Champix aka Chantix/Varenicline

Tip

Hey Guys today is day 11 for me on Champix and was to be my quit day. I just could not do it !!!!!!. I just knew that I am resisting this medication subconciously. Funnily enough I have less of urge to smoke today but up to this I was still smoking my usual 20. It feels a bit like smoking when one has the flu !!!!!!!. I now have put back my quit date to day 14. I see no point in quitting until I am sure that I'm giving it my best shot. If I had given up today it would not be much different than cold turkey for me.:rolleyes:.

John_Mc

Tip wrote: »

Hey Guys today is day 11 for me on Champix and was to be my quit day. I just could not do it !!!!!!. I just knew that I am resisting this medication subconciously. Funnily enough I have less of urge to smoke today but up to this I was still smoking my usual 20. It feels a bit like smoking when one has the flu !!!!!!!. I now have put back my quit date to day 14. I see no point in quitting until I am sure that I'm giving it my best shot. If I had given up today it would not be much different than cold turkey for me.:rolleyes:.

Bollix - if you tried you would see how manageable it is.

But you keep making excuses for yourself :rolleyes:

DonnieL

Come on Tip, quit procrastinating.:cool: Just do it! It'll be easier than you think! REMEMBER you HAVE TO QUIT for Health Reasons so get with the program!:rolleyes:

Thoushaltnot

Tip wrote: »

Hey Guys today is day 11 for me on Champix and was to be my quit day. I just could not do it !!!!!!. I just knew that I am resisting this medication subconciously. Funnily enough I have less of urge to smoke today but up to this I was still smoking my usual 20. It feels a bit like smoking when one has the flu !!!!!!!. I now have put back my quit date to day 14. I see no point in quitting until I am sure that I'm giving it my best shot. If I had given up today it would not be much different than cold turkey for me.:rolleyes:.

No worries. Relax. Go with day 14, then. I went through the same thing, was the same sort of scared but day 14 was ok...even got drunk on day 15, grabbed a smoke from a friend, sucked on it...and got nothing.

To fill the story out a bit, lasted a glorious 9 months, then was shocked into smoking (a sudden death) but went back to the doc, completed another 3 month course (this time gave up on day 8 as I was in a hurry to be free again)
and haven't looked back. 10 months free now and so grateful for that.

Just keep going...and have faith. It is a miracle worker.

Tip

Thanks so much guys for advice. I am a confirmed smoker of 38 yrs - guess I not believing I can quit is my main stumbling block. I am reading Allen Carr as well as Champix but I must be a retard. Everyone is shocked why I have not quit because of my serious health probs. But guess what they are not smokers, I have one annoying friend who can quit anytime with willpower, I would so love to show them I can do it and stay off them!!! But hey tonight I am not smoking as much and today I've cut back to 12 so maybe it will work for me. Fingers crossed

DonnieL

That's better Tip.. When you get some time just sit down and go back through and review some of these threads to get an idea of what different people experienced. Your health problem should be the uppermost priority right now. Don't base you life on what some friends do. Just do what YOU have to do to get off the smokes. We're here for ya my friend!

alimo

hellllooooooooo everyone , sorry been so long ....... i got a new passion since i stopped smoking and it takes up all the spare time , ive developed a passion for growing vegetables even got myself a polytunnel am finished with champix now though on 2nd packet i did cut back to 1 tab a day as they were playing havoc with my stomach .... i do still miss them but i really believe this time i will stay off them , i do feel a lot better with more energy , you do need the willpower to stop , champix does take the worst edge off it , i am still amazed that i did it as a failed so many times in the past with any way that i tried to stop , i didn't pressurize myself into picking an exact day to stop i just got up one day and stopped

alimo

donniel where is the diet thread you promised ..... ive put on 2 stone , even with all my gardening etc !!!!!!! i gotta get my bikini body sorted for my hols ..................... help

DonnieL

Ha! Ha! I know, Tattoo Man said he gained a half a stone like it was really bad. I told him I was more like a stone and a half. Bought myself a recumbent bike exerciser that I work out on every evening before dinner. Haven't found that diet thread yet!:D Poutbutton said she was going to find one;):D;)

conjamuk

I just got them today. It should be a bit easier for me since I only smoke 10 a day.

