Supportive

[BMW]

I've been reading the introductions and am impressed with how supportive everyone is.

I had a huge tumor removed from my brain on Nov.2nd and now have to quit smoking after forty years of 1&1/2 pk a day! The worst part of being in the hospital was not being allowed to smoke--Thats pathetic. But, I've always hated the way cigs make every thing smell and hate being addicted to anything. I'm going to be on disability for awhile and belive me, it ain't no way to get rich. I only heard about e-cigs a week ago and have been on the web and just about every site ever since. I think I'm leaning towards the DSE801 or the njoy with the bigger battery. My pocket book is sorely limited so I'm feeling really cautious--I could buy a carton of cigs for what one of these things cost! I know, That doesn't sound very commited to quitting. But, I happen to really enjoy smoking and can't imagine being able to quit after all these years. Nicorate and patches are a joke. I think I need the oral satisfaction more then the nicotin. Can anyone tell me which one would be my best bet-- 801 verses njoy or perhaps something else? Thanks so much, BMW

[BMW]

Opps I goofed. I meant the Joye 510 not the njoy (is there such a thing)? Anyway, Any advice will be appriciated.

[Brian]

Welcome BMW! You've definatley found a place with a bunch of friendly, helpful and supportive folk. I, like many others, started with a 510 and love it. I smoked 1 to 1 1/2 packs a day for 20 years. Once I started vaping, I haven't looked back. I like vaping more than I liked smoking. It's been really amazing. As has been said here many times, don't put any pressure on yourself to quit smoking. Just start vaping and see what happens. I started vaping on a Tuesday evening. I vaped only in the evenings after work and found that after a couple of days I was missing my vape while at work smoking analogs. That same Saturday I vaped all day and was done smoking. So, don't puressure yourself. We had a 2 day power outage here last weekend and I had to smoke some analogs for a day after all my batteries died... no big deal. I would highly recommend a 510 starter kit. However, most people end up going for a MOD soon after getting a starter kit. The batteries that come with a starter kit generally last 1-2 hours at best so most people after liking the 510 eventually get a batterly mod such as the Spade, VP1 or VP2. I have Spade and a VP2 and love the spade (VP2 is for Christmas so haven't used it yet). The batteries for the spade will last 4-5 hours per charge. The Mods are a little more expensive, but most people end up getting one eventually. The VT store has a Spade starter kit you may want to check out. Anyhow, I've babbled on long enough. Don't hesitate to ask any questions and again - Welcome!

And BTW - when I had to smoke those analogs during the power outage - ICK!!! They sure were nasty. I've stocked up on batteries this week and will be prepared next time!

Edited December 25, 2009 by Brian

[keenan]

Welcome BMW ! Im gonna move this post to the Noobie section where your question may get answered quicker.

[Christopher]

Joye 510 is probably your best bet and it's what we recommend to everyone who starts. The 801 atomizer is great but only when you use it on a custom mod, the 801 starter kits are just ok.

Why they asked you to stop smoking? Is it because of the nicotine?

[Speakeasy]

Welcome, BMW....You found the right place. Kickin' those analogs will be a lot easier than you think....

[mcquinn]

It took me five years after my heart attack to find a way to quit smoking .Boy if I would have had a 510 back then.I tried patches ,pills nose sprays ,candy toothpicks ,cold turkey (not too bad on rye with mustard but don't ry to light it) vaping is the only thing that works for me it has been four months since I smoked and I have come down from 24 mg liquid to 11 mg and I ordered some 6 mg tonight .

[nana]

Welcome to the forum BMW. Sorry to hear about your tumor. I hope you're doing okay by now.

My opinion is that the 510 would work best for you. The 801 is good, but the 510 is better. The battery life isn't great, but the vapor is awesome. That's what makes the difference for me. I need the action of vaping, but need the vapor as much. I have the VP2 with the adapter for the 510 atty and really love it. The battery life is awesome - 8 to 12 hours for me - but it is expensive and since you need to be careful with the money, you might not want to go that route right now. But you just can't go wrong with the 510.

