jonnoh

I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I am however, releated by injection to a pharmacist. Seriously, I guess I must be borderline diabetic as my blood sugar always tests a bit high and use glucophage (how to spell?) and since vaping to replace smoking nothing has changed either way, up or down. I think there is a discussion about diabetes on the forum that deals with medical stuff here.

I now can feel my fingers And I can feel my toes I'm vaping now not smoking And so the feeling grows. I'm vaping to the wind And everywhere I go I will vape for ever And never let it go You know I love it, I always will My mind's made up by the way I now feel It began for me in '13, It'll never end On that U.S. you can depend I'm vaping toward the ceiling As I lay on my bed I kinda get to thinkin' By now I could be dead. With vaping no more coughing, So I'll continue To keep my mods around me, in everything I do. You know I love it, I always will My mind's made up by the way I now feel It began for me in '13, it'll never end On that U. S. you can depend. So you've got the tell the gov'ment Not to be a fool Cuz vaping is the future The very best of tools.

It's really cool to see how people reconcile the savings on analogues compared to expenditures on vaping products. We all have a different approach. I always justified anything I bought by how much I would have spent on 2 packs a day. But I have an advantage. My sig other is always buying me cool stuff. I hope it's because he's happy I'm not smoking so I'll live longer, but honestly I think it's because he hates the smell of tobacco

Uh oh! My stupid is showing. I thought I could just click on the banner and change the amount of analogue cost and it would auto change in my post but I forgot how to do it.

By government order, analogues are now RM 13.50 per pack. I just changed my counter to reflect the price increase. I have now saved well over RM 15,000. I of course realise this isn't dollars, and of course I didn't spend that much when I first started vaping, but you've got to admit it looks impressive. Too bad I'm still looking for where it goes. Oh yeah, divide by 3 to get approx US dollars.

Is he from Colorado?

Hi Patricia, so sorry to hear about your dad. I wish I had some good insight into tanks but I think I am deprived as I have such limited sources for tanks and other stuff in Malaysia without paying ridiculous shipping fees and indeterminate tax rates at customs, so I live with what usually comes with kits. Usually some Iclear types of tanks and generic minis.

I know, very late to this topic. But this subject is up close and personal to me. I've been vaping exclusively for about 18 months and I still love the smell of tobacco smoke. I think I'm like a dog in heat when I smell someone smoking on the street. Blow it my way!!!!! I also go to the smokers lounge at the airport to get a strong dose of second hand smoke. Sheesh! Here's how strong the addiction is. I finished my last cig 4 may 2013 outside my sig others shop at closing time at 9 pm here in Malaysia. It was an Indonesian clove cigarette, as they last longer than a typical Marlboro Red. I ground it out in the corner of a neighbouring shop's grill. It was there for weeks later maybe he doesn't sweep often. Then my addiction kicked in. I started to think, "hey! when it's 12 midnight here, it's only noon in New York and I'm American not Malaysian, so it's still my birthday in my home country so I can smoke 12 more hours". Then at noon the next day I started thinking, "hey! it's midnight in New York, but only 9 in California, and only 6 in Hawaii! That's still in my country so I can still smoke 6 more hours!". Then I ran out of excuses and haven't really looked back. It's truly almost painless once you've made up your mind to do it. I firmly believe the FDA did a stupid thing making nicotine the bad guy when there are so many many chemicals in tobacco smoke that mimic narcotics, bronchodilators, steroids etc. If I'd known to be prepared for that I'd have been less scared of switching to vaping. Just knowing the enemy makes an easier fight. I wish the FDA had fought for full disclosure of what goes into cigarettes and what comes out rather than the stupid nicotine is the bad guy route. It's truly a struggle, but vaping cuts all the corners off and makes it a smooth transition that's also entertaining and fun. I hope you're doing better now.

I vote for the water and potassium fix. I read years ago that muscle cramps often relate to a potassium deficiency and the cure? As stated above, a banana and water. Works almost instantly. Really! Then recently, I heard watermelon also works so I tried it and yep it does, except takes longer because of all the work to open the thing to get enough.

Oooops I mean I'll share the oak image, not the actual oak.

Mirage, thanks for the 'heads up' I know nicotine is a vasoconstrictor but only from experience and anecdotal evidence circulation has improved with vaping including nicotine. I am convinced there are other agents in tobacco smoke that contribute. I only have my experience with little buddy, although I much prefer your mighty oak illustration which I shall share vigorously at the pup later.

