Tell us how you are doing

[MrsTerriJane]

Lets share our victories and celebrate them. Lets share our woes and guve each other support. How have family and co-workers and friends reacted to your ecig quit?

I have to say I've gotten no negative reactions from anyone...everyone in my circle of fam,friends, coworkers have been very supportive.

i have had a couple of stressed out crabby moments when the thought of bumming a "real" cig crossed my mind. But I remembered what I have read here many times....the cig would not change my circumstances. So I just pushed the thought away ( and away and away and away) and just dealt with it. I will say I am much less crabby than when I used the patch. I think I might vaguely remember saying I was going to rip the patch off my arm and sove it down my dh throat LOL Maybe that was a dream.....anyway today was a great day. Hope yours was too.

[misscandy]

Saturday at 1:00 I will be 4 weeks without smoking. I still can't believe it.

So far I've only gotten support from everyone in real life. All four of the smokers at work are considering trying. Lots of support from the one co-worker that quit 9 years ago. It's good to talk to him - he even admitted that even now he still wants them, but knows he can't.

I haven't really had many crabby moments except the first few days. I still feel very foggy and tired, but can breathe much better.

I'm going to place my order for lower nicotine. Probably lower than I originally planned. If I can I'm going to get some zero to start using at night.

All in all today was a very good day and I'm excited about the 4 weeks.

[MrsTerriJane]

Congrats on 4 weeks!! That is huge. Dont you love smelling good? I used to walk into meetings feeling so self concious about smelling like smoke. I would try to sit a chair away from anyone. Now I walk in and sit wherever I want. Its awesome you are able to influence a smoking co worker by example. Passing it forward...woohoo for you.

[misscandy]

I've always been concerned about the smell, but never realized how bad it really is. It does feel good to not worry about it anymore.

I also can't believe how quickly my teeth got whiter. I always thought coffee was the biggest reason, but doesn't look that way. I was more concerned/embarrassed about that then the smell.

[Wintering]

As of today, I've been smoke-free for 8 months. It hasn't been easy, but I'm pretty proud of myself. This is the longest I've gone without a cig, after smoking for 37 years. Yay me!

[Marvitta]

As of today, I've been smoke-free for 8 months. It hasn't been easy, but I'm pretty proud of myself. This is the longest I've gone without a cig, after smoking for 37 years. Yay me!

Wintering,

I think a big Congrats is in order !

[MrsTerriJane]

Wintering,
congrats. wow. you are my hero. do you still get strong urges or have they settled down? These will be your first non smoking holidays..what an awesome present to yourself. if it were me i would buy myself a really fabulous pair of shoes and strut into the "room with a sassy shoes and wonderful smelling perfume. You deserve a big round of applause. thans for giving us the incentive to be 8 months smoke free.

[Inquistadora]

What I'm planning for my post-quit celebration is to pitch all my smelly coats and treat myself to a couple of very nice, expensive, stylish new ones. My coats are the WORST because I used to smoke outdoors most of the time. I'll be looking at a top-of-the-line best technology raincoat (gortex or whatever is best in class these days with a warm zip-in lining) and then also a scrumptious, tailored wool coat, knee-length with lapels

I am already in the postive $ situation, so I will first spend my savings on getting all the clothes that ever got anywhere NEAR my stinky coats dry cleaned! Then, I paint the house, LOL.

[MrsTerriJane]

what a neat reward...hmmmmmm...now i need to think up a good one for me. i live in the south so i dont get to wear a coat very often...I'm thinking maybe a spa day. That sounds wonderful. That is something to look forward to. Hear's to us and getting our great rewards.

[Inquistadora]

Spa day sounds good! Full body massage, herb packs, sauna, pedicure . . . You can easily pay for it by deploying the money you haven't spent on cigarettes! Whee!

[flintop12]

As of today, I've been smoke-free for 8 months. It hasn't been easy, but I'm pretty proud of myself. This is the longest I've gone without a cig, after smoking for 37 years. Yay me!

congrets wintering

you are trying to free smoking so you are success.

