Champix - anyone tried it?

padsc

My doctor prescribed it for me to try and give up. I was wondering if anyone had used it and if so, did it work??


SORRY! JUST SAW THE OTHER THREAD...DON'T KNOW HOW I MISSED IT

sabrina99

had a friend that used it for a few weeks and he was a contrary divil while on it. it worked for a while but hes back on them now

padsc

I started it yesterday, felt really sick for a while but it went away. Don't feel sick at all today.

It's funny that your friend should have been cranky on it, it's based on antidepressants so I would have thought it would have the opposite effect. Then again, maybe it was the lack of fags that was making him like that.

SMK

I gave up cigarettes using Champix (I'm off them 5 months now!). For the first couple of weeks I was feeling quite sick for about 30 minutes after taking the tablet. It did lessen as the time went on and I found if I took the tablet with a meal I didn't feel sick at all. Even if you do feel sick after taking the tablet, stick with it.

smelltheglove

Well I used Champix by taking the correct dose for the first 2 weeks and halfing it afterwards. I had no cravings whatsoever and didn't wat to have to be weaned off it.

After about 6 weeks I stopped using it, still having 5 or 6 tablets left from my first months prescription and I havent smoked since. It's been about 2 months and don't think I will go back.

I've been throughtaking home my wedding dress to find it's too short and sitting beside my sister in intensive care and still havent given in.

I think they're miracle tabs. Been about 2 mths only but still have no interest in smoking at all.

You do hear of people saying it worked or 6 mths etc and then went back on I think after you get over the first few wks then it's oure will power because the craving is gone, there have been times obviously when I wanted one but why have one if I don't actually need one?

padsc

Yeah I'm on them more than two weeks now and I still haven't had a smoke. Have been out drinking etc. and still haven't caved in. I still get a small craving sometimes when I see someone lighting up but it's nothing I can't deal with.

E. Fudd

I'm on day three of Champix. I smoke 40 to 50 fags a day, this morning I realised that I'd only smoked 30 fags yesterday! I think it's working. Hopefully by the 27th of this month I'll be smoke free!

SMK

Best of luck Pampers. I'm six months off cigarettes now and I used Champix. Best thing I ever did!

Odysseus

Starting first dose tomorrow planned stop date is 14 day after that. I am actually quite excited about it as I have work as a therapist in the addiction field for the past ten years, helped thousands sort out their addiction but always messed up with mine, hopefully this time it will be different.

E. Fudd

off them since the 27th of October! All thanks to Champix!

SMK

Well done, pampers. Stay on the Champix for the recommended time even if you feel you don't need them anymore.

JimmyShoes128

i got a six week supply of champix and a load of lolly-pops (no joke) i planned on using them both together to try give up. i used the champix for 2 weeks with the lollies then stopped taking the champix and just chain ate lolly pops, i havent smoked in over 2 months and still have a four week supply of champix. just try sucking chuppa chub lollies constantly before paying out for the champix and see how you go, it honestly works. there tasty as well.

Elvis Pelvis

Don’t know much about the lolly pop method, but if it works for you go for it. I gave up smoking about 6 months ago, with the help of Champix. I was smoking for about 16 years or so, and i had my fill of the horrible things. First thing in the morning, i was looking for a FIX, and then a big mug of sweet coffee. One day i just got it in to my head, i have to stop this madness. The price of the things as well, if i was to save the money i could have a new car under me bum.

Let me just say firstly, giving up is hard, but continuing on smoking is not an option...”its an addiction”

I went to me doctor... I said. Doc, I want to give up these horrible things. The only time i see you doc, is once a year with a chest infection, and that’s largely down to smoking 20 a day. He said alright, try CHAMPIX. So i did. First week i smoked and took Champix. Second week, I smoked less and took Champix. Third week, i couldent look at a smoke, let alone stay in the same room as someone smoking.

