UPDATE ON GETTING THAT PACK OF CIGARETTES !!!

[2112miller]

I did it...I went to the store to get that pack of cigarettes...
But I did not buy them..
I did buy a E-Cigarette & am puffing on that (No inhaling)a

when I get the urge ...I take a couple puffs ( No inhaling)
I like this...This just might work..
Wish me luck

[Maki]

Sucking on a straw will do the same thing . Cut it to the size of a cigarette .  It is better , cheaper and safer specially since you don't want to inhale nicotine and fire up those craves more . 

I understand day three is hard , one of the hardest maybe . I ignored day three because I set myself up for failures..This sounds silly but I went one , two then believed I made day three by counting it as day 4 . You will have to be creative with yourself and find better ways to get through the rituals of smoking . 

This get hard get tougher .. I noticed lots of suggestions in your earlier post .. try them what can it hurt ? 

I thought about an e cig , but I knew deep down it was my addiction talking me out of quitting ... it would be a substitute , a survival tactic unhealthy , costly , and not change a thing.

it's a struggle yes these early days , but you really have to dig deep . 

Personally now you have gotten an e cig , you maybe need to do even more reading here .. there is a group of e cig users quitting . I've read many think it was worse than cigarette addiction . Only you can decide whatcha going to do now . 

[indingrl]

Lollipop HELP

[2112miller]

I am not inhaling the e-cig...
Not sure I even like it.
It is giving me a headache...
But I like to puff it with the smoke coming out of my mouth & all.
I may not stick to it.

[Maki]

I understand that you are not inhaling and I commend you for that , but ...lol always a but right .. addiction is very cunning . I know you have good intentions but your addiction only cares about tricking you into believing you can't quit . The good news is we know you can  and we will try to show you the way through things as best we can until you see it yourself . You will,just have to trust us .. we know short cuts  We know all about the anxiety the exhaustion the brain fog , and the panic too .

Most of us have felt how you are feeling although we know everyone is different , and it's very personal too . 

I know you felt you did a good thing but  ..Here's the but again lol ..

What if next time it gets even harder on day three and you do inhale that e cig ... do you know it only took us three days to get addicted to cigarettes . Ya ,  I was reading that just the other day . I also up on e cigs too , seriously , I did , as someone was trying to get help for their teen here to quit vaping . Don't buy into the lies that they are safer ok . 

So .. how bout when you decide to quit you promise yourself to get past day three next time .. and hey you know we are here right 24/7  . You are not a failure ok . We will still encourage you, I want to encourage you , but I can't make decisions for you .. I want to tell you to throw that e cig away right now but laughing at myself now lol, that won't empower you , you have to decide that's where the power and the peace and the willingness and confidence lies  . It's in You.

Some people find it helpful to get kids bubbles and blow bubbles, to mimic the need to blow out that smoke . Breathing excersises posted here are also helpful . Doing these kinds things will help break the cycle . Walking walking walking extremely helpful . 

I believe in you and here to support my fellow ex member . You can do this ? Did I hear an  I can ? 

P.s. If you do decide throw the ecig away , it will be the best money ever wasted . 

Ill,see if I can find some of those breathing tools . They are posted quite frequently by members here .. they are helpful if you can practise them . 

Sorry for my long post . 

[Maki]

This is one I found interesting . It's says for kids and I'm presuming test anxiety. I know you aren't a kid but lol there is that but .

its simple and I think , hopefully helpful . Cinnamon and oranges help with cravings as well and folks here say lemons as well . Anyway I'm off , you havema good rest of your day . One day at a time . one minute at a time . 

[anaussiemom]

No luck needed...
In my honest opine this will not work for you.

Sorry I relapsed.   With reg smokes.  That being said, do not keep vaping!!  I dont vape. But I did eons ago. 

Please trash it!  Cuz all of us care about you and your quit too.

[BobKatt22]

[5Jacks]

Nice job not buying a pack of smokes! 

