day six in the no cig endeavor and it was a rough one

[fizzgig]

didn't charge the pen last night and had to plug it in shortly after i woke up. mornings were always my heavy smoking time, so disrupting that kind of disrupted my day. i still get fleeting thoughts of simply bumming a smoke from one of the dozens of smokers i work with, but that's easily enough beaten down.

haven't had a chance to test my wind yet, but i have already noticed i'm not bringing up as much nasty crap in the morning. i'm also noticing that my feet smell a lot worse than i previously thought

[Skittles]

1. you can do it, fizzgig

you know you can

you're already past the physical stuff - now it's the mental dependence! KICK SOME NICODEMON ASS!

tip for you - get on youtube and start watching the COPD / emphysema / smoking videos - they are a lot easier to take when you are not smoking, and you will learn from them


http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Benefits_Time_Table.html

[fizzgig]

4. i'm going to keep my ass kicking boots on

both pens are dead and i'm nowhere near ready for bed, so i'm forgoing a second beer and am just going to hang out here for a bit.

[Skittles]

14. careful with the liquor

it can be a huge smoking trigger

always watch out for those triggers

[fizzgig]

17. we're dancing at arm's length

hung out with my drinking buddy last weekend, kept myself at two and passed the night with flying colors.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Good for you!

I haven't got that far yet! I do remember when I went from 2.5 to 1 pack, and I could smell all kinds of things. Even as a smoker, I had really good smell senses, but as I started to stop, it kicked into high gear.

[fizzgig]

5. i've always had a strong sniffer

i want to see where it goes from here.

seriously, i just kinda jumped into this quitting business and the vapor pen has been great. it's too early to think about stepping down on the nicotine level, but it'll happen at some point.

[applegrove]

3. Keep it up. It is only going to get easier.

Been quit almost 6 years and I stopped craving completely after 6 months. And now that it is spring you can walk to the corner store and get a popsicle every time you crave.

[fizzgig]

8. mmmmmm popsicles

i'm using the max dose of nicotine in the pen right now and haven't given thought to when i want to step down, but the popsicles are a good idea. maybe i'll go get one of those freezer molds and start making my own.

[applegrove]

31. Make them out of orange juice. Yummy.

[jtuck004]

6. Get a second vaping pipe, or at least a couple more batteries. Use your wall

socket, not the computer USB port to charge them.

It's your substitute, so don't let yourself be without it. (One of the cig shops around here sells a battery and atomizer for about $40, sold separately, not as a set. But they work fine).

I bought this lanyard - it fits the Ego-C model, and probably most of the others that use the 510 battery.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Faux-Leather-Lanyard-Necklace-Pouch-with-RING-SET-for-EGO-E-Cigarette-Sling-rope-/290996009177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item43c0b6b8d9

Hung it around my neck. This allows me to stick it in my pocket when not using it. When it falls out of the pocket, this catches it. It's also symbolic, replacing the cigs I had around my neck for 42 years.

May I ask what nicotine level you are using? I'm not suggesting you do this, but it didn't work for me until I found a store with a 36 mg/ml concentration AND a liquid that I liked. I had tried for a while with lesser strengths, but kept on smoking cigs, though much less. But when I got to that strength, I set the cigs down on a table and without even trying never even thought about them again for several days. It's been a few months, and I have found myself reaching for the cigs a few times, but the vaping pipe is there as a substitute, so I just grab it right up. Now I am using the 21 mg concentrations.

Let me know how it's going...we are on the same road, just different places.

[fizzgig]

10. this bottle is 36

the first one was 24 (husband has been getting the supplies) and i honestly didn't notice much of a difference between the two. i went with the menthol flavor right off the bat (could never resist a kool or newport) and i think we've hit on a good brand.

the last camel has been sitting in its pack in the car since last thursday, just hanging out. not sure why i haven't thrown it out, but can't seem to do so. as long as i remember to plug it in before bed, i think i'll be ok with the one. i take my charger with plug adapter to work with me, so i have that as a backup.

part of me feels i talk about this too much, but it really helps. good luck to you and keep us posted.

[jtuck004]

11. Keep talking <G> I would say I've been there, but I AM there, and

I can at least empathize if not understand how you are feeling.

Sounds like you are doing well.

One of the things that struck me early on is how much cheaper this is. I have 3 vaping pipes now, and about 6 batteries, and about 15 different flavors of e-liquids gathered over the past few months, but I have still spent far less than I did when doing the other.

Glad I found these things.

You stay in touch as well, feel free to mail off the board if you want.

And check out this forum for info. Lots of experience recorded there. I wish they would change the name, because the vaping pen is a substitute, not an e-cig.
But still good info:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

[fizzgig]

15. thanks for the link

i'll go poke around there.

i've run the numbers and we're set to save 80-90 bucks a month, a pretty sizable chunk for us.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Guess you win some and you lose some... ;)

Just kidding! I've tried numerous times, different ways, and never lasted that long. I gave up alcohol five years ago and that was much easier. Good for you! You've got DU behind you!

[fizzgig]

12. i quit cold turkey about 14 years ago

and stayed quit for a few years, but i quit for my hs/college boyfriend friend. we had an amiable break up, but the first thing i did afterwards was buy a pack as a sort of "eff you, you don't own me" type of thing, and never looked back. gave up booze for about six months a few years ago and that was definitely easier.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. Oh, boy!

