I have quit taking Champix after 28 days because although it helped immensely in the beginning, recently I have suffered some rather frightening bouts of temper and was becoming unreasonably angry over nothing in particular.
I am having strong cravings now. Cravings that I didn't have, even in my first week being on Champix. It's almost like the feelings were suppressed before and I am now experiencing them for the first time.
It's not a problem as I am far enough away from my last cigarette not to want to light up but I really do feel that I have my work cut out for me now that I am going CT.
This is my second quit with Champix. My advice to anyone planning to go the full 3 months with it is to begin weaning off as soon as you can. Do it very, very slowly.. Like half a tablet every other day ..... They say Champix is not an anti depressant ... I am not sure i believe that because I felt so awful when I stopped taking it that I started smoking again within 4 weeks.
Just thought I would share...
Thanks everyone for this forum. I wish I had found you all during my last attempt!
N.o.p.e. again
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As I understand it (and I am not a neurologist!) Champix works by locking onto the receptors that nicotine locks onto, so it stops the nicotine from having an effect (on some, but not all receptors). When nicotine locks onto a receptor dopamine is released - which makes you feel good. I believe that Champix has a similar effect. So, if someone suddenly stops using Champix, the dopamine won't be produced. Without that extra dopamine they will not feel so good, and may well feel s**t. Maybe this is why you feel bad when coming off Champix.
Have you stopped Champix suddenly, or have you cut it down?
Thank you for the welcome this forum is wonderful!
I stopped immediately this time after literally screaming at my teenage son for not washing the dishes. I could feel the anger boiling up inside me.
It was almost like I was spoiling for a fight every morning.. Very weird and totally uncharacteristic for me. My son told me " you are much nicer when you smoke".
I chucked almost a whole packet of Champix in the bin!!
I am going to quit for good but not at the expense of my family and friends.
I feel way, way better now. The tablets really helped me through the first few weeks but I think I have to go it alone now.
I understand what you say about how the tablets work and last time around, I began weaning off with the last 14 pills which I took over a period of 4 weeks or so. I had NO cravings then and I think had I been in a better frame of mind, I would have managed quite well. As it was, I was depressed beyond words almost as soon as I had run out of pills. I remember making a very deliberate decision to go and buy cigarettes. I sabotaged myself in other words.
I cannot say if my depression was caused by the Champix withdrawal. It could be coincidental but I don't think so. Having used it twice, I can highly recommend it for getting you past the toughest part of a quit.
That being said, Champix is a drug and rather than substitute one thing for another, you have to do it yourself in the long run...
I too had probs on champix 2 weeks in had gone 7 days smoke free but ended up very short tempered and had suicidle thoughts so quit them straight away, went ct for a week then cravings got the better of me so went on to 1mg lozenger's but I'm grateful for the champix as its got me to where I am now, it just didn't suit me long term, but with out them it wouldn't have given me the kick up the arse I needed lol
Keep going and looking up
I always love looking at people who are further ahead than me in their quit as it shows most things we go through are the norm
What I like about this forum Sian is that everyone is so encouraging.
This is my first post but I have been visiting everyday since i began my quit to see how everyone is doing. I watch the struggles, the triumphs, failures, sleepless nights and weight gain with interest. Different words maybe but the stories are all the same.
You are all doing a marvelous job and I am proud of you!!
It's my first day quitting and so far so good. Doing the Champix thing and read the Allen Carr book. So far so good buy hey it's the first day. What I am more scared of than the nicotine withdrawal is the side effects of Champix I keep reading all these murder and suicide horror stories. My doctor did not mention a word to me and I am on anti-depressants - I am on day 12 of the Champix tablets and so far no noticeable side effects.
What scares me though it would seem that some of the side effects only come in to play once you stop the Champix - is this true if so I would rather not risk putting this in my body for a whole three months.
I'm quitting using Champix and, although it hasn't been totally plain sailing, it has worked well for me so far. The symptoms I've had have been mild nausea and some anxiety. I reduced the dose when these happened and they went away. I am not alone in having a reasonably ok time on Champix, so by no means all people get the severe or dangerous side effects.
I know what it's like to worry about the possible serious side effects of Champix - you just don't know whether they will happen to you or not.
