About to quit

[nsd_user663_49248]

Hi Everyone!

Im new to this forum, and this is my first post. Ive never posted on a anti-smoking forum before as i found it very personal for me, but its touched me how so many ppl are posting their life story, so Ive decided to express myself.

I've been smoking since I was 14 and I am 24 years old now. Im not of a heavy smoker, I smoke around 7-10 a day. I've been trying to stop and quit for the past 5 years as it has had effected by personal life and have made ppl upset with me. Ive been on patches on 2 different occasions already and I will admit that the patches really did work for me, but once I lit one, it became 7-10 cigarettes a day.

I went to the doctors and they gave me a prescription for nicorette 15mg/16 hour patches which ive used before. I asked the doctor about 'Champix' which ive ready in the forum and the doctor said that he does not recommend it as it could cause more health implications compared to patches. Is this true?

I've also tried calling the QUITline and they are so hard to reach. I've tried calling them at least 7 times now, and the consultant is never available. I've left my details so they can call me back, but I've never received a call. They advertise it on TV all the time, but it frustrates ppl like me when i cant even speak to someone when i need to.

Ill be smoking my last cigarettes tomorrow and i'm going to put on the patches and I WILL DEFINITLY QUIT FOR GOOD!

[nsd_user663_18145]

Hello Chiew

and welcome to the forum its strange that you havent got a reply when ringing the helpline :confused: here is another number you could try for the nhs smokefree 0800 028 0 558

there is a thread on champix and the effects it can have but there has been quite afew people on here that has used it to help them quit

its like any of the aids some work some dont anyway keep reading and remember to write your reasons down for quitting and re read them everytime you get a crave and when you do get a crave keep mind and hands busy till it passes

this site has been one of the biggest aids for quitting for so many as everyone knows what your going through

hope to see you posting again soon

regards

Carol

[nsd_user663_48461]

Good Luck

Hi chiew

If I've read this right, today will be your first day without cigarettes? Good luck, come here for support and let us know how you're doing.

Never doubt your decision!

Shazza

[nsd_user663_49119]

Hello chiew.

I am new to this forum too. I've been here for almost five days and reading some tips and tricks how to quit smoking is really nice. Browsing and reading every conversation here has a lot of information to me, how to quit, and how to manage quiting smoking. Sad to say, I feel sick whenever I tried to quit smoking, sometimes I intended to do so but my tongue can't help it. I tried to use e cigarette which I get from skycig.co.uk but I think its not as good as quiting smoking.

Good luck, hope I have a discipline to quit smoking like you.

[nsd_user663_49248]

Hey everyone, thanks for replying to my post. Today is DAY 2 of not smoking. I put on the patch yesterday morning when I woke up and I FEEL GREAT! I havent been craving for a ciggi bcoz the nicotine patches has been doing all the work!

I've also stopped drinking 'Coke Zero' or any soft drinks and just sticking to water. Im going to get my health back up and running like a 'normal' healthy person!

[nsd_user663_48073]

Congratulations Chiew. You have taken the first step and survived.

I am taking Champix to aid my quit. It is working for me but I am experiencing some side effects such as dull headache, tiredness, and some flatulence issues. I can understand your doctor warning you that there could be health problems as some people do suffer worse. When I was researching Champix, all I could find were negative comments and information. I think that was when I found this forum, I haven't looked back since. There are many threads that talk about side effects, there is also a social group for Champix users.

I hope that the patches work for you, they never did for me.

Keep on quitting.

[nsd_user663_44684]

Hi Chiew & welcome to the forum You are making the best decision of your life, you are still young so your body will repair really quickly - wish i'd stopped at your age before I damaged my lungs...

Sounds like you are strong & doing really well, keep it up - remember just one cig doesn't exist, always leads back to smoking.

Well done to Ben too, it's great seeing people quit the nasty addiction.

Denise x

[nsd_user663_49248]

Hi Everyone,

I'm back here again

As i mentioned on my first post i was on patches for 3 months and did not have one ciggarette at all.

I've been off the patches for nearly a month now and i slipped up! Work has been stressing me out so I ended up having a ciggarette which lead to several a day.

I am really eager to quit so I went to the doctors today and my doctor gave me a prescription for Champix. I'm worried about the side effects but I am willing to risk it just to quit smoking and never coming back to it.

Once I take the first tablet, will the cravings stop? Or does it stop over time? When I put my very first patch on I didnt crave for a ciggarette. I am hoping its the same/similar when I pop the first pill.

Thanks everyone!

[nsd_user663_51711]

Hi there Chiew. Glad you're trying again. I've just come off Champix a few weeks earlier than I should and after taking only half the dose for the last 6 weeks.I was asked to choose a start date some time between 10 and 14th day of taking Champix. I noticed after getting onto the full dose I was smoking less and less and decided to stop smoking a few days earlier than the date I'd picked.I just did not fancy a cig in the end, but that built up over a short time ...it did not happen immediately.

I had some issues ( terrible nausea, stomach cramps,extreme fatigue) I blamed on Champix and which resulted in me taking half the dosage....but I think now I had a bug as my non smoking partner had exactly the same symptoms 10 days after me.

I also had the most fantastically realistic dreams.

I hope you find it OK,it's certainly made quitting really easy for me...and I speak as a 15 year Cold Turkey quitter who made the fatal mistake of thinking I could just have one cig one night on holiday which led to another 15 years of smoking

[nsd_user663_49248]

Thanks becky for your response. I'll let you all know how i go with it!

Cheers

[austinlegro 11 Years Smoke Free]

Once I take the first tablet, will the cravings stop? Or does it stop over time?

There isn't an answer based on pharmacology as cravings are a subconscious trigger.

The cravings stop when you stop them, the trick is working out how.