Just be sure to get juice to keep you going, then as you can afford it, get an extra atty or two and maybe an extra battery or two. It's best to stay ahead on those things. A good idea is to order a battery or an atty every time you order more juice. (not my idea, someone else's from this forum, but I can't remember who) Another great thing to have is the passthrough for the 510. It plugs into your computer and you can vape as long as you like without having to worry about batteries. If you get an adapter for it, you can plug it into your car cig lighter and vape in the car. But that could be later as funds allow.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you chose. Ask any questions and they will be answered.

[Jeffb]

Hi BMW & welcome. I can relate to the "enjoying smoking" part of your post. I felt the same way. I know others on here do to. I can honestly say now that I enjoy vaping more. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.

[BMW]

Joye 510 is probably your best bet and it's what we recommend to everyone who starts. The 801 atomizer is great but only when you use it on a custom mod, the 801 starter kits are just ok.

Why they asked you to stop smoking? Is it because of the nicotine?

Hi Christopher:

Boy do I feel stupid. I've never joined a forum before and have no idea if this is how you reply. Hopefully it is or everyone is going to think I'm really rude. Anyway to answere your question. Its not the nicotine but actually the smoke from the tabacco. Smoke deprives your blood of oxegen and interfers with circulation which seriously interfers with the healing process. I participated in a "quit smoking" demonstration years ago that required you not to smoke for at least four hours. They then put pulse sensors on your right hand and then layed your hand on a heat sensing, infared device. They then had you smoke a cigerette. It was scary cause you could literally watch the blood flow receed from your hand. They also had you blow into a device that measured the oxegen levels in you lungs before and after the test. Hugh drop. Check out smokers hands verses non smoker hands. Once a smoker reaches thirty-five, forty their hands look twice as old as a nonsmokers. Blood carrys oxegen and our poor old hands have been seriously deprived not to mention the rest of our bodies.

[BMW]

Help, I don't know how to reply properly. Heck, I don't know how to reply period.

To everyone who answered my post-Thank you. I think I'm supposed to be in the nubee section. Sorry!!!

[Brian]

You're doing fine - don't worry - you'll have this forum figured out in no time. There are quite a few of us here (myself included)who had never joined a forum before. Rumor has it that Chris spreads pixie dust over the internet to attract us and make us want to sign up. For me, I think I'm as addicted to this forum now as I am to vaping.

Thanks for sharing that information about reducing oxygen to the brain. I guess that explains why I feel smarter since I started vaping.

[BMW]

Welcome BMW! You've definatley found a place with a bunch of friendly, helpful and supportive folk. I, like many others, started with a 510 and love it. I smoked 1 to 1 1/2 packs a day for 20 years. Once I started vaping, I haven't looked back. I like vaping more than I liked smoking. It's been really amazing. As has been said here many times, don't put any pressure on yourself to quit smoking. Just start vaping and see what happens. I started vaping on a Tuesday evening. I vaped only in the evenings after work and found that after a couple of days I was missing my vape while at work smoking analogs. That same Saturday I vaped all day and was done smoking. So, don't puressure yourself. We had a 2 day power outage here last weekend and I had to smoke some analogs for a day after all my batteries died... no big deal. I would highly recommend a 510 starter kit. However, most people end up going for a MOD soon after getting a starter kit. The batteries that come with a starter kit generally last 1-2 hours at best so most people after liking the 510 eventually get a batterly mod such as the Spade, VP1 or VP2. I have Spade and a VP2 and love the spade (VP2 is for Christmas so haven't used it yet). The batteries for the spade will last 4-5 hours per charge. The Mods are a little more expensive, but most people end up getting one eventually. The VT store has a Spade starter kit you may want to check out. Anyhow, I've babbled on long enough. Don't hesitate to ask any questions and again - Welcome!

And BTW - when I had to smoke those analogs during the power outage - ICK!!! They sure were nasty. I've stocked up on batteries this week and will be prepared next time!

Brian: Thank you so much for your response to my post. I hope your having a great Christmas. I'm so glad I found this forum! I'm sure I'm going to need all the help I can get as I still have short term memory loss-did I just type that? Just joking. Not quite that bad but, when you cant find your hand lotion and later discover it in the freezer, it gets your attention. Not sure why I put it in the freezer in the first place buuut, that's a problem for another day. Anywho, thank you again for responding. Hope to here from you again

BMW

[BMW]

Hi BMW & welcome. I can relate to the "enjoying smoking" part of your post. I felt the same way. I know others on here do to. I can honestly say now that I enjoy vaping more. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.

