Does it get any easier?

[nsd_user663_4631]

:eek:

Does it get any easier? There's the title and I want to know if anyone out there can help me maintain my smoke-free existence? I am on Champix and am due to finish the course in a week's time, after which it's down to me. I have found it to be the easier option out of the many therapies, I got hooked on nicotine therapies for 2-3 years and it didn't seem to help me reach the goal I wanted (being an ex-smoker), instead I woke up every morning like a bear with a sore head before I got my fix of lozenger nicotine! Anyhoo, here I am, nearly 12 weeks in and feeling good about it, being the longest I have been smoke-free. Over the past few days though, I have started to panic a bit. It's like, the cigarette was my friend when I needed it, same with the nicotine supplement and now I'm thinking, what's life gonna' be without the Champix. Will I just stop taking it and then...puff! like magic, I'm over it? Because of the panic, I've actually thought on occasion that they feel almost like cravings and cigarettes have started to enter my mind again! I know they say, hunger pains are like cravings, emotional turmoil can be perceived as cravings, BUT has anyone any advise on how to recognise the difference? Please, anyone...can you help me out? I spent £400 on Champix and it would be an awful lot to waste after coming so far....thank you.

[jackieinv]

Hi Kaz

Well done on your quit so far.

I am sorry I did not quit with champix but there will be someone along soon I am sure who will have some help for you. I do know from reading their posts that you do need some willpower too. It is also normal to feel a bit restless about how we are going to cope without the aid we used to stop or the cigarette depending on how we stopped. All these feelings get better, try not to beat yourself up and worry about them. The best thing of all to do is read some literature about the adiction to nicotine that definitely does help whyquit.com and woofmang.com are the most commonly used ones on here.

Good luck

Jackie

[nsd_user663_4631]

Thank you so much for this, I only joined the forum today and already I am reading so many experiences that people have had and in some ways, it's comforting to know that we all share these experiences and not one person is saying "Get over it, it's easy!". I will be a regular and I think this alone will help me. Thank you for the websites. I will check these out.

[nsd_user663_4026]

Its definately not easy!! I found in the end that my only succesful mental quit I have ever had (this one!)((had many many failures in the past) came from three areas.

I was frightened that if I didn't stop now I would never stop and I desperately wanted to stop. The fear of never stopping finally overcame the fear of stopping.

The links on this forum to information I added to my Allen Carr knowledge and the experiences and support of other posters.

Posting help to others to continually reinforce my quit.

At the end of the day you have to want to quit. Each time you face a crave and win it makes you stronger and so on.

I did not quit with champix though so can't comment on the coming off it. Marg will know!! xx

[nsd_user663_4324]

i was on champix but after 4 weeks was taken of them as all i did was cut down, so i used the inhaler and now i am of that and not using any thing. and i think of having a fag but just take a deep breath and think of something else and now im on day 64

things do get easier, what i want to know is why you spent £400 on champix when you can get them from your doctors for the price of a prescription

[nsd_user663_4631]

Thanks Fiona! You are so right in what you say, I have so much drive and determination in life to succeed, but this one seems to beat me every time, and I guess after so many failures trying, I've kind of got into this rut of thinking I'm not capable. I AM CAPABLE! You are so right....with this kind of encouragement and advice, anything is possible. It's nice to hear of real people with the same experiences, not hearing it from non-smoker doctors who haven't the slightest idea what the mental/craving process is. Thank you.

[nsd_user663_4631]

Hi Jodie! Thanks for the message, it helps to hear from all sorts of people sharing the same common goal, to quit the cigs. I paid £400 because I approached my doctor and he told me that I did not qualify for it as I was working full time, over 16 hours per week and my partner also. Between us, we were earning too much money to qualify for a prescription. I don't mean this to sound offensive, this is what I was told, but if I was unemployed, had several children and lived on welfare, then I would have qualified, as I could have attended the therapy sessions during the day alongside taking the Champix. He wouldn't offer it unless it came as part of a course of treatment, which meant regular attendances. I couldnt' do this and also because I could afford to do it privately. That's life eh?

[nsd_user663_4324]

that is really bad, me and my partner live together both work full time jobs and have no kids yet i qualified, maybe different boroughs offer different things, as my doctors were advertising helping you to quit, i didnt get it free and had to go back every 2 weeks for check ups thats it. i find it amazing you dont qualify to get help that has shocked me

[nsd_user663_4631]

Me too! I could have cried then and there. If you want to quit and you are literally telling someone that you want to quit, then surely you'd think they would help you, but unfortunately I seem to be under a borough that believes in doing very little for the hard working types like me and my partner. I could tell you many a thing about about living here and how you're placed into categories. I have researched it and it seems the priorities are different here. It's a very working class community, with one of the biggest council estates in Europe just a 10 minute walk from my front door, and that is where their priorities lie. I can't afford half of what they can. Anyhoo, different forum for that...MORE POWER TO US EX-SMOKERS NO MATTER HOW WE GOT HERE!! WOOP WOOP!!

[nsd_user663_4544]

Hi Kaz,

It has got better for me I'm approaching 12 weeks on Sunday, the last couple of weeks have been the best for me. I felt so ill when I stopped and thought I was supposed to feel better, I chose cold turkey method this time round as I had done some of the others b4 and failed. I am feeling more positive and getting back to my old self, depression hit hard this time round but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I started walking and that makes me feel good. My hubby and daughter have been brilliant, even through my dark scary Mary weeks I gave them a rough time. I take 1 day at a time I hope it gets better for you this forum has helped me lots hope it does the same for you *hug* x

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Kaz

Welcome to the forum and well done on the decision to quit possibly one of the most important you will ever make and you will be losing nothing but you will regain control of your life and that has to be good

Read the posts on here you will find a lot of tips and advice and in the signatures of a lot you will find links to other sites just click on them Here are 2 I find very good to start you off whyquit.com and woofmang.com Read, read and then read some more as the more you read and learn about why you smoked and about your addiction the easier it will be to maintain your quit

Please don't worry about coming off the Champix

I stopped after 8 weeks on it as kept forgetting to take them and except for the odd fleeting thought when doing something different of Oh a fag would be nice [took longer to type that than the thoughts last] I was and am fine I rarely even have those thoughts anymore

I hope that will help to settle your mind

Love

Marg xxxxxxxxxx