I’ve been vaping since ~15 years old, and now being 22, I’m really seeing the effects of my addiction. I have shortness of breath while engaged in mere minutes of physical activity, the same activities I used to do for hours on end without issue; skateboarding, mountain biking, even just running for a little bit. I used to smoke weed everyday for years, but managed to give it up for over 3 weeks now with minimal effort, as marijuana isn’t nearly as addictive as cigarette smoking/vaping because of the nicotine. (Night sweats, insomnia, and melatonin for 2 days were my main withdrawal symptoms from weed) I’m also starting to develop a pain in my left lung, only when laying on my left side and inhaling very deeply, and I’m tired of pretending it’ll go away without changing my habits. I’ve gotten this pain before, and have seen it go away when I cease all my inhalant substances (weed and vaping), but I can barely go a day or two without getting anxious or making some excuse to take a nice long drag. My nitocine addiction has been there for years, I started smoking Marlboro Reds (1-3 a day) for a year in sophomore year of high school, and then jumped on the vaping bandwagon as the market was becoming saturated with new devices/flavors with the motivation of quitting cigarettes entirely. I succeeded, and vaping became a hobby for me at first, I even produced my own E-Liquid for a time and made a little business for a few months, selling to other people (got all my materials ordered to my house at the age of 16, no 18+/21+ age verifications, how crazy is that? Made over 5,000ml of juice). After a few years of blowing the “giant clouds” vaping is known for with large box mod devices with tanks, I was going through juice too quickly and spending too much money. I made the transition to a Suorin Air device powered by salt nicotine (same E-Liquid in the infamous Juul), and that brought my cost way down, so I was able to vape higher concentrations (55mg) for less money (~$30/month). I’ve been doing that for a few years now, and it’s time to ramp down my nicotine addiction. My plan is to get an emergency pack of tobacco-free nicotine pouches/gum in case I really feel I’m going to relapse. If I ever want to smoke weed again in the future (likely), I’ll stick to edibles, and just cease all foreign contaminants into my lungs for a few years, and observe how my lung capacity and overall physical endurance is effected. It’s time to go cold turkey yet again, but this time, I’ll be disposing of my device and E-liquids and only having an oral nicotine option if I really feel the urge. Wish me luck y’all, I really hate that I let it get to this point.
Cigarettes are such an expensive addiction. I’m glad I never got to the point of my friends who smoked a pack a day or more, that all really adds up. I’m also glad you recognize that financial aspect of it, it really inhibits your ability to build wealth. I’d definitely do something with that, like maybe transfer the cost of a pack of cigarettes into your savings every time you avoid buying one, or something like that. It’ll begin to add up real quicky, and you can save up for a nice little reward with a few weeks! Vaping isn’t a bad option for quitting cigarettes, I still understand the use for it in that regard. The issue is that I never used them for their correct purpose, ramping down the nicotine content (example: 12mg>9mg>6mg>3mg>1.5mg>0mg) with each bottle until you’re at 0, then quitting entirely. If you’re committed to only using it temporarily (1-3 months) it’ll help you avoid the severe chemical withdrawal in your brain (anxiety, stress, triggers, etc), then it becomes a game of motor habit withdrawal; like if you’re used to smoking before/after a meal, or light up when you hop in your car after work. I wouldn’t recommend it for you though, you’ll develop new habits like I did. Good choice on the alternatives though, nicotine by itself isn’t carcinogenic, it just messes with your dopamine inhibitors and reward system. That’s what we both need to change together, Figuring out how to live without that little boost every couple minutes (probably longer spans for you being you can’t stealthily smoke inside). It’ll be interesting to see the chemical effects of no nicotine over the next few days, and I wish you luck Becca😊
Welcome to the community. I quit cold turkey smoking cigs after 12 years, didn’t think I had a problem like always. I did, I didn’t quit because of any pain or symptoms. I did it because I just didn’t want to do it any more, didn’t want to smoke. After 8 months sober I can tell you that it actually makes you more anxious than you think, I feel much better now that i don’t smoke. Good luck with everything hope you quit for good.
Literally sitting up reading this at 1am with a piece of nicotine gum. Sleepy as hell, but I’m fighting going out to smoke. So the gum will have to do, but I don’t want to fall asleep with it in my mouth and wake up with it in my hair again 
. One day at a time
I quit meth, alcohol and cigarettes all cold turkey at the same time after a decade of daily use… I’m 6 months clean. If I can do all that then you can quit vaping, cigs, and weed… You have to want to though… It’s not easy but it’s possible… Just make the decision to quit and do it.
How are you doing now Subaru?