I could not stand any type of e-cigarette, but nicotine lozenges really worked for me in satisfying my cravings. Perhaps you should give those a try.

[Sootie]

One of the problems with ecigs is that not enough is known about them.......give your quit another try without them.

Not inhaling isn't really the bottom line. Most cigar smokers do not inhale.....people who chew do not inhale. They get mouth and other cancers.

The above is just my opinion.

So glad you did not smoke. So glad you stayed and gave us an update.

[Giulia]

"I did buy a E-Cigarette & am puffing on that (No inhaling)"  Interesting.  How do you puff without inhaling?  I'd like to learn that technique.  You mean kind of like a cigar?  More like a kiss? Like saying the word "wow?"  Or "mwaaa?" How does one create a puff without air coming in and going out?  

If you didn't, may I suggest you buy an e-cig with zero nicotine on your next go-round, if you didn't. (I'm guessing you will have a next go-round with the e-cig.)  I THINK there's such a thing as zero nicotine e-cigs.  I cut up straws and stuffed them with wee bits of paper to create a draw similar to a cigarette.  Kept the hand-to-mouth habit alive (not the greatest idea) but sure helped at the same time.  Better than smoking.  Even now, after 14 years quit, if I get a really out-of-the-blue craving and all my other tools fail to relieve it (e.g. distraction), I'll put my two smoking fingers together and "pretend smoke."  Nice slow drag in of breath through pursed lips, brief hold, nice long exhale through pursed lips.  Five puffs or so on my fingers and I'm over the craving.  Try it.  Or, try the straws.  Or, get the zero nicotine vape. 

We're just concerned you'll become addicted to a substitute that there isn't enough info on yet that might be ultimately harmful to lungs.  As Sootie said.  We're still on your team, no matter what.  Okay?  We're up for anything that works.  Just - some of the things that work lead us into other, or similar addictions.  Whatever works to free you from the nicotine addiction is great.  And if it doesn't, then that might be something else to think and learn about.  

You made a step in the right direction.  And I, among others, are really glad you chose something different!  Keep working it!

[elvan]

I strongly suggest tossing the e-cigarette.  There are so many people on this site who are trying to stop using them.  I get the no inhaling thing but I am afraid you won't be able to keep it up.  There are so many breathing exercises you can do, I also bought bubble juice and blew bubbles, a respiratory therapist suggested that and I really did find it amusing.  I had to exhale very slowly or not get any bubbles.  You really CAN do this and it WILL get easier.

Ellen

[SuzyQ411]

Hi 2112miller‌,

I have been reading your initial post and responses about deciding that you were giving up on your quit on your Day #3. I know how hard quitting can be; I tried to quit many, many, times before my current and successful quit. I had been a heavy smoker for more that 60 years.

In this post, I am now reading  that you got an e-cig instead of buying a pack of cigarettes. Sounds to me like you really want to stay away from cigarettes and still plan on quitting. I have also read the responses here from others in our EX family who are encouraging you to not keep using the e-cigs with one person even suggesting you switch to the nicotine-free type. (Sounds like a great plan to me; what do you think about it?) 

I vaped for about 5 years when I decided to quit smoking cigarettes and it was hard for me to give the e-cigs up. When at home, I carried one in my hand or pocket whenever I was awake and Lord knows how many drags in a day I'd suck off that thing? It was just so easy to use; I didn't even have to search for the lighter to get it going and I didn't have the mess of an ashtray. But eventually I went back to cigarettes as I missed the "full draw" they gave me and didn't want to subject my lungs to the atomizer-type e-cig units..

By then I was addicted to both cigarettes and e-cigs; they were each a drug delivery system for nicotine.

After many quit attempts resulting in repeated relapses, I have finally been over a year fully quit from cigarettes and never went back to vaping.

Was it easy? Not always. but, was it do-able? YES! 

I'm pulling for you to also become fully free of cigarettes and e-cigs.

Please take the initiative to begin your personal journey.

~ Suzy