Champix aka Chantix/Varenicline

cgan086

If anyone wants any info about my experience on champix feel free to ask.

As allan carr would say "there is nothing wrong with failing to quit as long as your brave enough too try."

DonnieL

Good for you cgan086. Your Paying it Forward!!;):D

Tip

Cgan its thanks to Champix + Alan Carrs book " The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" that I am now on day 23 as a Non Smoker. After 35 yrs + as a smoker of 20 a day it took some doing to get me off cigs . Champix worked so well for me and Donniel if u remember I was full of fear that it
would not work for me, I even put back my quit day from 11 to day 14.
I never even tried to give up in past 17 yrs I am now ashamed to say !!!!.
I think it was sheer fear that stopped me from stopping.

DonnieL

Ay Tip, ye brought a tear to me eye!!!!!! Seriously, that is so great! Yes I rememember how freaked out you were when you started out!! You had no confidence at all in your will power! Now look at you!! You deserve to reward yourself too!!:D

Thoushaltnot

Didn't occur to me when I was on the Champix and getting naseau - ginger!

Ginger is recommended for a whole rake of naseau's - morning sickness, travel sickness, etc.

Just throwing that out there.

DonnieL

Thoushaltnot, thanks for the Tip! I did some checking and came up with the following link on Ginger's effect on nausea.;)

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art7837.asp

This is probably just one of many. Poutbutton, are you there??!!

DonnieL

Well things must be going swimmingly over there. I haven't seen any posts in several days! Or NOT???:cool:;)

cgan086

Hows things with you Donniel? smoking or the lack there of?

DonnieL

Hi Cgan086, Still clean as a whistle! (from nicotine anyway)
And you??

tattoo man

HI FOLKS ,STILL OF SMOKES NOW 8 THS,YAHOOOOOOOOOO
BUT NEED HELP,A GOOD FRIEND IS 2 STARTING HIS SECOND MTH ON CHAMPIX,GOING GREAT FOR A 50 A DAY SMOKER,HE MISPLACED HIS TABS AT A WEEKEND AWAY IN WEXFORD,I KNOW I CUT ME OWN DOSE DOWN FROM 2 TABS A DAY TO ONE DUE TO FEELING SICK,IVE GAVE HIME WHAT I HAVE SPARE,BUT STILL NEED ANOTHER 20 OR SO,HES JUST OUT OF WORK SO BROKE,STRANGE REQUEST I KNOW,BUT I KNOW A FEW OF YE CUT BACK ALSO,AND LIKE ME HAD SOME SPARE,ANYHOW KEEP THE HEADS UP AND THE BODY CLEAN OFF SMOKE,CHEERS
TM
OS
IF ANYONE CAN HELP COULD YOU PM ME??AS I SID HES 2O SHORT OF HIS MTHS SUPPLY...

DonnieL

Just received this from the GETQUIT Support Group:
06/22/2009

You've just hit the 6-month mark. Now the decision you made to change your life and stick with it should hopefully give you even more strength to avoid cigarettes at this point in your journey.
Do you feel more confident and in control? We hope that stopping smoking opened up a great new chapter in your life.
Remember how smoking used to complicate your life?

• Feeling smoke linger in your hair, clothes, home, office, or on your breath
• Planning your life around where and when to smoke
• Having to worry about smoking around others
• Dealing with the cost of cigarettes

In the weeks to come, we'll help you take a fresh look at yourself and think about the good things that should continue to come from avoiding cigarettes. You're doing great things for your life and, most importantly, your health.
It also showed me that I've saved nearly $1,300.00 by not buying Cigarettes.:D

Tattoo man, I do have some chantix 1mg tablets left if you still need them just let me know how to get them to you.:)

tattoo man

DonnieL wrote: »

Just received this from the GETQUIT Support Group:
06/22/2009

You've just hit the 6-month mark. Now the decision you made to change your life and stick with it should hopefully give you even more strength to avoid cigarettes at this point in your journey.
Do you feel more confident and in control? We hope that stopping smoking opened up a great new chapter in your life.
Remember how smoking used to complicate your life?

• Feeling smoke linger in your hair, clothes, home, office, or on your breath
• Planning your life around where and when to smoke
• Having to worry about smoking around others
• Dealing with the cost of cigarettes

In the weeks to come, we'll help you take a fresh look at yourself and think about the good things that should continue to come from avoiding cigarettes. You're doing great things for your life and, most importantly, your health.
It also showed me that I've saved nearly $1,300.00 by not buying Cigarettes.:D

Tattoo man, I do have some chantix 1mg tablets left if you still need them just let me know how to get them to you.:)

donnieL that would be fantastic,and a great help indeed,i see you dont have PMs,so ill stick me email up if ya want me to get you info that way,im sure im allowed on site here???thanking you

Tip

5 wks smoke free for me today. I did not think I could make 5 hrs not a mind 5 wks. Feel great had a weeks holiday and encountered few problems. While on hol did encounter smoking in pub did get feeling would love one but stuck some chewing gum in my mouth and it passed quickly. Smell of cigs when on Champix not good. The crave I get now is much the same feeling as when I was smoking and due my next cig - then I realise I have quit them !!!!!!! except from getting this feeling at least 20 times a day I now get it maybe 4 times.:D. I know I am not home free yet but it is getting easier - hope it stays that way.

DonnieL

Tip, that's great news. I know it effects everyone differently but I think you'll find it easier every day. For me things are working in reverse. People who know I quit now avoid smoking around me so I have to assure them it doesn't bother me and it really doesn't. I even empty their ash trays for them and it doesn't bother me. Which I think is fantastic and thought it would never happen to me after 50 yrs plus of smoking.

gpjordanf1

hi guy's, started champix on sunday, cig's are tasting pretty terrible now today? Also desire to smoke is diminishing. Is this how it works? My quit day is a week from sunday but i doubt i'll make it that long if the pill's keep working like this. I'm on 0.5 mg at moment, starting 1.0 mg tomorrow, not sure when i go to 2.0 mg maybe sunday? Anyway i'm suprised it's started working. I'm an annual quitter by all method's and had nearly given up hope. It's been reassuring reading all of your successes. No side effects to report so far, no mad dreams so far!

