Champix aka Chantix/Varenicline

Hellrazer

DonnieL I could do with it.

I slipped up a bit over the weekend.Gave in to the demon drink and had a couple--Im disgusted with myself.The thing is I wasnt even enjoying them--it was pure habit.

I stopped again on Monday and havent touched one since (again) but Im terrified of going down that slippery slope again.

Any advice from someone whos slipped up and gave up for good?

Spiralcars

ooo well, I've tried em all...cold (grumpy) turkey, patches, Alan Carr book, patches with Alan Carr, Champix, the Champix with Alan Carr and at the same time trying to reprogramme my mind with 'thank god I don't smoke' when I see someone smoking or 'no thanks (with a big smile)' when offered a smoke.

So after 3 failed attempts I am now off them 9 months and have no desire or want to smoke, even when drinking. I think Champix are fan-flippin-tastic. I found when on patches or cold turkey that when I wanted a ciggie there followed 5 minutes of extreme, crazy, grumpiness and even though I was aware of it, there was nothing I could do to change that mood. Pre-champix a whole load of beer mats were left in shreds.

Followed the directions of champix correctly the first time. Second time I didn't bother taking the second tablet as I felt strong enough after reading the Alan Carr book (which took care of the 'stupidness' behind smoking)...so, I would recommend that when you get to the point of being sick and tired of smoking, the smell, the carpet mouth in the morning, being conscious of your breath upon return from smoking area...to try champix alongside the Alan Carr book...and here's me looking forward to never being tempted again

DonnieL

Hellrazer! Don't worry about it. The Support Plan covers slip ups! Don't dwell on it! Just keep taking the medication and forge on! Everyone is entitled to slip ups just don't let it deter what you've already accomplished. :)

On saying that, good luck in the future, and as I told Lad, "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!!

DonnieL

Spiralcars!!! Good for you!!!! It's great to hear another success story. Especially from someone who has experienced the UPS AND DOWNS of trying to quit and finally overcoming the addiction and habit!!:D;)

LadyE

Lads had a smoke last night at 7pm, by 11.30 I was being volently sick took the second 1mg tablet at about 9.

Dreading taking them today

Having really fooked up dreams too last night dreamt that I went to doc and she told me to come off them

I dont know whether should stick with them..they have made me feel awful the last couple of days (since gong on the 1mg ones)

Hellrazer

LadyE wrote: »

Lads had a smoke last night at 7pm, by 11.30 I was being volently sick took the second 1mg tablet at about 9.


I dont know whether should stick with them..they have made me feel awful the last couple of days (since gong on the 1mg ones)

Ladye--Im the same.As soon as I take the tab Im almost puking my guts up after 1-1.5 hours and Id say its the same with yourself--nothing to do with the ciggie you had.And it was definately worse when I went on the blue ones.

My advice--keep a stash of Mars bars in the house.Take your tab and then eat a mars bar as soon as you feel the queasyness coming on.The mars bar will stop it in its tracks.

@Donnie---I didnt know about the Support plan and only signed up last night.I think if I had known about it earlier I wouldnt have slipped up

I still havent had one since my slip up on Saturday and Ive no cravings so Im happy I didnt just give up trying to stop after having that one little sneaky smoke--it knew I was having a drink and that little voice wouldnt stop telling me "Ah sure its only one little teeny tiny smoke--you`ll be grand"

Stick with it people even if you slip up.

RangeR

Stick with them for the moment. You can do it.

LadyE

Im going to not take it today, last night scared the crap out of me, thought I was puking blood in the end, or that it was coming from my throat (was killing) through how hard i was puking

Im also getting regular sharp pains in my chest, they'd stop me in my tracks

Ive not smoked today, no intention to either.

If I feel the need to go back on them tomorrow I will, but need a break from the sickness

RangeR

LadyE wrote: »

Im going to not take it today, last night scared the crap out of me, thought I was puking blood in the end, or that it was coming from my throat (was killing) through how hard i was puking

Im also getting regular sharp pains in my chest, they'd stop me in my tracks

Probably best to speak to your doctor. You may have done yourself a boo boo. Seriously, talk to your doc.

LadyE

RangeR wrote: »

Probably best to speak to your doctor. You may have done yourself a boo boo. Seriously, talk to your doc.

Ive been getting the pains for a few days, so doubt they are connected!

but am gonna go anyway!

thanks!

