Anyone here taken champix?

cavework

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Why would you worry about the possible side effects of taking Champix when you know the effects of smoking and you carry on? Sorry, but it just doesn't make sense.

TBH thats a good question but there are side effects to the drugs prescribed to give up smoking. For the life of me I cannot remember the other drug I was given by the 'stop smoking' clinic 8 years ago. I do know it was originally used as an anti depressant and the side effect was people lost the urge to smoke.
The problem was that people who were not depressed ended up hyper with some really bad side effects.
people who smoke already understand the effects of smoking on their health ,that is why they are looking at champix and other ways to quit. Why shouldn't they question the effects?

skintandscared_2

I know 4 people who quit with Champix with no problems whatsoever, but I think one has started smoking again now.

If you're worried about side effects, get the Allen Carr book instead. It's amazing. No side effects and no stringing it out with stupid nicotine replacement products either. Probably the cheapest, quickest and least stressful way ever. All you end up buying is 3 days worth of cranberry juice to speed up the nicotine removal from your system. Good luck whichever method you choose.

Oh, and side effects of anything are rarely as bad as the effects of smoking....

cavework

skintand scared .. Thanks for this post
I will give it a go xxx

moggitymog

i took champix last year and have been smoke free since. they made me feel low in mood and paranoid and i didn't realise that i felt that way until i looked back (and i am a mental health professional), at the time i felt bloody awful and was a bit of a mess but i am glad that i have stopped smoking and would go through it again if it meant that i stopped.

System

Haven't taken them personally as i have mental health problems and its not recomennded apparently, but a friend has been smoke free for 5 months now after having Champix, said the only side effect was weird dreams.

Padstow

lil_bird wrote: »

Hi, I have been trying to give up smoking for the last few months. I had the gum but I hated the taste of it, the patches gave me seriously strange nightmares so I stopped using them and of course started smoking once again.

The problem is I dont have much will power at the moment. I do want to stop but with everything going on in my life right now I am finding it hard.

I went to see my nurse the other day and she has given me champix. I have to get the perscription next week when I get home from England, so I have not started taking them yet. She also gave them to my boyfriend as we are trying to quit together for a bit of moral support.

I have been reading up online about champix and I have found some horror stories about the side effects. My family are trying to warn me off taking it, on the other hand a friend of mine took them last year, didnt get any of the side effects and still is not smoking.

Anyone here taken champix? Any side effects? Are they as bad as some people are making out?

You read online but failed to see probably the biggest Champix thread in the World?
http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=215772

fsdss

i have tried most things to stop smoking....didnt get on well with champix (insomnia - feeling low etc) the gum felt like i was having a heart attack...the patches gave me migraines despite altering the dosage levels...i have the mint, the mini inhalator (white one)which was ok ish but i still craved cigarettes.
i gave up 2 weeks ago with using an e -cig the one i have is a fantastic piece of kit and there are many flavours of juice...i know there are no clinical trials to support them as yet but i would highly recommend that u try a decent recommended one...my smoking cessation worker that i saw today was very impressed and after many months of seeing her i feel happy with what i am using.
the juices that you vape on the ecig can contain nicotine of varying level and within 2 weeks i have reduced this by half.

Padstow

unixgirluk wrote: »

OH took it and had night terrors, extreme mood swings (to the point of being violent), sleep walking, nose bleeds, blinding headaches, and food cravings (sweet things and would keep eating till he felt sick). I flushed them down the loo. I quite happily told his consultant this when OH went in for an unrelated op a few months later. The consultant told me they agree with very few people.

So, did he stop smoking or yet another excuse?

iwilldebtfree

My partner was on these 2 years ago. At his worst I can only describe him as suicidal! He was so deeply depressed and physically ill with them but he stuck it out and has not smoked since. He says he gets days when he feels like a cigarette but knows he won't have one. In his words 'I went through too much to start it up again now'. So very proud of him for how far he has come with it not a pleasant time but worth it now.

jackieb

It will be two years in June since my husband stopped smoking with Champix. He works offshore and wasn't allowed to take them on the rig if he'd started them less than 2 weeks previously (he was told incase he decided to jump overboard!) He had to come home then start taking them for 2 weeks before he was allowed to take them to his work. He felt sick a lot and had a bit of trouble sleeping, but he persevered and hasn't smoked since, and he was smoking anything from 20 to 40 a day. He said he thought he was going to be a smoker until the day he died and he never thought he'd give up - but he says now that he hates the very thought of cigarettes. I don't smoke but i'm a carer and work with people who do smoke and you should hear him complain when I come home after being in their houses - he's the worst kind of ex-smoker now! The only downside he had was that he put on 4 stone (he always used to be slim - he went from 11 to 15 stone :eek:) but he has managed to take most of it back off again.