Quitting smoking and ECigs (Vaping)

JuliaLee67

I can't imagine being addicted to anything. That sucks.

Yeah, it's a *****...and it never goes away. i'm almost a year and a half smoke free and I still get those urges, and often they are strong. There have been numerous occasions where I've considered just going and buying a pack just to have one cigarette and promising myself I'd throw it out after that one...but deep down I know that's now how it would go...so I just look into my kids eyes and find my strength. It does get easier, but it never goes away completely I don't think...

congratulations on that smoke-free year and a half! hang in there, the cravings become less and less frequent the longer you go. best of luck to you!

sad_kitty

Always good to see someone overcome smoking.
Pharmacologic wise, there are a ton of options with a wide array of dosage forms: nicotine TD, NS, lozenge, inhaler, e-cigarette/atomizer, and gum, bupropion, varenicline, and then clonidine and nortriptyline both off-label use.

The problem is always getting the right dose form and finding what best suits the person compliance wise!

I agree with you. Those products are all valuable tools for the folks they do help, but not all smoking cessation therapies and NRT's work for all people. Ditto for pharmaceuticals. I'm genuinely happy for anyone who's successfully quit using any method. It's such a difficult thing to do for a lot of us.


I have tried the majority of NRT's with poor results, and not for lack of giving it a good try. By the time the Quick Mist came out, I was already vaping. The patch was too strong at 21 mg, and not strong enough at 14mg, adding in the gum/lozenges/inhalers alone or combined with 14mg patches just caused my throat to get very sore and glands to swell up (I now know I have a sensitivity to Propylene Glycol, and use Vegetable Glycerin e-liquids instead of ones with PG). I also tried both Champix and Zyban. Champix worked, but it made me suicidal within 3 weeks of starting it (and then fell back into smoking from the stress of feeling so low), and Zyban didn't reduce my urge to smoke at all, though it did make me forgetful and spacey. Being forgetful and spacey scared the crap out of me because I was working as an RN (respiratory medicine, ironically) at the time, and I felt it was really not the safest thing for my patients, so I quit Zyban and went back to patches and gums and smoking and self depreciation. Cold turkey worked for me twice (6 months each time), but I always stupidly went back to smoking. Then I found e cigs.


There is a remarkable amount of positive peer reviewed material coming to light that is proving how valuable these devices could be for smokers' health. Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos in the EU has been doing a lot of research into safety and eficacy of e cigarettes, and you can find some of his peer reviewed and submitted abstacts here if you're interested: http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/research, as well as some other research abstracts/links here: http://casaa.org/Clinical_Research.html.

As someone stated above, it's likely not as safe as not vaping, but it's proving to be safer than smoking.

daybehavior

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Lesa_Sass

Always good to see someone overcome smoking.
Pharmacologic wise, there are a ton of options with a wide array of dosage forms: nicotine TD, NS, lozenge, inhaler, e-cigarette/atomizer, and gum, bupropion, varenicline, and then clonidine and nortriptyline both off-label use.

The problem is always getting the right dose form and finding what best suits the person compliance wise!

I agree with you. Those products are all valuable tools for the folks they do help, but not all smoking cessation therapies and NRT's work for all people. Ditto for pharmaceuticals. I'm genuinely happy for anyone who's successfully quit using any method. It's such a difficult thing to do for a lot of us.


I have tried the majority of NRT's with poor results, and not for lack of giving it a good try. By the time the Quick Mist came out, I was already vaping. The patch was too strong at 21 mg, and not strong enough at 14mg, adding in the gum/lozenges/inhalers alone or combined with 14mg patches just caused my throat to get very sore and glands to swell up (I now know I have a sensitivity to Propylene Glycol, and use Vegetable Glycerin e-liquids instead of ones with PG). I also tried both Champix and Zyban. Champix worked, but it made me suicidal within 3 weeks of starting it (and then fell back into smoking from the stress of feeling so low), and Zyban didn't reduce my urge to smoke at all, though it did make me forgetful and spacey. Being forgetful and spacey scared the crap out of me because I was working as an RN (respiratory medicine, ironically) at the time, and I felt it was really not the safest thing for my patients, so I quit Zyban and went back to patches and gums and smoking and self depreciation. Cold turkey worked for me twice (6 months each time), but I always stupidly went back to smoking. Then I found e cigs.


There is a remarkable amount of positive peer reviewed material coming to light that is proving how valuable these devices could be for smokers' health. Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos in the EU has been doing a lot of research into safety and eficacy of e cigarettes, and you can find some of his peer reviewed and submitted abstacts here if you're interested: http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/research, as well as some other research abstracts/links here: http://casaa.org/Clinical_Research.html.

