Need some guidance after 2 weeks of snusing

[giancarlo]

I've now been using snus for about two weeks and I'm hoping I can get some questions answered.

Here's some background...

I smoked for approx. 15 years. A pack (sometimes 2 packs) a day of Marlboro reds.

Found out about snus from an article on LewRockwell.com and then read everything I could about it.

Picked up some camel snus at the convenience store when I picked up my carton of reds and decided to quit.

Same day I tired the camel snus I found a store that had some general samplers and used those throughout the day.

Then after reading how most pack or more a day smokers needed more nicotine, I placed an order for various strong snus online.

Here's what's happened so far...

1. I've only smoked about 6 cigs in 2 weeks - so that's been a success.

2. Although many of the posts I've read from ex-smokers say they need to do strong snus or chain snus - I've found that I get "high" if I do strong snus or chain snus.

3. I can't seem to regulate or keep a level amount of nicotine through snus - I either do too much or too little but I can't seem to find a happy medium.

4. If I get too much nicotine I seem to get tired - almost like coming down off a drug - right after. I've even taken some mid-day naps because of it.

5. The taste of various snus (in my subjective experience) can change from day to day. One day I like General regular and the next it tastes like an old woman rubbed her makeup all over it.

6. I feel like I'm coming off of drugs even though I have nicotine replacement. I get fatigued, blurry vision, headaches, etc. I thought this was because I didn't have enough nicotine but when I do sterks I get different symptoms (overdose).

I'm not new to experimenting with things. But, I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and can maybe give me some pointers to get through this transition.

[Old Frothingslosh]

For me, after smoking cigarettes for so many years, it did take a little while to adjust to the difference in nicotine delivery. Smoking gives an immediate boost, while snus kind of ramps up slowly. Maybe you could rotate between sterks and regular until you find your comfort zone.

[lxskllr]

Welcome to SnusOn :^)

I haven't had any of the issues you've described, except the nicotine overdose tiredness. Alternating minis and regulars might help with that, or switching to lös, and adjusting the size of your pris. 2 weeks is still a little soon, and your body is probably still adjusting. I'm guessing you'll smooth out after a month or so once you get your nicotine dose gets regulated.

Edit:
grammar

[RRK]

Some others have suggested to use snuff to help cope with cravings so for you maybe you could use a regular strength portion or mini's and supplement with snuff when you think you need it.

[justintempler]

giancarlo,

I smoked for 38 years, 2-3 packs of Marlboro Reds

Plenty of nicotine from regular strength portions
I chain snused
average 2 hours per portion

If I wanted to cheat with smokes, I would buy a weekend pack and when they were gone that was all till the next weekend.

[Mordred]

Tastes changing is normal. For one, it's like food, sometimes, I'll want Chinese, sometimes Italian... cigarettes all kinda taste the same, so as a smoker, you're not used to it. After a couple of months, you'll settle on two to three favorites though, at least I have. Also, without the tar to clog them up, your tastebuds will become more sensitive, again making certain flavors more appealing.

As for your symptoms, it's as you say, you're not used yet to regulating your nicotine intake via snus the way you were with smoking. It's sometimes hard to distinguish between too much and not enough nic, because some of the symptoms are similar. However, two things I found to be good indicators of having too little nicotine are being tired and being irritable. If you get those, up your intake.

[BardicDruid]

Keep trying, it took me about two months to finally get it right. Now only 7 months later I got my snussing down to General Mini's, I go through about a can every two days. Your body is going to give you different signals with snus than it did cigs, it's a different delivery system and take a while for your body to adjust. Keep at it, I'm glad I did, I can breath now and taste and smell, it's wonderful!

[sagedil]

Welcome to Snuson giancarlo

Really, what everyone else said. I too will get too much nicotine if I chain snus ES, and that is after using for 3 years.

