Over 10 months ago I wrote a review of the Ego-T e-cigarette and 10 months later the article is still getting on average of around 100 hits per day. Is this a sign perhaps that e-cigarettes are becoming more and more popular? For me it’s now over 12 months of vaping. Am I still using the Ego-T? Did I go back to the evil smokes? Read on.
Disclaimers
- I am not a medical professional
- I have written this article without trying to make it an anti/pro smoking , anti/pro tobacco company or anti/pro government article.
- The information supplied here based purely on my own personal experience.
12 months down the track and having previously tried Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in the form of patches and gum e-cigarettes, cold turkey, hypnotism and even Zyban, vaping has done the job the other two couldn’t do. Why? It’s still my belief that e-cigarettes hit three different trigger points of smoking:
- Nicotine
- The hand to mouth motion
- The inhale/exhale motion
While the nicotine is the most addictive part of smoking, it’s actually the easiest part to give up and all nicotine is in theory out of your system within about 3 days. By using the e-cigarette I’ve managed to drop my nicotine content from 18mg/ml (1.8%) to 2mg/ml (0.2%) and I’m just about to drop it to 0%. I think in some ways it’s actually the psychological part that makes it hard to give up.
What hints would I give you for someone that wants to consider using e-cigarettes?
Keep It Simple Silly (KISS)
You can see above that while I’ve still got my original Ego batteries, I’ve also got mechanical mods and rebuildable atomisers. If I’d started with rebuilding a coil and wick and getting the number of wraps and resistance right, I never would have got to where I am. I’d have given up long ago. Start with something simple like an Ego Kit and some sort of clearomiser like a Stardust or Vivi Nova. Nothing is going to put you off more than having to muck around too much. You just want to get in there and vape as easily and as simply as possible.
E-Juice
Start simply with some pre-made juice. If you’re in the US, you can just buy juice of various strengths outright. If you’re in AUS either buy some flavoured nicotine juice from overseas or buy some unflavoured nicotine juice from overseas and buy some doublers from one of many of the many Australian Juices suppliers. Start with around 18mg/ml nicotine juice and go from there, different ex-smokers find they need higher or lower nicotine levels.
Don’t expect that your juice will taste anything like a cigarette (that’s a good thing) and start by buying small amounts of flavours to see what you do or don’t like. Will you like coffee, strawberry or pinot noir? Try as many as you can to find something that works for you.
Mixing it up
So you’ve started vaping and find you’re still smoking. Don’t worry too much, even if you alternate between smoking and vaping you’ve still just reduced the number of cigarettes and chemicals you’ve inhale by half already. When you feel like a smoke, reach for your e-cig instead. Most find that eventually they stop smoking all together.
Embarrassed to be a non smoker?
At first I was too embarrassed to be seen smoking an ecig. I’d go outside to vape but I’d stay away from the smokers and hide in a corner. That’s fine, just get comfortable with vaping. After a while you won’t mind vaping with the smokers, in fact if you’re like me you’ll even manage to convert a few of the smokers. I know I get some strange looks from people as I walk around the streets vaping one of my larger mods, but then again I’ve actually had some strangers come up to me and comment about it .
Never too old
I recently ran into an “older” lady outside the local Fish and Chip shop (by older I mean at least 10 years older than my youthful (almost) 50 years 🙂 ) and started up a conversation with her. She’d been a heavy smoker and after 4 months she was vaping nicotine free, it was only the hand/mouth action that kept her vaping.
Find a support group
If you need help, find a support forum close to you. They’re all over the internet and you’ll find like-minded people who have or are trying to give up smoking using e-cigarettes. Of course like any enthusiast forum you’ll get those who reckon you’ve got to buy that gold-plated, $400+ e-cig, but you’ll get fantastic support from most forums.
Misinformation
Over the last year I’ve noticed a much higher media around vaping. Much of it is accurate and much of it is completely and utterly wrong. Vaping is NOT smoking, it’s vaping. What you are inhaling and seeing is water vapour not any sort of smoke (the product of burning something).
While I’ll admit there are no long term studies on health effects, in my mind it can’t be as bad as inhaling those 4000+ chemicals from a cigarette.
Reap the benefits
So what are some of the benefits I’ve found since vaping?