When I first replaced smoking with vaping, I got those pins and needles sensations mostly in my fingers and lower extremities. I put it off to improving circulation. Smoking closes blood vessels and that's why smokers tend to have cold feet and hands and men experience less sensation in that other important area. That's why many health care experts say smoking is a sex killer. Without cigarettes circulation returns with some surprising benefits

Selamat Datang, Selamat Jalan! (Welcome and good journey in Malay) After about a year and half without cigs, cigars, and pipes, it's still fun...... and the unbelievable part? After almost 50 years as a die hard smoker, totally painless!!!! YES!

I think testimony is a valuable tool if there's enough. Or if it's powerful enough. And even all drippy if it gets to someone's heart. Drippy certainly works in songs. ("and honey I miss you..... and I'm bein' good....and I'd love to be with you...... if only I could") But seriously, if tomorrow they took away my right to vape, it'd be a death sentence and that's not too strong. I would immediately go back to smoking only more so. I've been vaping for about 18 months and have got used to chain vaping because mostly I can. That's a reality. I'm sure I would try to smoke just as much and often. I've kinda put my former smoking in the same category as a chronic illness like diabetes. I can live a normal and relatively healthy life as long as I can vape to keep the tobacco at bay. Sure there may be incidents where someone gets hurt (not very likely) but there are also incidents where people don't get their insulin right and have overdoses etc. Should we make insulin illegal because of that? I think that would fly like a rock balloon. So after all this long winded tirade, I too think a testimonial forum is a good idea.

Welcome! So many people talking about sub ohm and other concepts I don't get. Time to get off my lazy (fill in your favourite word) and learn some more

Welcome to VT from a lover not a fighter

and maybe, just maybe, a bit of ammunition for enlightening the FDA all in one place. Nah, on second thought, the FDA isn't interested in being "enlightened" by us. What do we know? What do we know? I think we each know a lot more than the FDA does collectively. We also care more because it's up close and personal. We've experienced the damage, the addiction, the impossible to quit feeling, the life without cigarettes, pipes, cigars isn't worth living feeling. We've experienced lately the hate from the get rid of cigarettes nazis, the not near my kids syndrome, not in the house rule, not in the mall rule, not in the office rule, not in the pub rule (for the gods' sake!), not in the restaurant rule and even not outdoors except in designated areas rule. And any other venue you might think of. Now something comes along that actually makes quitting smoking virtually painless and it is poo pood. Finally a method comes along that has no side effects except better breathing, more energy, more stamina, probably longer healthier life, no second hand smoke and it's vilified! What morons we elect and appoint. This should be touted from the highest hills, given the best Madison Ave. treatment and yes I'll say it, even offered as an alternative to kids considering taking up cigarettes. It's far less addictive than all the whatever is added to tobacco, and as easy to avoid even after long use, as coffee.

As we say in Malaysia, "finish already lah"

Great info. Thanks for taking the time to give the heads up. I think it is so helpful to find stuff that works for newbies who have no clue to find something that's reasonably priced that performs. I sure wasted a couple of years and a lot of money trying flops. You could buy 3 of these for less than 100 bucks and have 2 backups. I probably spent at least 5 times that just messing about by highly touted stuff that didn't work worth (fill in with your favourite worthless word

Welcome! Say hi to Alibaba for me.

A huge congratulations! I too suffered from terrible devices when I started a couple of years ago. Then, here in Malaysia, at a tiny kiosk in the hallway of a not too popular mall, they sold those things that looked disarmingly like cigarettes but didn't work well at all. You had to drip liquid into the filter looking part, and the white part was the battery. The taste was mediocre for a puff or two, then bad. Then the battery would go flat. I gave it up as a lost cause. Then the pen. I got that online where I had to bank into their account before they would ship from Joher Baru and they were very good but the product was almost as bad as the cigalike. Then comes Alibaba! I had to pay through Western Union and then it took weeks to come from China..... Also as bad as the cigalikes. Then a miracle. I saw a guy at the bank toking on a penalike thingy that actually seemed to work. I was waiting my turn at the bank, drinking coffee at the cafe next door and this guy was selling an online service so we chatted and it turned out to be an eGo type with a small plastic tank, but it lasted through two cups of coffee, and was still going strong after I finished my banking. Finally something that might work. I found out sorta where he bought it but didn't really get it because we don't speak the same language very well. I told my sig other about it, and he researched it and surprise! He ordered some eGo VV twists and a few adequate tanks from several brands and some flavours and OMG I was off. I've improved my stash over the past eighteen months and am SMOKE FREE after almost fifty years! Shock and Awe it is and it works.

