Giving up Nicotine

[snips86x]

I have officially run out of vape juice and gone back to the nicorette chewing gum in an attempt to kerb my vaping habits. The plan is to stick out the gum for a few months and then drop it to remove the nicotine addiction completely.

Having previously quit smoking for 8 years, the breakup of my marriage back in 2015 saw me smoking again while I was in Turkey visiting my sister with family. Not really kicked it since then, but vaping did help and ended up being a replacement.

Has anyone else successfully (or unsuccessfully) managed to quit vaping and smoking? Intrigued by your stories, hardship and successes to being free of the addiction

 

[Haze]

I thought the whole point of vaping was to quit? Seem to have fallen at the 1st hurdle

 

[vanpeebles]

Just stop and ride it out, it's the only proper way.

 

[Efour]

Just stop and ride it out, it's the only proper way.

Do this. Anything else is just another addiction that you make concessions for. Its not just the nicotine you are addicted to its the ritual of the vape/cig break, its something to aim for. "if i work another 45 misn i can have a fix at 11am" or whatever.
Its dumb as **** Just quit.

I have quit cold turkey, if i can do it you can easily. I am a moron.

 

[snips86x]

I thought the whole point of vaping was to quit? Seem to have fallen at the 1st hurdle

Quit smoking yes, but the nicotine addiction is still there. The difference between smoking and vaping is quite clear, but with an increase of media stories regarding vaping and health issues, and as someone who suffers from health anxiety, it seemed like the sensible move.

 

[Haze]

Quit smoking yes, but the nicotine addiction is still there. The difference between smoking and vaping is quite clear, but with an increase of media stories regarding vaping and health issues, and as someone who suffers from health anxiety, it seemed like the sensible move.

Completely agree, but I thought one of the ideas behind vaping is to gradually buy refills that have weaker amounts of nicotine, until you have weened yourself off vaping too

 

[200sols]

Cold turkey

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Having previously quit smoking for 8 years, the breakup of my marriage back in 2015 saw me smoking again while I was in Turkey visiting my sister with family.

If I were you I'd focus on the fact that you did quit for 8 years, had a massive change in life events, but could probably put your mind to do it again because you've done it before for a very long time.

I don't think the vaping is helpful because it sounds like a crutch to me. I have zero experience of it so YMMV.

I'd put it to the curb, my dude, the whole lot. No smokes, no vaping, just get Frozen and let it go.

 

[McGray]

Just stop and ride it out, it's the only proper way.

This. I tried all sorts to stop but cold turkey and willpower is what cracked it.

 

[weathmatth]

What strength is your e-juice? When i was vaping i used to make my own e-juice, and i found the easiest way was to just gradually decrease the amount of nicotine in the batches i made until it went to 0mg, and then a week or so on 0mg strength before stopping completely.

Also for me, i had to throw all of my vape gear in the bin after i stopped, as i subconsciously knew it was tucked away in a drawer ready to use if needed. Massive waste of money i know, but worked for me.

 

[snips86x]

Completely agree, but I thought one of the ideas behind vaping is to gradually buy refills that have weaker amounts of
nicotine, until you have weened yourself off vaping too

I'm sure there are lots of good ideas behind vaping but the more you do it, the more you want a bigger hit. Mouth to lung is the starting point, then direct to lung for bigger hits...doesn't exactly work too well unless you can settle on a decent M2L unit that gives you the hit you need. Then you can start reducing the nic quantity.

If I were you I'd focus on the fact that you did quit for 8 years, had a massive change in life events, but could probably put your mind to do it again because you've done it before for a very long time.

I don't think the vaping is helpful because it sounds like a crutch to me. I have zero experience of it so YMMV.

I'd put it to the curb, my dude, the whole lot. No smokes, no vaping, just get Frozen and let it go.

Yes! It was a feat that I'm proud of and it was only due to having 2 weeks off work, at the time, that enabled me to do this. Thankfully a new and less stressful job enables me to start again, but with vaping. Using the gum is convenient and means I can use it as and when I feel I need the Nicotine hit. Over time, that'll gradually reduce as I think less and less about it.

 

[snips86x]

What strength is your e-juice? When i was vaping i used to make my own e-juice, and i found the easiest way was to just gradually decrease the amount of nicotine in the batches i made until it went to 0mg, and then a week or so on 0mg strength before stopping completely.

Also for me, i had to throw all of my vape gear in the bin after i stopped, as i subconsciously knew it was tucked away in a drawer ready to use if needed. Massive waste of money i know, but worked for me.

