Quitting smoking vs vaping

[CompulsivePsych]

I'm wondering if there are any users who have insight into unique challenges faced while quitting vaping as opposed to smoking cigarettes. Seems to me that quitting gradually might be harder for the vaper in some ways in that it is difficult to quantify amount vaped per day (I.e. you can't count cigs) other than to allot oneself a certain number of pods/liquid for a period of time and titrate down until the quit date. I just set my quit date as october 18th, a Friday (so I have the weekend to cope w any withdrawal sx).

[Barbscloud]

I never vaped, but I believe it has to be harder since you can do it anywhere.  Smokers have to delay to have a cigarette.

[AnnetteMM]

Good point.

[Nursemom0316]

I'm in the same boat. My quit date isn't till 11/1/19.  I've got one of those little bitty pod cheapo , I think it was $12. And I was filling it up 2×day, but now I'm only allowed to fill it up every other day. I've found I still crave the hell out of it, because if I'm being totally honest the dang things were glued to my hand and I did permanent damage to the veins and arteries especially in my legs.  My doctor suggested Chantix, so that could be an option. I have only been on mine for 3 days and you can actually continue to smoke or vape for up to a month of the 3 month course of treatment.  I started vaping years ago to quit smoking. Lord had I only known that trying to quit vaping would end up being 10× harder on me, I would have never touched them!  Beware these lung sicknesses are NOT the only medical problems vaping can cause. The damage the vaping has done to my veins and arteries was so extreme that it has this barely 43 year old stuck in a wheelchair or bed 90% of the time due to the extreme pain it causes. I was in the gym 4x week 2 years ago. The really sick thing is, you still want the dang vape reguardless.  I just hope and pray I can quit these stupid things. (Fingers crossed )

[Heidimann311]

Wow, I hear you! This is so scaring! I’m literally attached to this device! I so appreciate the support and community. We’re in this together...AND we can do this! 

[Exvape]

Glad you have set a quit date...you can and will do this! Your post really hit home for me bc when I vape the blood vessels in my eyes periodically burst...I couldn’t find anything about this on the internet and my eye doctor said I’m ok—but I know in my heart that these vapes were doing damage. So I quit 5 days ago...this site is hugely helpful...Alan Carr’s book also VERY helpful as he nails down the point that once you decide if you “own” your decision it makes quitting very manageable...I am finding it easier than I thought bc of the thought that I am done being a drug addict. I’m happy those days are behind me and I’m looking forward to facing life nicotine free.

best of luck to you.

Excape

[Nursemom0316]

See, I'm so glad I'm not alone! They are doing so much more than just lung

damage, and it really needs to be studied as well for them to understand

the full scope of possible harm from vaping. Good luck on your quit journey.

[Barbscloud]

Welcome to the Ex.  Congrats on your decision to quit.  We're here to support you on your journey and look forward to celebrating your quit date.

Barb

[maryfreecig]

What value do you assign to answering the question is-it-harder? If the answer is yes, how will that inform you, going forward in your quit? I quit smoking at age 54. Was that harder than had I quit at the age of 18 a year after starting smoking (likely, but I still had to quit no matter what)? I'm a woman--did that make it harder? Etc.

If the answer is no, will you believe it? Quitting is a process--nicotine is the addiction. If your vape pod or a cigarette has no nicotine, both users will be frustrated because they want their drug.

Prep is important, preparing for cravings, staying close to support, including Ex, continuing to learn about the addiction--these are your options. Answering the question yes or no to your question is more errand of conjecture, opinionating. But quitting requires more than conjecture, it requires strategy, getting mentally prepared to say no,  I don't do that anymore.

My input is meant to help, if it is no use to you, leave it behind--as Ex says--take what you need, leave the rest.

[CompulsivePsych]

Thanks Mary,

Some good stuff to think about here! I'm mostly asking (consciously, anyway) to see if there are differences in strategy prior to the quit date and to see how other ex-vapers have adapted strategies meant for quitting cigarettes to vapes.