I think the golden rule with Champix is: If in doubt, ask your Doctor.
It's better not to take any chances. Also, if your Doctor says everything is fine, that will offer you some reassurance.
So, my advice is to speak to your Doctor and raise the specific concerns that you have with them. It would also be worth double checking with your Doctor that it's ok for you to take the anti-depressants and Champix at the same time.
Thank you so much for the reply I really appreciate it.
My doctor who knows the medication I am on actually prescribed the Champix for me so I am sure he doesn't think there will be a problem. If I notice anything out of the ordinary I will give him a call.
I suppose people are known to do funny things on anti-depressants or any other drug for that matter so maybe I shouldn't get too hyped up over this.
Welcome. Ha I have a teenage son and remember they are expert at making us feel bad. I bet if you had shouted re the dishes while you were smoking he would have said" at least I dont smoke". My lot always did and I know they want me to stop but they are reluctant to give up the moral high ground. Whether you use champix or not , the main thing is you are making a massive change in your life and right now people ought to cut us some slack. 33 days is massive(I am on day 12) keep on keeping on.
So I also quit champix it really helped me at the start but after 7 weeks the feeling sick got so bad and I woke up one night thinking I was having a heart attack!! (It was indigestion)!! I just felt like I was losing control of myself if I wasn't crying I wanted to kill someone! So I'm going cold turkey but I'm 6 weeks with no cigarettes .. I have to say that since stopping the champix I am craving a cigarette lots!! So not had a good day today,hope tomorrow is better x
Oh dear I hope that Champix doesn't do this to me Today is my second day without a cigerette and its only morning LOL. I keep thinking I should go cold turkey from now face the craving and let it be hard but then in 7 weeks time I don't have to deal with the ill effects of Champix as well. Has anyone ever stopped Champix after one months supply - I have about 15 days left and was thinking off stopping the Champix then??
I also hope that tomorrow is better for you Mindy, and that today gets better. I think you have done the right thing by stopping Champix you are facing all the withdrawal symstoms and the problem head on - that way I believe you can kill the monster once and for all.
Oh dear I hope that Champix doesn't do this to me Today is my second day without a cigerette and its only morning LOL. I keep thinking I should go cold turkey from now face the craving and let it be hard but then in 7 weeks time I don't have to deal with the ill effects of Champix as well. Has anyone ever stopped Champix after one months supply - I have about 15 days left and was thinking off stopping the Champix then??
I also hope that tomorrow is better for you Mindy, and that today gets better. I think you have done the right thing by stopping Champix you are facing all the withdrawal symstoms and the problem head on - that way I believe you can kill the monster once and for all.
Penny
Hi penny
I quit champix after 3wks of taking it for feeling well out of sorts, I can not dis the meds though as it helped me start my quit
I went cold turkey for a while and now use the lozenger's if cravings are horrendous, hope this helps
You have a point maybe the Champix is good to "launch" your quit plan with - I must say I am on Day 13 on Champix and don't feel any ill effects thought. I still crave cigerettes though - not quite sure how Champix is helping but hey I am Day 2 so it must be doing something. Day 2 to you will sound like nothing but for me it is a triumph.
I just scoffed a whole Chocolate how disgusting ha ha. Thanks for the advice by the way I may just take you up on it.
I've been quit for about 10 months now and I used Champix in the early days. I can remember that the craving for a cigarette didn't go away but Champix did take the edge off it.
I also remember experiencing a range of strange emotions once I quit - not only while I was on Champix - so I really do believe we are going to experience different feelings whether we use Champix to quit or not.
You are right it's probably the emotional aspect which is worse than the withdrawal aspect especially if you have the assistance of something like Champix.
It's the training of the mind and ignoring the lies of the nicotine montster which which we have to overcome once that is done I believe more than half the battle is done.
Hello everyone, I am on champix, just on day five now so haven't quit , I am waiting until about day 14 to do so.
Champix worked to a point for me before , I had terrible nausea though and stopped taking them as I hadn't smoked in two weeks and thought aha I have this beaten, so I just quit, and yes, I went back smoking. However my sister in the UK quit her 40 a day habit, and she had been smoking for over 35 years useing champix. She also had nausea but she said her doctor said keep at it, and if it gets terribly bad when you quit the champix have a nrt mini tab just do not light up. So when she can do it, I will do it. I hate the nausea though and I haven't even got to the strong pills yet.