I felt a bit off the first week, kind of sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach, second week, i was feeling a bit detached from reality, this actually lasted for a few weeks. Third week, i was totally and utterly off smoking. i had no real side effects apart from vivid dreams of all sorts.

i was put on a 12 week course of Champix, but after 8 weeks i stopped taking them. i have never looked back, and i will never put one of them smokes near my lips again.
i have tried many time to quit, and this time i know its for good. what ever the Champix does, it re programs you into thinking smoking is not nice and makes you feel kind of sick, i compare it to a clockwork orange, when they reprogrammed Alex so he could no longer harm people, minus the eye clamps of course.

My lungs defiantly feel much better, but from time to time i feel i cant take a deep breath, sometimes i wakeup feeling short of breath and have to get out of bed and occupy my mind with TV or something. I think this is normal, as it seems to be the body clearing out all the poison from the lungs.

Smoking is an addition not a habit. Habits can be broken very easily, addition needs a cure. Anyway, that my few penny’s worth on the subject.

Cheerio

nanook

good to hear all the positive feedback on champix, have tried lots of times to quit over the last couple of years but never lasted more than 7 months.

I am just wondering, has anyone ever failed quitting with champix, it seems to be good to be true, just wondering are there any other sides to the story

nanook

nanook wrote: »

I am just wondering, has anyone ever failed quitting with champix, it seems to be good to be true, just wondering are there any other sides to the story

you still have to want to give up cigarettes - Champix helps you get off them by alleviating the craving side of things but you can still go back on the cigs after you finish the course if you don't want to stay off... you'll still get the odd pschological craving now and again...

Odysseus

nanook wrote: »

good to hear all the positive feedback on champix, have tried lots of times to quit over the last couple of years but never lasted more than 7 months.

I am just wondering, has anyone ever failed quitting with champix, it seems to be good to be true, just wondering are there any other sides to the story

I found them to be excellent, however some of my friends had some of the more severe side effects and had to discontinue.

Now this is where it becomes complicated I started taking the at the end of last Oct. Had a short relapse at Xmas. Stayed on them stopped again, in late feb my dad was diagnosed with cancer, next two months smoking but stayed on the tabs as it reduced the amount I smoke. It took a couple of weeks after the funeral to get off them again, whilst I was on holiday the was a death on my partners side and I was back on them again, I had been off for six weeks. Kept on the tabs now three months, I work in an addiction treatment centre I know of the working for alot of people and some just can't tolerate them.

I know that a few times in the last year I have been off the for the longest time since I was a kid I'm now 38. So they help, it more a case of learning to cope with the crap life will throw at you, in my case in anyway. I hope that this time will be the last time its a bit of a joke to be on them so long, but I have had an ususal year, a couple of other very difficult life problems occurred. So I haven't failed on them its just taking a tad longer. I don't know if that answers your question but that's been my experience of them

I actually was using the tabs then went on hols for 2 weeks (after being off cigs for 2 months) and started smoking again and stopped taking the tabs. After about a month of smoking stopped again and started taking the tabs again. Have been off cigs over 4 months now. I didn't take full dosage - only 1mg per day (2 X 1mg is the prescribed).
Side affects will vary from person to person. There is a definite "detatchment from reality" aspect to them which is not altogether pleasant. When I stopped taking the tabs completely there was a weird state of mind effect too that lasted for a week / 10 days. This is to be expected with anything that acts on your brain...
However, overall I wouldn't probably have been able to successfully quit without them...

nanook

Just thought I would give it feedback. Started the tablets today going on the feedback from here. Gave to say many thanks to you all for the feedback.

Here us too hoping that it's another success.

SMK

Best of luck, nanook. Champix worked for me. By the time I tried Champix, I had probably spent as much on cigarettes as I had on "magic cures" to give up cigarettes!! Give it your very best effort. Even though Champix helps a lot it still takes some will power but I think you need that for your own self satisfaction. Don't give up giving up!!!

nanook

nanook wrote: »

Just thought I would give it feedback. Started the tablets today going on the feedback from here. Gave to say many thanks to you all for the feedback.

