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Original poster

Smoking to vaping?

651 replies

Foxbox · 06/06/2018 11:33

Has anyone succeeded in swapping smoking for vaping?
I can't stand how addicted to cigarettes I am, I wake every morning in panic about my health.
I just can't seem to get myself to stop! In fact the more I think about it, the more I smoke!
I was thinking trying to switch to vaping might be an idea?
Has anyone managed this? Any tips?
Thank you

OP posts:
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Original poster
Foxbox · 08/06/2018 15:27

Thank you all so much for your support and well done! What you've done is brilliant Grin... you should be sooo proud!
It really does help to keep posting here Smile only had 1 fag so far today....

OP posts:
Guardsman18 · 08/06/2018 17:47

1 fag? That's brilliant!

Original poster
Foxbox · 08/06/2018 19:23

2 now Confused
But that was due to a big vape disaster in which it stopped working! Funny after your advice to get two!!
Dashed into the vape shop and bought another one, topping up on nicotine while I was there! They were v helpful in there. Phew 😅

OP posts:
squeekums · 09/06/2018 04:13

Foxbot, thats the aim, to make it a natural non-stressfull change.
I dont realise at the time, until i notice its been 3 or 4 days instead of 2 between buying smokes

grannycake · 09/06/2018 06:44

My DH and I also now have small pots of money every month. The money we saved on cigarettes is split - 50% into normal income but we then have 25% each to spend as we like - we call it WTF money. Mine usually goes on my clothes habit and his on his bike

Original poster
Foxbox · 09/06/2018 08:19

Squeekums, yes I'm getting my head round that from PP's on here too, it's making sure the cravings don't happen isn't it, I'm vaping for my life atm!!
Grannycakes, that sounds like another great incentive.
I'm actually beginning to think this might work 😲 Can't believe it!! 😁

OP posts:
HaveAWeeNap · 09/06/2018 08:34

You're doing so well! Did you download the app yet?

grannycake · 09/06/2018 13:17

You can do it. I'd smoked for more than 40 years and never thought I would be able to give up but it's great especially when I don't have to huddle outside in the rain and cold

Original poster
Foxbox · 09/06/2018 18:33

Thank you both again Smile
I did download the app...then I deleted it because I was still having some fags and couldn't see a 'cutting down' option in there...however, 0 fags so far today... so I may start again with the app Smile Really struggling actually. Been out for a meal with friends and soooo wanted a fag Hmm drinks this evening.,,haven't cracked yet...
honestly though, I wouldn't have got this far if it weren't for the support I've had here. I look at my OP and think I was no way near where I am now. You're all very inspiring/ encouraging Flowers

OP posts:
Ollivander84 · 09/06/2018 18:46

Well done! Keep chain vaping if you need to. I'm on a rhubarb and custard flavour tonight

squeekums · 10/06/2018 01:27

Well done op, your doing great

Original poster
Foxbox · 10/06/2018 10:06

Thank you Smile
Got through without smoking, chain vaped as much as I could but I did feel irritable. Found the flavoured (menthol) liquid too much by later in the day but previously couldn't find a tobacco flavour I liked much. Any advice on tobacco or other 'savoury' flavours? Also, do you carry more than one vape with you in case of malfunction/ battery running out?!
I've re-downloaded the app and am telling myself how much better I can breathe... Hopefully I'll stop feeling so shitty soon! I'm not sure why I do as I'm still getting enough nicotine...

OP posts:
grannycake · 10/06/2018 10:20

I have a little pouch that has a small charging bank, spare liquid and a spare coil At the beginning I did have 2 or 3 cigarettes but each time I gave the pack away and after the first few weeks I was OK. I did try to avoid triggers though - i drank green tea instead of coffee in work, etc We knew we had cracked it went we on holiday to France after about 4 months and we were both fine (we both secretly thought we couldn't do it). I use ice menthol flavoured liquid which I prefer to the plain menthol. Don't like the sweeter flavours at all. Keep going you're doing great

sparklydust · 10/06/2018 10:24

Worked for me Grin five years later and I'm still smoke free. They were the only thing that worked IMO.

Original poster
Foxbox · 10/06/2018 11:19

granny I've just put a little pouch together then came here and read your post! Great minds..thank you.
I'll keep on exploring the flavours, there's so many, there's got to be one that's right. I love the story of the French holiday and knowing you'd finally cracked it! I'll look forward to that moment for meSmile
I probably should have done more preparation but just kind of jumped in once I started and don't want to go 'backwards' now although maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself and the odd cigarette wouldn't be such a disaster as I'm thinking it would be...
I'm just such an addict, I worry how easy it would be to end up back on the fags. I guess I've spent all these years developing it the habit, it's like it has a will of its own!
Interesting about the triggers, I have less of an urge for coffee now as the two go together for me.
That's brilliant sparkly!! 5 years is amazing. I think this is the only thing that'll work for me. But in a way I'm putting huge pressure on myself because of that if that makes sense.