- Much healthier, I’ve been much more active walking and bicycle riding
- More money in my pocket
- No smelly
- No holes in clothes
- No tobacco flakes all over the place.
Once I get to 0%, will I give up vaping or keep vaping with no nicotine? Not sure yet, watch this space 🙂
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Glad to hear you’re doing so well! I was one the first to comment on your article almost a year ago, and I am glad to say that I’ve been cigarette free for over a year as well. Never got into the rebuildables myself but, I still might. I can hardly put into words how much better I feel and what I can do physically. I’m also getting very anxious as the FDA is getting close to announcing regulation. If they restrict nicotine levels or tax heavily, this may be the end of being non smokers for many people. Keep up the good work and let us know how you’re doing in another year!
Nice read! I am getting to the second level now. Started out about a year ago on V2 Cig lookalikes. I have spent tons of money on them.carts and batteries and accessories. didnt know that eGO even existed. Went back to analogs for the past 6 months. Now giving ecigs a try again. Just ordered an Ego 1300 mah VV with a vivi nova and some other brand. Also got a iTaste VV/VW version 3. Read some good reviews. Looks like that is a very good VV/VW beginner mod. I cant really see going up in size with the bigger mods so the iTaste looked like a good compromise.. Excited to try quitting analogs again..
what mod is the gold/brass one?
Budebudo – it does feel good doesn’t it 🙂 My big fears are that the Governments get involved and over tax and over regulate the industry and make it an uneconomical option for quitting and that the Tobacco industry gets too much involvement. They’re already making noises and even buying e-cig manufacturers. 🙁
Joe – good luck this time mate. It’s worth it 🙂
Eric – it’s a brass Chi You clone.
Nice post! I’m almost on 4 years vaping myself, and as you said briefly, the amount of misinformation in the media is ASTOUNDING! Vaping is definitely the easiest way to get away from cigarettes. Period.
I’m so glad to see you’re still vaping instead of smoking!
I might suggest you look into a couple of the very inexpensive variable power / variable voltage vaporizers out there. I am currently using a Sigelei ZMAX and loving it. There are a few different suppliers, and each has their own special version, but most are similar enough that you’ll be happy. I have also heard great things about the VAMO and of course the Provari is still the reigning king of the hill (but WOW on the price!)
Moving to variable power means a more consistent vape across the complete voltage level of your battery. If you’re at 4.1v with one of your 18xxx batteries on a mechanical mod, great, but when you get to 3.7 you’re going to really feel the drop. With a variable power mod, the PV will accommodate the voltage drop and boost it for you. Something to think about! Again, congrats!
Drew – already have two Vamos and a Janty MID 🙂 Don’t use them a lot mainly because of the size and I prefer Mech mods for a number of reasons. The Vamo’s generally get used for measuring coil resistance only 🙂
In the end doesn’t matter really what you vape on, as long as you’re happy and off the evil stinkies 🙂
I’m so glad I stumbled across your post! I read your year old review earlier and I’m excited to say I’m going to make the switch! I had already planned on this, but I wanted an honest review. I have tried the gas station ecig that looks like a regular cig and I hated it, but a couple family members have the ego and the itaste and I was really surprised how much I enjoyed taking a drag off it. I’ve been a regular smoker for 10 years now and I know I can no longer continue down this path. I’m still quite young and I don’t want to kill my health because of an addiction. Wish me luck y’all! The switch is coming soon!
Excellent information!
I have been a seriously addicted smoker for just over forty years. I was at a point where I coughed constantly and could not take a deep breath without choking.
Everything I tried failed, including hypnosis, nicotine patches, and zyban.
I purchased an eGO kit in Florida recently as I was desperate to get off the smelly and poisonous cigarettes.
I am proud to confirm that today marks 35 days free of the guilt and smell of cigarettes, thanks mostly to my Ego ecigarettes.
I am definitely a “vaper” and hope to remain this way forever.
I feel so much better already.
Thank you for the article and the follow-up comments. These are a great motivator for me!.
Thank you all !!!
Richard
Hi folks
After vaping about a month I gaveup completely . I was a smoker for 25years and vaping Ego was a big change and felt great . And after a month I felt I don’t need it anymore . Its been 2 months I didn’t smoke or vap 🙂 . life is good now .
