Can anyone help me with vaping?

[sparklyshite]

I've started my own thread in Chat about smoking today and I really really want to stop. Have tried umpteen times and don't have the energy to try again.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2779191-Do-you-smoke-How-do-you-feel-about-smoking?msgid=64867365#64867365

Sorry don't know how to link on phone!

After reading some of the replies I'm considering starting to vape after being dead against it before.

I've read some of the threads in this topic about vaping but I'm really none the wiser!

Where the hell do I start?! I think there's a couple of vaping shops in my town, thinking I should have a look in there??

[fruitbats]

Just go into the vape shop. They will talk you through the options and let you try some of the flavours. There is a long standing vape thread on mn and the posters are very helpful if you ask questions. I'll try find it and post the link.
Good luck

[Destinysdaughter]

Ive not smoked fir a year after smoking for over 20 years, through vaping. I think it's brilliant! You need a good kit. I have the Eleaf I stick and mini nautilus which is a good combination. It's about £50. You also need coils and to find the right juice for you. I like vanilla. Going to a vape shop is a good place to start as they should be able to give you some good advice and you can usually try out some of the juices. Good luck it's so worth it!

[fruitbats]

vape thread

[Destinysdaughter]

It's also really important that you get the right plug to charge it as if it's too high it can ruin it ( and potentially start a fire). Again the vape shop can sell you the correct one.

[Thatwaslulu]

My DH just got the Eleaf Pico kit - it can be altered to change the wattage. My sister has the HPRIV and swears by that one.

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

I have a smok r200 and I buy a strawberry juice and new coils every fortnight. Changing from smoking tobacco it saves me between 10 and 20 pound a week, depending on life's stresses! It's definitely worth going into your local vape shop, there's so much variety. Also if you do go ahead with vaping, I suggest once you've found a flavour you like, stock up on the big bottles if you can because in early 2017 you won't be able to buy the big bottles in vape shops anymore because of new laws coming in.

[BeezerBubble]

Nice blog here for newbies stormchildsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/let-me-help-you-with-that.html , it's been adopted by a couple of smoking cessation centres so not just random stuff.

[sparklyshite]

Thanks for the info! Will have a look at the threads linked. It seems like a whole other language just now!

[hollinhurst84]

It does at first
I tried in 2013 with a pen style one and I just wasn't getting the nicotine hit
Now I use
Battery bit - eleaf istick 40w
Tank bit (that holds the liquid) - nautilus mini
This combination is popular on here
For liquids I use triphammer website (pudding section as I have a sweet tooth!)
I started on 18mg liquid and was smoking 25-30 a day

It sounds really complex but basically you need a battery, a tank and some liquid
Coils confused me, they go in the tank and when they burn out, you replace them
I ended up thinking of it like a tea light under an oil burner, when the tea light gives up, you replace it!

[sparklyshite]

Do they all give the big plumes of smoke as they freak me out

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

Mine doesn't but my husbands one does. I think it's different with different devices

[hollinhurst84]

Nope, mine doesn't unless I actively try to do it

[sparklyshite]

hollinhurst that sounds simpler when you say just a tank, liquid and a battery!

Is it best to get a starter pack do you think?

[hollinhurst84]

I would look at the eleaf istick and nautilus mini, it gives a smoking feel and decent hit
Or pop into a vape shop and have a go with some

[user1469928875]

Nicolites, blu pro vape pen, (superdrug and morrisons) try a few different vapes all the ones mentioned are good but be wary of the little bottles in the vape shops I am not so keen on buying from there as not 100% sure what's in them but my mum does and it's fine. Some days now I can go with my 0% nicotine as well it's just the hand habit I like. I don't honestly know how people quit smoking before vapes - call me weak but there you go. My sister has "quit" using them too. Some people say it isn't really quitting but whatever it's a hell of a lot better than cigarettes, you don't smell like an ashtray and you can keep cutting down to lower and lower and eventually zero nicotine. And don't give up if you don't like the first vape you try - there is a vape for everyone out there!!!! I never smoked again since the first day I vaped - best thing I ever did

[Hamiltoes]

How much smoke you get will depend on the device yes but also the liquid you buy.

