Newbie Needs Help/suggestions!

[beyaz]

So, here's the scoop: I'm new to setting up a hookah myself, as I've usually just gone places that rent them out. Recently I returned from Turkey and the hookah (nargile in Turkish) was AMAZING...

So, the other night, I set up my acrylic Mya for the first time. I had enough water in the bowl (maybe a bit much but I wasn't drinking it, so that's good), had some pharaoh seventh heaven tobacco in the bowl, and some instant light coals (I bought them when I got the pipe). After awhile, it seemed like I was tasting the juices from my tobacco though. When I sampled the tobacco in a shop, it was great, so I tried it out at a hookah bar before I purchase and it was also great. I tried it at home and I got light headed and nauseous...I always get light headed...kinda like a drunk feeling when I smoke hookah for a long while, so that's not the issue. The issue is that I tried to smoke up some more of the seventh heaven the other night and almost got ill. I can't do the flavor anymore I think.

I'm planning on switching to another flavor due to this issue but I don't want to buy another thing of tobacco if I'm messing it up. I'm going to a party with friends tonight and will set up the hookah and want to give them a pleasurable experience since it's their first time trying it too...

Any suggestions? I've watched most of the youtube tutorials and tried that but I guess I'm just not sure of myself at this point.

Any help you could give would be great.

Thanks!

[Beardius]

you should try and get some starbuzz if you can.
pleasurable flavor for most of their tobaccos.
my favorites being strawberry margarita, tangerine dream and pumpkin pie.
they're easy to pack, and maintain with heat.

[MichaelLCP]

Yeah try Starbuzz. Pretty simple to pack and maintain heat. Also make sure you stay hydrated when you are smoking. I've made that mistake once before and had to lay down for 2 hours.

[beyaz]

One of the other issues with my selection of tobacco is this: I HATE the anise (black licorice) taste that I'm finding on many tobaccos. I loved the Apple (Elma) flavors that I found in Turkey...they were really a true apple without any disgusting tastes. Anybody know of a good tobacco that would fit this requirement?

Thanks again!

[MichaelLCP]

[quote name='beyaz' timestamp='1304184536' post='507594']
One of the other issues with my selection of tobacco is this: I HATE the anise (black licorice) taste that I'm finding on many tobaccos. I loved the Apple (Elma) flavors that I found in Turkey...they were really a true apple without any disgusting tastes. Anybody know of a good tobacco that would fit this requirement?

Thanks again!
[/quote]

Just don't get double apple if you don't like black licorice. Like I said above, Try Starbuzz flavors. Or go for Al Fakher.

[EvansLight]

If my memory serves me right, Pharaohs is made by the same people as Al Waha, and if so then its an unwashed tobacco. This means you are getting a high dose of nicotine when you smoke this stuff. The ill feeling is the nicotine affecting your body. One common remedy is to eat something sweet, or drink a lot while smoking.

As the others suggested, Starbuzz might be a good bet for you. Its not the cheapest of tobaccos but its got some amazing flavors, and unlike the Pharaohs its washed and so you will get less of a nicotine buzz.

Also try and breath between hits. I know this sounds silly to suggest, but a lot of people when first starting out in there own homes tend to smoke too much too quickly. Not only does this introduce more nicotine into your system but it also deprives your body of oxygen, where a lot of the head rush comes from. I have actually passed out from over smoking before, it ain't pretty

[king_lunchb0x]

[quote name='EvansLight' timestamp='1304187345' post='507603']
If my memory serves me right, Pharaohs is made by the same people as Al Waha, and if so then its an unwashed tobacco. This means you are getting a high dose of nicotine when you smoke this stuff. The ill feeling is the nicotine affecting your body. One common remedy is to eat something sweet, or drink a lot while smoking.

As the others suggested, Starbuzz might be a good bet for you. Its not the cheapest of tobaccos but its got some amazing flavors, and unlike the Pharaohs its washed and so you will get less of a nicotine buzz.

Also try and breath between hits. I know this sounds silly to suggest, but a lot of people when first starting out in there own homes tend to smoke too much too quickly. Not only does this introduce more nicotine into your system but it also deprives your body of oxygen, where a lot of the head rush comes from. I have actually passed out from over smoking before, it ain't pretty
[/quote]

good advice...the only time a got sick and passedout was when i was new to smoking and using pharaohs tobacco (yea i think unwashed). Start off easy take a breather every now and again and be sure to drink water and have food in the stomach. As for flavor. Try smoking something that is washed..correct me if im wrong but: al-amir,starbuzz,tangiers lucid, al-fakher, havana. are all brands that i believe are washed...not washed would be tangiers noir,al waha,pharaohs, nakhla.

[vendetta_revived]

As everyone said, try a different brand. Haven't tried starbuzz but Al fakher is pretty good to start with and it's washed, so you won't get as much buzz to make you feel like you need to lie down, and still enough to make you feel happy (at least to me it does that. ).

Also, refer to this thread and see if you're doing anything wrong.

http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/40373-beginners-guide-to-hookah/

[Epoch]

Share with some friends so you aren't smoking the entire bowl by yourself. Solo smoking gives me a monstrous buzz. Edited May 1, 2011 by Epoch

[jorlyfish]

Surprised nobody's brought up the instant lights.. Instant light coals have always given me a headache, and sometimes a hookah stomachache to go with if there's another factor - dehydrated, not taking in enough air between hits, etc.

Try finding some natural coals if you can, and see if that helps the issue.

[woodskat]

I think its the instant light coals that cause the problem because every time I smoke with the instant light smoke I also get nauseous and feel sick. try using standard coals.

[EvansLight]

[quote name='jorlyfish' timestamp='1304226189' post='507671']
Surprised nobody's brought up the instant lights.. Instant light coals have always given me a headache, and sometimes a hookah stomachache to go with if there's another factor - dehydrated, not taking in enough air between hits, etc.

Try finding some natural coals if you can, and see if that helps the issue.
[/quote]


[quote name='woodskat' timestamp='1304267992' post='507714']
I think its the instant light coals that cause the problem because every time I smoke with the instant light smoke I also get nauseous and feel sick. try using standard coals.
[/quote]

Not everyone has an adverse reaction to instant light coals. If used properly, then they are not much worse for you then any coal out there. Not saying there as good, but they are a good standby to have. While i have and occasionaly use coconara coals, i almost always use 3k quicklights; so much easier to use and to start new ones.

More commonly the sick feeling has to do with the tobacco in questions, more often then not the nicotine amount. Even pack a day smokers can get sick from smoking unwashed tobaccos. I know I have in the past myself.