Hi all - Day 1

[nsd_user663_2854]

Hello All,

This post is probably long overdue but better late than never.

I'm a 32yrd old male and have been smoking since I was 15, started off with just a few a day working my way up to 20 a day since my twenties.

I've decided to give up mainly for health reasons. I had a stomach ulcer last summer which was mainly attributed to smoking and spent the whole of Christmas just gone with Bronchitis. I've just recently got over a cold but still wake up with a tight chest, feeling out of breath and coughing most mornings.

Last night I decided enough is enough and jumped on this forum to have a read.

I've tried giving up before and the longest I've done is about 5 days without a puff. That was cold turkey so I'm in no doubt I need some support somehow. I will call my local docs this morning and ask for a appointment with the 'stop smoking' nurse to see what she can offer.

I've tried patches before and they just didn't seem to work for me plus since my stomach ulcer I don't think I can use them anyway.

Can anyone recommend any treatments for the nicotine addiction? I've read that Champix is good but no idea whether I can receive that or not from my NHS service.

In the meantime it is cold turkey again!

Cheers

BJ

Last cig: 4th Feb 08 @ 23.20pm

[nsd_user663_2811]

Availability of Champix seems to vary across the country so you'll have to see what they say. In my area it was available to those who had tried and failed with other methods (eg NRT). I'm into my third week smoke free with Champix after smoking for 25 years and I can only say this drug is amazing. Had some slight unpleasant side effects (headache, feeling sick) when I first started taking it but they soon passed.

[nsd_user663_2854]

Thanks Steve, I would hope I qualify then as I have been prescribed NRT patches from the NHS before which they should have a record of.

[nsd_user663_2176]

It can be hit and miss depending on where you live but it's worth doing your homework first. If you go in there with knowledge of what you want and why I think you're more likely to get it.

Good luck with your quit.

[nsd_user663_2854]

Thanks for your replies all. I think its actually the nicotine that can cause a problem to anyone who has had an ulcer. I guess Champix are nicotine free as they deter not replace?

[nsd_user663_2291]

Hi there and Welcome. Well Done for deciding to quit.

This forum is fantastic and i am sure everyone will be here to help you thourgh this, they are for me. They are still not bored with my constant quitting.

I thinking going to see the Dr is great they can provide you will help and support to.

Whether its patches, gum, champix I wish you good Luck xx

[nsd_user663_2115]

Stick with it

Dude, (great name btw), I got 3 stomach ulcers - so I know what it's like to have your options limited with regard to what you can use - but I gotta say that whatever you use, it will be worth it!!

I'm on 6 months today. I've saved just shy of a grand. And I've saved me lungs about 4000 cigs. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't 6 pounds heavier - but I wear it with pride. I'd rather have a couple of spare pounds and some good lung capacity than be black lunged but skinny !!

Stick with whatever you do fella. It can be done. It's all just a big con !!

Good luck !!

[nsd_user663_2854]

Thanks Maximus! BeeJay are my initials btw

Did you get anything to help you quit that wouldn't affect your ulcers? As far as I can tell my ulcer is gone now but I don't want to risk patches especially as they didn't really work for me last time.

Also...

Thanks to everyone for your warm welcome, I'm sure this place will make my journey to quit easier.

[nsd_user663_2115]

It's all good

Nah, I have to be dead careful (cos I got all sorts of things wrong with me) so I had to do cold turkey.

To be honest, I think cold turkey is the only way that I would have been happy to stop - but I recognise that for most people, they will use whatever they can (cos I woulda if I coulda!).

Sharkbait used Champix - and I think it's the only thing that woulda stopped her - so she needed to make a brain adjustment to stop. I got brain damage so there's not enough brain left for Champix to work on !! (really) so I just gritted me teef.

It's been a mare - but I tell you what - I'm dead chuffed today !! 6 Months !!

And if we can do it - I really do believe that anyone can !! We used to have some quite "recreational" weekends - so it's unbelievable that we managed to stop. But like I said, if we can do it - anyone can !!

[nsd_user663_2854]

Congrats on your 6 months! What an achievement, especially doing it the hard way.

Have you or any of the other quitters found your health has improved since the day you stopped?

[nsd_user663_2115]

No !!

Nah it took weeks for me to notice the improvements. The first couple of weeks are spent coughing up lung-nuts the size of small apples and trying to spit them as far away as possible.

It took me a good 6 to 8 weeks before my lungs felt better - but now they are mahoosive ! I feel great. My skin looks much younger and my bird (the Shark) is getting younger by the day (despite her advancing years!)

It just gets better and better ! You just gotta keep going and take each day at a time.

I didn't really give up cigarettes. I just gave up one. The NEXT one. I'm just never gonna have it !

[nsd_user663_2854]

I can't wait to hit the 2 month mark and to start seeing some health as well as wealth benefits.

I've also made an appointment with the 'stop smoking' nurse for Thursday morning. This was the earliest I could get so hopefully she can sort out the Champix.

[nsd_user663_2176]

I can't wait to hit the 2 month mark and to start seeing some health as well as wealth benefits.

Once you get past that quitters flu stage you'll feel SO much better. The timing varies (obviously!) but it shouldn't be long before you can notice the benefits.

Good luck with the nurse.

[nsd_user663_1704]

Welcome on board MrJ

(did your parents do the first name starting with B on purpose?! )

Lets be totaly honest, sorry, when you quit you quite often feel ropey for a while, your body needs to eject that crap from your body! many get whats called 'quitters flu' this is short lived and yes afterwards you reap the benefits

So you do feel better after but not from the day you quit. x x x x

[nsd_user663_2421]

Welcome BJ you just made a decision that willl let you live a longer fuller life congrats. Stay with us and keep us up to speed with your quit.

[nsd_user663_2854]

Thanks again for all the welcomes guys and gals.

I've just been reading about Champix and it seems like you're supposed to start taking it before you give up? The earliest I will get my hands on some is Thursday (if available) so I'm assuming it will just be like 'cold turkey' for the first week until the Champix gets into the system.

Can any other Champix users share their experience?

[nsd_user663_2176]

I didn't use champix but I know there's a lot of threads about it which might be helpful. If you search for champix or chantix there should be some interesting reading for you.

Enjoy!

[nsd_user663_2847]

Re. your Champix question

Hi Beejay,

As I'm only on Day 2 of Champix I'm not an expert but hope this helps - you carry on smoking while you start the course (which builds up from just one tiny pill for 4 days, then doubles up for a few more days and then doubles up again) so you pick a quit day 8 - 12 days away from Day 1, by which time you're supposed to get no pleasure from smoking anyway so there should be no Cold Turkey feeling.

Keep in touch and good luck with the Clinic