I had posted recently that oddly my "cravings" were getting stronger the further into my quit I went?
I read the links about "addiction" and the "terrible threes" and justified the sensations. It will get better. Still proud of my quit.
The sensation turns out not to be "cravings" but a growing anxiety, agression, disinhibited thinking, slight mania, disconnected feeling and to cream it all off full blown panic attack. A side effect of stopping smoking? Me thinks not.
I was fighting, denying the negative sensations 'cause I really wanted to keep going with the Champix, after all it was the Champix which miraculously made me stop thinking about smoking like a switch being switched off overnight. Powerful stuff.
My mother got the full on anxiety, outburst rage today when she was less than supportive of me being a bit quieter than usual, not appreciating how I was feeling during my quit, like I was some kind of weirdo because she or my father didn't feel that way when they quit. She follows by saying "Oh, so everyone just has to put up with it, that's how it's going to be?..." I'm getting a "row" for quitting smoking at age 37!
I felt the lights dim and couldn't focus on the room, felt absolutely disconnected from the room around me, my heart nearly pumping out my chest. I have never felt so out of control, frightened in a long, long time. I retired to my bedroom, scared, defensive and angry and my mother left to return home. I feel terrible for my mother having to go through my outburst but not totally responsible for how it happened. It was definitely Champix related in my case/opinion and a lack of understanding and sensitivity from my mother.
I consulted my Cessation Nurse immediately who consulted the GP. I have decided I am not putting any more of that powerful brain drug in my body. The Nurse and GP obviously agree and I'm advised to attend open GP service in the morning if I still feel mentally unwell.
Also the vivid twisted dreams were so frequent (3 weeks solid) they are now starting to merge with day to day memories and that is just wrong.
So in preparation for Week 3 Quit, it's goodbye Champix, hello CT. Bring it on.
In Champix defense my father used it and he had no side effects he said, and is still quit years on. Champix did switch off my memory of smoking or at least thats what it feels like. I still don't have any real desire to smoke after only 3 weeks on Champix.
Everyone is different but if you do decide to try Champix, pay real close attention to your mental health and don't feel any guilt in stopping the Champix if it isn't working for you and your mental health feels wrong. Consult your GP immediately and let them know you are stopping the drug. Seek counselling as soon as possible to talk it over. Your cessation nurse can provide this and discuss your options.
I really need to go relax as I feel totally wired and exhausted all at the same time. This has been one hell of a day but, I did not smoke. I am praying this awful feeling is gone tomorow.
Later folks
Andrew
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Well done on not smoking today. You can do this without the Champix. I did. I stopped taking them in the second week as they caused me the most dreadful insomnia (eg awake for 3 days and nights solid :eek I've been quit now for 10 weeks, 8 of those being CT. It can be done.
Good luck, Andrew, and hope you're feeling a lot better very soon.
Sorry to hear you have suffered so badly on champix. I haven't tried it but I have read & heard some awful stories. I guess like a lot of things, some people can take quite happily & some just cannot. Someone who works with me has managed to stop after many quits on champix & had no probs at all. Hailed it as a wonder drug & works round smiling all the time (bit scary really).
I hope that you begin to feel better soon now you have stopped taking it. You keep on that quit ok
All the best with ridding the side effects and the champix from your system.
I've no ide how long it will take but I'm glad you recognised the differeance between quit effects and the champix effects.
Your a minority with the negative effects and some folk don't like it posted......tough on them. It's needs to be posted to help people make an informed choice when researching champix.
Please let us know how you manage over the next few days.
I just woke up. It's 01:20 Day 15, I'm wide awake argh.
@ Skippy - it's very reassuring to know I can still stay quit. You are a fine example for me to aspire to Champix helped me stub out the last cig very successfully and now it's over to me CT + Cessation Therapy + Forum.
@ Gaynor - Yes it was a scarey experience but was it worth it? I suppose it was because I have never got past day 3 in my previous attempts to not light up again. Champix helped amazingly with this but I couldn't handle the long-term use of the drug and chose to stop it early. But, thanks for your concern and support that's important part of all our attempts to quit and stay quit. Recognition it is a challenge and recognition when we have shown courage and strength (will power, whatever we want to call it). Peace x
@ Pol - Nurse said Champix should be completely out me in about 3 days and I was told there is no recorded evidence of withrawal symptoms from the drug. They wanted to have a lead-out period but I declined.
I din't post in the Champix side effects thread as this is My Quit Experience I'm just telling my story, a story unique to me which, others can take what they need and leave the rest. I am not in any way telling any person not to rule out Champix. Despite me not tolerating the drug and quiting it early, it has worked for me. I'm into Week 3 of my quit I agree, it is all about informed choice. So I decided to create my minority report And I can still smile, so it can't be all that bad.
I slept until 1pm today so missed open GP surgery. Been told I should go tomorrow morning so have made arrangements at work so I can go.
My body has missed 3 full doses of The Champ since I stopped the course.
Today I was very restless in the flat so went out for a walk. Felt weird, distant, day dreamy, disconnected, bit paranoid, difficulty with decision making, anxious, and my vision was fuzzy, dizzy and floaty, still can't bare the site of a full meal on a plate. Still little waves of angry thoughts coursing through me but they are on the way out I think. I still feel a bit over stimulated in my mind but at the same time my body just wants to sleep, it's tired with the stress it's been under. I have slept twice today for about 3 hours a time. The vivid dreams were NOT present which is a good sign
My desire to smoke is no different today than it was yesterday when I was taking the full dose of The Champ. Still haven't smoked, still have moments of cravings, short, and I usually snack 'till it passes. I have a definite "fear sensation" when I dare think about smoking again. It's like I been told by someone real scarey "Don't you ever smoke again, or else"! I don't think I could forgive myself now if I smoked after all this c r a p I went through to get where I am.
Hopefully I sleep tonight, vivid dream free and I'm able to tell the GP my brain chemistry feels like it is returning to what I remember it used to be like. Honestly, I am not as mad as this usually lol
I also keep my fingers crossed The Champ did a good job of re-wiring my brain so I stay quit
Sorry you where still feeling out of it today. To be expected I suppose until the champix is out of your system completely. Well done or still not smoking though. Sleep & rest is a great healer so hope you get a good dream free sleep tonight.
Hey Andrew, your doing good mate, all the things your feeling is normal..i think going crazy is all part of the quit;)...I promise you that your feeling do calm down & you will begin to feel normal again in quite a short time
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I've been quit now for 10 weeks, 8 of those being CT. It can be done.
Champix helped me stub out the last cig very successfully and now it's over to me CT + Cessation Therapy + Forum.
Champix - Frist smoking free day
Champix - Wk 2, Day 11