Thank You very much Mr. Jeff B. I am really looking forward to "vaping". It would be so amazing not to want, need a cigerette after all these years. I can only hope I don't screw it all up right out the gate. I feel a whole lot better having a forum to go to for assistance. Am I in the right forum or am I as a nubee, nobee, noobe noobee, etc. etc. etc. supposed to be somewhere else? Hope you had a great Christmas also. Take care and I'LL BE BACK somewhere.

[Brian]

Brian: Thank you so much for your response to my post. I hope your having a great Christmas. I'm so glad I found this forum! I'm sure I'm going to need all the help I can get as I still have short term memory loss-did I just type that? Just joking. Not quite that bad but, when you cant find your hand lotion and later discover it in the freezer, it gets your attention. Not sure why I put it in the freezer in the first place buuut, that's a problem for another day. Anywho, thank you again for responding. Hope to here from you again

BMW

You're quite welcome!

Ya know - I've put my coffee grounds in the freezer before, and just last week, after fixing the kids some ice cream, I put the ice cream it in the refridgerator instead of the freezer (luckily my wife found it before it melted), but I just thought it was meant I'm getting old.

[BMW]

Thank You very much Mr. Jeff B. I am really looking forward to "vaping". It would be so amazing not to want, need a cigerette after all these years. I can only hope I don't screw it all up right out the gate. I feel a whole lot better having a forum to go to for assistance. Am I in the right forum or am I as a nubee, nobee, noobe noobee, etc. etc. etc. supposed to be somewhere else? Hope you had a great Christmas also. Take care and I'LL BE BACK somewhere. BMW

[Jeffb]

Well BMW, now that you have more than 5 posts you are officially mature & not a noobie. . You are posting in the correct spot because you are responding to the posts in this thread. If you want to ask a different question just click on the "Start a new topic" button. You are doing fine. You'll get the hang of it.

[BMW]

Nana:

I have to thank you also for all the great info. I can definately see where this forum could become addictive or is it my addictive nature projecting? I didn't expect to hear from anyone for days so was really thrilled. I live alone so my computer has become my bestus best friend along with my dogs, cat, TV, cigerettes and did I mention cigerettes? I think this vaping is going to be alot of fun. Anythings gotta be more fun then cold turkey, nicorete, patches, massive amounts of junk food, candy, searching your car ashtray for butts when all else fails.

Hope you had a great Christmas and Thanks again. BMW

[keenan]

Hey Beemer. I was JUST like you when I first started, skeptical to say the least. I tried EVERYTHING, the gum, the lozenges, the patch ( couldnt keep it lit ), cold turkey, EVERYTHING. But, thing is, I didnt WANT to quit. I LOVED smoking. Hated hacking up a lung oyster every day, hated feeling weak all the time and out of breath. But, quite frankly, I didnt care, I liked smoking. What caught my eye with e cigs was the "alternative" to smoking aspect. I thought to myself, "self, I get to stop smoking, and KEEP smoking ?" Just seemed to good to be true. So I went into vaping, NOT intending to quit.I figured, if it could even just cut the cost down a little, thats a plus. But, these things ARE miracle workers, at least in my case. After making just a few minor tweeks at the beginning, without even realizing it, I wasnt smoking anymore. I didnt WANT a smoke anymore. It snuck up on me. It was SOOOOOO friggin cool. And the proof is in the pudding, the Govt thinks its wrong, so it MUST be right. Also, I have NEVER belonged to ANY forum before VT. Never even looked at one. I was SOOOOO lucky to find this place. I think the BIG reason the transition was so easy was because of Vapor Talk and all the great people on here. Everyone here, and I mean EVERYONE, looks forward in the most sincere way to helping you and everyone else become a part of the Vaping community, because when you win, we win. Keep us posted with your progress, and remember, we LOVE helping noobies out. Heck, I STILL consider MYSELF a noobie, Im ALWAYS learning something new here. See ya round !

[mcquinn]

I was just looking for something to use at work to beat the bans on smoking.Turned out I just don't smoke at all now.

