VAPING!!

[becomingabetterme]

Is anyone currently trying to quit vaping? Or vapes and doesn't want to anymore?

I have vaped for around 18 months. Before this I did smoke but I was not a heavy smoker at all so I could have just probably quit. I am embarrassed by vaping. I was also like this with cigarettes. I never do it in public and my family, friends or partner doesn't know (together 8 months, don't live together). It feels like my little secret and guilty pleasure. I do it when I'm stressed or had a really busy day at work. If I am working from home it is glued to my hand. I don't enjoy the head rush you get and I get brain fog. I'm addicted to the motion of it, when it hits the back of your throat and always having it in my hand.

I have quit previously and managed 3 weeks but then I had a bad day at work/ something stressful happened and I purchased a vape. I use disposable ones and I tend to buy 5 a week.

I have decided enough is enough!!

Following as I’m on the same trajectory of how and when I started. I feel like a bloody teenager and it’s hideously addictive. I vape way more than I smoked.

I could have written this post word for word myself.

I’ve stopped a couple of times for a few weeks but they’re so accessible it only takes a split second of madness and I’m back to square one.

I went to Mexico on holiday where it is illegal to bring in vapes and expensive to buy. I was more addicted than fags. Same I wfh and smoked it all the time.

I used nicotine gum and tabs to give up. But think I am addicted to those now!!

Yes! Me!! I was just coming on to make a similar thread. Hello! 😊

I am very annoyed with myself for starting to vape at all.

I used to smoke socially in my 20s but only at the pub when out drinking with friends. I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times I have smoked when not drinking. I was never addicted to smoking, and could go weeks between cigarettes with no issues at all. Once I stopped going out drinking as much, the smoking just naturally stopped and I haven't had a cigarette for years now.

Vaping is another matter. Cigarettes always tasted pretty revolting to me (unless I had a drink or two) but vaping is a different beast altogether. I only started because my husband does it too. How bloody stupid. I'm nearly 40 FFS!

I haven't vaped since Saturday night. I am feeling very strange, been tired, irritable and more emotional than normal. I have been avoiding doing it by popping a mint or tictac, making a cup of tea/coffee/squash/Bovril to distract myself. Really don't want to replace vaping with food! I am waiting for my appetite to go crazy (and hoping it won't).

I have stopped before for a few weeks but then stupidly started again (it's hard if I see my husband doing it and obviously I KNOW there's a vape available which does make it tricky)... So I know I can stop, but it's the staying stopped long term that I know will be more of a struggle.

Argh!

I also wish I had known how addictive nicotine is before I started. I think because I never struggled with addiction to cigarettes I thought vaping would be the same. How very wrong!!

stop with the disposables, they have a very high nicotine content - i went from them to a refillable vape where i could lower the nicotine, im now down to 3mg and hope to be on 0mg by the summer with a view to be off by september as im going to a country that has banned them

@TheGreatestAtuin you hit the nail on the head there for me, it’s the staying stopped I struggle with, I was a very light smoker like yourself so could start and stop at will, with vaping, I started for what reason I don’t know, I can stop for 1,2,3 weeks without much issue but then for no reason if I’m in a shop and fancy it I’ll buy another! This is the reason I’m so concerned I’ll never leave this vicious circle!

Hello - how are you all doing? Better than me I hope...

I failed spectacularly. I was doing well, a few weeks in, and then I just had the shittiest of shitty days and started again, and was immediately back to square one. I've had a few feeble attempts at stopping since but nothing serious.

Anyway, fast forward a few more weeks... I've got a chest infection. I've had a cough for three weeks. I went to the GP this morning and have been put on antibiotics. As of yesterday I've stopped again. I don't think the vaping is responsible, but I realised I'm being an absolute dick to carry on vaping with a hacking chesty cough.

DH told me off last night when I said my chest was burning. I feel like a twat but I think it's been a wake-up call. I need to bloody stop!!

I've got some nicotine gum this time (yuck!) so I can take the edge off nicotine withdrawal, but I've been using it very sparingly as I don't want to get dependent on that.

Fun times!!

Still going strong here. Toot toot!

I know it's only a few days but I am OK. I did have a bit of a wobble when I realised DH has brought a cola vape (I am a child and it's by far my favourite vape flavour, ever!) but no cracks and other than that one moment, I have been feeling OK.

The nicotine gum definitely helps as I have something to go to if I get the urge and it won't go away. But I am using it 1-2 times a day only. It's helping with withdrawal symptoms too, which were horrible when I stopped cold turkey last time, but I will need to start to reduce/stop the gum at some point too.

Still no vaping.

I would love to hear from some of the PP in this thread about how you are getting on?

@becomingabetterme @changedname1979

I stopped vaping a few times but always desperate even fishing out of the bin when started again!

Read the Allen Carr book and stopped, felt weird for a few days, maybe 2 weeks where I didn’t want one but would reach for vape out of habit. I was vaping all the time, was so fed up with it. Unlike smoking you can pretty much do it anywhere, it’s lethal.

Not sure how long I’ve been stopped, about 7-8 weeks, do not miss it at all, hubby still vaping and it doesn’t bother me, cannot believe how easy it was.

Honestly anyone wanting to stop, try the book - it is a bit repetitive but that’s the point of it, I’m just grateful that I’ve stopped and not tempted at all to start again.

How are you all getting on?

I have decided I really need to quit vaping for good. I've had so many cycles of quitting for one/two/three weeks then something stressful happens and I buy a disposable vape again. I feel like an idiot, it's embarrassing and I'm kidding myself that because I've stopped before I can quit whenever I want to.

DH knows I occasionally vape when on a night out but doesn't know I vape every day. In the car, out the bathroom window..... I feel ridiculous sneaking around like I'm a teenager.

So I'm going to stop. I only vape mint flavour (was previously a menthol smoker) and vape the Blu Mint vapes. They taste exactly like Trebor spearmint softmints to me so I've bought a multipack of them and am going to suck one whenever I get a craving. The danger points will be going out for drinks with friends but I don't have any nights out planned.

When I quit smoking I used the nicorette inhalers so I may buy one of them too.

I'm not going to lie. I have vaped again... but only when I went out drinking a couple of times. I don't normally go out drinking often at all but we have had a couple of social things in the last few months, which is quite unusual. I was a social smoker once, perhaps now I am a social vaper?

It hasn't snuck back into every day, which was my main issue. I was vaping all day, every day!

I can live with being an occasional social vaper, and I think it's sustainable as I really don't drink or go out often.

My husband is still vaping and I haven't been tempted in day to day situations.

I still have my nicotine gum in the back of a cupboard, just in case.

@GameOfJones how are you getting on with your mints?

Interesting. I am glad it worked for you! I might suggest it to my DH!

I’ve heard a lot about Allen Carr’s book, what’s the basic gist of it?

@TheGreatestAtuin thank you for asking. I am doing ok! Over a week since I vaped and it's not been too bad. I have a nicorette spray and my mints whenever I get a real craving and I've found that has been working for me. I haven't yet been on a night out or hung out with my friends that vape.....that will be the big test for me.