As someone stated above, it's likely not as safe as not vaping, but it's proving to be safer than smoking.

I smoked for 27 years and tried it all, cold turkey, gum, patches (gave me night terrors) and lozenges....you name it, I tried it nothing worked for me until I got my ecig.

blueskiesnatw

blueskies, are you seriously saying drinking coffee is as harmful as smoking cigarettes?????

Of course not. Read it in the context. Having nicotine (and only nicotine- as in from an e-cig, not a cigarette filled with tar and chemicals) is as equivalent to caffeine. Both are addictive, but cause minimal side effects. And actually there is nicotine in most vegetables, so everyone has it to some extent!

rockmama72

I got an e-cig six weeks ago and stopped smoking regular cigs. Used it for three weeks until I realized I could go without, and now I'm freeeeeeeeeee!

I do so enjoy reading the old comments from the people who don't smoke and had something discouraging or negative to say. So cute!

Rott_lovers

I am new to this site and new to quitting smoking. It's been 2weeks since I had a cig! Also new to vaping, I started and never picked up a cig again. However now, I have the worst sore throat ever, it feels like I have something to cough up but it won't budge. I have a joyetech ego c tank, which I loved in the beginning! The juice is 18mg, 50% pg 50% vg. This has been happening for about 3-4 days, my dr says it isn't me getting sick. The vapor store I purchased my stuff from said it's normal, but they keep talking about it in your lungs I can breath deeply in my lungs through my nose but not through my mouth because of the irritation. I'm so tired of this pain I'm so tempted to go back to cigs but before the throat issue I was so proud of myself and felt great. Any info would help. Also let me ad I was a pack a day sometimes a pack n a half a day smoker. For roughly 15 years

d3m1urge

Those who claim ecigs and vaping are worse than cigarettes or toxic need to have a nice long lie down and think about what they've said

100% idiotic

ninerbuff

Biggest issue IMO is the "glamorizing" of vaping with teens. Though not shown to be "harmful" (due to short study), addicting a teen to nicotine shouldn't be the goal of ECIG sellers.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

gotolam

Biggest issue IMO is the "glamorizing" of vaping with teens. Though not shown to be "harmful" (due to short study), addicting a teen to nicotine shouldn't be the goal of ECIG sellers.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Who says that's the goal of ecig resellers? But yea, we should definitely hold them to a higher standard than say, the glamorization of alcohol towards teens. Because teens never die from alcohol.

ninerbuff

Biggest issue IMO is the "glamorizing" of vaping with teens. Though not shown to be "harmful" (due to short study), addicting a teen to nicotine shouldn't be the goal of ECIG sellers.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Who says that's the goal of ecig resellers? But yea, we should definitely hold them to a higher standard than say, the glamorization of alcohol towards teens. Because teens never die from alcohol.

Right because alcohol can be drank on school grounds:laugh: .......... whereas the loop hole right now for schools is that vaping isn't smoking, so teens have been doing it..........legally. Point is that with what teens have to deal with socially, etc., nixing one less thing off the board isn't doing a disservice to anyone. Except for people that see the "advantage" of ecig usage.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

annahooker80

I only got a few posts in before I had to comment. Nicotine is addictive, sure, and vaping is just as bad, etc.

I don't think it's the nicotine at all that is the problem. I also noticed that I was never as panicy about needing to vape as I was with cigarettes. I was easily able to cut out the nicotine, so that I am vaping 0 nicotine. Have been for quite a while, in fact. I could go entire days without picking it up at all, but I chose not to. It's clearly a psychological addiction rather than a physical addiction to nicotine. Only a few years out from smoking, but I'm afraid of picking up the habit again. After years of feeling my lungs clear and healthy, I have no doubts as to which is better for me physically. I'm sure vaping is not healthy either, but I'm ok with it taking longer to quit, if it means I never smoke again.

mg1123

After researching on electroniccigarettereviews.net, I bought my boyfriend his first kit about 4 years ago. He has no desire to quit inhaling, but he is completely off of tobacco and only vaping. I wish all smokers would switch, instead of listening to all the harbingers. The idea that someone won't switch because they heard it was bad is ridiculous. Cigarettes contain hundreds of chemicals, many carcinogenic. I wouldn't suggest that anyone take up vaping who does not already smoke, but I think that anyone who smokes tobacco should switch.

If you think it isn't a big deal, you should try going for a walk as I do, and come across some inconsiderate a**hole who knows people walk the loop, who decides to walk back to his office smoking cigarettes. Or the people who have to get their fix and light up immediately outside store doors, forcing me to walk through the smoke. The smoke clings to my skin and hair and gets in my lungs. The exhaled vapor never even makes it to me when someone is vaping outside.