ElBarco

Just wanted to add - my last smoke was the 16th of March. I was a reasonably heavy (20-30 per day) smoker. Hung on to the last, day 14 of the tablets, and I've been off them since. I stopped the tablets after the first two months as my sleep was being affected but I'm still going.

I wont say it has been the easiest thing in the world as I still miss them an awful lot but it really has been worth it.

Tip

Day 14 for me and I Quit Today. I doin ok so far so good. Not as easy peasy as I thought, but doable. Its 4 pm hope I can get one day down,
that will be a miracle for me as its 17 yrs since I last Quit !!!!!!!

DonnieL

Way to go Tip!!!!!!!!! Now keep up the good work!! We're all pulling for you!!;):D

Conjamuk and El Barco, hang tough and keep us posted on your progress. Hang in there you'll be darn glad you did!:);)

SMK

Tip wrote: »

Day 14 for me and I Quit Today. I doin ok so far so good. Not as easy peasy as I thought, but doable. Its 4 pm hope I can get one day down,
that will be a miracle for me as its 17 yrs since I last Quit !!!!!!!

Best of luck, Tip. That's what I thought my first few days too - "Not as easy peasy as I thought, but doable". After a while I was glad of this because I felt like I achieved something rather than giving complete credit to the tablets!!!!!:D

DonnieL

Hey SMK.. Great to hear from you again!! Aren't you about through with the program? I've been off the meds close to 2 months now and doing fine. Haven't had a smoke since January 12th 2009. But who's counting!!

SMK

DonnieL wrote: »

Hey SMK.. Great to hear from you again!! Aren't you about through with the program? I've been off the meds close to 2 months now and doing fine. Haven't had a smoke since January 12th 2009. But who's counting!!

Hi DonnieL,

Yes, I'm long since finished with the program - off the cigs over two years now!! I still like to encourage people to give Champix a try cos I know it's hard to believe it could work - but as you know, it does!!!

DonnieL

Hey SMK.. That's right!! You were one of the "Pioneers" so to speak! Keep checking in with your support!! Thanks!!:D

Tip

Its my 2nd day as a non smoker and I Feel Good- My mouth / teeth feel so clean I dont smell like an ash tray, I feel proud of myself. Can't really believe it . !!!. Champix is a miracle worker. I know its early days for me but this time I'm not saying to myself how I would just love just 1 last Ciggie. I'm just saying isn't it brill that I am a non smoker and can't wait to get to where I will never think of smokes again.The big plus on Champix is that I am not hungry like last time I quit. I am just eating as normal plus a few sugar free polo mints and gum for cravings. To be honest the last time I quit I put on 3 stone I just replaced cigs with food !!!!!!!!!!. I also am walking the ass of myself.

DonnieL

Hey Tip, that is sooooooooo Great!!!!!! It only gets better from here. It's ok to think about the cigs. Just keep it "negative". I still have dreams that I'm smoking then wake so relieved to realize it was just a dream!! Be proud young man!! Be proud!! :pac:

mel123

hi everyone. day 3 of champix. my doc told me to give up after a week. im not noticing any difference in my desire to light up, but im thinking positive!!!

Tip

Day 18 on Campix & On my 5th day being a non smoker, I feel really chuffed. I being Smoker for 38 yrs managed once before to quit for about 1yr but that is 17yrs ago, it feels fantastic and I could not have done it without Champix for sure. Champix really does take the edge of stopping,especially if one is like me and had a fag first thing in morn (or 2 ) I find I have no desire or pang in morning which is great and this sets me up for day. On Champix its really the habit ( cig after food, cig after completing task, cig in car ) more than cravings one has to get over. I know its early days for me but I feel confident that I will be able to set myself Free this time !!!!!!!!!!!!!. Alan Carrs book is a must for anyone thinking of giving up smoking along with Champix it makes it achievable. Alan Carr really brings home to you that it is nicotine addiction. Funnily today I met a woman who told me she had given up cigs over 1 yr ago, but that she would love to now be able to give up the nicotine gum + lozenges she was now addicted to !!!!!!!!