SMK

LadyE, if you go back over this thread you will see some people found the 1mg tablet twice a day too much and cut the tablet in half so .5mg twice a day. They found this dose much easier on their stomach/side effects and still managed to stay off the cigarettes. When you are at the doctors ask him/her about the lower dose. Best of luck.

Poutbutton

Hi guys Hi LadyE I read that you are going/have been to see your G.P. hope everything is alright? Do let us know. I'm wondering did you have some other vomiting bug or was it the Champix? In answer to your question, I'm on all 0.5 white tabs cos it's the way the pharmacy gave them to me this time. I had told her the 1mg dose were a bit strong on my tum and asked her if she would cut them in half for me or sell me a pill cutters. Instead, she gave me 56 x 0.5mg tabs to do me for the month.
I'm back on the champix 2 weeks today. Still smoking??? So my theory is as Fergal76 in the thread suggested I think perhaps I have grown some sort of tolerance to the drug seeing as I was on it from January to April. I dont know, but I did miss 2 or 3 days at the beginnning so I'm going to stick with taking the tabs and hope that over this weekend the want to stop will arrive! Sheesh, long post!:rolleyes: LadyE, you have us all worried, fingers crossed you are ok!

DonnieL

LadyE, by all means get yourself to your GP! Tell him/her everything. You can also go on line to a Chantix/Champix websites and see for yourself what to expect and not expect in a little more detail than what you see in the brochures or fliers. Let's pray that your violent wretching was from something other than the Champix. Are you still taking with food and a lot of water? My very best to you and hope everything works out. The chest pains are what have me concerned!! Please keep us up to date!:(

LadyE

Hey all,

I didnt take the Champix at all today...feel sooo much better, no sick/nausea thank god!

Still getting the chest pains tho Not as frequent but they are still there.

will go to the docs if they persist.

didnt smoke today tho..yay!

If I find non smoking a struggle I will cut the pills in half, I was fine on the 0.5mg!

Thanks for all your concern tho, and advice!!

DonnieL

LadyE, Please don't fluff this off as one bad day. Please make an appointment to see your Doctor. Chest pains should not be taken lightly. It could be a prelude to something else. Please don't ignore it.
Sign me Concerned! DonnieL:rolleyes::(

LadyE

OK, will make an appointment for the doc tomorrow, as soon as I get up. will let you know how I get on!

Makum101

Hi Guys

My doc has prescribed Champix - I start tomorrow. Ive spent the evening smoking and researching the drug which - until I found this forum - scared the life out of me. Ive read all posts in this thread and hope you guys dont mind me joining in your conversation. I like the feeling of the sharing that is happening here.

Im in the UK, male, middle aged and smoke about 20 roll-ups with a menthol filter in per day.

I packed in smoking for 2 years during the 90's but then moved to Spain and started again due to the cost being only €6 for 200!! (kid in candy shop syndrome). Funnily enough it was then I started on menthol ciggs as I could not stand the taste of normal ones anymore.

Im a stable bloke but have siblings who suffer from bipolar so am worried about the side effects.

I drive in my job so am worried about that too, having read some scary accounts about this.

Question... I enjoy a couple of G&T's most nights. Will this cause a problem while im on Champix?

Deisenaut

I drive for my job too and it's been perfect, however everyone is different - I had hardly any side effects recently. I also drink every night and it's fine. LadyE hope you've gone to the doctor and your okay!

DonnieL

Hi Makum101, Welcome to the gang. I think at this stage I'm the senior member. (72 yrs young) L.O.L.!! Started smoking when I was 18! You do the math I'm afraid to!:D
Well to make a short story long, I've been off the smokes for 9 months now. My quit date was January 12, 2009. As I've mentioned in many of my previous posts, it's hard to answer your question about the G&T's. Everyone is different, and being on this thread as long as I have, I've seen these differences occur. As I mentioned, I'm one of the very few who pushed the envelope, had my whiskey at night and my coffee in the AM, and had no side effects, cravings, urges, or anything. But as you can see there are many who have suffered various side effects.
So, I'll just say good luck and pray for the best.

fergal76

hey all, not been here for a while, been really busy at work.
first of all,
LadyE i hope you have gone to a doctor and that you are feeling well.
as for me still not smoked and have had no cravings although since yesterday i have been having severe stomach cramps. putting this down to the blue tabs so gonna wait another couple of days to see if it goes away like when i started the double dose of 0.5 tabs. other than that, things have been good.