That's encouraging, I fortunately haven't experienced nausea yet, I am on day 13 of the tablets. When do the stronger tablets start I am on the second week on two a day??
Wishing you luck this time, have you read Allen Carr' Easyway to Stop Smoking. His book definately does address the battle in the head that goes on. I am doing a combination of the two Champix and Allen Carr seems to be working and I am....strike that was a 35 a day smoker.
Keep up the good work.. I must say I don't think I would ever have got this far without champix ,so despite the terrible side affects it was well worth it to get me to six weeks!! So they are not all bad but because I didn't feel like myself I decided to go it alone!! BUT I would recommend them I've tried patches,gum,inhalators you name it ive tried it lol but the champix made it a lot easier than any other attempt so try and put up with the side effects if you can just to get you past the first few weeks...today's another day and I've found myself talking to myself in the car every time I have a craving which I seem to be having a lot of since stopping champix! So I've taken to boiled sweets and my tongue is so sore I feel like I've been licking sandpaper lol omg!! Peole who are considering taking up smoking should read this website because I'm sure when they see how stupid I am trying to quit that addictive little white cigarette surely they will think twice before starting!! I even found myself walking behind someone today that was smoking just so I could sniff it!!! I'm mad!!
I know I would not have made it through the first few hours without Champix it's almost as if when the craving happens I am not locked into the whole craving thing but am able to think sanely and not make a decision to smoke.
The opposite of course applies to chocolate and I scoffed a whole chocolate earlier on will have to watch that LOL.
I know what you mean about walking near someone that is smoking - I catch a ride with a smoker and love the ride in ha ha.
Wow you still craving after six weeks that really scares me. I thought it would stop after three weeks.
Anyway good luck and maybe I should try boiled sweets that way I won't be able to eat enough of them to get fat. Otherwise I will end up on Smoking Cessation as well as a Weight Watchers Forum.
I actually had less cravings while taking the champix,it's probably my own fault for just stopping the tablets, so don't panic you might not be as bad as me!! Plus I'm going to enrol in a weight watchers class lol I stopped smoking to be healthier and now I'm worried I'm gonna be obese!!! Gosh I'm moaning today lol
I will join you at weight watchers ha ha. Anyway rather be obese than dying too soon.
Will just have to concentrate on the positives. Off to an Adam Lambert concert that should keep my mind occupied for a while. At least I won't be counting the minutes at the concert until I can slip out for a smoke now that's a plus. Not that I won't crave one.
I haven't been checking in because I have been busy Not smoking!!
I feel seriously good now at 37 days in to my quit! I am happier, I sleep better and am beginning to eat less and exercise more.
I made a decision to stop taking Champix because I had anger issues and a previous experience of depression after using it for almost 4 months.
If u can cope with it, Champix is undoubtably the best... ive tried the gums, lozenges and patches before. Champix prevents the very strong cravings that make you cave at the beginning. However it is not a good choice for many people.
After 28 days on it this time around, i had strong cravings when i came off but that has past now and the cravings are rare and totally manageable.
Everyone is different so you need to do what works for you, but after a few days of not taking the tabs, I don't miss them. And I am no longer screaming at everyone!
Well done Jamora, I can't wait to beat the bloody smoking thing. You must be thrilled with yourself on day 37, major clap on the back for you.
I am sitting hear fighting major nausea, I ate with the tab, and drank lots of water, but holy hell I feel I am on a small boat in a stormy sea, or pregnant.
Penny the stronger tabs are from day one on week two. So you are already on them and it appears that the nausea doesn't effect you. Lucky thing. I am going to keep at it though, the nausea is worth it if I manage to quit . Which I will this time. Not going into another year puffing like a dragon.
I'm using champix and 37 days of no smoking. I take the tabs with food so no nausea and haven't really had any other side effects.
Along with this forum, I had a smoking cessation counsellor and she really helped me develop perspective in relation to champix.
Champix is an aid, that's all it is. YOU are the main reason/cause of your success. Champix doesn't stop you lighting a cigarette and smoking it - you and only you can do that so acknowledge your strength/success.
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Having issues quitting on champix
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