As a general rule PG = throat hit/ flavour and VG = smoke. I didn't like the idea of lots of smoke when i started so went with higher PG but I actually found it a bit too harsh (sounds silly compared to fags I know!). I've found 50/50 mix liquids a good balance for me.

Also, if you are worried about huge plumbes you'll find drawing and holding for a second or two vastly reduces the amount of clouds, as the vapour dissapates so quickly.

But the huge clouds you see are mostly down to "sub-ohming" which I've never wanted to venture into. I will link the device I use, cannot reccomend it highly enough for flavour and its small so fits nicely in the hand (I'm just assuming you arw a woman, sorry if not!)

[Hamiltoes]

www.drvapor.co.uk/shop/eleaf-istick-20w-mod-tecc-curve/

[Hamiltoes]

A lot of people here are fond of the eleaf (battery) and nautilus (tank) combo but I find the tank in the kit I linked much better than the nautilus for flavour and the coils last waaaay longer. I was going through a coil every few days with the nautilus but with the above I'm now pushing 2 weeks before a coil change.

It can sound like a bit of a minefield just starting but really it doesn't have to be. You need a battery, a tank, a coil and some liquid. I wouldn't reccomed the tobacco stuff personally, i found something desserty and sweet helped to make it much more appealing and also stopped me feeling like I needed something so reached for food, as I've done in the past with patches etc.

You also need to change the way you draw a bit, its hard to explain but its much lower, slower and longer than it is with a cig. Theres other bits of advice like priming coills before use so you don't burn them (dropping some liquid into the wick and starting at a low voltage when you get a new coil) but you mostly pick that up as you along. Try a starter kit and see if its for you

[sparklyshite]

All very interesting! Actually getting a bit excited now! The thought of not stinking of fags, my mouth always tasting awful, fags always tasting rotten and maybe actually being able to taste food properly!! And all without putting myself through actually giving up... sounds too good to be true!

[hollinhurst84]

It is the best of both worlds. I liked smoking and I didn't particularly want to quit

[Hamiltoes]

Yeah I think it's fab!

Back when I gave up though I did still have the odd cig. I didn't deprive myself too much if I felt I desperately needed one.. After maybe 2 weeks though I found it was the little things that kept me vaping and not reaching for a cig. I'd think ahhh I've just washed all the fag smells away from my coat, do I really want to get it stinking again? Same with my hair. Do I really want to spend this £10 when it could buy me X? I also found that I just started to enjoy the taste of caramel cappuccino more than I did fags, and it wasn't long before I would actively choose a vape over a fag.

[magimedi]

Sparkly It was me who linked to here on your other thread.

It feels like a minefield when you first start, all the jargon, watts, ohms, atomisers.............. but you will get there.

I would honestly advise you to go to a local independent vape shop & ask them. They will set you up with a good starter kit, show you how it works & (usually) let you try a few different flavours.

When you start to vape you will find that your vape 'smokes' in a different way to a fag & you may well cough & splutter! You need to draw in far more gently than with a fag.

Most of us who have given up the fags started off by dual fuelling for a while. It took me 3 weeks or so to drop the last fag of the day I was having. This is perfectly normal & seems to lead to a better success rate.

TMI warning - A vape + coffee has exactly the same 'opening' effect as a fag & coffee .

If you are Sussex way I can recommend a very good shop for you to go to to get started.

Good Luck & do come back with any questions you might have. No question is too silly to ask - we've all been there at the start. First time I filled up my new vape I poured the liquid straight through on to the table

[magimedi]

PS You will also find that you vape more than you smoked as you don't get the same ammount of nicotine from vaping as you do from smoking.

If you are a 20 a day person 18mg is the best strength to start with.

[user1469928875]

The smell is the best thing - for me anyway. I treated myself to a couple of body lotions etc just stuff that smells really nice as weird as it sounds that just made me keep going as well whenever someone said to me 'oh you smell great what is that' and i liked that over smelling like 20 marlboro lights. Although weirdly i still like the smell of cigarettes - especially outside when it's cold but i dont like the lingering stench on hair and clothes etc. Go for it - try the vape shops definitely and if you can't get to them first try morrisons, Tesco or superdrug they all sell vape kits to start out with

[sparklyshite]

Thank you magi

And everyone else!

Will visit 1 of my nearest shops during the week and report back!