How I Quit Smoking Cigarettes

[Twoo]

I've been a half a pack to a pack smoker for the last... 7 years. I made the unfortunate decision when I was 18 to start smoking because it was "cool" and all my friends did it. 7 years later and I was tired of always washing my hands after smokes, being paranoid about smelling like smoke while in the hospital (I'm a med student), trying to squeeze in cigarettes between rounds, my girlfriend complaining, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

I tried using nicorette gum but it didn't work. Tried the patch but it didn't work. Tried medication to help quit but it didn't work. NOTHING worked. So I looked in to e-cigarettes. Not the kind they sell in malls, but the -real- deal. The ones e-cig fanatics use.

I ended up buying a Joye eGo 510 model after about a month of research. I learnt there's 2 ways of smoking e-cigs. Filling up a cartridge that you slide in to the e-cig and smoke... or dripping liquid directly in to the unit. Dripping was apparently the best method because it's easier on the go, you can buy THOUSANDS of tasty flavors (virtually unlimited flavors), you can choose your own nicotine level, etc.

So, I purchased about 20 different flavors of juice with varying nic levels (banana foster, key lime pie, menthol cig flavor, margarita, boston creme pie, etc) and decided to become a "all e-cig guy".

Essentially you're inhaling water vapor with organic natural flavoring and nicotine. No additives, no tar, no unhealthy chemicals, none of that crap. Best part... there's no smell whatsoever. You can smoke at your office and no one would know unless they saw you.

The BEST PART... I'm on day 3 without a single cigarette. Whenever I get a craving I drip some liquid in my e-cig, vape away and go about my business. Works GREAT at the hospital between rounds/OR time because I can do it in the physicians lounge.

E-cigs... one of the best decisions I ever made.

[hawkprey]

That's pretty cool. Congratulations.

I might have to take up smoking just so I can quit.

[flaccopoe]

Way to kick the habit! How much do e-cigs cost?

[Twoo]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291523257' post='559523']
Way to kick the habit! How much do e-cigs cost?
[/quote]

The unit itself was $53, the juice was around $10 a bottle (I bought 20), extra atomizers was $25, odds and ends around $10. All in all it cost me around $290 for everything.

BUT, it pays for itself the first month.

1 bottle of 30ml cost me $10. 2ml of juice = 1 pack. So there's 15 packs of cigarettes per bottle of juice. 1 pack of cigarettes with e-cigs = 66 cents a pack. Compared to $7 a pack for regular cigarettes I was paying... plus it's a thousand times healthier with NOTHING unhealthy for you in it (save the natural nic).

[flynismo]

I quit for a few months .... Then realized no one likes a quitter lol and started up again.Congrats tho, and thanks for sharing.

[Twoo]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1291527050' post='559564']
I quit for a few months .... Then realized no one likes a quitter lol and started up again.Congrats tho, and thanks for sharing.
[/quote]

I hear ya. Quitting sucks. E-cigs just made it... really easy. Eventually I'll ween myself off the nic and just smoke flavored water vapor.

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

The best place for info on e-cigs.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='Twoo' timestamp='1291519632' post='559485']

The BEST PART... I'm on day 3 without a single cigarette.
[/quote]


Please keep us updated. 3 days, while great, is no where close to quitting. I have three in-laws from South Africa staying with us through the holidays so I will NEED to smoke. Once the holidays pass though, both the wife and myself are desperate to quit. Between the new studies coming out that second hand smoke kills 600,000 worldwide and the known fact the smoking takes 15-20 years off your life, we are both done.

I'd love to hear updates every now and again to keep up with your progress and give us both a little hope that we can finally kick this disgusting habit.

Cheers!

[BohBalmerOsbohs]

vivid vanilla, best flavor.

I smoke the non nicotine cartridges.

[XxSizzleXx]

Proven fact tobacco is more addictive than crack cocaine.

[Twoo]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1291579116' post='559855']
Please keep us updated. 3 days, while great, is no where close to quitting. I have three in-laws from South Africa staying with us through the holidays so I will NEED to smoke. Once the holidays pass though, both the wife and myself are desperate to quit. Between the new studies coming out that second hand smoke kills 600,000 worldwide and the known fact the smoking takes 15-20 years off your life, we are both done.

I'd love to hear updates every now and again to keep up with your progress and give us both a little hope that we can finally kick this disgusting habit.

Cheers!
[/quote]

Don't believe the "second hand smoke kills 600,000 a year" lies and misconceptions. Truth is, second hand smoke is hardly dangerous at all. Unless you stay in a confined room with no fresh air with a smoker... for a decade... it won't have any adverse effect on you. [u]Second hand smoke also has NEVER been linked to a death by a coroner or medical physician.[/u] It's one of the first things we learn in medical school when studying invasive diseases.

You're more at risk cleaning a toilet with bleach than you are being in a room with a smoker for 30 straight days.

Also, smoking is (as we know) highly unhealthy for your body- but it's AMAZING how quickly our body cleanses itself after we quit smoking. Within a week our lungs are back to 90% health, after 10 years your entire body is back to 99%. Even if you smoked for 50 years.

