Why after 18 months I'm quitting the e-cig

Erme

The last 30 hours have just proved what's possible when, as a heavy smoker, you set your nicotine right in the early days of withdrawal and like gradually reduce...

Don't mention the last month's reduction .....I haven't been sleeping with it ......

My story is a simple one. I have been nicotine and cig alkaloid dependant for over 10 years due to mental health issues. When I tried pharmaceutical NRT (nicorette, niquitin, nicotine patches etc) it wasn't strong enough initially so within 20 hours I'd be tearful and psychotic and the GP would tell me to go back on the cigs.

I started vaping on the 7th September 2011 (after trying it out for 3 months prior) at 36mg/ml using some nasal spray for when I couldn't vape (and getting hooked on that in the end). So yeah like a combo. When I got my variable voltage in the october I'd vape as much as 5ml a day!!!. I stuck at this for 8 weeks then began the reduction. I reduced for the next year.....once getting down to 7mg/ml then having to up it again to about 24mg/ml (though never as high as 36mg/ml again) due to lack of throat hit. So yeah ups and downs...

Lots of equipment and a few mild nicotine overdoses.... and lots of fun

Lots of postie stalking as you really can't buy what I like in the shops.... (18650 mods etc and lots of cartridges - boges I still have lots of and they are going nowhere!!!)

In the summer when I got debt free I treated myself to a silver bullet off classifieds off the friendly forum (PM me for details or go - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1243625) and didn't look back. If you just want to buy one mod (e-cig) and be done with it go with something like the silver bullet that has a good track record. Lower priced/poor quality mods will come and go (and die on you)....this silver bullet is still going strong and is in my hand a lot (even now)...

I was on about 24mg/ml at this point.

About October/November time when getting my winter supplies of cartos (I figured early on they were like loo roll. Not something I wished to run out of so I'd buy 100 at a time) I tried rebuildables. First the vivi nova (fun and games)...then the vivi r (didn't like that - poor wicking) and a run in with an aga-t (scared of oxidising the mesh though cloud 9 should shortly be stocking pre oxidised mesh) and finally the taiphun/spheroid.

The latter was a revelation. Within a week I'd dropped down from 20mg/ml to 12 - no probs. Within a month down to 1mg/ml - again no probs (just vaping about 20ml a day LOL)

So this is me. On 10-12 microtabs a day and no psychotic symptoms nothing. A far cry from the lassie 2 years ago who thought it'd take a miracle for her to quit her 1oz a day addiction. Yes I've smoked in that time. I won't say I haven't but it's been nothing in comparison (exact figures less than 3oz since sept 11)

Why am I quitting vaping when it has been a lifesaver? Because this is a new year and time for a new me. . and I want to quit caffeine after this too. So baby steps. This is my choice and I have no rush to get rid of all my e-cig stuff just yet (just some of it ) in case of relapse but still. So many places are anti e-cig in ways they weren't 2 years ago and what with the possible eu directive coming in it's going to be harder to get supplies. Forwarned is forarmed. Be prepared. Would rather quit now in my time then like when I'm forced to

I will be forever grateful to SJ and JC and other's that pointed me in the right direction but now we must somehow over the next few weeks part. I intend to stay on the forums to help newbies for a wee while yet as well....

E