Living With A Smoker

[Catmom]

Hi everyone! My first post

Got my Kr808 6 days ago. Struggled with it a little until I read a bit and watched some videos, and now I'm doing pretty well with it. I'm still having issues with coughing if I inhale too much vapor, but things are getting better. I take slow, easy draws, just about 2 seconds, and I'm ok. If I stretch it out any longer, I'll cough.

I was smoking about 10 to 15 analogs (ultralights) a day before I got my ecig. Two days ago I had 4 analogs, yesterday I had 3, and so far today I've only had one (I would have been up to about 6 by this time, on a good day, before I started vaping).

My issue is that my husband is smoking analogs. He seemed interested in the ecig idea when I first brought it up, and seems very encouraging about how I'm doing, but other than trying it the first day I got it, he hasn't shown much interest in switching.

I think I would have no problem giving up the analogs completely if I were the only smoker in the house. And maybe when I find the right flavor it will help. I foolishly thought I wanted a tobacco flavor, but also read that a lot of people prefer the menthol flavors. That's what I ordered with my initial order, a tobacco sampler and a menthol sampler. A couple of days later I ordered some cola flavor in V4L's WOW cartos. But I have a hard time inhaling it without coughing, and if I take a shorter drag, I don't get any throat hit and very little of the flavor. So this morning I ordered some grape, chocolate, and vanilla. I also ordered them in a lower nicotine level than I started at, hoping that will help me be able to inhale more of the vapor without coughing.

Does anyone live with an analog smoker and not miss the analogs? I'm already finding that I don't like the taste of the analogs that much anymore. I'm hoping I can work on my husband this weekend to get him to try vaping again. I got some Wowbacco in a higher nic level for him. I started at 11 mg. I ordered some 18 mg for him. He also smokes ultralights, but smokes more than I did. It's somewhat frustrating to read all the posts from people who were able to stop analogs completely as soon as they started vaping. I want to be done with the analogs!

Also, any suggestions on my coughing problem? I've had a cold for almost 2 weeks now, so I hope I'm almost done with that, and that may be contributing to my coughing. I also have very mild asthma. It just seems odd to me that inhaling smoke doesn't make me cough, but inhaling vapor does.

Gosh, this turned into a long, rambling post. Sorry!

[nana]

Don't worry about the long post. We enjoy reading other people's stories and love to help out when we can. My husband was never a smoker, so that wasn't an issue with me. Luckily I was ready to quit, so being around smokers didn't bother me. Now I don't like the way smokers smell - which is a surprise since I smoked for 34 years.

The coughing could very well be due to your cold. Also, you might find that you cough less if you fill your mouth with vapor before you inhale. When you inhale directly into your lungs, it can cause you to cough. Just an idea.

As far as your husband smoking, don't push him to vape. Just keep vaping and letting him know how much you enjoy it. Chances are he'll want to try again one of these days. You might just offer to let him taste some of the flavors you like best. That might get him to be more interested. I know other people here have had this problem and they can give you hints on getting him to make the switch.

Good luck and happy vaping!!

Edited August 19, 2011 by nana

[Viper Ron]

Nana is absolutely right. I have found if you draw the vapor into your mouth and then into your lungs it works much better, at least it works for me. Good luck and don't give up and your hubby will have to want to quit before he is ready

Edited August 19, 2011 by Viper Ron

[DAYVAPE]

Do people honestly do 'direct inhale' with analogs?? Or e-ciggs?? Seriously? I can't imagine doing it that way all the time.... ouch! Yeah, by all means, if that's what you (or anyone for that matter) are doing please stop... and inhale into mouth first and then the lungs. Hopefully, that's the issue, because I know I would certainly cough that way for sure!

Edited August 19, 2011 by DAYVAPE

[Catmom]

Do people honestly do 'direct inhale' with analogs?? Or e-ciggs?? Seriously? I can't imagine doing it that way all the time.... ouch! Yeah, by all means, if that's what you (or anyone for that matter) are doing please stop... and inhale into mouth first and then the lungs. Hopefully, that's the issue, because I know I would certainly cough that way for sure!

Nope. Not me anyway. I've been drawing the vapor into my mouth, opening my mouth and then inhaling it into my lungs. Most of the time now I'm alright. I still cough if I inhale too much vapor though. I hope it's a just a matter of getting used to it.

I think you're all correct about me not pushing my husband. He'll have to be ready. I'll just keep vaping while he's smoking, and when those new flavors get here I'll let him know what I think about them!

Thanks for the replies!

[Brian]

Welcome to Vapor Talk! It took over a year for me to get my wife to make the switch. Vaping worked so well for me that living with a smoker wasn't much of an issue. I had some craving occasionally the first several months, but they mostly came when I was at work (stress). My wife was interested, but she coughed a lot and found the inhale to be uncomfortable. After trying a multitude of different juices and attomizer/cartomizer conbinations, she gave up. Initially, I assumed it was the PG that was bothering her and focused primarily on finding VG juices. Anyhow, about a year later she wanted to try again and this time after some more experimenting we found that is was the nic that was irritating her. At 12mg she can vape lots of different flavors/juices. At 18mg, there's very little we could find that she can vape. So, for your cough problem, I would suggest trying a lower nic strengh and see if that helps.

Ok - so like nana said, I wouldn't push your husband with vaping. Give it some time, learn all you can and let him see that it's working for you. At some point down the road you may want to ask him to try it and tell you "what's missing", what about it doesn't work for him. By them you'll have a plethora of knowledge to look at what may work for me.