Most of what people read or hear about smoking is insanely inaccurate.

Regardless, today is day 4... no cravings whatsoever! I'm already feeling "different" physically. I can smell smokers (something I really couldn't before) and I'm breathing a lot better. Air feels... cleaner. It's interesting.

[K-Dog]

I have never "really" smoked so I have never had to quit but I have lots of friends who have quit. Every one of them was cold turkey. Truthfully I think it has less to do with the method and more to so with just wanting to enough.

no one I have ever met claimed it was easy. They all say the desire is there one way or another all the time, it just boils down to will power.

Kudos to you and ever one else who has quit. Although I have seen it first hand, I can only imagine how difficult it really is.

Congratulations and here is to better health.

[MagicianCamille]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1291579116' post='559855']Once the holidays pass though, both the wife and myself are desperate to quit.[/quote]

The oldest excuse for a smoker in the book. If you really wanted to quit you'd quit right now, not once the holidays pass. Life is always going to be stressful, so that doesn't really work as an excuse.

[quote]Between the new studies coming out that second hand smoke kills 600,000 worldwide and the known fact the smoking takes 15-20 years off your life, we are both done.[/quote]

Second hand smoke being a killer isn't news, neither is the fact that smoking takes off many years of your life. [b]Nor is the fact that it causes asthma in children, both my nephew and niece being prime examples. They now have to deal with that for their entire lives because of what their parents did.[/b] If you are both done then I implore you both to quit immediately.

As a rule whenever you're considering quitting a certain activity, if you're planning a date to quit then you aren't going to do it. The only effective means of quitting an activity is to stop doing it entirely. That's how my Dad and brother stopped, my Dad having smoked for 20 years (he quit after his father died of lung cancer at the age of 80, if he hadn't smoked for 40 years he'd probably have lived to be 100 with his strength and resilience), my brother about the same actually.

I don't mean to be rude but doing harmful drugs is one of those things people do that just baffles me, it makes no sense at all. My life is stressful, my Dad smoked, my brother smoked, so there was definitely exposure and possible temptation if I found it at all appealing, but I never smoked a cigarette once and never will. Because of this I can't relate to the difficulty of attempting to kick the habit, I realize that, but I would like for you to look at your own reasons and ask yourself what the justification is for continuing to do it and then quit later. If you realize you need to quit, do it now, not later.

This goes for all of you. Don't hate me you know I'm speaking the truth.

Also, excellent work by the OP. I sincerely hope this works for you.

[True]

That's very commendable OP. A lot of my friends just try chewing gum or eating chocolate, but it doesn't last very long. I'll recommend the idea to the ones that want to quit.

I used to smoke a pack a week a few months ago, but quit because I was finished with my summer job and school was starting again. I realized that in my limited budget cigarettes didn't have a place to fit and being an econ major I had the motivation that I rather smell of money then of nicotine. Now I usually smoke maybe a couple cigarettes a week or even go prolonged periods of time without smoking at all. The only times I do is when its freezing outside or I'm out drinking with my friends. I buy a pack that lasts me at least a good month before getting a new one so I'm well within my budget.

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Twoo' timestamp='1291580067' post='559862']
Don't believe the "second hand smoke kills 600,000 a year" lies and misconceptions. Truth is, second hand smoke is hardly dangerous at all. Unless you stay in a confined room with no fresh air with a smoker... for a decade... it won't have any adverse effect on you. [u]Second hand smoke also has NEVER been linked to a death by a coroner or medical physician.[/u] It's one of the first things we learn in medical school when studying invasive diseases.

You're more at risk cleaning a toilet with bleach than you are being in a room with a smoker for 30 straight days. [/quote]

My friends' step-siblings both got bronchitis from second-hand smoke...

[Malkavian Raven]

[font="Century Gothic"]Smoked off & on for 10 years, finally quit cold turkey back in April.

I just made it into a game to see how long I could go without one. It was hard at first, but soon hours became days, days became weeks, weeks into months and months back into days, etc.

The real deal buster was when my five-year-old son told me he didn't like me smoking and made me promise him I would quit. <insert tears here>

But yeah, best of luck to you on your journey to quit!

[i]~ Malkavian Raven[/i][/font]

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Malkavian Raven' timestamp='1291689625' post='565051']
[font="Century Gothic"]Smoked off & on for 10 years, finally quit cold turkey back in April.

I just made it into a game to see how long I could go without one. It was hard at first, but soon hours became days, days became weeks, weeks into months and months back into days, etc.

The real deal buster was when my five-year-old son told me he didn't like me smoking and made me promise him I would quit. <insert tears here>

But yeah, best of luck to you on your journey to quit!

[i]~ Malkavian Raven[/i][/font]
[/quote]

I smell a future Hallmark movie!