I'm so sorry you went back, but that's the kind of thing it takes and then you're smoking again. I did those Step-at-a-time filters, went to SmokeEnders, even attended a hypnotism class... I know people can become addicted to all kinds of things, but cigarettes has to be among the worst... Hang in there! It's worth it because you are!

[Lunabelle]

9. Good job!!!!

Congratulations on your non smoking endeavor!!!!!!!!!!

[fizzgig]

13. thanks!

[Tobin S.]

16. I've been a non-smoker for almost two years now

I've saved a ton of money since I quit and I feel a lot better. But you know what? I can tell I've done some permanent damage to my lungs. I quit when I was 39 years old. I smoked for 20 years. Marlboro Menthol Lights.

I know a guy who is 53 and was diagnosed as having emphysema when he was 50- started smoking when he was a teenager. I know a guy who just turned 65 and was looking forward to a happy retirement after working hard his whole life. Too bad he was just diagnosed as having lung cancer. He smoked for 50 years. I know another guy who had throat cancer 3 years ago, thought he had it beat, but was just diagnosed as having lung cancer. He's 58 and says he didn't really smoke that much except for on the weekends.

You know what you have to do. Keep up the good work.

[fizzgig]

20. i am sure i've done damage

you just wouldn't know it looking at my medical records.

i won't lie, the money is what i'm thinking about right now, but i know the health benefits are more than an added bonus.

[auntAgonist]

19. Quitting is one of the hardest things you'll do. When you do though, your heart and lungs and

friends will thank you.


Continued success for a brighter, smoke free future and good health.

aA
kesha

[fizzgig]

22. hey you

hope you are well

[auntAgonist]

36. hey you too !

I'm doing ok.

I've been pretty ill and needing MORE tests but all in all I'm doing ok.

You're good? I think of you and your Mom often.



aA
kesha

[evillemike2009]

21. Day 6, No Cigs

It's one of the hardest things you'll do. If you're anything like most smokers (and me), there's a great deal of comforting ritual that goes along with smoking. From tamping down a new pack, to the sound of your lighter, to the feeling of quiet rebellion when you just sit by yourself with a cup of coffee and a cigarette - whatever's included in your particular addiction, it's a complex of behaviors and motivations and triggers - it's all part of the deal. And all of that is why you go thru a period of mourning; you're giving up more than just a bad habit - it's feels kinda like you're losing a good and trusted friend.

I'm on year #8 now (after smoking for 36 years), and I still pat myself down on occasion. And a lot times, when I see somebody torch one up, I take a deep vicarious drag right along with 'em. Some of that residual shit's just gonna stay with you for a while.

I hope none of what I've said so far is taken as an attempt to puff myself up (pardon the pun) or to make you think it'll just be a horrible thing to suffer thru. It's not much fun, but it's worth the effort, so don't give up on it. If you backslide, pick another Quit Date and go again.

3 things that keep me from going back:
First, at almost $5 a pack now, I can make a car payment for what I'd have to spend on my nicotine habit in a month.
Second, whenever a heavy smoker walks by, I'm thinking, "I can't believe I went my entire adult life smelling like that".
Third, I'm no longer willing to volunteer to commit this kinda slow-motion suicide; and I refuse to pay some pusher to help me do it.

And here's my cute-sy folksy proverb: Plan your quit and then don't quit your plan.

You'll figure it out and you'll be OK, so stay with it.

[fizzgig]

23. welcome to du

the ritual has been a big thing for me for so long, i'm just augmenting that ritual. congrats on your years, it's helpful to know that mental attachment sticks around.

[CurtEastPoint]

24. Hey, stick w/it. I'm 4 months! Yay! Good for us!

[fizzgig]

26. yay!

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

25. You just need to figure out what to do with your hands.

(My favorite classic "smoker's excuse".)

Series, good luck. You can do it!

[fizzgig]

27. i feel like i'm playing the recorder with the vapor pen

my hands are plenty busy

[Le Taz Hot]

28. One day at a time,fizzgig.

If you can make it without smoking for two weeks (you can!), the hardest part will be over. I can talk the talk because I walked the walk (after 35 years of smoking).

[rurallib]

29. Just wait until you can taste food again!

some of that stuff is fantastic.

[malthaussen]

30. What rurallib said...

... you'll be amazed that food actually has a taste without loading it down with hot sauce and peppers.

-- Mal

[Boom Sound 416]

32. Day 2 for me

Feeling pretty good.

Using the gum and chewing on those little cinnamon tooth picks (Amazon).

Good luck!!

[LadyHawkAZ]

33. Keep a backup battery handy

or get a passthrough that you can use while it charges. This is my current battery:

http://www.innokin.com/itaste-vv-v3.0.html

It plugs into the standard micro-USB that all my Samsung devices use, and can be used while charging.

You can do it!

[byronius]

34. I had a mantra: "this won't kill me...this won't kill me..."

Your body lies to you about it -- just know -- you will survive.

It's been twenty years for me. Never fucking going back. Goddamn that miserable addiction.

[Callmecrazy]

35. I've dated some crazy women in my life...

But nicotine is the meanest mistress of them all. I am thirty-one days no cigs. Been using the patch and the e-cig and it's getting easier every day. I don't think about lighting up when I get in the car or after I eat.
This is an excellent OP. Lots of great advice and support.

Stick with it fizzgig. I can't believe after thirty years of smoking that I'm having such an easy time with it.
I'm not giving up my weed though. It's a vice I enjoy too much.