Hit the wall on day 3

[AndriaD]

I've heard that it's the three's that get ya. That's when the cigs rear their ugly little heads and say "What about meeeeee?!?"

3 Days
3 Weeks
3 Months

I can't wait to get to that 3 year!

It does help to know this in advance so you can kind of prepare yourself for this. Just know that it will pass. vape a little stronger nic, change up flavors and drink water to help flush the cigs from your system.

Come here and vent, ask questions....whatever. There is a great support system behind all this text.

Welcome to the forum!!

I was scrolling ahead, knowing I'd probably find this type of response pretty soon... although I was still euphoric about quitting at 3 days, 3 wks did hit me really hard... fortunately it didn't last too long, all those down/depressed feelings. I wonder what 3 months will be like? Just massive cravings, or more emotional junk like at 3 wks?

When I once quit cold-turkey I lasted for 3 months... always wondered why after going that long, suddenly I just HAD TO have a cigarette. Of course, that time I was nicc-ing out about every 30 seconds, so that shouldn't be an issue this time. Just wondering what I should be looking for, as the 3-month mark draws closer.

Welcome, OrchidToo... it does get easier, but sometimes the cravings surprise you -- it's much easier to get thru them with e-cigs than anything I've ever tried before!

Andria

 

[Roytoyjonez]

I would try going up in nic. I was a pack and a half a day smoker I started 6mg but found out it was too low so went to 12 and that has been working for me. I vape quite a bit. My buddy was a Newport smoker so he has been starting on 24mg. You just gotta find that sweet spot that works for you. I don't even crave analogs anymore!!!


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[TigerLadyTX]

I both smoked and vaped for about 9 weeks. You may crave analogs now and again, and that's okay. You may even need to smoke one now and again and that's okay, too. There is no single perfect way for everyone to quit smoking. Everyone has to do it in the way that works best for them.

When I first began vaping, I was a 33 year smoker, who at the time of my picking up vaping, was smoking 50 to 60 cigarettes per day. The very first day that I vaped, I only smoked 10 cigarettes. I did not go into vaping to quit smoking - I started vaping to have an alternative to the times when I was unable to smoke. This eventually lead to my leaving the analogs behind completely and vaping full time, though.

The one thing that I absolutely did NOT do was to beat myself up over the few cigarettes that I did smoke. Instead, I celebrated the ones that I didn't smoke.

~Tiger

 

[AndriaD]

I both smoked and vaped for about 9 weeks. You may crave analogs now and again, and that's okay. You may even need to smoke one now and again and that's okay, too. There is no single perfect way for everyone to quit smoking. Everyone has to do it in the way that works best for them.

When I first began vaping, I was a 33 year smoker, who at the time of my picking up vaping, was smoking 50 to 60 cigarettes per day. The very first day that I vaped, I only smoked 10 cigarettes. I did not go into vaping to quit smoking - I started vaping to have an alternative to the times when I was unable to smoke. This eventually lead to my leaving the analogs behind completely and vaping full time, though.

The one thing that I absolutely did NOT do was to beat myself up over the few cigarettes that I did smoke. Instead, I celebrated the ones that I didn't smoke.

~Tiger

So absolutely true. I didn't start this with the intention of quitting either; I was just tired of freezing to death on the front porch. But as soon as this pk-a-day smoker started vaping regularly, I was immediately smoking 10 or less a day, without even trying. Once I did start trying to replace smoking with vaping, smoking just kept declining till I was down to 3, 2, 1 a day. It just seemed kinda stupid to keep smoking at that point.

Andria

 

[Jeddy5]

I tried an analogue for the first time since Christmas yesterday and only took 3 puffs. It was like meeting an old girlfriend and trying to rekindle something, but realising right away it's not as good as it was first time and it will never work.
Also I didn't get any satisfaction whatsoever - much prefer my vapes!


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[Lurch]

Like many of the others have said, I continued to smoke my cigars for the first couple of days. Noticed that I enjoyed them less and less until about the third day I ran out! Haven't had one since. I found one in the van today as I was cleaning it. Had no desire to light it up, but left it in there....

 

[Craybee]

Used to smoke (till couple of days ago) Marlboro lights, now vaping 12 mg, 11 mg, and 8 mg juices.
Should I have started at higher nic levels?

before i switched to vaping i smoked marlboro lights as well, about a half pack a day. like you i made sure i didn't have any analogs once my starter kit arrived. but i ordered 24mg juice. i had a feeling it might be higher than i needed but i felt if i wanted this to work then that'd be better than a lower nic level. after a few weeks i stepped down to 18mg but i always recommend people start out higher rather than lower if they're intending for the vaping to immediately supplant smoking.

 

[Robino1]

I was scrolling ahead, knowing I'd probably find this type of response pretty soon... although I was still euphoric about quitting at 3 days, 3 wks did hit me really hard... fortunately it didn't last too long, all those down/depressed feelings. I wonder what 3 months will be like? Just massive cravings, or more emotional junk like at 3 wks?

When I once quit cold-turkey I lasted for 3 months... always wondered why after going that long, suddenly I just HAD TO have a cigarette. Of course, that time I was nicc-ing out about every 30 seconds, so that shouldn't be an issue this time. Just wondering what I should be looking for, as the 3-month mark draws closer.