[Twoo]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291689281' post='565038']
My friends' step-siblings both got bronchitis from second-hand smoke...
[/quote]

Doubtful. Odds are one contracted bronchitis from someone they knew or were in direct contact with- then the other sibling contracted it accordingly. It's possible second hand smoke could have "enhanced" the bronchitis, even delayed the natural healing process- but it's highly unlikely. They'd literally have to be inhaling the smoke directly for a LONG (and I mean LONG) period of time to produce symptoms of bronchitis.

Second hand smoke is just fear mongering on the side of the FDA and general health providers.

But, what do I know... I've only devoted my life to the study of health. Second hand smoking is one of those things that split the medical community. 50% believe it exists, 50% don't believe it's of any harm (with exceptions being in years to decades of being in close proximity to smokers in closed areas).

[Malkavian Raven]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291689902' post='565065']
I smell a future Hallmark movie!
[/quote]

[font="Century Gothic"]Yes! My master plan is working! With all the money from the movie rights, I can buy enough cigarettes to last me the rest of my life!! Muwhahahahahahaha!!

[i]~ Malkavian Raven[/i][/font]

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Twoo' timestamp='1291689963' post='565067']
Doubtful. Odds are one contracted bronchitis from someone they knew or were in direct contact with- then the other sibling contracted it accordingly. It's possible second hand smoke could have "enhanced" the bronchitis, even delayed the natural healing process- but it's highly unlikely. They'd literally have to be inhaling the smoke directly for a LONG (and I mean LONG) period of time to produce symptoms of bronchitis.

[b]Second hand smoke is just fear mongering on the side of the FDA and general health providers.[/b]
But, what do I know... I've only devoted my life to the study of health. Second hand smoking is one of those things that split the medical community. 50% believe it exists, 50% don't believe it's of any harm (with exceptions being in years to decades of being in close proximity to smokers in closed areas).
[/quote]

Do you work for Philip Morris?!

[Twoo]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291690174' post='565078']
Do you work for Phiip Morris?!
[/quote]

Haha, no! =p Medical student studying general surgery (specializing in neurosurgery and invasive disease).

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Twoo' timestamp='1291690392' post='565085']
Haha, no! =p Medical student studying general surgery (specializing in neurosurgery and invasive disease).
[/quote]

What school do you go to?

[1/28/01]

[quote name='Twoo' timestamp='1291690392' post='565085']
Haha, no! =p Medical student studying general surgery (specializing in neurosurgery and invasive disease).
[/quote]
What do you know about Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy?

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1291691822' post='565158']
What do you know about Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy?
[/quote]

It's a neurological disorder in which amyloid deposits form over the walls of the blood vessels of the central nervous system. Not much is known about the cause of this nervous malfunction.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1291692289' post='565173']
It's a neurological disorder in which amyloid deposits form over the walls of the blood vessels of the central nervous system. Not much is known about the cause of this nervous malfunction.
[/quote]
I didn't want you to copy and paste wikipedia or something, I was looking for a professional opinion

(Just playing, not sure if you copied and pasted it, my guess is yes, though)

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1291693128' post='565212']
I didn't want you to copy and paste wikipedia or something, I was looking for a professional opinion

(Just playing, not sure if you copied and pasted it, my guess is yes, though)
[/quote]

In lieu of Twoo, I decided to give my own neurological knowledge (I study psychology a lot). It's important to know what makes people

[1/28/01]

My old mans got it and has had it for a little over a year and the doctors can't tell us much....little is known, like you stated.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1291693128' post='565212']
I didn't want you to copy and paste wikipedia or something, I was looking for a professional opinion

(Just playing, not sure if you copied and pasted it, my guess is yes, though)
[/quote]

Found it. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_amyloid_angiopathy"]wikipedia article[/url]


I would be checking for beginnings of Alzheimers in said person in years to come. It's very treatable in its early phases.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1291694225' post='565270']
Found it. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_amyloid_angiopathy"]wikipedia article[/url]


I would be checking for beginnings of Alzheimers in said person in years to come. It's very treatable in its early phases.
[/quote]
Thanks Hawk....I've read all the online stuff a bagillion times.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1291694519' post='565293']
Thanks Hawk....I've read all the online stuff a bagillion times.
[/quote]

I'm sure things will be fine.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='MagicianCamille' timestamp='1291584618' post='559955']
[b]The oldest excuse for a smoker in the book. If you really wanted to quit you'd quit right now, not once the holidays pass. Life is always going to be stressful, so that doesn't really work as an excuse. [/b]


[b]As a rule whenever you're considering quitting a certain activity, if you're planning a date to quit then you aren't going to do it. [/b]The only effective means of quitting an activity is to stop doing it entirely.

I never smoked a cigarette once and never will. Because of this I can't relate to the difficulty of attempting to kick the habit, I realize that, but I would like for you to look at your own reasons and ask yourself what the justification is for continuing to do it and then quit later. If you realize you need to quit, do it now, not later.

[/quote]

[img]http://www.funnyforumpics.com/forums/ORLY/3/orly-thumb.jpg[/img]

Well, little miss Negative Nancy. I shall prove you wrong.

If you knew you anything, you'd know that all situations are different and that you don't know it all. How old are you BTW?