Makun, welcome. i too drive for a living and it has not affected that at all . but two things, when you drink the temtation to smoke is more (for me anyway) and the drug affects everyone different. its like a box of choclates, you never know what your gonna get(big thanks to tom hanks for that one)

Makum101

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys.

I made sure I was eating when I took my dose this morning and also had a pint of water. No nausea at all. I also made sure I was in the company of someone just in case, who proceeded to take the mickey, which calmed me down somewhat haha!

Other than a small inward panic as I swallowed my first pill today and the mammoth comedy farts Ive been contaminating our beautiful planet with all day long Ive not suffered at all. Still smoked about 20 cigs tho. Now waiting to see if i dream tonight...

Makum101

OK had me first nightmare last night. Dreamed that my wife was strangling me. Apparently I was mumbling in my sleep too:eek:

Double dose day (day 4) tomorrow. Here's hoping the dreams subside like the farts did.

Hellrazer

Makum101 wrote: »

Double dose day (day 4) tomorrow. Here's hoping the dreams subside like the farts did.

4 Weeks in and neither have stopped for me!!!!Its getting embarassing :D

Deisenaut

The farts aren't just about the quantity but also the quality! You get used to spending your day looking for escape routes and alibi's for when you drop them! 10 days off the smokes now! LadyE how are you getting on? Poutbutton? Fergal?

Poutbutton

Hi Deisenaut & everyone

I'm still a dirty smoker thats 2 weeks and 4 days on champix minus 2 or 3 days here & there where I missed the dose. I'm sticking with the tabs and have decided to quit tomorrow :eek: Watch this space!

fergal76

hi all, hope you are all keeping well. all well at this end after 3 days of agony but it passed. Deis, my quit day was the same as yours so yes i am still off of them with no craving what so ever although it does not feel like 10 days but really happy with the way things are going at the moment.

Pout, you can do it, but before you do, tell us what your last smoke was like.....
in detail please

Tip

Ahhhhhhhh Fergal. Guess what the last cig that Pout has taste like - ANOTHER:(. That is what the whole fiasco of smoking is all about. Once addicted to nicotine when you finish a cig your thoughts are when can I have another one. Last time I quit when I stupidly thought I have this wrapped up can have a smoke when I go out for a drink. First cig grand , next one grand ,then I was goin out so I could have cig. Within wks I was getting really bad craving that I could not cope with so went out and bought cigs. Then back to 20 a day. When you quit after some time you will have no more craves. I off cigs 15wks today still think of them but its getting less and less, its more I missing something than I think of i need a cigarette. I pray that I will never be tempted to put a cig in my mouth again. Life is so easy and fab without them.

DonnieL

Well said Tip! On my previous attempts to quit I to thought "Oh cool, now I'll just have a smoke on a special occaision" like out with friend for a drink.

I'd kid my self into thinking "I just won't buy any" and I'll be ok! WRONG!! The minute I smoked the first one my mind wouldn't rest. I was continually rationalizing when and how I could have a cigarette without getting hooked again! :cool::eek:

DOESN'T HAPPEN!! It only takes one!:rolleyes: That's why when I started the Chantix/Champix program I vowed to myself that I would not try smoking one to see if it's working. The Chantix and the Support program helped me with that because of the demished desire to light up.:)

Hang in there my friends. You can do it!!:D

LadyE, we haven't heard from you in a few days. I pray that everything is alright with you!!

gpjordanf1

Hey guy's, just popping in to see how everyone is getting on, just stick in there because it is so worth it. I'm off the smokes two months today, my ticker says something like, 1400 cig's not smoked, circa 600 euro saved and 5 day's added to my life. I'm totally believe my 8 month old baby daughter will thank me which is more important to me than any of the above. I'm sure she'll also say how stupid I was but all newer generation's look back in amazement at previous generation's! I'll put my hands up and agree. I really hope someone some day will tackle our government on taxing and benefiting a cancer causing drug. Leeches that they are! Anyway stick in there fellow quitters.

RangeR

gpjordanf1 wrote: »

Hey guy's, just popping in to see how everyone is getting on

Three months off, now. I'm not going to sugar coat it, I still miss them. Not one day goes by without thinking of having a smoke. It's will be a long struggle but worth it in the end.

One thing I have noticed is that I can have as much alcohol as I want now without craving a cig.