The Stop Smoking Megathread [ including Champix]

[Jabberwocky 46]

Hey, Jabber....Hang in there son, it will be worth it. I stopped a year ago today. I used Zyban and out of 35 side affects, I must have had 33 of them. My girlfriend lost her patience at times with me as I sometimes lost control. She knew why I was having temper problems so just thought sod it, he's not usually like that.

 

Zyban course lasted 4 weeks and it was 4 weeks of sheer hell. But I've had the best year ever !!! Hip hip !! Horay !!

 

I tried Zyban last year and I went... I was far worse than I am now.

I only stayed on the pills for about two weeks though so that wasnt enough time for me to do much damage.

 

The Champix HAVE worked for me in more ways than just kicking the cigs, Im eating better and exercising more- I even look different-- I just hope the benefits stay after the pills are out of my system.

 

I think Ill stick with the course, Im sure that I can control my urges to skin people alive for informing me that its a nice day and stuff.

[Jabberwocky 46]

I've been following this & waiting to see what happened. The side affects that worried me most, are the ones appearing now.

I really feel for you - I'm not going to try it. i'm going to have one more shot at willpower & then I am going to look at Hypnotherapy.

 

Id use the Champix as a last resort, if everything else fails. Ive done that without intending to, Ive tried the gum and the patches and the Zyban and cold turkey, the only things I havent tried are hypnotism and acupuncture, and I dont think they`ll work because deep down I dont believe in them. You have to have a certain amount of faith in "Cures" such as this, and I just dont have them.

[homebird 10]

Im seriously considering jacking the Champix in, my other half was on the very verge of packing my cases and booting me out yesterday, she was in tears and for the first time since we met in 2002 she actually lost her patience with me.

These pills are excellent for helping us quit smoking, trouble is theyre also excellent for turning us into complete loonies.

I hope that if I DO jack in the pills that Im free of the cig cravings, I suspect that Im not though, and Im not sure if I have the bottle to stop taking the pills before the end of the course. However, my relationship seems to be at severe risk and if smoking myself to death and eating unhealthy crap and abstaining from exercise is what it takes to save it, then so be it.

 

As things stand, Im still taking the Champix and controlling my temper as much as I can.

I snapped this morning though because the other half didnt pass me a magazine quickly enough, but she reminded me of my promise to be calm...

 

On TV is a kids DVD.

Nursery rhymes...

Adults singing in childish voices about teddy bears and fluffy bunnies...

 

I need to kill something...

 

 

Ill give the pills as long as I can, but if I lose my temper again then Im sorry to say that Im going to have to quit the course and advise others to be very careful when taking these pills, Im usually an extremely calm and controlled person, but these damn things have turned me into a nutter.

 

I'm not that bothered about the temper thing, it's that weared feeling I keep getting like im not really there and if I don't keep control i'll go over the edge and never come back. It's relly freaking me out. I'm well P**** off I thougt these were going to work for me.

 

Your a lot braver than me sticking with them I'm to scared to take any more. If the cravings come back really bad I might try halfing the dose,

[slightlymad 10]

^ ^ just let me know when it's safe to phone you again Mumsie! ^ ^

 

Phone me anytime you like, sweetie, but keep the phone at arm's length.

 

I have to go and apologise to the Chemist in Riverhead today. I went to pick up my repeat prescription on Friday, only to hear the words that were certain death to anyone who didn't know better than to mess with a half-crazed quitter: "I NEED TO SEND THIS OFF".

 

I tell you, the shop cleared in 10 seconds flat, and I will never forget the sheer terror in the Chemist's eyes as I let rip.

[slightlymad 10]

Sorry to hear that, Slightlymad, you seem to be having some negative experiences as well.

 

I didn't take my tab last night or this morning because I felt really weared yesterday. I'm wondering if it is just the tablets or the effects of withdrwal. I have been on them for 4 weeks now you would have thought any side effects would have shown up before now. I tried Zyban a few years ago and they sent me do-lally almost instantly. I might try just taking 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the evening see how I go on. I would hate to start smoking again after 3 weeks of being free.

 

Your doing really well 11 days free its a great feeling isnt it? I know what you mean about the temper though and the tiredness.

 

Has anyone else felt this and got through it, if so any advise would be great, as I really don't think killing one of my colleagues would be a good idea.

 

Please let me know how you get on slightlymad.

 

This is great. That's three of us who are worried about the personality changes. It's good to know that I'm not alone! Now, whether it's the Champix or nicotine withdrawal I don't know, but I do know that it's not getting any easier. Which makes me suspect that it's the Champix...

 

I halved my dosage a week ago (now .5mg mornings and evenings) but it hasn't helped and I'm now thinking of weaning myself off. I think it's a bad idea to stop suddenly.

 

This is DAY TWELVE of me not smoking. I'll give it until Thursday, which makes a safe-ish sounding two weeks, then I'll skip the evening pills for a week. Then maybe cut down to half a .5mg tab per day, then every other day...

