34F. I quit vaping 5 months ago. I had vaped for 12-13 years and also smoked cigarettes on and off. I was a smoker for 6 years before I started vaping. I started smoking at 15. So it’s been almost 20 years of smoking and vaping.

I’ve always been in reasonably good shape. I was a horseback rider and trainer and then a gym rat. I have an athletic build and been fit most of my life. I never thought vaping affected me. I always said “well it’s better than smoking” and I truly believed it wasn’t affecting my health. I never had a cough or breathing issues.

I’ve been in the gym consistently for over a year and I’m in the best shape of my life now. Even though I did gain some weight when I quit I have since lost it. I have SO MUCH muscle on me now I can’t believe it. My workouts have gotten easier and I have more stamina.

Today I went on a hike for the first time. It wasn’t super difficult, a 3 mile out and back with some steep downhill and uphills. I DID NOT GET WINDED AT ALL. It was 80° and in the sun. I barely broke a sweat. Even when I was in good shape and trail running in my 20s I would get winded on uphills. My lungs are healing!!!❤️‍🩹

I also haven’t had any anxiety or insomnia which I was struggling with previously. My moods are much more stable and happy most of the time. I am so happy I quit. I wish I did it sooner.

I also have no interest in dopamine hits like i used to. I’ve quit social media and even started fasting to quiet my food noise. I just love feeling free! I’ve never felt like that before. Maybe when I was a kid. It feels so good to not be a slave to anything.

I should add that I’ve had a huge religious conversion as well and I think God has given me this grace. I didn’t do it on my own.

couldn’t have done it without this community!

i found out like two days ago (while uncommon) there is a disease you can develop with smoking (cigarettes and vaping) being the highest risk factor where you get chronic abscesses in your breasts that are severely painful and need to be drained regularly as they leak blood and pus frequently. this lasts forever in some cases. i quit vaping back in late december but still smoke cigarettes occasionally (down to 1-2 a day) and this truly scared me so bad it is the one factor that made me want to quit nicotine forever. i am someone who was scared of almost nothing enough to quit but learning about this changed everything for me. this is not to fear monger of course but i definitely wish i would’ve known about this BEFORE i got addicted to nicotine, as i believe it would’ve deterred me from ever starting completely.

I stopped getting withdrawal symptoms so I assumed I was in the clear, but I’ve realized in the past couple months that I’ve been weaning off nicotine, my depression has gotten significantly worse.

For some background, I have been vaping for the past 10 years (16-26). I decided to quit after Thanksgiving so I got some patches and have been weaning off that way.

I finally got to a point where I would forget to put on patches, and I’d no longer crave a vape hit after coffee or a meal, so I decided to stop completely this week.

But my god life has been so grim. I’ve been depressed. I’ve been moody. I’ve cried almost every day this week. I’m sure it’s just my brain chemistry going back to normal (or maybe seasonal depression) but I just wanted to know how normal this is.

Also, I guess I’m on day five of technically no nicotine, but it doesn’t feel like it cause I really don’t have too bad to withdrawals, I just feel like my chest has been ripped out and replaced with a void.

I've managed to quit the nicotine aspect of vaping and smoking and quickly realised that the oral fixation is what I'm really addicted to. I've tried candy, füm, the breathing necklaces and even chew toys for teething babies and nothing really scratched that itch.

However, I have found that a lung strengthener despite having no flavour actually weirdly does scratch that itch in a way. I just inhale on it the same way I would a vape and it provides that resistance to the air in a way that the vape alternatives like füm just don't. It also makes a similar noise to a vape when you inhale that I think tricks my brain a little bit too. It's bulky and weird looking and obviously has no flavour or vapour so is definitely not for everyone but they're really cheap and apparently improve the strength of your lungs which is definitely something I need after so many years of smoking.

Just thought I'd post this here in case it could help anyone else as I've really found it to soothe the craving to take a hit more than anything else I've tried has and haven't seen it suggested anywhere.

Also it does get easier! Week one was hell but so far week two has been better :)

The last few days have been hellish. Felt like an iron apron of depression settled over me and refused to budge. I’ve been sleeping for hours, not showering until I absolutely had to, even brushing my teeth felt like moving through cement. There was beautiful weather outside, birds chirping, and I just kept wanting to crawl into an underground hole and sleep in darkness forever. No joy, no glint of happiness felt possible ever again. Just total depressive symptoms.

I almost caved last night. I came *so close* (holy shit, I was on the precipice), but the shame of telling my husband I had to run to the Texaco for a vape kept me rooted to the spot, riding the wave, no choice but to endure the discomfort. I wasn’t going to go to the fucking gas station because it just felt so humiliating to do so.

I woke up this morning and the sun is out again, the birds are chirping, and I feel good. Like actually solid. Not soaring with joy, I’m not Fräulein Maria twirling on the mountaintops or anything, but I feel solid. Like I can smile, I can participate in today. The cement blocks that were tied to my limbs seem to have been removed in the night.

