being a PITA, but after contracting Bronchitis twice, my Dr. told me that he thought the vaporized liquid may have triggered it.
I was not aware of Vegetable Glycerin, probably didn't exist at the time.

Not sure when it was that you tried them or what products but VG alternative does not exist in pre-filled replacement cartridge subscription scenarios which may be right for some people but seems to me only an overpriced, money-burning schemes.

VG is only an option if you refill your own e-liquid (pre-mixed or mix your own).

Your problem definitely could have been a bad PG reaction unless you get bronchitis from inhaling/breathing in a room with humidifier on. I say this only because I've always had a weak respiratory system and have never had issues with vaping.

 

[stargazr]

You should think seriously about quitting now while time is on your side. I gave them up almost 15 years ago, cold turkey. I used nicotine gum for several weeks.

The nicotine/physical addiction is only part of it. The real hard part is psychological IMO- going for a smoke after coffee, eating, any time a problem comes up etc. Those associations have to be broken. It takes time but the cravings will diminish and it gets easier if you just stick with it no matter what.

It's not easy, and you should know that using gum, patches etc is not going to do it for you but only help if you're committed, and this stuff should eventually be discontinued as well. It takes sheer will power. Convince yourself you can do it first.

 

[TwiceOver]

Read up on your nicotine addiction. Read Allen Carr's "Easy way to quit smoking" then don't smoke. Realize that your brain is lying to you about "need". Its simple, you're a drug addict. Just don't smoke, chew, use any substitute.

Smoked pack a day for nearly 18 years. Smoke free 3 years now.

 

[notposting]

If you are serious, and scared, then just quit. I quit cold turkey in 2004, after about 7 years of smoking. Still occasionally long for one.

I got sick, ended up with bronchitis, but was still smoking. Woke up at night coughing, realized how much I sounded like my brother in law (asthma) and an older friend (long time smoker, asthma as result). Scared the hell out of me.

I would suggest taking time off from work if you can, take at least a week off, go curl up in the fetal position, and go from there. Chew gum like a mofo (personally, I used Doublemint, though I now prefer Orbit Spearmint). It will be your new addiction for awhile. The reason I suggest taking time off is because the "situation addiction". What do you do when get in the car to go to work? On your lunch break, on the way home, anytime you step outside?

You will need to learn how to cope with stress without nicotine (it's easier, actually). You will need to establish a diet plan, to ensure you don't trade one addiction for another. And then you need to never have another smoke again.

 

[Broheim]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline

Works a treat apparently.

this, shit works.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I quit by signing up for a half marathon and starting to train. Had to decide pretty quick which was more important.

 

[jupiter57]

Not sure when it was that you tried them or what products but VG alternative does not exist in pre-filled replacement cartridge subscription scenarios which may be right for some people but seems to me only an overpriced, money-burning schemes.

VG is only an option if you refill your own e-liquid (pre-mixed or mix your own).

Your problem definitely could have been a bad PG reaction unless you get bronchitis from inhaling/breathing in a room with humidifier on. I say this only because I've always had a weak respiratory system and have never had issues with vaping.

I tried them shortly after they hit the market, IIRC, there were only a couple of suppliers at the time, with more & more popping up every week.
When I first started, I believe all you could get were the kits, and could order refill cartridges. After a while, the refill bottles started showing up, along with some forums on "vaping".
I ordered some liquid refills & refilled my own (not designed for refill) cartridges, so yeah, the VG e-liquid was probably not available yet.

 

[Gunslinger08]

My parents both quit cold turkey after my father had a heart attack and the doctors told him he'd be dead within a year if he didn't stop. So maybe realize that you're cutting time off your life if you don't quit.

 

[Mixolydian]

I don't quite get the people who say 'just quit, you'll be fine soon enough.'

Eh...on the first day or two, you might murder someone else and/or yourself. Best to just avoid that withdrawal shit.

