According to the NHS that is, I wouldn't go that far yet.
But on my medical records, I am a non smoker. Now that I have stopped taking the Champix off my own back, the advisor is not willing to see me anymore and I have been deemed to have "opted out" of NHS cessation advice.
Fine by me, I don't need a prescription - so I have no need for the NHS either.
It does amuse me that they claim to have the patients best interest at heart and then kick me out of the advice clinic the moment I stop taking prescription medication... drug companies paying for it all, much? I wonder if the service would be better for the users if an organisation like NSD or someone else was funding it? It couldn't get any worse, to be honest.
Still, all that really matters is that I'm not smoking and I do have to admit that without the NHS presribing Champix I would have found it much tougher... and it is nice that I am officially a non smoker.... but I can't help thinking that a lot more people should be successfully quit and easily could be if the NHS offered education alongside chemical assistance.
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This reminds me very much of the early days of my quit. I think it was about the sixth day and I was crawling up the walls. So I phoned the NHS Quitline and just begged for someone to tell me not to smoke. I was then told that because I was not registered, they could not help me. I would have to register first!! The upshot was that the NHS operator received a tirade of very unladylike Anglo Saxon language and I put the phone down!!!! Still, it did the trick at the time:eek:
It was then that I found this forum and have not looked back
Hi Stuart, l know that it was a bit sneaky, but, l didn't tell my smoking cessation nurse that l had stopped taking the tablets. I wanted them as back up, in case l felt desperate.:eek: Mind you, having said that, when l open the drawer where they live, l still feel a warm little glow of comfort when l see them. How sad is that?
I've stopped taking the second tablet not because I forgot but because some nights I don't get in until 10.00 and I felt it was a bit too late to take it then. I found I could do without that one.
Yesterday I didn't take one until lunch time mainly because I hadn't eaten. I don't know if it was because my grandkids were keeping me occupied or what but I felt okay. As I said I did take it at lunchtime. Not sure I could continue without all day.
Anyway, so far so good.
Good luck Stuart I am sure you will succeed admirably as you obviously felt you didn't need them anymore. At least you can always revert back to them if you find you need to (assuming that is you had some left:D)
My smoking cessation advisor (who has never smoked in her life) told me that you officially a non smoker after 4 weeks.
I am cutting down on the Champix at the moment, not only due to the nausea and wild dreams, but I find that I am not "needing" them as much. I do intend though to keep picking up the prescription for another couple of times and keep them as back up!!!
Well done so far Stuart - your head is definately in the right place.
I have 2 weeks full supply of tablets left in my pocket if I need them, but I can't see it.
I feel that they have done their job and got me to the point where I am confident that I don't need them.
How can someone advise how to quit smoking if they have never smoked? How do they know what it's like?
All of that is neither here nor there. I am where I am, and as long as that is without a cig in my hand then I'm happy
Jan, sounds like your doing well and have found your own level with the pills - so that's great news. You are still quite early on in your quit - doing great but still quite early to be thinking of stopping in my humble opinion, so I think you are doing very much the right thing. Take it at your own pace.
Bernie, if stopping them feels right for you then do it! I would never dream of telling anyone what they should do with things like this - except to do what feels best for you. That's what I did - I sought advice and made my mind up for me. It's worked a treat, so good luck to you with it. You're doing really well with the quit in general as well.
According to the NHS that is, I wouldn't go that far yet...
.... but I can't help thinking that a lot more people should be successfully quit and easily could be if the NHS offered education alongside chemical assistance.
After I'd found this web site, I mentioned it to the Practice Nurse and explained what a brill help it has been to me, (a serious serial (failed) quitter) and that maybe she should suggest it to others...but she just looked at me as if I was nuts!!
nicky
p.s. hope yr feeling better in the morning - gather from another thread you're poorly
I mentioned in previous posts that the bully boy tactics used by our GP only served to put my back up and persist more than ever.
Another story I have, a freind of mine was a smoker until she had a baby. She has a diagnosed allergy based asthma. She was getting nowhere with her GP when describing the symptoms as he could not see past the point that she was a smoker.
When she had another episode post giving up, they were prepared to investigate further and came up with a diagnosis.
Yet on the other hand the staff and attitude at the hospital where people are dealing with acute smoking related health problems could not have been better - they were honest, open and acccepting of the true problem of addiction it really made me think for the first time it was a possiblity. What a shame I had to get to the sharp end before I got a sympathetic ear that did not distort the facts or try & scare me.
My consultant was honest enough to tell me I did not get pneumonia from smoking, however the fluid was not draining as quick as a non-smoker and my lungs would become more vunerable once I had one incident if I continued to smoke.
Obviously post hospital is where I started to panic & feel I was on my own, until I found everyone here. Just stops me going nuts whilst I am stuck at home every day.....
I did hear that for every person referred & kept on the cessation clinics the GP surgery receives a payment from central government- don't know if that is just Scotland though...so it is not in their interests for us to go it alone.
Can you believe the nurse, last time I went for blood tests, asked me if I wanted patches? No - I'm more than 3 weeks without nicoteen, why would I want nicoteen now?
Rather than being overbearing my local GP's didn't seem to care if I smoke or not. Only times I mentioned it was when I asked for Zyban, some years back. !st time I was given it once I had seen the nurse for a 1 off chat lasting about 5 mins, 2nd time I asked for a private script as I thought paying for it might help me to focus more. Never been asked since if I had succeeded.
At the end of the day the NHS's intention is good but their methods are lacking IMHO.
Can you believe the nurse, last time I went for blood tests, asked me if I wanted patches? No - I'm more than 3 weeks without nicoteen, why would I want nicoteen now?
Anyway rant over
XX
Yes I can beleive it. They really have no clue about not only how to stop smoking, but how an addiction works.
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I wanted them as back up, in case l felt desperate.:eek: Mind you, having said that, when l open the drawer where they live, l still feel a warm little glow of comfort when l see them. How sad is that?
I am not happy as a non smoker
I am Officially a Non Smoker
