feeling defeated and deflated

[nsd_user663_28551]

hi my name is audrey and am 44 years old and have smoked for 25 years. i have been on champix for 14 days now and at times still overwhelmed by the craving of having a cigarette. i have cut down alot but have not quit totally.i still light at least 3 or 4 during the day. is it normal to crave so badly after 14 days on champix. getting really down because if champix cant help me and not having enough willpower i feel like iam doomed to smoke for ever and i dont want too. has champix helped anyone give up? all the other forums i have been on have all been so negative about the drug i feel i am at a loss. anyone have any suggestions or similar experiences? audrey

[nsd_user663_22533]

Hi Audrey, sorry to hear about your struggle, I can't help on champix I'm afraid but I'm sure someone will come along soon. However I think when anyone has a quit day planned in advance it feels like a really major battle ahead and becomes so scary in your mind you think you can't possibly go through with it. Try to take your quit hour by hour or day by day, dont think about forever, I don't and I've been quit nearly 4 months.

[nsd_user663_4991]

Hi Audrey , sorry I cant help you either as I have only ever used patches / cold turkey .

I am sure some the "champix crew" will no doubt post a message or two for you today though.

Stick with it hun, it's not easy BUT....you will get there AND BE GLAD YOU DID

Trev

[nsd_user663_28551]

thanks guys. i am usually a strong minded person when it comes to other things, but with smoking it sucks me back in every time and i am and will put a stop to it. thanks again x

[nsd_user663_4991]

Me too Audrey , I dropped my guard last year during a moment of weakness and here I am again.....only this time I am even more determined to Kick the crap out of Mr Nico Demon

Good Luck !

[nsd_user663_26590]

Hi Audrey,

I can't comment on Champix. I went CT in a moment of ( inspired) madness 51 days ago!! AND NO REGRETS AT ALL!!!

Suppliment now with Niquitin Minis cos CT was just one step to ambitious for me after about day 3!!!

I agree with other posts. Don't think about long term future. As in any "project management" - the whole task can appear overwhelming and impossible.

Break it down into manageble " bite sized" pieces. At first this may be getting past the next hour. So what you may think !! An hour is an hour -but it achievable.

I then looked back to see how far I had come. How many ciggies I had not smoked. How much money (and time!!!) I had saved etc.

I still do this. It is what motivates me. Find your motivation and keep going back to that reason.

the demons are there to trick you!! It's a mind game. Just be prepared for "THAT" moment.

[nsd_user663_28551]

sounds achievable when you put it like that. "Baby Steps" so grateful for this forum, i am surrounded by people who think it should be easy given the dangers. i wish it was. so rather than argue i joined your forum.

[bbbreezy]

Good advice Teacup!

I stopped with the aid of champix; read thru the champix social group for lots of info. I stopped on about day 10 cos I ran out of smokes in the am and knew if I bought more I would never quit. O.H and I did it together. It worked really well for him in helping cut the craves; not so much for me. I ate to compensate (27 lbs worth), but all in all worth it.

Sorry for 1/2 a post but have to run out. It can be done. I am the weakest willed ninny EVER and I am doing it,

Chin up and have a happy day

Jen

[nsd_user663_20558]

I can't help with the champix either but I know a lot of people on here have quit succesfully with it - have a look at the champix usergroup.

I agree with whoever said, don't think about forever. Just take it one hour/crave at a time at the beginning, and one day at a time after that. If you keep on plugging away, gradually your attitude to smoking will begin to change: you'll miss it less and less, you'll start to enjoy more and more benefits. It's not an overnight process and it has sod all to do with nicotene. It's all about the mental readjustment!

Read as much as you can. Blogs, websites, whatever. Educate yourself about your quit and what to expect. Write down a list of your reasons for quitting. But don't be scared of it. How dare that damn stupid habit have you enslaved like that. Kick its stinky ass!

I'm the same age as you, and have smoked for the same length of time. I never managed to quit before, but here I am five months on, not one puff. I'm still taking it one day at a time. Probably always will. But I'm here to tell you I'm happy, and so will you be!

Welcome to the site. And here's to a bright new future!