SMK

Great news Tip. Well done! It's important to finish the full prescription - approx 3 months even if you get to a stage before then that you feel you don't need the Champix anymore. The habit cravings are very annoying!! It's like you've told yourself you can have a cigarette a second before you remember you don't smoke anymore!!!

200motels

SMK wrote: »

Hi DonnieL,

Yes, I'm long since finished with the program - off the cigs over two years now!! I still like to encourage people to give Champix a try cos I know it's hard to believe it could work - but as you know, it does!!!

I've tried Champix didn't work with me, and I've tried everything under the sun from gum to inhalers you name it I've tried it and still I'm smoking, I'm not going to try anymore, I enjoy them too much, anyone who doe's kick it fair play to them.

John_Mc

200motels wrote: »

I've tried Champix didn't work with me, and I've tried everything under the sun from gum to inhalers you name it I've tried it and still I'm smoking, I'm not going to try anymore, I enjoy them too much, anyone who doe's kick it fair play to them.

You enjoy them eh? And what exactly do you enjoy about them? The cost? The Smell? The social exclusion? The cravings?

There aint nothing enjoyable about the smokes, until you admit this to yourself, you'll always be a slave to the horrible weed.

200motels

John_Mc wrote: »

You enjoy them eh? And what exactly do you enjoy about them? The cost? The Smell? The social exclusion? The cravings?

There aint nothing enjoyable about the smokes, until you admit this to yourself, you'll always be a slave to the horrible weed.

I agree with you I am a slave to them I've admitted that many times but it still doesn't work, I've been to Alan Carr clinics and many clinics like his but to no avail, I'd love to be a non smoker but my addiction is so strong that I'd die if I couldn't have a ciggy, and yes I'll die if I keep smoking.

Tip

Day 19 - 6th day Non Smoker, I thought I was doing great and getting away with bad side effects - not any longer. Has anyone got cramps and flatulence !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its pretty bad I took a Motilium tab and that relieved it, my question is am I stuck with this until I come off Champix??.
Otherwisse I'm doing great and cant believe I've quit smoking and not finding it too difficult. I would hate to have to give Champix up - at this stage I would still not be in position to quit on my own, !!!!!!!

SMK

I found the upset tummy did ease up after being on the tablets for about 3 weeks however I found if I took the table with a meal, it didn't bother my tummy at all. Hopefully the cramps will pass or at least ease up for you soon.

Tip

SMK can I be rude its passing wind and bowel problems not nausea. I feel that I am full of gas + am farting like mad. I take my tablet after food and never suffered the nausea that other people speak of. I'm doing so well off cigs and would hate to have to give up Champix just now.

SMK

I only had the upset tummy - thankfully!!! Give it a few more days and see if it passes (sorry!!).

DonnieL

200 Motels, why are you wasting time and money if you love smoking and don't want to quit? I'm confused. When YOU ARE ready, THEN try champix otherwise your wasting time and money!!


Tip, I haven't heard of the gas problem before. Are you sure it's nothing your eating and/or drinking? Whatever, don't let this deter you from continuing on with the program. You're doing great. Keep it going!


Mel123, You've got a good start. Look at some of Tip's earlier posts. He was beating himself up for taking so long but now he's doing great. Every one is different. Just be patient.


SMK, I know you've been around through a lot our earlier posts when I was discussing my polycythemia vera with Poutbutton. That's the blood disorder that I was diagnosed with in September 2008. I was undergoing phlebotomies (taking of 500cc's of blood) every other week to keep my red blood cell count down to normal. I haven't had a "phlebotomy" since I quit smoking. Today my Hematologist/Oncologist told me that I was the 1st case of smoking related polycythemia vera that he's seen in his career as a Hematologist/Oncologist and doesn't want to see me again for 4 months and that I should go out and reward myself. He said he's going to use me as an example to his other patients who smoke.

I know this is a bit lengthy but I thought it was pertinent. Especially to those who are faltering.