DonnieL

Gpjordanf1,
welcome to the group! It sounds like you're starting out the way I did. My desire to smoke stated to diminish on the 3rd day. My quit day was on day 8. It's a little different here in the U.S. There are no 2 MG just 1 MG twice a day unless that's what you were talking about. I know I've said it many times before, but just remember to take the Meds with food and drink a lot of water. It sounds like you're off to a great start! Keep up the good work and keep us posted. I've been off the Chantix for a couple of months now and off the Smokes for over 6 months with no cravings or desires.
DonnieL

gpjordanf1

hi donnie, yeah that's what i meant, 2mg in two 1mg tablet's, that's what i'm building up to. Going good so far desire is dropping by the day, finger's crossed it works out, i'll keep ye posted, i really have to quit! Still no side effects except temper can be shorter at times.

DonnieL

Great work! I had a visit with my cardio/vascular Doc yesterday to check my aneurism.(every 6 mos) He was delighted that I was still off the smokes with no desires or urges. He wants to use me as an example to some of his other patients. His assistant was the one who suggested Chantix to me last October. But, I like so many "rationalized" "why put myself throught that with all the holidays coming up?" and waited until after the New Year and made it my New Year Resolution.

Glad to hear that your getting none of the side effects so far. As far as the temper, I thought that came with being Irish!! L.O.L..=^)

DonnieL

It appears all is quite on the Irish front. Good news? I sure hope so!;):D

cgan086

DonnieL wrote: »

It appears all is quite on the Irish front. Good news? I sure hope so!;):D

Hey Donn,

Great to see your still helping out.

Things are going great.

How are things over your side of the pond? Champix is starting to get popular over here! It's still expensive if not compared to cigs though and i think thats what stops ppl taking it. Maths is not that strong over here.

Listen to this guy he knows what he's talking about.

DonnieL

Hey Cgan086, Glad to hear things are great! Yeah, here too! I'm in my 7th month without any desire or urges to light up! It's frickin' amazing!!!;):D:):pac:

gpjordanf1

hey donnie, yeah everything going great, one pack of smokes lasted the whole weekend, amazing, i decided i'd quit on day 14 which is this sunday, but i'll probably quit at the latest this friday. Yeah the temper can be an irish trait but it's gone now. All well besides glad all is well your end, 7 months nice one, will be joining ya soon!!!!!

DonnieL

gpjordan1, That's great news! One of the posts was saying that since they've been on champix they've also cut back on the Beer intake! I'm a whiskey man myself!!

Tip

Hi Donniel and all Newbies Not been on boards for ages :rolleyes:. I'm coming to my 7th week without smokes and doing great. Found week 6 hard,(craving like mad most days) but this week I'm grand again. Can't believe I got this far and to be honest its been pretty easy most of time. I just love being a non smoker and I will never put one of those filthy yokes in my gob again. For anyone starting Champix just go with the Champix it does work. If I could quit the smokes after 35 yrs of commitment anyone can. Champix makes quitting doable even for the most commited smoker.
For past 3 days I take 1mg in morning and cut my night time tab in half , seem to be doin grand with that. I hope to do that for 2 weeks and then drop to half tab morn and night.

DonnieL

Hey Tip.. Great news! You're about half way there now.. Should be much easier from here on in! I know when I got that far, I couldn't even imagine myself smoking again! Keep up the great work!!!!!!:D

DonnieL

Just thought I'd share this weeks topic from Chantix Support:

BREATHING EXERCISE

Something as basic as making breathing exercises a part of your daily routine at work or at home can help make you more relaxed and reduce stress.
Here's a simple exercise. Try to practice it every day.
· Put a hand on your abdomen and close your eyes
· Let your mind focus on a restful scene or thought
· Inhale deeply, filling your lungs from the bottom to the top, and feel your stomach expand until your lungs are filled
· Pause, and then exhale until you have emptied your lungs and you feel your stomach return to its normal position
· Pause for a moment, and then repeat this exercise several times
That's all there is to it! Instead of filling your body with the carbon monoxide that used to come from inhaling cigarette smoke, you'll be adding healthy oxygen. :pac:

gpjordanf1

DonnieL wrote: »

gpjordan1, That's great news! One of the posts was saying that since they've been on champix they've also cut back on the Beer intake! I'm a whiskey man myself!!

Hey DonnieL

Friday came & went and as of then I haven't smoked since. I just cant believe it's happened so easy for me? I'm not craving to smoke, I'm not even thinking about smoking? My body & mind has absoloutley no interest in smoking at all. I have to remind myself that just 3 days ago I was a smoker. ( A long long way to go but its an unbelieveable start)

How mad is that?

DonnieL

gpjordan1
It's not Mad Mate!!!!! It's wonderful news!!!!!!:D I had the same experience! I just wish everyone could! That's why I stay in this thread to try and help with moral support!! Keep up the great work!!

gpjordanf1

DonnieL wrote: »

gpjordan1
It's not Mad Mate!!!!! It's wonderful news!!!!!!:D I had the same experience! I just wish everyone could! That's why I stay in this thread to try and help with moral support!! Keep up the great work!!

Cheers Mate

All the support is most welcome!!!

Here's to the rest of our smoke free lives!!

Happy Days!

DonnieL

gpjordanf1, Right back atcha! Enjoy the rest of your "smoke free" week! And all the weeks and years to come!!!!