My bvest suggestion is just try not to try so hard with the cigarettes. Really no reason to rush that part, took me 4 months to fully transition. So you feel you need more than you are getting from snus still. then smoke. I promise, you just need more time for your body to fully adjust. Just stay patient and keep using, cause it will.

And changing snus tastes??? LOL, welcome to the world of snus, just how it is. :wink:

[giancarlo]

Thanks for all the replies.

It's good to know I'm not the only one who needed a little time to adjust.

As to the Cigs. Don't really have an urge to smoke except in the morning.

My biggest concern was the dosing and not overdosing myself - since that seems to just make me tired and blurry visioned.

On another note...

lxskllr mentioned los.

I just had a trial from getsnus delivered and I figured I'd give it a try.

I grabbed a pinch in my fingers - shaped it and squished it in the can and popped it in my lip.

Surprisingly it stayed there.

The thing is about a half hour later I still wasn't getting any juice.

Is that normal?

I kind of like the juice that comes from portions and it comes pretty quick.

With the los I didn't get any juice at all (and no salt either - but that parts good).

Am I doing something wrong?

I like the texture of the los and would like to use it regularly - just want to make sure I'm doing it right.

[giancarlo]

giancarlo,

Plenty of nicotine from regular strength portions
I chain snused
average 2 hours per portion

If I wanted to cheat with smokes, I would buy a weekend pack and when they were gone that was all till the next weekend.

I don't have an issue with smoking really. Once in a while I'll want one (usually morning) but even that seems to be subsiding. The nicotine in these snus is pretty strong (at least for me).'

As to the 2 hours per portion - is that normal? I can't taste a thing after about a half hour. I kept a portion in today for about an hour and that was about the most I could do

[Mordred]

I don't have an issue with smoking really. Once in a while I'll want one (usually morning) but even that seems to be subsiding. The nicotine in these snus is pretty strong (at least for me).'

As to the 2 hours per portion - is that normal? I can't taste a thing after about a half hour. I kept a portion in today for about an hour and that was about the most I could do

Wanting a cigarette in the morning is purely a habit. You want it because you're used to it. You probably want a shower just as much. I had the same for a while. Situations where I ALWAYS used to smoke, and even though I had no desire for nicotine, I still, out of habit, wanted a cig. That's kinda gone now after three months. The only time I still want a cig is when I go out big time. But see, it's about getting used to not smoking in a situation. The morning cig will quickly be forgotten, because it happens every day, but the cigarette with friends in the club after a few pints, well, that only happens like 2 or 3 times a month, so I'm still not used to having snus there instead.

As for the time you keep it in, it depends. I mean, sometimes I keep one in for two hours, but just as often, I take it out after 30-50 minutes and pop a new one. I do what I feel like with Snus and that's the great thing about it.

[Monkey]

The main reason I use los 90% of the time is because there is no drip. That, plus the mouthfeel and the way the flavor comes out.

Whites, irritate my gum very much, but they don't drip either.

Mike

[giancarlo]

The main reason I use los 90% of the time is because there is no drip. That, plus the mouthfeel and the way the flavor comes out.

Whites, irritate my gum very much, but they don't drip either.

Mike

I love the mouth feel but I've yet to get ANY flavor from the loose.

Could it be that my taste buds have not recovered enough from smoking?

[sagedil]

No, it could be that is just los. Always been a thing about los, many feel it just doesn't taste as much. With portions, there is so much you can do to them to maximize taste, just don't have the same opportunities with los, other than poking it a bit.

Still, over next 6 months, keep giving los a chance. Your tastes will continue to change for a long time, so always keep trying stuff again.

[chainsnuser]

Could it be that my taste buds have not recovered enough from smoking?

Definitely! Ettan, for example, can taste bland for a smoker, while it tastes spicy for a snuser. It takes a few weeks till the taste buds are back to normal. After a few days you should already get a feeling that everything tastes "different.

Get yourself some Probe Whiskey or General. You'll taste something for sure.

Cheers!