Helen

PS, I really recommend woofmang.com/tales

[nsd_user663_4026]

I was 40 when I quit and had never quit for any length of time before. No champion experience but experience enough to know you nd a push from yourself too. Woofmang is awesome. It helped me apply logic to my quit feelings which made it mostly easier. You made the biggest step coming on here. Read the links and post for support. what's the worst that could happen if you jumped in that quit with both feet!

[nsd_user663_10013]

Hi Audrey

I may have misread your post so forgive me but have you set yourself a quit date? Some on champix just manage to stop as smoking becomes unpleasant but some have to stick to a quit date (me included) because smoking is still a pleasure! It's only when you quit that you notice what champix does for you.

Champix won't stop you smoking as only you can do that but it will make those early days easier to deal with

Good luck with your quit and let us know how you're doing

[nsd_user663_28551]

hi to all, 24 hours has passed since my last cigarette. just an hour, a day, at a time. so far so good. xx

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Audrey

Please don't be downhearted about the champix I used it successfully as have many others I know it says to stop with the first 14 days but I have known many people to take three weeks before stopping completely and they have still had successful quits with it

As we're all different so of course are our quits and the way we champix users react to it relax get on with your life as you normally would and most of all don't worry about the champix it will work all by itself

I would be very surprised if you didn't stop completely within the next 3/4 days

Love

MArg xxx

[nsd_user663_4026]

hi to all, 24 hours has passed since my last cigarette. just an hour, a day, at a time. so far so good. xx

Awesome! Hardest step taken. Bloody well done you! Hey surrogate mummy marge, great to seeyou post on here again x x

[nsd_user663_28551]

thankyou margeret and everyone for being so supportive. really helps xxx

[nsd_user663_21078]

Hi Audrey

Like you I'm 44 years old and smoked for just more than 25 years. I didn't use that drug but did use Nicotine patches and gum when I stopped on 6 January. I was a hardcore smoker, at least 30 a day, rain, wind, snow,first thing I did in the morning before I could even function was to smoke two Marlboro Reds, and it was also the last thing I did at night. And every opportunity inbetween.

I'm now 144 days (I don't count them, its just that I set a wee timer going when I stopped) and have never felt better.

Its hard to stop, but honestly its much harder to keep smoking.

Good luck.

[nsd_user663_3728]

Awesome! Hardest step taken. Bloody well done you! Hey surrogate mummy marge, great to seeyou post on here again x x

Hi Fiona

Thanks often come for a lookee but don't post much as you know but couldn't resist this one

Love and Hugs

Marg your Surrogate Mummy

sabtydan if I was able to help that makes me happy if you want help/advice re champix and I'm not logged in feel free to PM me and will pick it up next time am here OK

[nsd_user663_28551]

hi everyone, well i did three days and then i broke and had one cigarette so mad with myself so i have started again. day one again. thank goodness for this forum, such inspiring people. i really want to quit and i will.

Audrey.

[nsd_user663_4991]

Stick at it .....practise makes Perfect

Best Wishes Trev

[nsd_user663_24115]

no such thing as one

:mad: i broke and had one cigarette so mad with myself so i have started again this sounds familiar, this happened to me and its happened to loads. it forced me to learn that there is no such thing as one cigarette. I hope you got that . otherwise becoming a prisoner serves no purpose. sad to hear this Sabty.Mashx

[nsd_user663_28551]

hi to all, just touching base i am doing well after my little relapse. still think of smoking often but getting a little less everyday. a question for the senior members does there ever come a day that you just dont think about smoking eg: as in wanting a cigarette? i know i have along road ahead but am just curious. hope everyone is well. Audreyx

[nsd_user663_26699]

Hi Audrey,

Most days I don't think about smoking at all, and even if I do it is only a fleeting thought without any desire to actually do so. I've been quit almost 7 months now, and since at least my 3rd month, the concept of smoking has become more and more foreign to me (like, Why would I want to do that?).

Even though I'm on this forum most days, I've become very detached from the act of smoking myself, but I'm still very much interested in understanding and helping others to quit.

Alex.

[nsd_user663_28551]

thankyou alex.

still doing well. went out lastnight to a pub and was not tempted. i know its early days but one big step for me. hope everyone is well.

Audrey