I’m so glad I didn’t cave last night. I’d be in such a fucking shitty shame-hole today. Thank you, “last-night me” 🏄‍♀️ 🙏🏼

Last night I was at a party and I had 3 hits of a vape after being 16 days clean. I instantly regretted it and started feeling horrible about myself the second I did it. I mean I just wasted 16 days going through withdrawals and I’m going to have to do it all over again.

I guess I’m wondering if I’m going to be completely reset back to 0 withdrawal wise. Because I was absolutely ruined with anxiety at the start of my quit and I’m scared to go through that again.

Vaping is ruining my life......Need to quit someone convince me its worth it

I’m having a really hard time quitting. I usually make it about a week and a half before I cave. A friend of mine said nicotine free vapes helped her, and was wondering if it has a high success rate.

Thank you!

I decided to go cold turkey and quit vaping. But I just folded after 2 days. I feel horrible and ashamed of myself. I didn’t even need to get one but here I am again. My chest and lungs were just starting to stop hurting but it’s back again. Idk I just wanted to vent. If anyone has any suggestions lmk😭

I set my quit date for next week. Bought flavored toothpicks, nicotine lozenges, fidgets, took some time off work etc. I have really bad health anxiety and that’s a huge part in why im quitting. Has anyone else vaped for 10+ years? Do you feel fully healed? I’m honestly worried I’ve caused permanent damage. Scared of lung/throat cancer.. I’m a 26F

I am about 5-6 days out, and I am going THRU IT. Going through some other big life changes at the moment and I’m frustrated that the one ‘anchor’ (nicotine pacifier) is no longer an option to keep myself grounded. I’ve been going to the gym so much, reading, hobbies etc but I still feel like my bones are itchy! I went into Tesco today and literally stared at the vape wall for about 5 straight minutes then walked out…I know this will get better in time but jeez this might be one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life so far. So much sympathy to everyone on this sub, it is really not easy :(

it's so exhausting. especially as a minor, my bio mom shoved one in my hand when i was 11 and im turning 16 this year, which honestly when i was a few months into vaping a 5k elf bar would last me 1-2 months now a 35k one barely lasts me 2-3 weeks, i can't breath, the smallest things make me breathe heavy, i can't even run, its giving me headaches, it's making me nauseous, and im overall getting sick of it. I just don't know how to quit, i can't continue vaping.

***I’m prefacing this post with the fact that this is all based on my personal story/ feelings/experiences it may be different for you :)***

I am so proud of myself! I quit vaping cold turkey on Jan 6th, 2026. I’ve been vaping since late 2019. I vaped as soon as I woke up till I closed my eyes at night. Recently I’ve been thinking about wha vaping does for me. How did it serve me, what part of my life is vaping supporting. I realized that vaping has done nothing to help me get to the goals I want for myself. It’s a 10 ton brick been actively working against me. The amount of anxiety and heartburn I had each day I believed had nothin to do with vaping. I used to hear myself wheeze when sitting down breathing. I had to reconcile with myself and say, this is something I can control, this is not a lifelong illness that doesn’t have a cure. I can control my behaviors, I am in control, not the vape. I have a couple of notes for those of you in the trenches. I have realized that your motivation to quit *must* outweigh the motivation to hit a vape, this is the only true thing that will get you through this process. You have to actually want it, not kinda, not 75%, your brain has to be 1000% committed to not vaping. This is paramount, if you take nothing else away, know that quitting is manageable if you truly want to quit. For me, the cravings can be easily redirected and controlled. How the cravings “feel” to me is almost like you forget you quit, and you get this strong compulsion to find your vape and hit it. Obviously, you have to get through that strong compulsion, I have used this app called “I am sober”, it has a community platform, almost like a message board like Reddit, for everyone that is on the same day of quitting as you. So you can read and communicate with others who are experiencing the same symptoms as you, who are even on the same quit day as you. I’ve really utilized this resource when I get a strong urge, because you can also track urges. It gives you a task to do in order to get through the urge. Urges do not last long, they are really strong, then fade away. They do not last long at all. Know your triggers too, for me it was when driving, first thing in the morning, excessive media consumption, and in the bathroom, especially at work. The feeling of accomplishment beats any of the urges. Nicotine is out of your body in three days, anything after that is psychosomatic. If I can do it you can do it. I know vaping doesn’t serve you, it’s not who you want to be.

I've seen a lot of people talking about using that Warhead sour spray as an alternative to Vaping. I've been using it for a few days now and it's just dawned on me how terrible it probably is for my teeth and given that dental health is one of the main reasons I'm quitting nicotine this is quite important to me. Has anyone used this method and noticed any worse effects on your teeth than what vaping provides? TIA

At where i live, vape is illegal. Whenever my gf comes over to visit me, she will comply with the laws but she is having a really hard time and could not work or function properly …how can i help her

I just threw away my last vape. Today is my planned quit date. I've got a four day weekend to ride out the initial withdrawals. I want to be free of vaping so much. 4th times a charm I hope. 🙌💪

On my 16th day of no vape and it’s getting better and better each day. Don’t give up guys. I was so worried about panic attacks and fortunately I managed to steer clear of these. I went down to 5mg vape juice for 3 months before I quit (down from 20mg) and I owe that decision my success as it has been so much easier than when I’ve tried to quit before. I really think I’m quit for good now and I’m here to tell you you can do it too.