[nana]

BMW, I have never joined a forum before this one. I saw no need to. I didn't want to. I was just looking for more info on ecigs and found this place. I started reading and couldn't seem to quit. And I do believe that rumor about Chris using pixie dust because I decided to join and wasn't sure why. I didn't know how to join, didn't know how to use the forum, and wasn't even sure I'd be accepted here. I still wonder if people sit at home reading my posts and wonder why I don't just shut up. I give advice and then wonder why I am because I'm so new to all of this. I've made more than my fair share of mistakes, typos, and misspoke several times. I worry that what I say will offend someone and there is no way I'd ever want to do that. I worry that I say too much. I feel like I'm posting too much. But I just can't help myself. And this is so unlike me, getting involved and talking to people I don't know is so unlike me. I've heard of people joining forums and saying they made some great friends and I thought that was completely stupid. How could you ever make friends with someone you've never met? And yet I feel like I have made friends here. So don't worry about making mistakes and you might make some friends. And yes, the forum is as addictive as vaping is.

I did have a good Christmas - even though we are snowed in at the moment. I hope you had a good

Christmas, too.

As for the rest about me, read Keenan's post. My story is almost exactly the same as his. I'm still amazed at how much I have in common with so many of the people here.

[BMW]

It took me five years after my heart attack to find a way to quit smoking .Boy if I would have had a 510 back then.I tried patches ,pills nose sprays ,candy toothpicks ,cold turkey (not too bad on rye with mustard but don't ry to light it) vaping is the only thing that works for me it has been four months since I smoked and I have come down from 24 mg liquid to 11 mg and I ordered some 6 mg tonight .

Hi Mcquinn:

Thank you for responding to my post. I'm ashamed to admit I had a heart attack in 02 but still couldn't quit smoking. There's so many aspects to smoking that simply aren't addresed with all the gums, sprays and patches. I'm just as addicted to the oral habit as the nicotin. I am so hoping vaping works for me. I've yet to read a post that says it doesn't help break the tabacco habit so I'm really excited that this may be the answere. It seems to be working really well for you and its sounds like your nearly there. Do you think you'll continue to vape with no nicotin or give it up entirely. Maybe I shouldn't think so far ahead. One post told me to take it slow and that sounds like good advice. By the way, why do they call cigerettes analogs?

Hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas and thanks again for the post.

[mcquinn]

Some call cigerettes analogs some call them stinkies,I call them history.I am not sure if I will keep vaping or not ,I kinda like the grape and RY4 and look forward to them.Time will tell.I kinda accelerated my program with all the bans in the news I am afraid I will get cut off in mid stream.There was a shortage of 302 attomizers in Oct. and Nov. that really had me freaked out ,kinda like when its snowing hard out and a smoker only has a half a pack,do you go out in the snow for carton just incase I remember picking butts out of the ashtrays during one blizzard .I ended up buying adapters to put 510 and 901 atty's on my 801 power gear just in case .Hang in there we are pulling for you.My Red Green quote.

[ddavelarsen]

Welcome BMW! Man I like this forum. You have found a good place. Not sure whether my story adds anything but I'll summarize just for grins. I was a heavy smoker for 40+ years. I smoked 25 or more Pall Mall non-filters every day; if my lungs could have taken it, I'd have smoked more - and more, more, more. I think I'm a nicotine junky. Now, like everyone else I've tried everything under the sun to quit smoking. My failures are legendary at my job. My coworkers were always hopeful when I'd begin to quit and saddened when I'd fail. Which, in a weird way made me feel good; that they cared at all about my health. Of course, my boss also cared about the accumulated time I'd spend in my car smoking! But probably I worried about that more than she did. In any event, smoking has effects on others around us too, so quitting smoking includes a small side benefit for those who care about us.

I only learned about vaping by accident. My brother found out about e-cigs and passed the info along to me. We ordered the same equipment at the same time - twice! First KR808 from Vapor4Life, a great company. But the e-cig was not quite sufficient to get me to quit. Same for my brother. He learned about mods and we ended up buying VP2s. Meanwhile, I'd found this forum and given all the great help from others managed to keep going with the initial unit until my VP2 arrived.