[Catmom]

Thanks Brian. I wondered if it was the nic level. I started at 12 mg. But because I have asthma even that might be too much for me. I have some on order that's lower (6 mg I think). I hope that will work. I'd like to be able to vape without coughing!

I did get my husband to try it yesterday. He can inhale the vapor with no problem. He just doesn't seem to like it.

[gatorgirl]

my hubby still smoke analogs and has no intention to quit but he tries not to smoke when i'm close to him...it was hard on me to start with but i adapted and now it doesan't bother me at all

[Catmom]

That's encouraging, Gatorgirl. Thanks! I only had one analog yesterday. I think it will be harder over the weekend because I'll be with him the whole time, but I'll try to vape more and keep the analogs to a minimum. I just had my first analog, about 3 hours later than I normally would have. I'll see how it goes. I told myself if I want an analog, I'll have one. I'm not going to torture myself. Yesterday I wanted the one I had (about the same time as today) but I was fine with vaping the rest of the day.

[mjradik]

Catmon. I know EXACTLY what your talking about, and how you feel. I’ve been analog free for 2 weeks now. (a 15 year, 1.5pack/day habbit) I vaped and smoked 3-4 analogs/day for the first week of vaping, before quitting analogs all together. My wife still smokes and as no intention on moving to the e-cig at this time. I personally do not mind her smoking around me, because I have no interest in going back to analogs. The bad smell is a huge turn off, especially when you are used to vaping sweet flavors. I would rather inhale sweet than nasty. But it is the rituals/urges that want me to smoke sometimes, not the smell of her analog.

As far as the hit and coughing. I coughed a lot in the beginning. I started at 18/mg, then quickly moved to 12mg. I very rarely cough now because I’m used to it. However, I now find myself wanting to cough sometimes, because it’s a sign of a power throat hit. As you vape more and more, I think some people get used to it, and the throat hits diminishes. Adding menthol/clove favoring to the juice does help get the hit back a little. I also sometime purposely do a power draw real fast to get a good hit every once in a while. I do miss the power hit I got in the beginning, and can prolly get that back if I up my nicotine level to 24, but I don’t want to do that because it defeats the purpose quitting smoking, and eventually nicotine all together.

My experience in quitting. First 3 days are tough. The hardest part is quitting your smoking habits/rituals. Like for me, I always smoked when I got busy at work, or stressed. I like to go outside and relax. Even though I’m doing that while vaping, and I’m getting nicotine, my brain was telling me its just not the same. Same thing goes for after eating a big meal. I want to smoke! Its my habbits telling me, not the nicotine.. J You eventually get through it.

Now two weeks in, still going strong, however, about once every couple days I get a big urge. I eat sunflower seeds at that time which helps. I did have a big urge yesterday, and nothing seemed to help. I made up some strong 24mg menthol juice, took like 5 hits, and the urge was over. The huge throat hit and coughing helped big time then. I’m going to keep a little bit of the powerful juice around to help with ‘urges’

Also, I recommend stocking up on A LOT of different flavors. Like 10-15 or more, The key is to switch flavors a lot to keep it ‘fresh’. Also you will find that flavors you like in the beginning, you won’t like later on, and vice versa. You don’t want to get bored with a couple flavors, and finding your self going back to an analog for something ‘different’.

Edited August 20, 2011 by mjradik

[Chainvape]

I live with a few smokers...I can't stand the taste of cigarettes anymore but I don't mind the smell of the smoke...guess it's where im so used to it. I'm never even tempted to pick back up a analog....tried that once and it was very nasty lol.

[Uma]

Welcome to VaporTallk, Catmom! You've already received excellent help and I've not much to add at all. The only thing left that comes to mind is maybe trying a different Kr808 brand. VOLT by smokelessimage.com is the first one to have more vapor with less throat hit. The 808's are pretty strong on TH (throat hit). The VOLT is an Kr808 but, which means you can still use other brands of prefilled cartomizers too, plus the ones at Volt. Then, if it works better for you, you'll have the other kit just sitting around within hubby's curiosity reach. You never know...

Best of luck to you and your spouce!

[Catmom]

Thanks for the replies, the warm welcome, and the advice! My husband is asking questions about my e-cig. I'm hoping the curiosity will eventually lead to him giving it a serious try.

I made it through the weekend without smoking nearly as much as I used to, and I haven't had an analog since Sunday afternoon. Is it too soon to start using the smoke free counter? LOL

I got my lower nic cartos yesterday. Still some coughing, but not as bad. I think it's just a matter of time before I'll be able to vape without thinking about technique or worrying about having a coughing fit.

Uma, I have the Volt as well as the Vapor King. The Vapor King was my first purchase. When I decided I wanted more batteries, I ordered a Volt starter kit from smokeless image with two manual batts. I'm still not sure if I prefer auto or manual. I like them both.

[mjradik]

Well I put my smoke free banner 24 hours after my last analog, but I could because I knew I was quitting for good. If you tihnk you'll be quitting for good, go for it. And it will keep you honest, lol.... When I think about having an analog, then I'm tihnking in my head... "well.... can't tell people I've been smoke free for 3 weeks... and got to change my banner... lol" Thats if I want to be completely honest... haha

[Catmom]

Good point, mjradik! I don't think I'll have too much trouble quitting for good, but this is extra incentive