 

I should mention that my tablets don't come in packs, like yours. I have a bottle of .5mg (white) tablets that I doubled up in the second week.

[slightlymad 10]

Im seriously considering jacking the Champix in, my other half was on the very verge of packing my cases and booting me out yesterday, she was in tears and for the first time since we met in 2002 she actually lost her patience with me.

These pills are excellent for helping us quit smoking, trouble is theyre also excellent for turning us into complete loonies.

 

Scary, innit?!

 

I must say that I'm surprised. I've always taken what you said about snappiness with a large pinch of salt, because you come across as so good-humoured (if a touch psychotic - in the nicest possible way, of course). In fact, I thought that quitting with Champix has been pretty much a breeze for you.

 

Right, that settles it.

 

You, me and homebird and anyone else who doesn't like what Champix is doing to us, let's plan a quit Champix strategy.

[mojo1 10]

You all ok chaps? I'm worried about you now. I was chatting to a guy in a pub the other week about this subject and he said he would never use the stuff as it can affect your mood so badly.

It's the tablets not you and you will come out of the other side ok.

It's a few weeks of your life that you will feel bad for and then you will be over it. If you have stopped for more than a couple of weeks then try switching onto a replacement product like the gum or lozenges, your habit is broken so it will just take the edge off the cravings for you.

 

Most importantly keep talking about it, to loved ones or to each other on here, if you can see it's not just happening to you then you know it's not permanent, it's just a side effect.

 

 

You have all done so well, I'm inspired by you all. I quit on sunday, I used patches for 2 days but they were too strong so i've gone onto gum and I'm feeling good.

 

Hang in there, You're all amazing for getting this far!

[slightlymad 10]

You all ok chaps?

 

Mojo1, you're a star, that's what you are.

 

What you say is SO encouraging. And you're absolutely right - sharing our experiences here makes a big difference.

 

I'm rooting for your success - keep telling us how you're doing. Am I right in thinking that you haven't had a ciggie since Sunday? If so, that's TERRIFIC!

 

Oh, and I love your new sig!

[mojo1 10]

Mojo1, you're a star, that's what you are.

 

What you say is SO encouraging. And you're absolutely right - sharing our experiences here makes a big difference.

 

I'm rooting for your success - keep telling us how you're doing. Am I right in thinking that you haven't had a ciggie since Sunday? If so, that's TERRIFIC!

 

Not one:D I'm amazed at how well I feel, I've not tried to strangle the cat even once:hihi:

[Jabberwocky 46]

Scary, innit?!

 

I must say that I'm surprised. I've always taken what you said about snappiness with a large pinch of salt, because you come across as so good-humoured (if a touch psychotic - in the nicest possible way, of course). In fact, I thought that quitting with Champix has been pretty much a breeze for you.

 

Right, that settles it.

 

You, me and homebird and anyone else who doesn't like what Champix is doing to us, let's plan a quit Champix strategy.

 

I am, or at least WAS a laid back bloke, Laid back to the point of being corpselike, it was practically impossible to wind me up, my job used to depend on that, I was in a position of being surrounded by irate customers on a day to day basis and my calmness was important to keep things calm.

If I worked there today Id slaughter the lot of them, there`d be a blood bath!

 

I was actually almost arrested in Argos last Monday, all because my other half had forgotten to sign her credit card, the member of staff pointed it out to me and I went ape poo, competely and utterly ape poo.

 

Im tempted to ask if steroids are involved in these pills, because along with the heightened agression, Im also growing hair on my chin at a faster rate than any time in my life, Im recovering from heavy exercise in no time and Im cultivating a fascinating colony of zits all over my carcasse.

 

Im still not smoking though, even though Im tempted to start simply to make things easier for the other half. I AM getting the uncontrollable cravings that last for about 10 minutes though, and those ten minutes seem to last for hours.

[Jabberwocky 46]

Ohhh yeeeeeah while Im in the mood to moan, loud and/or sudden noises too. They drive me into a frenzy! I go completely nuts, that actually scares me because I REALLY foam at the mouth for just a couple of seconds and I worry what I might do if I was holding onto a hammer or a knife or something and someone yawned loudly or coughed.

They really drive people nuts, I wonder what its going to be like with thousands of people on them all at the same time...

[slightlymad 10]

I was actually almost arrested in Argos last Monday...

 

Jeepers! You definitely need to take action. Can you start by halving your dosage?

 

Incidentally, it's a medical fact that cravings don't last longer than three minutes. Time 'em and see! They just seem to last for much longer.

 

My feeling is that you will be able to cope with the occasional craving a helluva lot easier than others with your manic outbursts...

 

Think of a crave strategy that works for you - running round the block, downing a glass of water, whatever. Decide what you're going to do next time you get the urge to smoke (for that's what it really is, an urge not a crave - cravings disappear once your body is ridded of nicotine). If you're prepared for them, even welcome them, then show 'em who's boss, they'll get weaker and weaker.

 

Easy for me to talk. Always has been...