How hard is it to get champix in Glasgow ?

itsarichmansworld

Hi I was wondering if anyone can help, I am desperate to stop smoking having tried NRT in the past its not worked for me however I have a few friends who have stopped with Champix.
I went to my dr's to get it but my gps practice does not prescribe it she said to me refer myself to a stop smoking cessation class. However I have called a few in my area and they say they cant prescribe it only the dr can do it.
I have tried calling the smokefree line and its always busy!

I really want to stop but this is getting stupid. Anyone else had similar issues and can advise me where to go now?

PS the local services number is also wrong on the canstopsmoking website/

freejunkie

Did you ask why they wont perscribe it?
Have u tried everything else and failed to stop smoking?
You will only beable to get through your doctor. dont know if it's much help but I would definatley go back and ask the doctor again and find out why

GOOD LUCK X

gladysrocker

I stopped smoking nearly three years ago using Champix and had to go to smoking cessation classes to get it. The doc wont just prescribe it to anyone willy nilly but if you go to the classes they give you a letter to give your doctor who then prescribes the tablets. Might be different in Scotland but thats how it works here in England and its well worth going to the classes for.

pjk_3

I know this doesn't answer your question (I'm sorry I don't know about Champix) but I was wondering if you've tried the Paul McKenna stop smoking book/cd.

itsarichmansworld

Hi I have tried.....

Patches allergic to them
Inhaler makes me sick
Allen Carrs easy way
Paul McKenna cd/book
and endless other ones

I re called the doc who gave me a number to call I need to go the classes which I will be doing for 7 weeks. Dont go til end of April as thats the next time!

Thanks for all your help

coco1980

i had to go to the stop smoking group, they gave me a letter that I took to my doctor, he then gave me the prescription.

delain

My OH got given it by the SmokeStop person.

TBH he didn't see the doctor, he was just given it. If a doctor who had read the champix leaflet had seen him I expect he would not have got it, as he is in several of the 'do not take if' groups :eek:

It also has a list of side effects as long as your arm!

itsarichmansworld

I realise that there is a looot of side effects but getting desperate to stop I am weak! Cant do it cold turkey

delain

I have never smoked, but the idea of taking a tablet that may give you nightmares, make you throw up all the time and want to kill yourself didnt do it for me _pale_

However, OH seems to be doing ok on it. He doesn't have dreams though, he's one of those odd people who goes from wide awake to deep sleep in 5 seconds flat. Not like me, I spend the whole night thrashing about and talking (so I'm told ) and dreaming a lot and wake up knackered every day :rotfl:

splitnote

sorry to hear your struggling to get support, guidelines given to gps say that for someone to get champix they must be getting support from their local stop smoking service. Your 4 times more likely to have a successful quit if you get specialist support, so i would advise going to your local group.

nhsggcsmokefree
If you google this website, it gives you contact details for all the services in Glasgow, but please be aware its not a magic wand you need to really want to stop, the champix will dull the "hit" you get from nicotine and some people says it makes them feel sick so they dont want to smoke.

go for it and good luck!

GlasweJen

Greater Glasgow Health Board will not give out champix to anyone who is not attending smoking cessation support groups, you need to join a group and discuss with the advisor the options you've already tried (are you really allergic to every type of patch there is sort of thing) and then they can re-refer back to your doctor to get you the prescription. You may not actually see your dr again, they can prescribe it on the basis of your old notes and if you're usually healthy with no mental health issues. If you don't go to the group then you don't get champix, simple as that really.

Lanarkshire health board you don't need to be in a support group as long as you've tried other things first (writing this because some areas of Glasgow come under NHS Lanarkshire and vice versa).