I smoke ~2 packs a week, and I still get kinda [more] miserable without smoking all day, and then kinda-sorta briefly high when I finally get a cigarette. To me, that seems like withdrawal that is strong enough to not fuck around with.

If I decided I had to quit, I'd probably put it on like a one month timeline. I'd set an initial maximum of like five a day, gradually tapering down to a smoke a day for the last week or so.

But I'm weird. I'd be much more likely to have the odd smoke afterwards, but without really 'relapsing.' To me, it's just all about getting the physical 'need' out of my system.

I am exactly the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline

Works a treat apparently.

Can also make you crazy, apparently.

 

[hans030390]

If you're interested in trying e-cigs, I would recommend looking into getting something from PrimeVapor. Start with their $50 kit. You get two rechargeable, automatic "batteries" and five cartridges to go along with it. I recommend PrimeVapor because they don't use propylene glycol in their products. I think the vegetable glycerin-based products product better vapor, and PG-based products seems to give me headaches more easily for some reason. The chameleon batteries are KR-808D1s, which are really common and popular. You can get cartridges and accessories from them all over the place. I think they work well.

Alternatively, you could get a kit from Blu. Those are popular too, but more proprietary.

 

[Edgy]

If you're interested in trying e-cigs, I would recommend looking into getting something from PrimeVapor. Start with their $50 kit. You get two rechargeable, automatic "batteries" and five cartridges to go along with it. I recommend PrimeVapor because they don't use propylene glycol in their products. I think the vegetable glycerin-based products product better vapor, and PG-based products seems to give me headaches more easily for some reason. The chameleon batteries are KR-808D1s, which are really common and popular. You can get cartridges and accessories from them all over the place. I think they work well.

Alternatively, you could get a kit from Blu. Those are popular too, but more proprietary.

PG and VG are usually a matter of preference (unless you're allergic to one of them) and one is not necessarily better or worse.

PG based e-liquid = less vapor and more throat hit.
VG based e-liquid = more vapor and less throat hit.

Most of us mix the PG/VG ratio in the e-liquid to find the perfect combination that suits our individual preference - I use 50/50 ratio for myself cause as a former smoker, throat hit is important to me.

Those are good recommendations even if they're subscription based ecig service - they're not ALL evil although all of them are quite expensive compared to DIY.

 

[Edgy]

I tried them shortly after they hit the market, IIRC, there were only a couple of suppliers at the time, with more & more popping up every week.
When I first started, I believe all you could get were the kits, and could order refill cartridges. After a while, the refill bottles started showing up, along with some forums on "vaping".
I ordered some liquid refills & refilled my own (not designed for refill) cartridges, so yeah, the VG e-liquid was probably not available yet.

If I had tried ecigs during the infancy of the industry likewise, I would have given up on them too and probably for similar reasons - lack of information and resource. Back then, I heard most people had to depend on overseas suppliers and questionable quality of products.

Glad you found another way to quit smoking nevertheless.

 

[hans030390]

PG and VG are usually a matter of preference (unless you're allergic to one of them) and one is not necessarily better or worse.

PG based e-liquid = less vapor and more throat hit.
VG based e-liquid = more vapor and less throat hit.

Most of us mix the PG/VG ratio in the e-liquid to find the perfect combination that suits our individual preference - I use 50/50 ratio for myself cause as a former smoker, throat hit is important to me.

Those are good recommendations even if they're subscription based ecig service - they're not ALL evil although all of them are quite expensive compared to DIY.

I do agree with this! It does come down to personal preference.

I don't know why, but I get weird headaches from using cartridges from V2. I have read they primarily use PG in their liquid, if not entirely for some mixtures. I got a few 100% VG carts from PrimeVapor, and I feel noticeably better using those than compared to the ones I got from V2 (they even have double the nicotine compared to V2). I also like the additional vapor, but the throat hit is about the same for me. I'm not sure if it's just the PG that bothers me or what.

It is true you can pay less by going more of a DIY route. However, I found the simplicity and popularity of the KR-808D1 models/carts to be worth any additional cost. I could save more money by filling carts on my own, but I'm still new to this stuff. (BTW, wasn't entirely sure if by DIY you meant just filling your own carts or using different batteries than what I mentioned...)