[saraf3m]

Back in May my husband and I decided to try electronic cigarettes. He wanted to find a better smoking alternative to smoking after losing his dad to cancer the year before, and I wanted to cut out my cigarettes during working hours (12 hr shifts at a hospital).
I was actually never in the mindset to fully quit, but I hated being the one that smelled like a butt when I got back from break, as well as walking all the way off campus to indulge in my addiction.
Our package arrive on June 2nd and my husband immediately assembled his unit and was happy with his purchase. He threw away all his tobacco and filters and everything associated that night. I took longer to come around and didn't fully switch over until June 5th. I kept the last of an open pack of smokes in my freezer "just in case"...until this past Thanksgiving when I finally threw them away. Not only did I not need them, I forgot about them! The hold of the cigarette over me was over. They don't even tempt me now, even as I grade down from my nicotine levels.
Life has been good. I can breathe. I've lost ~30 pounds. My house, my clothes and my hair smell good. I can taste things again. I am LESS stressed and can deal with challenges with an uncorrupted mindset. And I feel good about helping others to try this method if they ask...and here's the following list of how they are doing:

My mother - tried a 510 set (aka Titan/Yeti/Dura) - this set has a lower battery life but most resembles the shape and feel of a cigarette. She uses this only around the new babies in the family (My sister and brother both have new baby boys!)
My father - tried an eGo - is back to smoking because he says its not the same and feels too much like a pipe compared to smoking. The vapor did not have enough "substance" for him and the "drag" was different.
My sister - sent her a 510 set with some flavors - she had been quit for over a year because of pregnancy and now new baby, but told me that she occasionally still craves a smoke/has an urge. She's not yet picked up a smoke, and she now has 0 nic juice in case she needs to reach for something to keep her off
My MIL - had gone back to smoking occasionally with the neighbors and eventually bought herself a pack. We got her an eGo and some fun bakery and candy flavors. - She's been smoke free at 0 nic for 5 months and counting
My SIL - got her the same set as my mother and shipped to her the same time as my MIL - She's been loving coffee flavors as has been smoke free at 0 nic for 5 months like my MIL
Lisa - personal friend, got an eGo set and some banana flavor - She's been smoke free and uses 18mg since end of August
Karen - personal friend, got an eGo set and some fruit/candy flavor - She was only an occasional smoker when she drinks and has not reported any slip backs at this time (got the same time as Lisa)
James - personal friend, got himself a 510 set and was not happy with running out of juice and battery life and slipped back. We got him an eGo with LR 306 atomizer and he did well for a while and then slipped back. Just too easy to buy a pack. Then he discovered people at work who used ecigs and with the help of peer pressure and further asthma symptoms for incentive he is back to smoke free at this time.
Lucy - coworker, won a free 510 set contest from a vendor and also gave her a 510 pass through with a bottle of cantaloupe liquid in October, she has been cutting down cigarettes before and now is sharing her set with family as well as using it to help her stay away from smokes
Loretta - coworker, smoked cloves so I gave her an eGo with samplings of strong flavors - she slipped back once for a day when she couldn't get the vapor she wanted and she got cartomizers. I showed her how to fill them with her own flavors and what to look for and she's back to ecig happiness.

Doesn't seem like many people, but they are people I care for and most seem happier to be free from the pack. Not for everyone (like my parents), and some need the social encouragement or the face to face Q&A to cross that bridge and really break the initial change. Not everyone's goal is 0 nic (like my husband), and as an alternative I feel good about the use of these products over smoking.
I've been a Nursing Assistant for over 6 years, and currently work on the Surgical Telemetry floor of my local hospital. Nicotine will slow the healing of bones, and raise your heart rate. These are things to consider if you want to try this method and I strongly encourage a heart to heart with your physician if you have any medical concerns, or if you experience any side effects if you are currently using this. I DID have withdrawal symptoms, for 2 weeks, when I initially switched. They mimicked flu symptoms and I felt weak and tired, stuffed up, dry cough, off stomache...and then I was free.
If you've read this far, thank you for letting me share, your continued support, and I hope this encourages as much as I've been encouraged.

TL/DR: Helped some people and myself break from the pack with ecig, most stayed off the pack, end goal for me is 0 nic for New Year

[shc]

Congratulations Sara. You have done a terrific job helping all of those folks. Keep up the good work.
Happy smoke free New Year!

[MrsTerriJane]

Sarah,
That was a great post. It really encouraged me to hear, um, I mean read, the success stories. Thank you for taking the time to let us know. This is really working for me but it's only been 6 1/2 weeks. I love reading about quits that are much longer and continuing onward. Happy days!

[EaglesWing]

Great post sara! Thank you soo much for sharing. Keep us updated on
your own quit as well k?