Hi everyone,
I was a smoker for over 30 years and had tried everything to give up. I started using the EGO firebird kit and am now on my 21st day without the stinky cigs. Even now, I am using the e- cig less and less!!! and I feel a whole lot better. I am so pleased I found this article as I was concerned about the bad press on e-cigs. In my opinion anything is better than all the chemicals in real cigarettes.
Best of luck to everyone!!! If I can do it ANYONE CAN!!!!!!!!!!
Hello All,
I have smoked for over 30 years. My children, and Grand Children have been on me to quit for years. I tried the E-Cigs from the gas station, however I couldn’t find the right one, that lasted long enough to make a difference. I recently took a look at one that my Co-worker had, took a few drags, and I was convinced.
I found the local smoke shop went in, and let him set me up with the Ego-U Starter Kit. After smoking more than two packs of Newport 100’s for the past 10 years. I grabbed the 24mg menthol bottle of E-Juice, and about 6 flavored bottles and I have been Vaping every since. I only have 4 days in without a real analog cig. But I haven’t had the erg either. I know the 24mg is pretty high, however my plan is to go down to the 18mg dose, and get lower each time I finish another bottle of juice. Right now I feel great, just not smoking cigarettes.
Not only have I made the switch, I have had several of my buddies do the same thing. I have been in the smoke shop everyday this week, each time bringing a different person in to purchase their Ego-U starter kits.
So far, so good. I love the feeling I have right now, and I know once I start going down to the lower Nicotine levels, I will feel even better. I’m glad I found this article, and I will keep you guys & gals posted to how everything works out. Thanks again for letting me share my experience with you all. take care “T”…!!!
Just bought one a few days ago and I’m on day 3 with zero cigarettes. I can already feel a change and am able to catch my breath when I first wake up without coughing. Love it. Would definitely recommend it to anyone. And I no longer have to take smoke breaks at work I just walk to the bathroom and “vape it up” in one of the stalls, haha.
It’s fantastic to read that you’re doing so well and the e-cigarettes are more than enough – and that you’re dropping the nicotine level. The great thing about them is a lot of people like “smoking” and the action as you mention but understand the damage it does to your health.
If this is how you feel after a year, it’s only going to get better from here!
i heard of a e cigarette blue up in someones face..any possibility of that happening..
Never had that happen but you have to be careful that you don’t take so many deep drags repeatedly as it can cause it to get very hot. If it gets too hot, set it down, let it cool off.
Jim,
That has absolutely happened. It’s worth being aware of the risk.
In all instances that I have read of (and I have a google news alert, so I think I know of all of them that hit the news), the devices were being used improperly, or were dangerously poorly manufactured.
The risks run thusly:
Poorly designed EGO style batteries. They are very cheap, very available, and very easy to make BADLY. Essentially, there are circuits that you can put in series with the battery to limit their charging rate, and circuits that can limit their DISCHARGE rate; in other words how much current they will put out while being used. Further, there are circuits to prevent using them below their lowest usable voltage.
If you use one of these, a bad charger (also made cheaply) can attempt to charge them so quickly that they overheat and boom. If you use one with a coil that is so low in resistance that the outgoing current exceeds the battery’s rating, boom.
Buying quality EGO style batteries (google to see what I mean) and quality chargers completely removes the above risks except in bizarre black swan style events that nobody can see coming. To give you a little more comfort, I’m an electronic engineer. I’ve taken apart a QUALITY ego battery. I saw how the protection worked. I tested it, then I put it back together, created a LED flashlight tip instead of the ECIG tip and gave it to my 6 year old. I am wholly confident that it will be safe. Of course, the fact that I put a constant current driver in the tip that limits the current to 200mA means that I REALLY know it’s safe. The battery has undervoltage protection, and it’s all good.
On the flip side, users can use the more advanced mechanical mods or, like me, use a 3D printed mod (mod again means ecig body including the battery and fire button) based on the DNA20 control board and using 18650 batteries.
I know EXACTLY how much current is coming out. I know EXACTLY what the max draw, both burst and sustained my high quality batteries can support. I further use only IMR batteries, which offer safety characteristics inherent to the very chemistry of the battery. They are not the exploding type. IMR batteries battery WILL be labeled or sold as IMR if they are, but might NOT be IMR if they don’t claim it.). ICR batteries are known for having higher energy density per cc3, but are often sold with no protection circuitry. I strongly discourage those.
