Hello! I have actually been a member for a couple of months now, but didn't know this thread existed when I joined! Pardon my late introduction!
I have been a vaporist for a long time. In the 90s I built a vaporizer out of a radio shack project box, a mason jar, a 12v car cigarette lighter, a momentary on switch, and a whip. One would place the material on the cigarette lighter element, hold the button until vapor was seen and then release, kind of pulsing it to fill the mason jar, then emptying the jar with the whip. It worked
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In the 00s I bought a vapir which honestly kind of sucked. Fast forward to about 7 years ago. I came on here and lurked and ended up with a dynavap and a fluxer deluxe. This served me well, but definitely hurt my lungs. I discovered that for me, running through water didn't really help. It was the length of the draw that made the vapor condense in my lungs and be painful. I learned that this year when I upgraded my gear and got a ball vape! For me I can take almost any size hit as long as its fast.
For years, I noticed lots of anxiety, etc when I smoked. It got to the point where 90% of the time when I smoked I would be anxious. I looked at it as amplifying my own stuff, but was not able to make any progress so after years of trying I left weed entirely. With legalization, I started trying gummies. I found that a 5mg dose was totally enjoyable and I had no anxiety. I started using edibles occasionally and really enjoying them. I think they helped pave the way to vaping without anxiety or paranoia. After that experience, I decided to try vaping again.
I am a recovered alcoholic, and at times in my life have considered myself addicted to weed. I would basically be unable to not go through a bag as soon as I got one despite whatever intentions I set when I got it. It was like the one writing the checks was different from the one cashing them
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So I started controlling my dosing by just buying a joint once a month or so, unrolling it, and vaping it all day every day through the dynavap for 1/2-1 week. This worked really well, and playing with such small amounts and getting such large effects really changed the way i viewed usage. I used the 1/2 bowl setting and 1-4 puffs off the bowl was enough.
Recently I found a technique that has really helped me get back into balance. What I started doing was creating bubbles of sobriety throughout the day rather than either vaping 0 or 100. I would try not to vape until 2-5 pm, then would let myself vape as much as I wanted to for a few hours. This was enough to actually start a downward trajectory in my tolerance over time while also keeping my sober state present each day. I am far closer to balance than I have ever been before! I am currently on a rare break taking my tolerance back to zero. I have a ZX and a Vapman on the way. I have clarity on how the side effects of weed increase with dosage but past a certain point the good parts do not. Where I used to not be able to keep weed in the house without being constantly high, I now have a 4 strain cannador and I am productive. I value my sober time at least as much as my stoned time and thats a big deal for me.
The latest realization came just a few days ago. I noticed that when considering a break i had a lot of resistance. The first day off is rather uncomfortable, like I have an ache or itch around constantly. Then I remembered what it is like when my tolerance is zero and I vape or ingest. I get a very similar ache and have thoughts like "woah this is a big state change, i wonder if this is too much". I have started relating the ache when stopping to the ache when started from zero. Like one enables the other. This has made the transitions to breaks very easy for me, like any discomfort i feel is directly proportional to the size of the rush I get when I start again. That has made it much easier to take breaks as necessary, even thought I don't see breaks as a part of a long term strategy, just a tool to be used when things have gotten out of whack or when specifically trying to get back to zero tolerance.
Tolerance management is the key for me right now. I won’t call it microdosing because its not. DDave is a microdoser. Trying to get max high from min material is tolerance management IMO.
I am excited to be here and to contribute to the community that has helped me so much as a lurker.
Hello!