I just posted about quitting vaping because lately here there have been people who've posted about thinking about quitting vaping. People here whose posts I've read carefully because they are thoughtful, intelligent, interesting and most of all entertaining. Maybe this is just evolution in action. I'm no where near that yet if ever. I started this just to get off the cigs, and it's worked almost flawlessly which causes me to digress a bit. THOSE IDIOTS THAT WON'T LET E-CIGS BE ADVERTISED AS A QUITTING SMOKING METHOD ARE BARKING MAD. I can't imagine relegating all my cool stuff that I've accumulated over the past 18 months to a museum corner in some lonely room. Of course I know I could pay it forward to give others the gift of a cigarette free life. It really is a gift and I pay homage to the engineers and designers who have developed these products so that I can live smoke free. To me, smoking is like a chronic disease like maybe diabetes. With vaping, I can live a normal life, but need the vape to keep the disease at bay. I'm looking at my lineup of batteries, tanks, liquids etc. and a fondness wells up in my heart. So, because I just was looking for something to quit smoking and it has worked, and it turned into something so pleasurable, that the thought of quitting is hardly even a seed in my mind. I pay homage to the gods of vaping all. The designers, engineers, manufacturers, distributors, sellers, shippers, end users and sharers, and of course lobbyists! May your gods continue to shine their magic onto you!

I have to admit to a certain resentment I used to feel towards people who'd successfully quit smoking. Like maybe they were like the rats deserting the sinking ship. Leaving the club. Traitors to the cause. Or maybe just totally jealous of those who could do what I couldn't. I would of course cover by saying how much I admired them for their success because to me it would have been the hardest thing I'd ever done, and I couldn't muster the internal fortitude to do it. Now that vaping is here I have to re evaluate. With vaping, quitting cigs was initially terrifying, but ultimately painless. I'm still totally amazed and awed. Those words aren't too strong. Now, I know this guy who sells CCTV stuff locally and he and I started vaping at about the same time. I must admit I really don't enjoy his company very much and used to cringe when he hale and hearty wanted to chat in the pub. But we suddenly had something in common and used to talk about our successive improvement in equipment, how we didn't miss cigs etc. and he got into making mods out of wooden boxes and some of his designs were awesome to behold. The reason I don't really enjoy his company is that he's one of those guys who can out do anything I ever did. He can swim farther, run faster, earn more, sell better, you know the guy. Now he can out design me So he one upped me yet again. A few months ago he also quit vaping by the time tested method of reducing nicotine content over time and he's now so proud yet again. It reminds me of a Reader's Digest piece called 'Weaned at Last' It merely consisted of a series of pics. The first one showed a baby breast feeding, the second one showed the kid a toddler sucking on a bottle, the third a youngish boy sucking on a lolly pop, then the forth, as a teen smoking a cigarette, and the final pic as a young adult smiling with the caption, 'Weaned at Last'. Anyway that same resentment started to creep in, and I should be really happy that this guy is able to now live his life without putting any foreign substance into his lungs, yet it's still there in the back of my mind. Of course we went into this venture with different goals. Mine to just get off the analogues, and see what happens. His was to get off analogues and then get off vaping. Just throwing this out there to see if anyone salutes. Cheers! Jon

Welcome to VT! I would like to pass on my pearls of wisdom such as they are. I was a two plus pipe sometimes and occasional Cuban cigar, Marlboro or Dunhill reds smoker for almost 50 years. I really thought I would die choking to death, but preferred that to quitting as life without cigs didn't seem worth living. But once I discovered vaping with good equipment, and high enough nicotine content, (18mg for me), quitting was almost totally painless. The difficulty was for me, making the decision to go off the cigs completely in favour of vapes. Because a few times I've been caught short when equipment failed, or batteries couldn't be charged and I used analogues to 'survive', I really came to believe that the other 4000 chemicals in tobacco and tobacco smoke are far more addictive than admitted. So be prepared for those cravings that aren't satisfied with nicotine and vapour clouds and hand to mouth action. They are there but easily managed and hardly noticible, yet sneaky. If I had known this the decision to exchange vaping for smoking would have been a lot easier. Best of luck!

Selamat Datang! (Welcome in Malay)