The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

Waspeze

here's a link to a description (i've quoted it below)
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100005109.html

How does it work?

Champix tablets contain the active ingredient varenicline, which is a medicine used to help people who are addicted to nicotine to give up smoking. It acts in the brain, but is not the same as nicotine replacement therapy.

Varenicline is a type of medicine called a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist. This means that it acts on the same receptors in the brain as nicotine.

Varenicline works by stimulating the nicotinic receptors in the brain. This produces an effect that relieves the craving and withdrawal symptoms you can get when you stop smoking.

At the same time, varenicline blocks nicotine from acting on the nicotinic receptors. This prevents any nicotine inhaled in tobacco smoke from having a rewarding and enjoyable effect.

You should set a date on which you will stop smoking and start taking this medicine one to two weeks beforehand. This is because the medicine needs time to start working.

The dose is increased gradually in the first week of treatment (follow the instructions given by your doctor or pharmacist) and the medicine should then be taken twice a day for 12 weeks. If you have successfully managed to stop smoking at the end of 12 weeks, your doctor may offer you a further 12 week course of treatment.

The tablets should be swallowed whole with a drink of water. They can be taken with or without food.

You should seek help and support as much as possible while giving up smoking, even while taking this medicine, as this will increase your chance of success. Your doctor, practice nurse or local pharmacist can all provide this support.

What is it used for?

• Aid for giving up smoking in adults.
  

Warning!

• This medicine might make you feel dizzy or sleepy and so could impair your ability to perform potentially hazardous tasks such as driving or operating machinery. You should avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you and are sure that it won’t affect your ability to perform such activities safely.
  
• There have been reports of suicidal thoughts or behaviour in people taking this medicine to help them give up smoking. It is very difficult to know if this is due to the medicine, as giving up smoking itself can make people depressed, especially if they already have a mental health problem, and depression is associated with suicidal thoughts. However, not all people experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts while taking this medicine had a previous history of psychiatric illness, or had stopped smoking. For this reason, if you begin to feel agitated or depressed, or experience any changes in your behaviour or thoughts about suicide or harming yourself during treatment with this medicine, you should stop taking it and consult your doctor immediately.
  
• Some people may find that when they stop taking this medicine their urge to smoke returns. They may also feel irritable, depressed or have difficulty sleeping. To avoid this, your doctor may consider reducing your dose slowly when you finish treatment with this medicine, rather than stopping it abruptly. Discuss this with your doctor.
  

Use with caution in

• Decreased kidney function.
  
• History of psychiatric illness, eg depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.
  
• Epilepsy.

~Chameleon~

Ahhh right, unfortunately it's not something I'd be able to take then

tuppie

I was going to take tablets but i the ones i was going to be given i had to smoke for the first week! and i had given up the day before.

Ulcer under my tounge is still there and i have a new one at the inside mouth! but this is normal.....may no use inhaler today and just suck on my aldi sweets???

As i have not saved any money from my non smoking i have decided to transfer £41.74 to my savings account as since quiting this is what i have not spent on Fags!

Waspeze

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Ahhh right, unfortunately it's not something I'd be able to take then

Not sure if you do already but it might be worth having a chat with your doc about giving up smoking anyway as they do offer a lot of support as well as cessation clinics?

Waspeze

tuppie wrote: »

I was going to take tablets but i the ones i was going to be given i had to smoke for the first week! and i had given up the day before.

That's right as they need time to take affect .. it's strange how they work .. if you're on 20 a day before you start then by about day 10 it's easy to be down to 5 a day without even realising it!

tuppie wrote: »

Ulcer under my tounge is still there and i have a new one at the inside mouth! but this is normal.....may no use inhaler today and just suck on my aldi sweets???

Shame you're getting bad ulcers but just think of all the nasty chemicals etc that you're purging from your body !!

tuppie wrote: »

As i have not saved any money from my non smoking i have decided to transfer £41.74 to my savings account as since quiting this is what i have not spent on Fags!