 

[Fingolfin269]

Not sure if you drink but if you want to quit smoking you need to quit drinking too.

 

[Mixolydian]

Not sure if you drink but if you want to quit smoking you need to quit drinking too.

Not fair, everyone is entitled to ONE vice.

 

[Edgy]

I do agree with this! It does come down to personal preference.

I don't know why, but I get weird headaches from using cartridges from V2. I have read they primarily use PG in their liquid, if not entirely for some mixtures. I got a few 100% VG carts from PrimeVapor, and I feel noticeably better using those than compared to the ones I got from V2 (they even have double the nicotine compared to V2). I also like the additional vapor, but the throat hit is about the same for me. I'm not sure if it's just the PG that bothers me or what.

It is true you can pay less by going more of a DIY route. However, I found the simplicity and popularity of the KR-808D1 models/carts to be worth any additional cost. I could save more money by filling carts on my own, but I'm still new to this stuff. (BTW, wasn't entirely sure if by DIY you meant just filling your own carts or using different batteries than what I mentioned...)

I started on KR-808 myself and was fine with it for about 6 months. But in reality the most popular and pervasive model is actually the 510 connection not the 808. 808 connector models are very popular with subscription based cartomizer cartridge system but the oldest and most popular is the 510 connection.

DIY has different levels - the most DIY = purchasing standardized connector vaporizer unit (batteries and PV) + buying one's own atomizer/cartridge or cartomizers + mixing one's own e-liquid. I don't mix my own e-liquid but I use standard 510 connector PV unit with cartomizer/tank system.

I switched to 510 connector because it is the easiest to find parts for with online vendors and often they are cheaper.

Btw - in case for your headaches, PG may be a factor, but in most cases nicotine causes headaches. A sudden dosage of nicotine absorbed quickly enough and in enough dosages can often be cause for headaches.

I find that absorption of nicotine to my system via PV is much quicker and "pure" than via regular cigarette smoking. I used to get headaches trying to vape like I was smoking regular cigarettes (chain inhaling drags). I also noticed for myself that nicotine delivery seemed more efficient with PG than VG.

You may want to try lowering your nicotine level in your e-liquid or change the inhaling habit to be more intermittent which resolved my headache issues back when I had them.

 

[WelshBloke]

Fuck dude, you got it easy. Quit now. I mean right now. This is the best chance you have of quitting and it being successful long term.

No time like the present!

This.

The sooner you give up the easier and better.

I started when I was 17 and gave up when I was nearly 40.

I didn't find it too difficult this last time, I really had had enough of smoking. I used a combination of a nicotine patch and topped up with some nicotine gum now and again. I think I probably over did the amount of nicotine and got more when I first started giving up but that kept me from craving and I was soon able to start weaning the amount down.

Not smoked for 5 or 6 years now and don't have any cravings at all. Had a puff of a mates cig last year out of curiosity and it tasted like burning old carpet. :biggrin:

 

[indy2878]

E-cigs are surprisingly effective. You can even smoke it inside and it smells (almost) like an air freshner....

Otherwise, I would just buy a LOT of chewing gum (any type and brand) and just chew those the entire day.... I used to chew up through 3 to 4 packs of chewing gum and it helps... Its also good for losing weight if you play your cards right...

Also, you should fill up that "gap" when quitting smoking with something else.

Such as talking/hanging out with a friend, exercising and sports, hobbies such as building a PC, etc.... Good luck on your efforts!

 

[Fingolfin269]

Not fair, everyone is entitled to ONE vice.

Ha I mean while attempting to quit smoking. I tried quitting a few times while continuing to go out and drink with friends (some smokers in that group too) and it was impossible (for me). Became much easier once I gave up drinking socially. I started having a few drinks again and it's amazing how much my desire to smoke seems to increase in direct proportion with quantity of alcohol consumed.