Day 1 - Champix

[nsd_user663_49248]

Hi Everyone,

I am back here again after my attempt with nicotine patches which actually worked but after 3 months on the patches the 2nd and 3rd week without any nicotine was painful!

I went to the doctors today and my doctor prescribed me with Champix. I just got back from the Chemist I got my 'Initiation Pack'. I hope this will be the last of it!!

Those who have used Champix, can you please post up your experiences compared to patches?

It is 4pm where I am now, should I take my first tablet now or tomorrow morning?

Cheers!

[nsd_user663_42390]

Good luck

Hi Chiew, I used Champix and I found them to be great.

Having said that I have read a few of your other posts and I must say it sounds like you are looking for a miracle cure........There isn't one.

You need to want to stop smoking and the tablets will help YOU do it. You can take your first tablet anytime just to get the drug into your system. I suffered with nausea after taking the morning tablet and really vivid dreams but that was all. Good luck with your quit.

[nsd_user663_52538]

i wouldnt take it till the morning mine have little sun's and moons on them telling you when to take them i'm on day ten now and not had a fag for 3 days, really impresed with my self didn't think i'd have the gut's to do it. hubby smokes still but outside an don't even feel the need to have one when he's having one!! no side effects as such apart from weird dreams not horrible just really randon an they seem very real! hope you quit with them, i'd recommmend them to anyone who wanted to quit!

[Lulu_65 2 Years Smoke Free]

10 weeks on Champix

Hi Chiew

I found patches/NRT made me feel like I had smoked too many cigarettes, then when I stopped using them I felt more addicted to nictoine than I had been in the first place!

Champix... Really does work. After about a week (once you start on the full doseage), you will find the smell and taste of cigarettes really disgusting. Then all the cigarettes up until your stop date are 'habit' cigarettes because the champix stops the genuine physical craving for cigarettes. I found the first couple of week RELATIVELY easy compared to Cold turkey and NRT; However, I have discovered that the psychological addiction is what you really have to work at to overcome.

Side effects of Champix. Feeling sick (not sure if you are male or female but it is very like all day morning sickness). I combat this by always taking the champix in the middle of a meal. Drinking cola. Ginger chews (Holland and Barrett... made by the Ginger Company).

Tiredness - probably caused by insommnia and weird dreams which the champix causes. Not a lot you can do about it other than get yourself some good books/magazines to read at night in bed.

Depression- this for me was the killer. I have for many years suffered bouts of depression and anxiety and the champix made this quite bad for me. The nurse/dr wanted me to stop the champix after a month but I compromised by cutting the doseage in half. For about a month I've took half to one full champix a day... so less than half the usual dose on most days. It still works but all the symptoms are far less.

However, that is my experience. Many people have been on champix and suffered hardly any side affects at all... others can't tolerate it at all.

One thing I did in the early days when I felt a lot of sickenss and was also really experiencing lots of cravings... I felt quite unwell but carried on anyway... What I did was fill lots of mini tupperware boxes with snacks... nutes, raisins, blueberries, crackers, etc etc, and every hour or so I'd eat one of the little pots. Some were very low in calories and very healthy, some of the snacks were proper treats! It meant that I didn't gain loads of weight, kept the sickness at bay and also meant that I had something to do and look forward to which took my mind off the fact that I was missing my regular fag break at work! I eventually stopped needing the regular snacks (round about the time I reduced the champix doseage).

I've got about 16 Champix left and I'll just continue taking half a one a day until they're gone, then stop completely.

I'm sure I'll think of some other tips, but don't want to write any more as my reply looks pretty long now! But if you have any specific symptoms and want to ask then don't hesitate to message me, or ask on the forum. I'm no expert of course, but I have experienced quite a lot of the side affects and have found ways of combatting them succesfully.

Good luck. (I'm coming to the end of my 8th week and the champix has certainly contributed to making that possible for me).

[nsd_user663_52499]

Hi chiew,I've been taking champix for just over 2 weeks with very little problem.I have found that the 1mg pill I take in the morning does make me feel a bit sick,but only for 20mins or so.I also find that I tend to get tired during the afternoon.I would seriously recommend taking the pills with or after food.Good luck with your quit!!.Iain