If anyone tells you “but, my battery doesn’t even get hot!” remind them that it’s sitting essentially inside a heat sink. The DEVICE will get mildly warmer when there’s an issue, but the internal temperature of the battery might be significantly higher than people might expect.
Note that ecigs that use rechargable batteries are all vented. There will be a hole (or hopefully many holes or vents!) that is intended to vent the gasses from the battery should it go critical. This is not much of a comfort, however. Batteries expand, and are covered in tough plastic material. It’s not difficult to PLUG the vent holes and then, you have a pipe bomb in your hand.
It’s worth pointing something else out, if it hasn’t yet. The liquid is absolutely poison. When used in proper doses, it’s perfectly fine, but there have been calls to poison control from parents who’s children had eaten some, or even gotten themselves covered with it. Given that Nicotine has no problem at all being absorbed through the skin, this is something to be very careful about. I personally move all my liquid into child resistant containers and put large, evil looking poison stickers on them. Why take a chance with a child’s life?
hi Ian, Glad you to see you healthier. I just saw once of my cousin having it and I got this today eG) CE6. Really i dont know how it feels or works yet but I just made a decision to end this smoking thing. Will try it for the first time today. The post is really supporting me to adopt a good idea of vaping. Keep me posted with the regulations. Its quite costly in my country and i have 10 ppl with a “what” faces when they saw me inveted SO much for it 🙂 But i have choosen the latest one.
Good luck.
Danish
I’ve been smoking sigs for about 5 years and use of marijuana since i brought my vapor with 0%nicotine first go around i haven’t touched any form of smoke. 😉 happy vaping. 3months and countintg..
I started vaping about a year ago. Within one or two days, I already felt like a nonsmoker. And when I say that, I mean, the pain in my chest stopped, the coughing and the coughing up goop stopped, the smell of stale smoke around me stopped, my sense of smell and taste returned, I had my energy back. It’s a weird thing–like I’m not a smoker anymore but I’m still doing “something” and yes, I still have the addiction to nicotine but I (like other vapers) have weaned it down. The thought that always comes into my mind whenever I am around smokers is “Why are you doing that?”. It just seems kind of out-of-date or old fashioned or something. To those that have a loved one who has switched from tobacco to ecigs, please don’t criticize them. I’ve seen a lot of that happening–people judging “well, you’re still addicted to nicotine!”. Get over it. What they are doing may very well save their life. There is no way anyone is going to convince me that ecigs are just as dangerous as tobacco. Just off the top, the vaper is no longer inhaling tar, carbon monoxide and over 4,000 added toxic chemicals. Be glad for your loved one that they found something that finally works for them that has greatly reduced the threat to their health and yours as you will no longer be subjected to second hand smoke. About three months in of vaping use, I picked a tobacco butt out of the ashtray my boyfriend left and lit it and took one hit off of it and almost puked from the taste. The smell of second hand smoke now makes me nauseous. It’s kind of a strange feeling of not being a smoker anymore but still, kinda–just without all the negative side effects.
Hi, my name is Ruth and I have been a moderate/heavy smoker for 43 years, today is day 2 of using the E cigarette, I had 6 cigs yesterday and 1 so far today. What I find amazing is that I had spent a small fortune on treatments to stop and nothing worked. The urge to smoke is diminishing by the hour, I thank you for this wonderful product.
I’ve been a 20 a day smoker for many years but have been vaping for the last few months and haven’t had a smoke in all that time, not sure how safe e-cigs are but they just can’t be as harmful as smoking!
Was a smoker for more than 15 years.. today started ego-T.. Wish me luck folks… 🙂
hi, where do i find one of the ego t vapes with T3S clearomizer tank in UK?
i went to the https://www.slimvapepen.com/shop/ego-t-starter-kit-1/ and i think i would love one of these pens but they only ship to USA by the looks of it
I started using this new starter kit eGo-T 5 days ago and since then I have had one cigarette due to having to charge the battery. Since that second day of having one I have gone cigarette free. Starting with 18mg. I used to smoke 2 packs(25 per) a day or more for over 20 years.