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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to feel positively evangelical about electronic cigarettes?

983 replies

KatyTheCleaningLady · 27/09/2013 15:07

I was reading the AIBU thread about the husband vaping in the house with a newborn. I was struck by the passionate testimonials from former smokers, saying they couldn't have done it without e-cigs. I had tried a puff one of those things that look like a cigarette and was underwhelmed. But I didn't know about the more advanced set ups where you can fill them up with your flavour of choice. Anyway, I was intrigued. I smoked a pack a day for 25 years, and never quit more than a few months at a time, no matter which methods I tried.

nb84 encouraged me to give it a try and told me what to buy to get started.

I ordered a starter kit that night. It arrived the next day and I fell in love. I have three of them, now (one always charging, one near to hand, and one in my purse ready to go) and eight different flavours of the juice.

I don't want to smoke cigarettes any more. I like this better. It tastes really good. It feels good. And it doesn't stink. My hands, clothing, and breath don't reek anymore. I don't have to keep going outside. I don't have to feel like a smelly pariah. My husband can't smell it even when I'm sitting right next to him.

And I don't have to try and not think about the fact that my mother died of cancer after spending her last decade debilitated by emphysema.

And instead of paying £8 a day for fags, I can buy a week's worth of juice for £10. The hardware was less than £20 to get started and will require only £10 a month going forward. Of course, I can spend more. Many people geek out on it as a hobby because the gadgets are fun and constantly improving.

I'm not worried about putting on weight like people usually do when giving up the cancer sticks. In fact, I snack less. I no longer crave sweets. I would normally nibble all day, especially Haribo sweets. I don't want them anymore because I am tasting a bunch of sweet flavours all day long.

I'm so happy that I want to tell everyone - every smoker and everyone who loves a smoker - about it. Grin

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KatyTheCleaningLady · 05/10/2013 21:44

I have lost half a stone!

I don't know how much is down to the fact that the cast on my broken white arm makes eating proper meals a pain in the ass, but I do know that I am snacking a lot less than I used to.

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BetsyM00 · 05/10/2013 22:19

Yeah, well done Katy!
So, if I get some chocolate flavour liquid I'll be all set.

waikikamookau · 05/10/2013 22:19

plenty of pube.. I know exactly what you mean. There is No End point. in fact I think rather than buy a spare battery, I will use the bit when it needs charging as an excuse Not to vape Grin .. nervous about moving down from 18 to 11 mg - anyone done that ?

FirstVix · 06/10/2013 00:49

Thanks to this thread, my DP has gatecrashed into 'my' mumsnet space!!

[e-cigs/vaping are totally the way to go and think that the current EU stuff is crap]

ilovesooty · 06/10/2013 01:28

The All About E-cigarettes forum are delighted with this thread. And Katy they have been very complimentary about you.

Bombjack · 06/10/2013 01:36

Righty, had my first night out vaping tonight, and wanted to share my thoughts... I'm a bit chemically inconvenienced (alcohol), so apologies if I misspell.

I would normally be using lozenges to get me through a boozy night. I only vaped tonight, although the liquid I was using was WAY too strong for me (20mg). Will be getting some much milder juice next time.

A few things I noticed.... As an ex-smoker, I would rate vaping as "as good" as cigarettes, in terms of satisfaction on the draw. I was using a very nice vanilla & blueberry juice.

I asked the barmaid before I vaped in the pub, whether they were Ok with it. She looked at me like I was a martian, "plenty people use e-cgs in here - what are you worried about?".

So, I was given the green light to vape inside the pub. This was a revelation to me. It was like being back in more civilized times (1990's). Had a really good night, and chatted to the next table to us, who wanted to know what the hell I was smoking Grin At no point did I try to conceal my vaping.

Got two more converts to vaping I think tonight. My EVOD got passed around like a spliff at one point, but hey ho Grin

KatyTheCleaningLady · 06/10/2013 06:26

I saw a link to this thread on UK Vapers, but not on All About Ecigs. I like both UK forums because they can be helpful for sourcing things.

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stillenacht · 06/10/2013 07:59

I went out on a boozy night last night, vaped away in the pub and curry house, no one said anythingSmileSmile

KatyTheCleaningLady · 06/10/2013 12:04

I stealth vaped in the cinema yesterday (btw, I also feel somewhat evangelical about the movie: Metallica Through the Never Grin) and I found that it requires being very stealthy, indeed, as any vapour will be very noticeable in the light of the screen. So, small drags, held for several seconds before being exhaled downward, preferably into a scarf or collar.

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MaggieMcGill · 06/10/2013 13:14

Well, I am proud to say that I managed an alcohol fuelled Friday and Saturday without a ciggie. Whey hey! On the down side I think i have become attached to my e-cig because I haven't really put it down since I got it. It was nice to wake up this morning though without the usual cough and rough feeling, my chest is feeling the benefit.

stillenacht · 06/10/2013 15:56

I am the same Maggie. I love it! Have been slightly less grabby for it today but have just ordered coke and a chocolate liquids oops! Atm its costing me more than the 5fags I had a day. Yes woke up this morning after boozing last night and chest felt clear no aching or dragging feelingSmile

meddie · 06/10/2013 16:16

For weaning off the nicotine you can make your own juices.

You need 4 ingredients

Propylene glycol
Glycerin
Nicotine base
Flavours
bowl or bottle to mix in
Syringes to measure (oral medicine ones will do)

I get all my supplies from totally wicked.