Most of those "they are toxic" warnings have to do with kids getting a hold of it, the rest have to do with warning of inhaling vapor. Which I suppose means people need to stop using vaporizers (and how many people use vaporizers in their kids' rooms, and don't use distilled water or disinfect the machine frequently?). People who leave anything out thinking their kids won't get into it are idiots. It's the parents who need to be responsible adults, not the fault of responsible people who buy and sell the liquid.

SynDiet13

Vaping is so much better...If you look at it basically a cig. is burning,,on fire & inhaling that smoke///ouch!!! w/ e-cigs it;s just vapor not smoke !!

peggymdellinger

I am new to this site and new to quitting smoking. It's been 2weeks since I had a cig! Also new to vaping, I started and never picked up a cig again. However now, I have the worst sore throat ever, it feels like I have something to cough up but it won't budge. I have a joyetech ego c tank, which I loved in the beginning! The juice is 18mg, 50% pg 50% vg. This has been happening for about 3-4 days, my dr says it isn't me getting sick. The vapor store I purchased my stuff from said it's normal, but they keep talking about it in your lungs I can breath deeply in my lungs through my nose but not through my mouth because of the irritation. I'm so tired of this pain I'm so tempted to go back to cigs but before the throat issue I was so proud of myself and felt great. Any info would help. Also let me ad I was a pack a day sometimes a pack n a half a day smoker. For roughly 15 years

It could be the propylene glycol (PG) that is bothering you. OR, it could be normal smoking cessation symptoms which can include increased coughing, build up of phlegm, etc. You could wait a couple of weeks and see if the symptoms disappear (try drinking extra water) or, the best thing to do IMO, would be to go with a 100% vegetable glycerin (VG) e-liquid and see if that eliminates your symptoms. If it does, you probably have a PG sensitivity.

HipsterWhovian

I've been vaping for a while, and I love it. I've cut smoking cigarettes down almost completely - was a PAD smoker - and only smoke cigarettes when I'm drinking, or when my vape dies. I will soon cut the nicotine strength down, but unfortunately still reliant on the strong stuff!

TenderMoon

I was a PAD (often more) smoker for 58 years. Yes, you read that right....58 years. The only time I didn't smoke was when I was pregnant for my two daughters and only because I couldn't stand it. As soon as they were born, the first thing I wanted was a cigarette.

In December I decided that it was time to quit and maybe I'd luck out and live a little longer. I took up vaping and lasted about a week and went right back. In March I decided that this was it and that those $%#& cigarettes were no longer going to get the best of me. I began vaping again and have now been smoke free for 137 days. I'll never say I'm cured but like an alcoholic I will refer to myself as a recovering smoker. I've been tempted at times but I refuse to give in. I think I finally have this so, yes, vaping does work. Don't think I would have been successful without it.

Two months ago I decided that I didn't want to be one of those smokers who quits and gains 20 pounds on top of the 20 I was wishing to lose. I'm happy to say that I'm down 10 pounds with 10 more to go. I never really considered myself a disciplined person but maybe I am.

skyblue2001

Just wanted to say congrats to those who have quit by vaping. Just reading it makes me happy.

For those claiming it's as bad as smoking cigarettes... Shame on you! I can only assume you've never seen a dying loved one gasping for breath even on the maximum oxygen the hospital can give. How reckless and careless can you be? Almost like purposefully discouraging someone from making the switch to an alternative that could add decades to their life. Any NRT is better than smoking. In implying otherwise, I can only assume you do not only not care about the well-being of others, but are possibly trying to hurt people.

I know some of these replies are old, but I hope the negative responders see this anyway.

misskarne

I can only assume you've never seen a dying loved one gasping for breath even on the maximum oxygen the hospital can give.

Yes, I have. My grandfather. My wonderful, loving, grandfather, who was fit, healthy, ate well, walked every day, and never picked up a cigarette in his life. But he was once an engineer in the navy and loved to go down into the boiler rooms of the ships, where the asbestos was flying in the air like snow.

And the day I saw him for the last time, he was unable to speak, barely able to breath, couldn't even lift his arms to give us a hug. I stumbled out of the hospital in tears - right into a cloud of cigarette smoke from the non-dying, seemingly happy smokers.


My great-grandfather quit. It was as simple as: he kept a packet of cigarettes in his pocket but never had one. Whenever someone said, "Want to grab a smoke?" he'd pat the pocket and go, "Nah, I'll grab one later." Later was never. He quit that way and lived to be many years older than my beloved grandfather was when he died.

kotomli0530

Im interested in trying to vap as a way to quit smoking cigarettes.. just curious as to where everyone is getting theirs?