Hello, I'm new here and I feel a need to chat for support. I'm 62 and have smoked since 12 years old. I stopped 4 days ago. I'm using Champix, I had a bad time on the tablets a few years ago (they affected me nearer to the end of the course) and I had seriously bad road rage. I'm a placid and good natured man in general and it scared me enough to smoke again.
However, I am determined to stop. I will cut down on Champix earlier this time, and if I do get ratty I'll fight through it. I'll post here to keep you updated. Has anyone else had to fight off the symptoms of Champix? If so, did you manage to stop.
I've no experience of Champix I'm afraid, just popping in to say hello and welcome you to the forum. A few others here have used it so you should get some help.
I do have plenty of experience of being ratty in the early stages of a quit though! You're not alone there.
Keep posting as often as you need to and well done on your first 4 days.
Anyway, I had better go...I'm at work and the boss has just come in!
Welcome Hidden and congratulations on 4 Days smoke free! Well Done!
I too do not have the experience with Champix but Hercu does if you want to have a look at the pinned post of his journey across this page at the top as listed below along with other helpful posts:
(Pinned Posts
Hercu's Inspirational Quotes and Analogies)
I quit cold turkey almost 8 months ago and never looked back. It is a roller coaster of journey but worth every mile we travel!
Wishing you success and strength and look forward to reading your updates.
Hi John and welcome. 4 days is a great start. I am afraid that like Roisin and Nozmo I didn't use Champix but others on here do. Also like Nozmo I definitely have experience of being ratty in my first few weeks of quitting so you are not alone there. It is tough but just keep taking one day/hour/minute at a time and gradually it will get easier. Post as often as you like to keep us all up to date on how things are going - you will find lots of sympathetic voices on here. Many, many many years ago I went to Uni at Hull - still have the cream telephone boxes?
When I get a craving I say to myself 'It will pass in a moment,' a few deep breaths and sure enough the craving disappears as quickly as it came. The one minute at a time works for me.
Yes, the phone boxes are still cream. I am a full time student at Hull uni myself. Done 2 years, 2 to go.
John, that sounds like a very sensible approach - soon the minutes/hours and days will be flying by! What are you studying at the Uni? Is the Brynmor Jones still there?
Brynmor is still here, it's great. I am doing American studies and Creative writing main subjects - War and politics and German language as lesser subjects.
Hi Hidden and congratulations on your decision to quit smoking. I used champix and am 2 weeks off 16 months quit. I was on half dose - just the morning tablet - as if I had the evening tablet I found I couldn't sleep - literally no sleep at all. Other than that I had no "champix side effects" although I had expected some ('cos I'm lucky like that lol). I took the full course although weaned myself off them for the last couple of weeks so I didn't get any side effects there either. As others have said I also got 'ratty' during the quit process but generally find I have a shorter temper now - I put that down to not drowning my emotions in a cigarette and dealing with the matter at hand. Rather that though than continuing with smoking!
• in reply to
Thanks miscy,
I am considering taking only one a day around lunch time to limit side effects. I will have to double my willpower I guess. I take a vitamin B complex tablet once a day, they are known to help with irritability, and they really do help me, I have taken vit b complex for some time now even while I smoked, and when I forget to take one I can become slightly irritable.
Hello Jonhnihull, I so know the area very well indeed, just opened my front door after work, and I'm always enthused when a new person joins our amazing quitting family.
You've certainly landed at the right spot, lots of lovely long term quitters with wonderful advice and lots of support, please please post good or bad, it truly helps in your recovery from that very nasty drug.
As above I don't have any relationship with champix, but so many people do, so usually someone around with a little knowledge here and there.
Only to add, fantastic decision to quit.
Looking forward to your updates.
Tiny steps do indeed turn in to long strides, you can do this, you truly can.
Thanks Tracey, I just bought an electric bike, cost loads so have to stay off the cigs (baccy in my case) to help pay for it. I got it to try and get fit and as a present for myself. Spending so much on the bike gives me incentive.
Hidden an absolutely well done for making your first step to a new fresher, healthier and great life.
The only advice i can give you at this time in your quit is to remember that is a marathon and not a sprint, take every minute at a time take long hard deep breaths when those little cravings start, drink plenty of water and do NOT lose that mind set in regards of why you have quit.
And john it does get easier with every second,minute,hour,day,week ect that goes bye. KEEP AT IT MY FELLOW QUITER
to be honest john i think it just helps to clear and flush your body, its a clear, clean and natural source of hydration and your body doesn't have to do any work to clear out the impurities that comes with it.
Hi John........I have had my success on Champix and never looked back. I know there is a lot of controversy on the side affects and I have had a few... Yes, rage for a normal calm person like me happened...Total disinterest in every thing Yes, it happened but up to the point where I decided to attack and not to defend..Started projects and kept busy...
I do not think it is a good idea to stop Champix before completion of the whole course...Truly I had a curve ball thrown the moment I stopped Champix and was as if I was back on day one...Total Blah....!
On almost 11 months smoke free I can truly say it was a tough journey but amazing and gets easier day by day... Strongs !!!
I agree with staying most if not all of the course. But for me the side effects of the full dosage towards the end were just too scary and actually made me go back to smoking. I am going to use half dosage for the full 3 months and lots of willpower. I think it effects people in different ways. I am simply too scared to take the full dose, it affected me to the extent were I might have raged at someone too much last time. (I didn't) But if I stayed on full dose I would have been arrested, it was that bad. But hey, we all have free will, and I am determined to use that will and beat this awful addiction. It really helps by chatting on here so thank you to all who reply.
As a 62 yr old that has been smoking since I was 19 yrs old I can full relate . Be strong, use this forum to keep on track, I have, to be honest without these guys I would have not got this far (17 days today) as I have had so many drama in the last week I would normally have smoked myself silly . So keep posting or reading other pat when you feel temped . 😊😊😊
Been craving like heck today. But I just keep saying no....it will pass...and as always it does. Then I forget about smoking for a couple of hours or more. One minute at a time = beat the baccy for another minute. I just keep on beating it minute by minute. I will win.
RoisinO1Administrator3 Years Smoke Free• in reply to
The first couple of weeks Hidden are the worst, hang in there, just try to keep as busy as possible, keep the mind occupied, drink plenty of water, deep breaths and lots of early nights, sleep as much as you can if possible.
If not already doing so, avoid caffeine and sugary foods as contribute to major cravings. Bit of exercise daily too helps.
Wishing you strength, you can do this!
Thanks Roisin.
An update....Last night (early hours of this morning) I woke at 0400 and could not sleep. That is unusual for me. I got up and sat on couch watching tv and fell asleep. I woke at 0800 and was ok. Hope I can sleep tonight. If not, so be it....I know all this stuff passes eventually. I will just be tired for a while but it's worth it. My son lives with me and smokes but that does not bother me. I just hope my example inspires him to stop too.
RoisinO1Administrator3 Years Smoke Free• in reply to
Yeah the short term interrupted sleep is unfortunately a withdrawal as I had it for about 2 weeks, but think I read on previous posts here about taking the last daily dose of champix earlier in the day - Hercu may be able to advise.
For me, what I kept telling myself, as you said, it will pass soon....read up as much as possible on what is happening mentally and physically as educating ourselves is key.
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The first couple of weeks Hidden are the worst, hang in there, just try to keep as busy as possible, keep the mind occupied, drink plenty of water, deep breaths and lots of early nights, sleep as much as you can if possible. 
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