Here us too hoping that it's another success.

yeah best of luck - if you were off 7 months before then you can do it again and it's easier to do with Champix.

redfan

has anyone bought these online or got just from the doctor?

redfan

redfan wrote: »

has anyone bought these online or got just from the doctor?

you need to get prescribed by a doc. buying online likely to be fake to be honest. even if they are real - as there are side effects better to go through a doctor. also to avail of dps (drug payment scheme) you'll need to go through doc.

derossi

day three for me on champix. just took my third tablet and about 20 minutes later was throwing up in the toilet. havent really noticed any decrease in the need to smoke but it is only early yet......i have been smoking for about 11 years so will glady take anything that will help me go off them, even if i do feel like crap at the minute. i will keep you all informed of my progress so fingers crossed. tomorrow is the first day of the night tablet so im dreading being chased by freddie kruger

Odysseus

derossi wrote: »

day three for me on champix. just took my third tablet and about 20 minutes later was throwing up in the toilet. havent really noticed any decrease in the need to smoke but it is only early yet......i have been smoking for about 11 years so will glady take anything that will help me go off them, even if i do feel like crap at the minute. i will keep you all informed of my progress so fingers crossed. tomorrow is the first day of the night tablet so im dreading being chased by freddie kruger

Most people I know reported vivid dreams, I had some quite disturbing ones initially, however, my mental state can be quite disturbed:) The vivid dreams if you get them will dissipate after a couple of weeks. Best of luck with it.

nanook

just to add, I am on day 12 of champix, and I have cut down but not off them yet.
Is this normal????

Btw, the dreams, sweet mother of god, they are off the wall and I find I go into a deeper sleep than normal, bit worring when you have little children but my good lady is supportive.

nanook

nanook wrote: »

just to add, I am on day 12 of champix, and I have cut down but not off them yet.
Is this normal????

well the point of the tablets is to quit at some point. the guidance is to give up after a max of 2 weeks of beginning to take the tabs... personally I stopped smoking after about 8 days. I would advise you to pick a day in the very near future for actually stopping completely. there is still going to be some willpower involved.

nanook

cheers glaso, was not sure what the deal was, maybe I was hoping for a wonder drug that would cure everything.

SMK

I took Champix for three months before I stopped smoking! I know that's definitely not the way to do it!! During the three months I had cut down from 25-30 to 8-10. I suppose what took me so long to stop completely was fear the drug wouldn't work!! Anyway, I finally stopped and I'm now off them since April '07. Best of luck.

iPlop

I also took champix for 3 months before giving up but I am off the ciggies since feb '08

derossi

well i'm now on day 6 of the tablets. havent noticed any decrease in the want to smoke, more the opposite infact. i guess im putting this down to the nicotene not getting through? as for the dreams, on day 4 i had a very vivid dream, very clear but it wasnt scary or anything....more funny if anything! well i plan to go off them on wednesday so hope for the best!!

Great to hear some experiences regarding this drug; I’m 36 and I’m a heavy smoker for close to 20 years, 40+ a day.
God, have I tried desperately to stop, I went to the doctor there about 6 weeks ago, and the option on the table to me was the patches or Champix; she was more inclined in prescribing the patches to me as Champix is a relatively new drug, so I went for a course of patches which were successful for 11 days, smell, taste and general well being, which were absent for so long in my life were slowly appearing right back, on the second day I could smell the neighbours house off my family home which brought back vivid memories. And ironically here I am typing with a cigarette; even these words are being masked right in front of me from smoke.

I really have it bad, I will take all those bad dreams as I go to bed at night and only sleep in 2 or 3 hour spells and have to have a cigarette to fed my fix, most mornings when I get out of bed the ashtray which was clean and placed the night before has 4 -5 butts in it, and this before the usual morning fix which is so common for most smokers.

I went to the doctor this morning and went in nearly crying and begging for Champix, God, I have taken every drug for the exception of Heroin and I can safely say from my life experience that nicotine is the devilish of all drugs.

