The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

HoneyPie_2

Good Morning All,

I have been to the Doc's and am now armed with a Starter Pack of Champix.. The doctor wasn't full of info on the tablets, so told me to read up on them!. Anyway - I have done so - and now I am a bit scared - I have read some awful storys on the web about it... BUT some good ones too.. so I just wonder if you 'champix' users could share your experiences.. good or bad??

I also have another question... how many days after starting Champix do I need to quit the fags?.

Thanks everyone, and good luck to all those quitting!. Your doing amazing :T

HoneyPie_2

Good Morning All,

I have been to the Doc's and am now armed with a Starter Pack of Champix.. The doctor wasn't full of info on the tablets, so told me to read up on them!. Anyway - I have done so - and now I am a bit scared - I have read some awful storys on the web about it... BUT some good ones too.. so I just wonder if you 'champix' users could share your experiences.. good or bad??

I also have another question... how many days after starting Champix do I need to quit the fags?.

Thanks everyone, and good luck to all those quitting!. Your doing amazing :T

Waspeze

HoneyPie wrote: »

Good Morning All,

I have been to the Doc's and am now armed with a Starter Pack of Champix.. The doctor wasn't full of info on the tablets, so told me to read up on them!. Anyway - I have done so - and now I am a bit scared - I have read some awful storys on the web about it... BUT some good ones too.. so I just wonder if you 'champix' users could share your experiences.. good or bad??

I also have another question... how many days after starting Champix do I need to quit the fags?.

Thanks everyone, and good luck to all those quitting!. Your doing amazing :T

Hi ya .. well done on starting on the smokefree journey .. it's not easy but it's definitely worth it in the long run :T

With regards to champix.. it affects everyone in their own way so can only really comment on my experience ..

It has been brilliant for me .. had tried patches, gum etc before but to no avail but with champix it was something different .. it basically dulls down the nicotine receptors in your brain and at the time makes ciggies taste weird too... there are some strange side effects though not everyone experiences the same ones .. I've only really had one bad one and that was a pain behind my ribs but went to the docs to ask about it and he said it was most likely due to champix .. it went in a week or so ...

The thing to remember is that your body has got so used to nicotine and smoking that to stop smoking confuses it and disrupts what have become the normal functions of parts of your body etc .. really whats happening is your body is getting back to how it should be

Good luck with it honeypie .. you will receive a lot of support in here .. I know there were times when it really helped me just coming in here and posting or reading!:beer:


Just to add ... the instructions say to give up between day 8 and 14 .. when you choose is entirely upto you ... I chose day 14 (always one to put things off) but ended up stopping a couple of days early as just didn't want to smoke (thanks to the champix!)

HoneyPie_2

Thank you very much for your reply Waspeze... I have tried all the NRT in the past too - not much good for me either..

I think I will chose day 14 too ;-)..

Well Done to you! You seem to be doing very well.. Do you feel better?

Waspeze

HoneyPie wrote: »

Thank you very much for your reply Waspeze... I have tried all the NRT in the past too - not much good for me either..

I think I will chose day 14 too ;-)..

You'll probably find you don't last that long and stop a bit early ... by about day 6 I was already down to about 4 or 5 a day (from 15) without really noticing (well obviously I noticed but it just seemed "natural" to be smoking less), ended up stopping on day 12 but could have probablt stopped by about day 10 or so.

Ask away if you have any more questions or concerns...

Waspeze

HoneyPie wrote: »

Well Done to you! You seem to be doing very well.. Do you feel better?

Thanks .. have surprised myself really but really glad i've got to this stage.. definitely feel better about myself.. have noticed i'm able to walk quite long distances now and actually be fine when I get there (instead of wheezing etc) .. i live near the sea so really nice to stroll along the beach and enjoy it rather than it being a hassle!

I still get cravings (don;t think they'll ever completely stop) but they do get easier to deal with given time ... just remember you will have good days and bad days so stick with it through the bad days and the good ones will be even better

doltage

Good morning everyone, hopefully we all got through the weekend with no major traumas!

As the weather was so nice here I decided to spend all weekend indoors watching the snooker!

Naomi234, all manner of side effects are normal but please also note that some side effects are due to not smoking and not due to the drugs you’re taking to help you stop smoking, including the ‘symptoms’ you mentioned :eek:

Honeypie, I’ve been taking Champix since March 21stand I stopped smoking on March 31st but noticed I had been cutting down to almost zero fegs a day in the run up to my stop date.

No matter what you are embarking on you’ll find horror stories on the ‘net which may put you off but I can put my hand on my heart and say apart from a few issues I have had no problems stopping smoking.

The first few days of stopping smoking I felt very weepy (6ft burly bloke so that wasn’t fun!!), if I took the tablets on an empty stomach nausea followed pretty sharpish and if I took the tablet too soon before going to bed strange dreams followed and those were the only problems I found.

The majority of the side effects as listed in the leaflet will happen to you whether you are using Champix or going cold turkey, especially being moody, feeling low and weight gain so I wouldn’t be too worried about that, just try and keep an eye on your moods, if you find yourself getting snappy tell yourself why you’re stopping smoking and tell whoever you snapped at that you’re stopping smoking and if you feel down or depressed remember why you’re stopping smoking and remind yourself how well you’re doing on a regular basis, the weight gain can be avoided by not snacking on chocolate and especially by not going to tesco and buying multipacks of mars bars

The support you will get on this thread is great, no matter what you’re experiencing there’s bound to be at least one person here who has been there and they will let you know that it’s entirely normal.

Treat this thread like a blog, pop along and let everyone know how you’re getting on and you’ll notice the longer you go without the fegs the stronger you’ll feel and that will be due in no small part to the very kind and helpful people on this thread-at least that’s how it’s been in my experience.

I would recommend Champix to anyone, the benefits will far outweigh any problems you encounter and is very much worth it.

(again with a marathon post-I really do have too much to say for myself!)

naomi234

Thanks for that Doltage, i had thought possibly my symptoms were a combination of the tablets and smoking less, as usually a ciggie and a cup of tea in the morning usually getas things moving if you know what i mean .
Good advice given about using this thread as ablog it is certainly helping me and keeps me with a positive mindset.

Little_Pickle

I'm so sorry for posting this here, but I've GOT to talk to you guys about this.

Since I gave up, I started forgetting EVERYTHING! I forget where I am going, what I'm supposed to be doing. Where I have put things, people's names...

It sounds really funny but I swear I'm going mad... I can't handle it.. reallly I can't!

I feel like crying... anyone suffering / suffered with this too?
It's not like all I'm thinking about is smoking... it's more like I'm off in some dream world.
The thing is, I'm on Nicotine gum (2mg) and have that about 3 times a day, so it can't just be the cut down in Nicotine can it???

please let me know your thoughts... if you have any... I have but I can't remember them!
*sigh*

HoneyPie_2

Thanks Doltage... You words really are encouraging... I am almost excited to be starting with Champix... (need to get the prescription changed now!)... 31st March? Your doing fantastic !

I have found that on past 'give up' attempts that the first few days I feel weepy.. almost like an emotional wreck!!..

Little Pickle.. I am sorry I can't help with your post - I am just about to give up - but am sure someone (a pro!) will be along soon to offer you some advice.. Just remember - your doing great!

Well Done Everyone x