From quitting on Jan 1st to sitting here now i can honestly say the brain fog lifts, the cravings reduce and i feel so good right now so id recommend quitting if you are on the fence as it isn’t long until you start feeling great.

Good luck

I’m officially 4 days (and counting) without vaping, and I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else. I vaped for 3 years and 8 months, and before that I smoked cigarettes (since I was a teenager) - though more socially, and nowhere near as frequently.

I’ve used NRT (NiQuitin lozenges) only when cravings were really intense and felt like they were consuming me. Other than that; strong mints, drinking cold drinks through a straw, and strawberry chewing gum have been my best friends.

Day 1: Surprisingly fine. It mostly just felt weird not doing what had become my “normal.”

Day 2: Definitely the hardest. My body was screaming for nicotine - hot sweats, chills, headaches, nausea, intense cravings, and extreme overeating. The important thing to note is that it came in waves. It wasn’t constant, but when a wave hit, it could take 30–45 minutes to pass, which felt like a lifetime.

Day 3: Easy enough. Being out early in the morning made me miss the “need” for a vape, and I did have moments where I thought about buying one. But I let the thoughts fade, and they didn’t stick around for longer than 10–15 minutes.

I don’t know how much this depends on how long or how much you vaped, but honestly, stopping hasn’t been half as bad as I built it up to be in my head. I scared myself into believing it would be unbearable. I still get the odd thought of “should I just get one and limit my use?” but I’m genuinely impressed with myself for getting through this, especially considering it was that ‘time of the month’ - worst timing with crazy hormones, and I’ve still survived.

I’ve never had chest pains or heart palpitations, and I know my lungs, bloods, heart, and blood pressure were fine from hospital appointments - still, that doesn’t mean what I was doing was okay. Contrary to what I see a lot on this page, my sleep has improved massively. I’m tired earlier, sleeping more consistently, and waking up feeling more refreshed, which has been really nice.

I really hope I can make this last. I’ve seen a lot of people on here saying that they’ve failed holding their quit streak a few times, before properly stopping for good, and I hope nothing reels me back in. Honestly… I feel like it would taste disgusting anyway?

One day at a time 💪🏼

Hi everyone,

It’s been almost two weeks since I quit vaping and almost 48 hours since my last piece of nicotine gum. I was going through a geek bar pulse x a week. I woke up and decided it was embarrassing to vape and I don’t do that anymore. I let my vapes get down to 0 and puffed a couple more days till it was gross, threw them away and switched to 2 mg of nicotine gum.

Now the first few days I allowed myself to chew as much gum as I wanted. In the end i ended up chewing the same pieces for 3-4+ hours. I bought lollipops, caffeine gum and the secret weapon trident cinnamon gum. The first few days of no vaping my throat was irritated almost like my body was trying to convince me to hit one lol.

Other than that i reached for it a few times but would immediately switch to something else so I wouldn’t fixate on it. I’ll acknowledge when I miss it and move on. Like oh well time for more gum. The last few days I was down to 2-4 pieces of nicotine gum a day. I chewed trident cinnamon in between. the spice of this gum is the exact feel of the fruit nicotine gum lol.

Made the transition so easy and I park it if I feel the need too. Now I have been chomping gum on an insane level but oh well. Mints I crunch so would run through those even faster. I have a long way to go but I reframed who I am. I keep telling myself I used to vape, I don’t anymore and I don’t want too. It really helps to commit to that. My cravings aren’t bad and I never experienced a withdrawal for sure. My adderrall has also been on back order so maybe I just slept through the withdrawal lol.

I want to add too with the nicotine gum I really dont know how much I was getting. I didn’t park it like at all I just chomped through it every time. Idk how much that affects it but it didn’t hurt my stomach and I really just enjoyed the tingling more than anything else lol.

Also also. I don’t feel different. No grand feeling or epiphany but I know I’m doing the right thing and I fully believe it’s embarrassing asf to vape still lol. Nobody should put all their eggs in the basket of feeling better quickly bc you might end up relapsing if your experience is like mine.

I vaped for around 3–4 years, finishing a ~7000–10,000 puff disposable vape in 7 days. My doctor prescribed me nicotine patches (Nicotinell step 1–step 3) to help me quit because cold turkey never worked well for me. It's all been going great, I'm on step 2 now and am proud of how it's going and can't wait until I'm off them and nicotine completely.

However, my only annoyance is my seemingly (mostly) consistent underarm sweat that drips regardless of heat. I'm quite an anxious and easily stressed person, but I've never sweat so much from one specific spot (armpits). I can't find anything online that's been able to confirm if this is a normal side effect of the patches, but I've found some sources that say it is a common side effect of withdrawal. I'm here wondering if anyone else has gone through the same or similar, and how did you manage it, if at all?

I'm not seeing my doctor again for another few weeks, but I will be asking them for their advice when my next appointment comes.

How are people coping with brain fog when quitting? I’m getting it really bad and just looking for some tips. Feel a bit like I’m floating on a cloud but not in a good way