But for all my complaining about how hard this is I had a wake up call yesterday. Someone in the restaurant yesterday was attached to an oxygen tank and obviously struggling. I started this because I was waking up every day with some kind of health anxiety around the damage I was doing to myself. I need to remember that. What could happen as a result of carrying on smoking, or even the fear of it has got to be a thousand times worse than struggling a bit now.

Thanks again for listening and responding with your words of wisdom, it really is getting me through atm! And if you can all do it then so can I and so many others who want to be free from smoking can too

OP posts:
Branleuse · 10/06/2018 11:39

My dp was a big smoker from the age of about 14. He quit a few years back and swapped to vaping. He says he wants to quit that too but shows no signs. However his health has enormously improved. His skin looks better, his teeth look better and he doesn't cough like he's going to die every morning anymore and everything smells better.

Original poster
Foxbox · 10/06/2018 11:50

Thanks Branleuse That's great your DP managed to make the switch, really good to hear about the benefits to his health and sounds like it's much better for you too!

Vapers- how do you know when the coil needs changing, how often do you change it?

It sounds like some of you also found this a bit weird to start with but I'm encouraged to hear how relatively quickly that changed Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Foxbox · 10/06/2018 13:13

Sorry to be needy.
I just had a bit of a meltdown and smoked 1/2 a fag. Stopped myself, vaped, then went back for the other 1/2!
Now I'm catastrophising about it!
Deleted my smoke free app as I'd 'failed' and told myself I'm never going to be able to do it!
Sounds ridiculous even writing this, wish I could get a grip!
I think I'm going a bit mad Confused

OP posts:
grannycake · 10/06/2018 14:28

Foxbox Its not the end of the world. Jut think how many you haven't smoke over the past few days.

I don't know what type of equipment you are using but once we knew we were going to carry on we spent a bit of money on good kit - mostly by research on here. We both use eleaf istick batteries and innokin tanks. The coils last between 5 and 10 days - you can tell as the flavour gets less but these batteries tel me when to change it - a message comes up on the display. I get all of this on Amazon.

The batteries last about a year but we have learnt to always have a spare as they always seem to die when we are away from home.

Happy to answer any more questions you have. Keep strong - you can do this. I got my class to work out on a spreadsheet ho much I'd spent on smoking up until I'd given up - £48000.00 More than my mortgage! Also I lost a close friend to lung cancer and she was only in her ate 40s (but I didn't give up for another 5 years or so)

Guardsman18 · 10/06/2018 15:00

Foxbox, please don't beat yourself up. You're doing great I think.

It takes a while to get used to the 'gadget' you're using. I have put the coil in the wrong way, buggered the batteries, put too much liquid in, wasted loads of liquid. The list is endless!

You're not being needy. Keep asking on here (grannycake is good isn't she?) as you will get the hang of it.

Incidentally, I have had a stairs and landing carpet which is lovely from my no smoking money!

grannycake · 10/06/2018 15:23

My first smoking money buy was a woodburning stove - a much better way for money to go up in smoke!

Original poster
Foxbox · 10/06/2018 17:45

Thank you you two Flowers

Your support is fab and just what I need. I'll spend some time this week getting my head round the kit, make sure I'm set up well and won't be caught short without.

I think I might scrap the 'no fags at all' thing and go back to vaping first and then having one if I really want one. I wonder if the complete ban I put on myself was what made me have a meltdown/crack.

I've actually only had that one today but did feel more wheezy for it.

I think of people I've lost to cancer too and think it's ridiculous I don't just stop it...(I did for a while when a close family member was dying, there's something about seeing people so close to death being wheeled outside to have a fag that really brings it home. But even then I didn't last long before I started again)
I don't want that but I'm struggling with this. I have a couple of family members who quit cold turkey and don't really see what all the fuss is about!

Great to hear what you've done with the money saved. I need a new vacuum cleaner (not very glamorous!) I think I could soon get to having the cash for that if I manage to stick at it...

Thank you for responding to my meltdown feel a bit of a twat about it
Onwards...

OP posts:
grannycake · 10/06/2018 18:28

Good luck. I tried many times to give up but vamping helped me finally quit. It's over 6 years now and although I'm a bit like a bisto kid when I pass a group of smokers I don't really miss it (and I'm much richer)

Original poster
Foxbox · 11/06/2018 08:48

Bisto kid 😂 Brilliant! Good to here you don't really miss it though.
Thank you, I'll keep trying and and not going to be hard on myself for having the odd cig in these early stages. I'm hoping I'll find that like others here, I just find I don't want them after a while. In the meantime I'm telling myself that going from 30 to less than 5 (1 1/2 yesterday) is a huge step in the right direction. This is my first attempt in about 10 years..

OP posts:
grannycake · 11/06/2018 08:57

Fingers crossed for a good day today. I also found the cravings didn't last long - used to suck a sugar free sweet when a craving struck