Welcome, OrchidToo... it does get easier, but sometimes the cravings surprise you -- it's much easier to get thru them with e-cigs than anything I've ever tried before!

Andria

For me the 3 month mark wasn't that bad. Just a stronger niggle of want for a cig. Nothing that wasn't manageable. Although I did try my first NET vape and that totally satisfied that little irritating niggle. I'm still vaping NET's. I fell in love

 

[crtman4]

I have to agree with that NETs rule if you like tobacco flavors. I'd say that is what really helped get rid of the last cig a day for me. Once I had some flavor (diy HS) and I put extra in and could really taste it lol, but it worked great. I kept that clearo loaded w/24 nic for those times I really wanted one, or sometimes just for the taste. Yes I have more in the mail too.

 

[6steelstrings]

I don't have nicotine cravings anymore, but there are times when I would habitually have a cigarette, such as after eating a meal, getting in the car, walking the dog and so on. I just want the feel of a cigarette in my hand. When that happens, I just power up my Ecig and put those thoughts aside.

And as others have stated, a higher nicotine level should help you.

 

[LAwaters]

Agree with others - 24 mg was the sweet spot for me. Later, you can get a lower nic of the same flavor and use it to cut the 24 mg if you want. I started at 18 mg and tried going lower, but got pretty antsy. Remember that vaping doesn't deliver as much nicotine as cigs, and it doesn't hit your brain as fast. E-liquids don't have the extra chemicals to boost the effect either. The purge of chemicals and carbon monoxide was unpleasant for sure.

I've been almost 3 months off cigs and staying at 24 mg for now. Strange because I was only half a pack a day, but they were dense, long premium cigs.

Just be sure to monitor for signs of too much nicotine. There's a lot of info here on the forum, though some were kind of alarmist IMO. Drinks lots and lots of water - it helps purge the cig nastiness and vaping makes you need it. Good luck!

 

[tnt56]

First Welcome To ECF. Don't think of it as hitting a wall. Think of it as a bump in the road. If you stumble from the bump, just get back up and try again.
I'm living vaping proof. Just read the signature. Best of luck.

 

[edyle]

Threw out the real cigs (analogs ) couple of days ago for the first time ever. After 15 years of 1/2 to 1 pack per day, for the first time managed to stay away from them for these couple of days, quite easily in fact... Now toward end of day 3, and suddenly extreme urges to go and buy cigs. Good thing I threw mine away or I would have smoked for sure.
So what's going on here - why the major urges now?
Changed juice a few hours ago, seemed to help a bit.
Used to smoke (till couple of days ago) Marlboro lights, now vaping 12 mg, 11 mg, and 8 mg juices.
Should I have started at higher nic levels?
All advice would be much appreciated.


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What are you vaping with?
I'm thinking time to change the coil and put the old one to soak.
3 days is about how long I go one 1 coil

 

[AndriaD]

For me the 3 month mark wasn't that bad. Just a stronger niggle of want for a cig. Nothing that wasn't manageable. Although I did try my first NET vape and that totally satisfied that little irritating niggle. I'm still vaping NET's. I fell in love

Well, that's really good to know; I have had a few cravings, usually when I'm all stressed over some weird thing a coil is doing but I haven't found them insurmountable -- I still haven't smoked! So I can probably handle it, even if it gets a little worse for awhile; I just hope for no more of that "nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms" mood; I've come so far in my journey from depression, I hate when there are roadblocks. And quitting smoking has done more for my self-esteem than Effexor ever thought about doing.

I do like tobacco flavor, but only one specific kind: Virginia. I'm pretty sure the stuff I vape now is synthetic, but do they make a real Virginia NET? I'm pretty happy with this, though; about the only thing that could make it better, IMO, is about twice the throat hit -- no girly stuff for me, I want a throat hit like a bonfire with sparklers. This stuff has an ok throat hit, but that's the thing I'm always chasing, and nevermind the clouds.

Andria

 

[jkusmc]

Trying a higher nic juice will probably help.

But something to keep in mind: smoking a few more analogs isn't the end of the world. In fact, it may make you realize just how much more you like vaping if it's been a few days. The important thing is to realize just how many analogs you HAVEN'T smoked sicne you started vaping; who cares about how many you have smoked?

Well said. When I started vaping I had the urges, and even had a few here and there. I can remember smoking one with a co-worker and him asking me if I wanted another. It wasn't even hard to turn lights second one down. After smoking that cigarette I realized how nasty it tasted and reached for my mod to cover up the taste. He smoked his second and I vaped on the mod with no desire to take him up on his offer.

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[AndriaD]

Well said. When I started vaping I had the urges, and even had a few here and there. I can remember smoking one with a co-worker and him asking me if I wanted another. It wasn't even hard to turn lights second one down. After smoking that cigarette I realized how nasty it tasted and reached for my mod to cover up the taste. He smoked his second and I vaped on the mod with no desire to take him up on his offer.

Heh... that last week I smoked, actually the last 3 days when the only one I would smoke all day was that one in the morning, as soon as I got back in the house, the first thing I'd do was wash my hands, to get that stink off them -- and then vape like I was possessed, to wash that nasty taste out of my mouth!!!

It's so weird, for so many years I thought they tasted great.. but when I started vaping, they started tasting like... burning leaves! Gee I wonder why they would taste like that...

Andria