There are calculators out there that you enter the strength you want, the % of flavour (10 to 15% is normal) and the PG/VG mix (70/30 is about right for me)

It works out cheaper than buying my own juices and you can reduce the nicotine strength slowly. I have been reducing by 1mg a month and have gone from 18mg to 8mg already with little side effects

awaywego1 · 06/10/2013 17:44

It's been 36 hours since I last smoked a cigarette and I'm doing well! I'm probably Vaping more than I'd like-have got through about 2.5ml in 48 hours -but I only bought the 11mg liquids. It's weird not having to go outside and I miss that-and the rolling-but so much easier than any other time I've tried to quit and I'm feeling optimistic about my ability to quit for good this time. Grin

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 06/10/2013 21:13

Yay well done everyone! WineBrewThanksCake (those are flavours Wink)

I've done 4 1/2 days (except for the panic fag I had on Wednesday evening when the battery was recharging) and it's starting to feel as normal as smoking ever did. There's a basket near the back door with an almost full packet of golden virginia, several packets of rizlas, loads of filters and a rainbow assortment of cheapo lighters in various states of workingness. I look at it all and just think, 'huh, clutter'. If someone had hidden that basket a week ago I would have been climbing the walls, now, I doubt I'd notice Grin

Except ... I'm down to two CE4 clearomisers and neither is behaving itself. One is starting to taste a bit burnt, the other is quite leaky and erratic. I have more on order but they mightn't get here til the end of this week. I have several vapourlite cartomisers, including an empty one I might try and refill with something nicer. If that doesn't work and I'm stuck, I'll try the rest of them as they are (although I have failed on them before as a fag substitute) ... but if it comes to it I might go back on roll-ups for a day or so. I don't actually feel too terrible about this possibility because:

  1. I'm not looking forward to it. The way I'm feeling now, a fag would be a very poor substitute for a decent vape.

  2. I need for an occasional fag to be not a Big Deal. Whenever I've given up before, it's always been that 'just one' fag on a night out that has caused me to fail - having smoked it I've ended up thinking 'ah well, you've blown it now' and going out and buying more tobacco the next day and being back to square one. I need to know that should I have a 'just one' on a night out (can't imagine why I'd want one but I might have a flat battery or a misbehaving sucky thing) - it would be just one and it wouldn't be a complete disaster, I could just go back to vaping the next day.

awaywego I was wondering about what a reasonable amout of e liquid per day is - according to various forum threads I've read, 2-5ml/day is an average amount so 2.5 over 2 days is nothing!

awaywego1 · 06/10/2013 22:34

Ooh well done plenty-that's good going! Grin
I'm glad I'm not vaping too much-that's excellent news. I just have one ego with no extra bits-I'm guessing I need to get some more clearomisers? Is that the bit with the wick in it? We have a few electric cigarette shops round here-I might have to brave them to stock up over the next few days-as I do not want to be left vape free and have to go back to smoking.

MaggieMcGill · 07/10/2013 20:25

Has anyone bought the plastic wickless clearos that you fill from the bottom? I bought a pack of 5 for £8.99 on ebay. I've only used 3 but they seem to leak, liquid is getting into the middle chamber then it stops working. Can I fix this?

birdybear · 07/10/2013 22:42

plentyofpube, you know you almost wash out your clearomisers if they taste a bit burnt? hot water and leave to completely dry and it may revive them. you can do that with atomisers too. don't let them get to empty also, that doesn't help.

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 07/10/2013 22:50

I'm not using the same as you Maggie, I'm on cheapo CE4s, but some of mine are quite leaky. What I have found works is:

  • unscrew from battery
  • poke scrunched up tissue up its bottom
  • blow a couple of times, until it doesn't gurgle when you suck
  • clean battery contact if there's any liquid on it
  • reassemble
  • as you were

If that doesn't work, go on youtube and search for 'leaky' + the name of your clearomiser. I think there are a few fixes for rebuildables.

awaywego - yes, I'd go for at least one spare battery and a few spare of whatever sucky thing you're using.

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 07/10/2013 22:51

birdy, can you do that with non-rebuildable CE4s?

KatyTheCleaningLady · 07/10/2013 22:55

Maggie, can you post a link to what you bought on ebay?

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SpamFritters · 07/10/2013 23:33

Can someone please give me an idea. I am a long time menthol cigarette smoker. There are so many things out there. I would like the thing with a menthol thing ?? btw from a place that does it reasonable? how do I start? and from where? Plus how much do I keep in for juice?how many for recharging, how much by ml for a week?

birdybear · 08/10/2013 08:23

plentyofpube, yes you can.

By the way, for those that want i cheap way of trying vaping, the best starter pack i have found is this:

www.vapeescape.co.uk/Basic-Vaping-Kits/Intro-Vision-Kit/Intro-Vision-Kit.html

cheap, simple, easy and gives a good vape, i have bought a couple.

Spanfritters, buy one of the above and just add:

www.vapeescape.co.uk/E-Liquids/5ml-Samplers/5ml-Samplers-18mg.html

Vapeescape have menthol flavour and menthol sensation - both really nice. I am a long term menthol fan too. I have tried many fruit flavours, then novelty like choc chip and coffee flavour etc, but i always end up with menthol!!

MaggieMcGill · 08/10/2013 08:32

Sorry, I can't link but they are called GS-H2, I think they are a newer model of the CE4 which is what I thought I was buying. I've tried unscrewing them and sticking cotton buds down the middle channel to dry it out but it's as though the rubber seal isn't doing it's job properly.

KatyTheCleaningLady · 08/10/2013 09:06

The Vape escape one is a brand name, but there's probably no real difference.

Vape Escape have an excellent reputation as vendors, but they are more expensive for that item. The Paradise Vape price is the lowest, other than ordering from a Chinese site.

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