So I have here a month’s supply off Champix which I will be starting in the morning, I’m have way through the only way to stop smoking.
I need (and do want)to stop smoking, there affecting my life in every aspect, I can feel my heart (oh, can’t describe, like spikes) my self esteem regarding relationships, (god I’m good looking bloke, though I’m so aware off my addiction to cigs, smell etc,).

Anyways, in just typing these words, it’s helping me. And for anyone who has read through this garbage, thank you for your time.

fliptzer

I was a very heavy smoker, about 30-40 Camel a day and at 28 I was told by a doctor to stop after a stroke scare – but do you think that made me stop?

No, but after the chest pains got too bad the week before last Christmas I started on Champix. The dreams I had were unreal and I was insane for a few days (seriously – my family brought me back to the doctor who reduced the dose) and I suffered bad side effects…..but it did stop me smoking and to be honest I am really glad that despite all the side effects I would never smoke again because I never want to go on Champix again – this works for me lol, I’ve been off the fags for 10 months now.


Although I had a bad experience a lot of my friends tried Chapmix and they said it worked really really well, my advice would be to check with your doctor regularly but other then that go for it!

ronan28

I'm using Champix for 5 Months now, 1mg per day for the last two months. Doing great!, I could not have done this without this drug. I had some side effects early on (sleeplessness, nausea) but that all gone now. I'm coming off the drug at the end of this month with a gradual reduction (1mg every other day). I would highly recommend champix for those who have tried everything else.

mannioc00

Hi Everyone

I was a confirmed smoker for a long long time. I tried many methods to stop and didnt succeed. I took champix for about 6 weeks and stopped taking tablets 5 weeks ago. I am off the fags 7 weeks.

But, while I have no cravings. I feel physically rotten. I have a sore throat and I feel like my chest is tight most of the time. (have been to the doc and he says nothing wrong with me). My sleep pattern is awful. And I have a dry cough. Has this happened to anyone else.

I spoke to other people who stopped smoking without any drug, basically most have said they had varied symptoms for about 3 months. Some days I am so fed up with feeling crap that I would smoke. But I dont want to and I know it would be stupid. So if you have experienced any side effects from stopping please reply. Thanks

Delcorp

The new breakfast of champions from Weetabix! ha had to get that in there.

I'm 30 yrs old, been smoking since 13. First it was ten a day up until 16 or 17. Then I was on 20 a day up until 24/25. For the last 6 yrs I've easily smoked an average of 30 a day. And nights out drinking...40-45.

Anyway I've been on champix for 4 weeks, smoking less and less over the last two until Monday gone.....I woke up and summoned the willpower troops and stopped. I have cravings but less and less and less and after all they are only cravings...do everything you can to occupy your mind for the first few mins of the craving and day by day it gets easier. For me it's early days but I genuinely believe without the champix I would have found it extremely hard. The fear I had of..... "****...I won't be able to drink tea again or drive a car blah blah"....or "I normally had a smoke when I walked to the shop"...all a load of crap.

I will revert next week to just one 1mg champix per day and then see how I go solo the following week. Good luck to anyone thinking about quittiing.

So ya champix....all good!

Kilree

Don't be too quick to go off them Delcorp. I have been smoking for over 40 years and was a 20 a day man. I tried on a number of occasions to quit without success. I've used patches, acupuncture, hypnosis and other methods but always went back to smoking. I started taking Champix before Christmas and quit on New Years day. In the early stages I found it difficult to do certain things which would have been associated with smoking (sitting at computer, breakfast coffee etc) but I am still off the fags and not felling the pain quite as much. I am also a bit richer which is nice.They work for me and hopefully I will continue and quit the stupid habit once and for all.

Delcorp

Are you still taking the champix though?

