2 Months in and feeling a bit low........ is this normal? Ecig users advice needed please :)

[Pinkiezoom]

ok so 2 months being smoke free, and the last few days I have been gagging for a real cigarette

I dont really understand it, but I have reduced my nicotine to 1.6% it seems a massive drop from 2.4%, could it really be this that is making me feel low and desperate for a real smoke?

Had my first holiday ( mini break ) in Paris as a non smoker, and I felt proud that I did it, but my god I was jealous of everyone else!!!!!!

Anyone else on Ecig who has dropped the nic, any advice please, should I go back up to 2.4%? I am not sure if its just all the stuff that has happened over the last month or so catching up, and I am blaming the quitting for how I am feeling or what.

Thanks in advance.

Al xx

[jillygirl Administrator LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi Al, I felt like that at about 2 months , It will pass. probably a lot to do with what you have been through , not the ciggys.

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner in reply to jillygirl]

Hi Jilly,

thanks hun, its good to know i am not just having a minor breakdown lol!

I have realised though that i only considered upping my nicotine and not actually buying a pack of fags, so this has to be classed as a victory lol!

I think you are right, think i am also using the quitting as an escape goat for what has really been happening in my life. Always had my ciggies to help me through these times in the past, so its all kind of new really. On the upside, no way i would go back to the fags because of a man x

[EmJay Partner]

Morning Al, lovely to have you back

With regards to the e-cig, I'm not really sure about reducing levels of nicotine. However, what I do know is that when using other NRT products and reducing down to the next level - although the user will be fine doing so - they will quite often go through the psychological side of 'knowing' they have reduced and so will tell themselves this in more of a negative way rather than positive.

So, self talk plays a huge part here. For example, most folks will think "I'm reducing my nicotine intake, I'm going to struggle" instead of "I've come far enough down the road now I'm on the next stage where I don't need as much nicotine"

Also, remember those nicotine receptors will still be lurking about - during the earlier stages of quitting, they appear to be around all the time. After a few weeks they seem to 'pipe' down a bit. After some time, when they do pay a visit it feels quite intense.

When stopping smoking, you may be armed with e-cigs, NRT, support (on-line or face to face) - there is something else that you need to put into your bag of support - something that you don't really have much control over but is really important... This is something that we call 'time'. You have done ever so well to come this far and it's important you can recognise this

As JillyGirl says, you have also had to deal with quite a lot on top of having to deal with the nicotine monster too. Things may seem to be more intense because of everything that has happened to you.

We'll get you through this, just keep on keeping on for now and remember to NOPE all the way

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner in reply to EmJay]

Thank you Emjay, i think i am using the ciggies as a scape goat for what has really been going on, on the upside, i didnt buy any real ones, and never really considered it, it was just the nicotine level i was going to increase, so this is actually a small victory i feel lol x

[Kaprin]

Hi Al, I was the same with the patches, think it was more the fear of not having one on and took me a while to realise this although there were days I never put one on until lunchtime so definitely did not need them, think our minds play tricks on us at times, now just using the gum but have to admit using more out of habit than real need and intend to break of these within the next week or two now, it's a comfort blanket I think, time to buy the polo mints I think, not sure about anyone else but always feel I have a dry throat and therefore need something. anyone else feel the same so far in the quit?

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner in reply to Kaprin]

Thanks Kaprin i think from all the replies it is just my mind playing tricks. So will stick it out on the lower level at least for another week x

[ChrissieG]

Hi Al

I see you've already has some really good responses so I just want to say that it is so great to have you back - I've really missed you

So how was jakes's 21st and everything that happened for that and how was Paris? (I'm sooooooo jealous - I've never done Paris but would really love to!!)

I think you are doing so well re the smoking and I agree that today was a victory in that you were thinking e-liquids and didn't even consider cigarettes - that is fantastic so well done you!

A have a HUGE hug to celebrate xxx

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner in reply to ChrissieG]

Hi Chrissie and thank you, you know what is really spooky, my sons name is Zac, but everyone calls him JAKE!! and so did you...funnily enough i did consider Jake for him too lol. Everything went well, it was my first break without smoking so felt a little odd, sitting in a cafe watching the world go by with a coffee, but no smokes x

[monky Administrator 35 Months Winner]

Aupppppppp Al, oooooo its lovely to see you gal

Hey your 2 flippin Months quit now, so you stay strong and keep focused eh ermmmmm, am just wondering Al, if you have 2 e-cigs, then perhaps you could have the 1.6% nic in one of them, and the 2.4% nic in the other if you see what I mean

This way, when the going gets really though for you, have a slurp on the 2.4% e-cig, then when it is calmer for you, use the 1.6% e-cig cut down gradually eh

Anti mr nic huggs heading your way gal xx

[Hidden in reply to monky]

haha and when the going gets really tough puff on them both at the same time. Actually I've done that in the past, had two different levels in two different e-cigs, (not used them both at the same time ) but I've found that even with exactly the same make of e-cig with exactly the same make of liquid in they can be slightly different, just shows that there's not much in the way of quality control going on with the manufacturing of them.

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner in reply to monky]

I will give that a try Pete x

[chronis 16 Months Winner]

I start with 18mg and went I drop to 12 mg have severe withdralls for about 2 month. Now i;m trying to go for 12 to 9 but with indermidiate step mix one of 12 with some of 6 to be around 10-11 (tip they told me here in this forum) and now I;m having some withdrall like foggy head......so patience. patience.

patience, nothing else help....we have to lower the nicotine in order to quit it for good. because e-cif is not for ever.