That's a great idea.. then you can actually see first hand how much you're saving and maybe save up for a special treat

bigsmoke

wow, feedumall, 1200 pounds! talk about an incentive, i can't believe that.

and thanks Sue, i will now proudly say that i'm on day 7 of giving up today, so tomorrow will be a week smoke free! no danger of cracking today i'm sure - gym after work and then straight home.

it's such a relief to hear that other people are having issues with their sleep. i've been sleeping really badly this week, waking up all the time wondering if it's time to get up etc (nope, still only 10 past 12!!) and having some very vivid dreams. i'm shattered and was a little worried about what was causing it but hadn't thought about the smoking. has really put my mind at rest, so i'm glad that people mentioned it, thanks!

keep it up people and tuppie - don't be put off by those ulcers, it sounds like the wise old owls on here are certain they'll be gone before you know it! can't believe you've saved over £40 already...

have a great day everyone

BS x

TNG

Sue-UU wrote: »

Hi TNG, how long for you now?

:wave: Sue

Getting on for two and a half years :j :j :j :j :j

(you could probably track it through this thread :rotfl: )

Hope everyone is well and very best wishes on your journey. I am usually around, so if anyone wants any advice or support from an evangelical [STRIKE]ex[/STRIKE]non-smoker, please let me know :A

Lula-Hula

Hi TNG,

great to hear from you & that you're still lurking & full of advice & support.
You were one of many who were hugely helpful & supportive when I was quitting & I'm glad of the opportunity to say thank you :A :kisses3: .

Oh, I've gone all misty now

Waspeze, you're a star & I'm kinda glad you quit after me as I dont think I would have appreciated your humour when I was still wanting to chew on & spit out any/everyone who dared speak to me :rolleyes:

It's great to see so many people quitting now, you're all doing so well :j

You will do it, you will, you will, you will

Sue-UU

That was some great advice you gave out to Chameleon, Waspy, such a shame you're unable to take it Chameleon, but I'm with Waspy in that you should be talking to your GP to see what he/she advises. You sound a little less agitated with it all today though, I do hope you are. Remember that every day is a day closer to finally being through with it all.:j Thanks for that great giggle about your dream Waspy , it's so good to have some light-hearted chat, though dreams and sleeping patterns messed up are so often a very real symptom of quitting.

For all those affected with messed up sleep patterns and bad/weird dreams: It is all caused by the smoking and will soon settle down, I promise. Meantime get plenty of exercise in the day or evening and before bed have a relaxing bath/shower and don't rush it. Have a mug of hot chocolate and a little light reading, nothing heavy to make matters worse.

Forgiven Lula , though I don't worry about the 'guys' expression as even our lad always says to hubby and I "Hiya guys" At first I thought "huh!", but over the years, it's simply a term of endearment - or had better be!!!!!

Again Feedie, more incentive given, that's so helpful and it's so good to see you. You too TNG :hello: though two and a half years!!!!! :eek: What great success!!! That's brilliant to see you offering to help and advise quitters, a big thank you from us all. :T

All good wishes for the ulcers to clear soon tuppie, you sound pretty good today, I hope that's the case and that things are getting a little easier.

Hi bigsmoke, I'm delighted you added the other 3 days on, congratulations on that first mileston of a WEEK!!!! :T Don't worry too much about the sleeping, it'll soon pass and will be so worth it. Try the tips above in this post, they'll all help, though you've certainly got the exercise to a fine art!!!

Well done everyone, it'll soon be such a relief for you all when you've got it under control. Keep strong ....keep QUIT!!! :j

Sue

Waspeze

Afternoon all .. how's the pink lung brigade doing today?

Not a lot to report really .. had a good nights sleep and slept like a baby, (obviously i've never had kids else i'd know how inaccurate that phrase is!)

Had a minor dream incident .. an army of thimblettes tried to invade but someone stood on them so didn't amount to much... I actually have one on my desk that I play with and throw at my monitor so can explain that dream away

Anyways hope everyones all set for a smokefree weekend?

All the best :A :A