For a while there I'd pick up an analog, mostly out of habit I think, and quickly realize how awful it was. Soon I began using the KR808 over analogs virtually all the time. Keep in mind, I wasn't really trying to quit smoking; just toying with vaping. I'm in no way a technology early adopter, but I do like gadgets if they're cheap enough. The VP2 was kind of a big commitment. I knew that if I was going to risk that much money I was going to have to forsake analogs altogether. And it worked! Well, mostly. In the month I've 'quit smoking' I've probably had 10 analogs. They all sucked. But I was a smoker for so long and my life was so defined by that, it's been a strange trip to give them up. One day I bought a pack just on a whim. Promptly forgot I had them though, and they ended up going through the laundry unopened.

While that may sound uncommitted, I believe it shows how well vaping works to replace cigarettes -- you just forget about them. Old habits may die hard but they can die.

We all believe that vaping is safer than smoking; our experience makes that so clear that we sometimes take offense that others show skepticism. But I keep in mind that we don't have as much data around vaping as we do smoking. I'm 100% confident that my vaping is much better for me than smoking; there's no comparison. But we need to insist on objective data to back that up. Because vaping does work so well for so many, I think it's only a matter of time before that kind of information becomes more prevalent. Right now, the studies that support vaping are discounted by 'authorities' because 1) they're not US-based or 2) they've been requested by e-cig manufacturers. Naysayers can convince themselves that this means those studies are meaningless. I don't buy it, but I'm on the 'other side.' I know vaping is better than smoking, because my life has changed dramatically in a very short time. But that is not scientifically objective, and that's what it's going to take for vaping to become accepted 'officially.' Bummer. But that's real life.

While we don't often address them directly, there are downsides to vaping. Most obvious are the naysayers. There are many special interest groups who want to see e-cigs fail. Tobacco companies, for obvious reasons. Non-smoking groups for whatever reasons they have, which I doubt they can articulate either. Regulatory agencies because they are power mongers and e-cigs have sidestepped their oversight. None of these groups smoke (even the tobacco industry; want to bet?) so they have nothing to lose from killing e-cigs and much to gain from it. And the naysayers get the press. All that the average joe knows about e-cigs is that 'nobody knows anything about them.' That's the naysayer's credo, and that's what generally gets published.

There's also the issue of accessibility. Yes, there are a few mall kiosks, but without exception they sell crap that only serves to make the industry look foolish. And they've been caught repeatedly selling to minors for example, even after challenging anyone to prove they do it. Bad bad bad. In its shortsighted focus on quarterly reports, business can sometimes blindly shoot itself in the foot. So that leaves us with internet sellers. And again, most of the sellers people find in their initial searches are the big companies that sell crap. We have to find places like Vapor Talk to get useful information on what to buy and from whom. I often wonder how many potential vapors fail because they only ever see and try the crap that is so prevalent, and do not find the valuable places like VT that can help them become successful.

Futzing around with e-cigs. We tend to forget this part because we've overcome it, but I believe many analog users will give up on vaping because to do it successfully we have to mess around with our equipment. There's a significant learning curve, which includes not only finding what works but how to use it effectively. And many people are just not committed enough to not smoking to bother to overcome that aspect of it. This is a relatively young technology with a few bugs to work out before it becomes accessible to the 'masses.' And yes, I think we do care about the masses of smokers who wish to quit. Our technology isn't quite simple enough for the vast majority to adopt. But we're getting there and I'm confident that once American manufacturers take on the challenge great strides will be made in this area.

Sorry, I guess I got on a soapbox there didn't I? I'm off now.

BMW, give it a go and see what happens for you. You are going to be blown away! I'm still amazed at how well this works, and not just for me - for virtually everyone who gives it an honest try. Vaping is a good thing, a life-saving thing.

[Christopher]

By the way, why do they call cigerettes analogs?

Well Electronic Cigarettes are digital because many of them contain small chips used for the button or to control the cut off time etc. In the beginning we where not sure what to to call e cigarette usage. Some terms used where e Smoking, then iSmoking, then digital smoking and finally vaping. All related to technology terms in some way. Someone started calling normal cigarettes "analogs" (analog video vs digital video for example) since then it has stuck.