It was 3mg sub ohm. I tried 0 for a few days but i really struggled so put my nic shots back into the last bottle. Honestly, I think the gum replacement is the best thing for me at the moment. Just to take the edge off and reduce my intake. Then I can start skipping the gum later on.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

The good news is that you want to stop, therefore you will stop. It's just a matter of time. It's so much easier to stop these days, 20 years ago it was hellish when you went to the pub and everyone was smoking and sharing cigarettes etc. Even at work, people were smoking and the whole process felt like a massive uphill struggle.

You, on the other hand, have found yourself wanting to stop at the best time to do it. So do it, and enjoy it. I'm 6 years stopped now, and it's great. You know how great it feels, as you've been there.

 

[McGray]

It really is great to stop. You will feel excellent.

 

[Liquidfox]

Has anyone else successfully (or unsuccessfully) managed to quit vaping and smoking?

Yep, quit smoking in 2013 and vaping in 2017, it was my second attempt at quitting smoking and I honestly only started again because I was sick of the small office I worked in all vacating every hour or so for a smoke break. It was a clean cutover to vaping in 2013 with no cravings for a cigarette after that. I quit vaping after going to a festival and having my vape nicked by a mate as he'd forgot to bring his own, I was distracted by a lass I'd met and it wasn't until the end of the weekend where she'd mentioned how I hadn't used it after the first day (my mate turned up on day 2). It was kind of at that point I realised I didn't really need it anymore, so I started by leaving it at home during the week and only taking it out on weekends but only using it when the cravings got really bad. Eventually, I went on a night out but decided to leave it at home, never touched it since. Never had a craving since. I have tried smoking a cigarette purely out of interest to see if I could ever go back, the taste definitely says I couldn't!

It definitely helped by converting all my mates that smoked to vaping, it meant I wasn't surrounded by smokers anymore which definitely made things easier.

 

[Kelt]

I have officially run out of vape juice and gone back to the nicorette chewing gum in an attempt to kerb my vaping habits. The plan is to stick out the gum for a few months and then drop it to remove the nicotine addiction completely.

Having previously quit smoking for 8 years, the breakup of my marriage back in 2015 saw me smoking again while I was in Turkey visiting my sister with family. Not really kicked it since then, but vaping did help and ended up being a replacement.

Has anyone else successfully (or unsuccessfully) managed to quit vaping and smoking? Intrigued by your stories, hardship and successes to being free of the addiction

I used to smoke twenty plus bennies a day.

Made my mind to give them up and told my fiancee and every one else I knew, including work mates, that I was going to give them up on New Years Eve of that year.

Figured I'd look (more of) a plonker if i didn't, and for me it worked.

The first two weeks were the hardest, but after that it was a breeze.

Haven't touched a fag since then and that was thirty four years ago.

Don't miss them at all and hate the smell of smoke with a passion.

 

[RxR]

I quit cold turkey maybe 10 days ago. The worst symptoms (irritation etc) usually only occur for the first 3-5 hours after.

 

[Fuzzb3k]

I gave up vaping a couple of months ago after vaping for 3 years. I just went cold turkey, because I'm no good with giving up things when temptation arises and it's easily accessible. When you've formed a habit it's difficult to give it up as I find there is a strong compulsion to continue doing it, but it becomes easier as the memory fades. I'd say after 10 days you won't really think about it.

In my experience, the best thing to do would be to bin everything and maintain a strong will power, reinforced by thoughts about why you want to give it up. I recommend looking up Jerry Seinfeld's 'don't break the chain' method of self motivation to help you along the way.

The things that made me give up were:

1. Health issues: inflammation and muscle aches, and my ribs felt tender. I also had multiple sinus infections over the years.
2. Money: vape juice and replacement coils are expensive.
3. Recent media reports about people dying and contracting lung disease after vaping. Might not be related to vape juice in the UK, but nevertheless it seems sensible to not inhale such substances into what is a sensitive organ. You also generally don't pay for lung abuse until later in life, when it's much too late.

 

[ttaskmaster]

I have quit cold turkey, if i can do it you can easily. I am a moron.

I've known a lot of ex-smokers who went cold turkey, many of whom threw that same thing at me - I can do it, so can you... About half of them (that I know of) have taken up smoking again at some point in their lives... so far. All of them say they still miss it, despite quitting as many as 45 years ago.

I've done it twice, now... Each time I got well past the cravings, agitation, irritation, irritation and all that... then one day I just went out, bought a pack, rolled up and got on with it.
The wife has done it, but I'm fully expecting her to start again, too.
The odd one is people who get cravings despite never being smokers themselves!

So yeah, the reality is that you've never actually quit, you're just not smoking at this time. How long that lasts is up to you. 8 years is a pretty long time and a good effort... At least try and get further this time.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

@ttaskmaster you really need to be more positive than that. That's a proper glass half empty approach you have.