Kilree

Yes. Still taking them and will continue twice a day for another 5/6 weeks. They recommend that they be taken for 12 weeks at least. After that you can continue for another 12 weeks if doctor recommends it.

pinnyoshea

Took first tablet today. Plan to give up on day 8. Was nervous about taking champix after reading all the possible side effects but reading all the above posts put me at ease. Thanks. I really hope I succeed. Im 26 and have been smoking since I was 14, gave up for short periods but never managed to stay off them. Recently theyve started to catch up with me and I find it difficult to go running or to the gym, something Ive always enjoyed. Final year in college and just after a breakup mightnt be the best time to try but I cant wait any longer. Wish me luck
:D:D

Kilree

Good luck Pinny. They're still working for me.

fitzie2009

I just got my pack of champix from the doc today and am feeling very good about it. Ive been smoking for 20 years now its been my longest running vice I cant stand them anymore apart from the health problems I find i can no longer stomach food Id smoke first thing in the morning which means no eating till lunch. Iv spent most of my adult life addicted to something I was an alchoholic for number of years and managed to give that up and stay clear also a heroin addict for 12 years and am now hitting my third year clean. but out of the three i find the smokes the hardest to quit you would think its the other way around, so anyone who manages to kick smokin deserves a pat on the back be proud of your achievement

celticcrash

Day 6 noticing nausea comming on stronger,sluggish more phyisical than mental,not getting a hit off the smokes.
The smokes are tasting like real smoke.lol. Take the hit away and all your left with is the horrible smoke.
Less disire to smoke, smoked 12 today instead of 20. Even with the nausea
and sluggishness I am happy with champix so far.

Just to update on a previous post I made here.

I haven't smoked since 4th Jan and all is great.

To everyone, it is easier than you think........
And I was a 40+ a day man...

Remember, you are in control, and you can do it.

brianj2008

I ALL
just got my prescription for Champax. Its my birthday present as i will be 28 on Saturday. Been smoking from 15-20 for the last few years and before that have been up as high as 30. So as my birthday present to me I've desided it was time to quite and will be starting on the Champax Sunday. one last smoke out and all that.

after reading the past posts i just wanna say congrats to all you who gave up and are still off and best of luck to those of you who have just started best of luck.

keep updating us on your progress
talk to you all soon
best of luck
Brian

Kilree

Finished the twelve week course of Champix last Sunday week. Since then have had a few pangs, which surprised me but am still off them. Seems to be getting a bit better every day.

jimredmond

.....but have been on Champix for 3 weeks today, gave up smoking one week ago and was already down to 3/4 cigs a day for the last couple of days. Side effects - very bad nausea for a couple of days for around 30 minutes after taking the pill; still get nauseous the odd time but not as bad as before and only for a couple of minutes; very, *very* odd and vivid dreams, although rarely unpleasant. Have had no cravings for fags for a week now. Am confident that this will work. It has to - I'm not getting any younger.

elya765

Hi Guys, well done to all of u who have given up the smokes. Can I just ask, do u have to smoke while on champix or can you stop the smokes as soon as you start using champix?

Also how much does it cost?

brianj2008

elya765 wrote: »

Hi Guys, well done to all of u who have given up the smokes. Can I just ask, do u have to smoke while on champix or can you stop the smokes as soon as you start using champix?

Also how much does it cost?

its suggested to smoke for up to 12 days whike on Champix usually giving up between days 8 and 12.

cos is €130 with out DPS and €100 with for the Introduction pack
the second pack is same i think havent got that far yet LOL

TestTransmission

Im off the cigs a year in a few weeks time,all thanks to Champix :D
Ive saved a small fortune..

coco_chanell

Hi all, I am hoping that someone will be able to help me. I have tried to find the answer in other posts but not been successfull up to now. Can anyone tell me how much it costs to go on the champix tabs, I know the course can vary from person to person so I just want a rough idea of how much per week in the early stages.

To all of you already on them.... good luck and keep up the good work, I hope one day soon I will be able to say, no thanks I dont smoke!!

SMK

If you have a card for the Drug Payment Scheme then it's €100 a month, if you don't I believe it's about €125 a month. Either way, don't forget to claim tax relief on the cost of the prescription in your Med1 form