Anyone Used Champix to Stop Smoking

[Silverbirch]

Hi, I'm thinking of trying this, and know that I would need to really want to give up and use willpower as well. I once gave up for 9 months. The last time I gave up a couple of years ago, I stopped smoking for about 3 months, but hardly stopped thinking about cigarettes the whole time. I know I really must give up. Just wondering if other people found the Champix to help. My doc tells me that with his patients with similar smoking to mine, there has been a 50:50 success rate.

[chitown9]

Never heard of that product Silver. Maybe it is not in the USA. I stopped cold turkey. I was going through the chemical dependency program to be a counselor and I thought it would be hypocritical to be a counselor if I was addicted to cigarettes. I don't even want to think about how many years I smoked. If you can get through 3 days of not smoking you are no longer physically addicted, but you may be psychologically addicted still. Part of it is the ritual of the action of smoking. Pulling out your pouch, getting your lighter and lighting up. All of this is part of the comfort it gives you in the ritual. I am glad that you want to quit, Silver. Just another thing you are doing to make yourself a better person! don't miss smoking; don't even know what I saw in it when I did smoke. I sure am glad I quit for financial reasons also. Those darn cigs just keep going up and up in my country. Is it the same in Australia?....

[Steven1607307306]

Chantix gave me really vivid nightmares, where I actually believed they were real for a while after I woke up. Also made me extremely depressed in the morning, lowered my libido, and anxiousness at night. That's just me though. I still smoke.

[Silverbirch]

Thanks Chi and Silver. Chi, my son was in USA last year and said ciggies there much cheaper than in Oz as we have an enormous tax on them. They are going up again tomorrow. I smoke one of the cheapest brands - $12.50 per packet. I used to smoke Peter Jackson and they are now around $17 per packet. There are lots of reasons I would like to give up. I couldn't get over how bad it was last time. The time I gave up for 9 months was so much easier, but that was so long ago. Congratulations on giving up Chi. It's a big thing when you've smoked for a long time. Thanks for your encouragement.

 

That's interesting Steven, I heard some people can get those side effects. Doc wants me to use patches, but I used them before and smoked with them on me - very dangerous.

[chitown9]

You will feel better when you quit, Silver. You won't be a slave to those cigs and you will save a lot of money too!!

 

 

P.S. Smoking in the USA is considered politicaly incorrect.

[Silverbirch]

Hi Chi,

I know this sounds very vain, but did you notice an improvement in your skin. I have been taking special efforts to take good care of my skin, and smoking has to go. When I stopped last time - the time I found it very difficult - a lot of people commented on how nice my skin became. My doc who I see for my skin, has said to me if I stop, and drink at least 2 litres of water a day, my skin will "glow".

[Snowy]

I have the intuition to look at a woman and tell if she is a long time smoker or not. (I can't do this for men)

 

Female long term smokers usually have darker skin textures and I can tell straightaway. (Trust me, darker skin from smoking looks differnt to naturally darker skin)

 

I find female smokers very unattractive.

 

I really like how the Australian government is putting in effort to reduce the number of smokers. Soon, all cigarettes will have to be packed in plain dark brown decks with health warnings on them.

 

I think it's really good that you are quitting.

 

Cigarettes are disgusting.

[Silverbirch]

Snowy, for me the packet changes would not make one iota of difference. Smoking is becoming a lot more uncomfortable. Having to always go outside even if it's raining or cold is a pain in the neck. I wish I had never smoked in the first place.

 

Steven, did the Champix make cigarettes taste bad?

[facesnotseen]

Chantix worked for me. What it does is block the receptors in your brain that distributes the nicotine. Basically, it makes your body think it doesn't need to smoke. In fact, you can continue to smoke just the same while you're taking it and eventually, you just lose the desire to smoke. That's what happened to me. I continued to smoke for the 1st two weeks and by the third week, I just didn't want to smoke. I stopped getting the nicotine buzz and it just ended up making me feel gross and unhealthy. I would recommend it to anybody that has had a hard time quitting. And the nightmares usually happen with or without any aids. You have nightmares because you're going through withdrawal and that's your brains way of letting you know that you're stressed. I smoked for 10 years and tried everything. Chantix was the only thing that worked for me and everybody I know that has used it swears by it. Good luck!

[NowandZen]

Chantix worked for me. It made the withdrawal much easier that I would have thought. I quit taking the Chantix after 6 weeks and never looked back. I did have some vivid dreams, but not the wild side effects some talk about. I had a friend who said it made her crazy. I say try it, and if you feel homicidal, stop.

[dali]

Smoking is not disgusting, shush you

 

I've tried Welliburton & Champix, with welliburton gave up for 10 months & I liked it better than Champix, which along with nicotine patches I still had the urge to smoke. /Try it if your wanting to give up.

[iBroken]

My ex is on Champix right now and swears by it - Shes only been 8 days smoke free but doesnt have ANY cravings. She has the dreams but has not had any other side effects.

 

Im thinking about taking Champix when Im ready to quit. But read up on it as it has a lot of potentially serious side effects.

 

As for the cigarette packs having warnings, we have had those in Canada for a long time. They dont do anything to deter people from smoking. The government has tried all sorts of things. No public smoking, no smoking in your car with children, hiding cigarettes in stores now, raising prices, but nothing seems to be deterring us smokers. Now the government has finally decided to bite the bullet and offer champix to smokers as a means to quit. All covered by the government. Guess we will see how the general population reacts to the side effects

[chitown9]

Hi Chi,

I know this sounds very vain, but did you notice an improvement in your skin. I have been taking special efforts to take good care of my skin, and smoking has to go. When I stopped last time - the time I found it very difficult - a lot of people commented on how nice my skin became. My doc who I see for my skin, has said to me if I stop, and drink at least 2 litres of water a day, my skin will "glow".

 

Hi Silver, I really don't remember if it made an improvement on my skin, but it surely seemed to have made a difference in your skin if so many people complemented you the last time you quit. Your dentist will love you for quiting the habit as well because smoking promotes gingivitis. I wish you luck in your endeavor to quit. I know that you can do it...

[Silverbirch]

Thank you so much everyone. I'm going to try it. The doc gave me the booklet which I've read. He wants me to come off the anti-depressant I was taking after BU first before I move onto Champix, and says he wants me to do this over a period of a month.

 

Any other advice anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

[Steven1607307306]

Steven, did the Champix make cigarettes taste bad?

 

Yes. Made cigarettes repulsive. I felt no urge to smoke, and actually didn't go to the bar I usually go to because of it.

 

btw; $17/ pack of cigarettes is RIDICULOUS! I spend $4.73 on my brand. I'm in USA. The most expensive ccigs I know of are around $6-$7 in my area. I hear they can go up to $12 in some parts of the country.

[Steven1607307306]

Good thing you have free healthcare. LUCKY! That's considered a benefit in my country. And there is a limit to how much you can use. even WITH benefits, there is still a co-pay, and a lot of companies take a fixed amount out of your wages to pay for your benefits.

[Silverbirch]

That's good to know Steven. Thanks.