Giving up smoking

[June1963]

Hi my name is June I've been on champix now for 11 day it's working but feeling very sick taking my evening tablet I don't won't to give up as my doctor told me I need to give smoking up any advice would help thank you x

[mushen Valued Contributor]

Hello.

I'm afraid I don't know much about Champix other than it can make people feel sick.

What I can tell you, is, it is possible for you to stop smoking either with or without it. The key is really wanting to stop. If your doctor has advised you it's time to quit then know that you are absolutely capable of doing it. Take it slow, an hour at a time. Early nights can be helpful. Just plod on. The first few days are the worst and things get Easter from there.

Keep at it. 😁

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to mushen]

Thank you will keep going I've try before but know I have to do it this time x

[mushen Valued Contributor in reply to June1963]

That's the spirit. You're not doing this alone either.

You can pretty much achieve anything you put your mind to. If you don't do it, you may find you live with the pain of regret and unlike the short term discomfort of quitting, that can last forever.

You've got this. 😊

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to mushen]

Thank you x

[Cigpeace in reply to mushen]

It's differently not sort term, in my case it's been a real he'll zone, even with mind over matter, and knowing it has to be done, it's hell on wheels

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Welcome June1963 , congratulations on the best decision and achievement of your life to stop smoking We have several members here that successfully stopped using champix, some on their 1, 2 and 3 year milestones.

The most common side effect of champix is nausea and vivid dreams - see below pinned post worth a read if not already done so:

healthunlocked.com/nosmokin...

Also, you could maybe take less dosage in the evening. I'm sure some others will be on to offer more advice.

Looking forward to reading your day 1 post very soon

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to RoisinO1]

Thankyouxx

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to June1963]

Thank you for tips I've done what it said and feeling a lot better not feeling sick all the time will keep going and only took the morning tablet yesterday and was fine so may just do that from now on x

[Liebedich 1000 Days Smoke Free]

I was on champix and I got really sick in the evening. So I tuck oly the morning one but I stoped week 3 completely. I am 28 days smoke free

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to Liebedich]

Thank you xx

[gggg123 7 Years Smoke Free]

Be strong and tough, determined and no feeling sorry for yourself. You are giving up drugs and a drug habit and only you can do it !

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to gggg123]

Thank you xx

[Dannyboy55]

Hi, June I was prescribed Champix to help me stop smoking, and they did work by taking away any urge to smoke however I did suffer from side effects and my doctor stopped me taking this drug. I am aware that many people who used Champix successfully stopped smoking however many people suffered various levels of depression and there are court cases pending in relation to this product.

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to Dannyboy55]

Welcome Dannyboy55 - have you successfully stopped without the champix?

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free]

Thank you dannyboy55 I'm feeling ok just feeling very sick don't want to give up on them yet was ok the first week but this week finding it hard with the feeling of being sick x

[Exsmo]

I took chantix and felt sick but wanted to do the whole 3months as i was advised. The last month i weaned down to the .5 pill one time a day. Depending on how long you’ve taken it and how strong you feel about your quit i think you can wean down. That really helped the nausea & didn’t make craves worse either. That was my 3rd month & by the 2nd week i was taking 5mg every other day to wean off them. When you do go off them please wean yourself ofd them. It’s much easier that way.

[plankspanker 9 Months Smoke Free]

@Exsmo surely you mean 0.5 mg every other day, not 5 mg as posted above? The full strength Champix blue pill is 1 mg, so I think you mean taking half a pill every 2nd day as part of weaning off process. This is a very good idea, but Im not that far along yet. Btw Im a 2nd time Champix quitter, 28 days no smoking this time around.

@June1963 I have troubles and feel weird on 2 Champix per day. They certainly work to keep cravings at bay, but for me it feels like Ive taken cheap acid (lsd) all day, totally messes with my tummy, my sleep pattern, energy levels all over the place, just generally feel weird and work suffering.

So as this is a 2nd attempt for me to quit using Champix, and I really want this quit to be forever this time (NOPE), Ive decided to take charge of myself for medication for this quit, so that I feel most comfortable, and doing it "my way", à la Frank Sinatra!

Heres my strategy so far since I quit 27 days ago, not saying this will work for anyone else, but certainly good for me so far.

1. 13 days ramp up to full 2 tabs of champix, smoking as much as I wanted.

2. Quit smoking on Champix day 14, ciggies were tasting so bad. Weird and wired on champix.

3. Immediately began putting a daily 21mg Nicorette patch on my arm in addition to morning and evening champix pills.

4. After 2 days like this I cut out the evening champix pill. Felt less weird

5. 2 weeks on 1 champix pill daily (morning with food) plus 1 patch 21 mg.

6. About 10 days ago I needed to re-order patches, so stepped down to 15 mg patch.

7. Thass where I am now, will be 4 weeks quit tomorrow. And it has all been RELATIVELY painless, apart from constantly thinking about ciggies and needing to read as many posts as possible on forums like this.

My plan is to get to 6 weeks no smoking on the current medications, so another 2 weeks from today to go, then start gently reducing the single morning champix by cutting it in half for a few days, then into quarters for a few days, see if I can get completely off the champix without suffering too much. Then for the rest of my (12 week planned) quit I intend to focus on weaning myself off the 15 mg Nicorette patch, simply by cutting them up. Don't believe posts stating that the Nicorette patch cant or shouldn't be cut into parts - it works great! When getting down to one third of a patch it apparently helps to stick a normal skin plaster over the patch to make sure it stays on all day, but I haven't got this far yet, this will be the plan.

All the above has worked well for me so far. Good luck everyone, and don't be afraid to do it "your way", this quit I mean. Own it, plan it, embrace it, deal with it, and we will all one day get free from this stinky and costly addiction!

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to plankspanker]

Welcome plankspanker - congratulations on over 30 days smoke free now, well done!

Great advice there for our champix users

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free]

Thank you and well done to you x

[Cigpeace]

You can do it I'm almost 2months in, it is hard , I didn't use pills, I used the 14 mg patches, four days and than went with out it really seem to work, with out the harsh cravings and chewing it to bit, look as it is your health is very important, also you will have out burst as you quit, I'm always here to help, because I still look for support to, it will get easiet

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to Cigpeace]

Thank you its 5 days today without a cigarette I think I'm do ok not thinking about smoking so that's good. You can do it Cigpeace it's hard but we wall here to help x

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to June1963]

Ah well done June1963 on 5 days smoke free, that is great Stay close to us!

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to RoisinO1]

Thank you x it's good to be able talk to someone x

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to June1963]

1 week smoke free now June1963 - how is things, hope you have a wee treat lined up for this massive milestone?

[June1963 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to RoisinO1]

Thank you things going well I've just started to take up knitting again lol not going to treat my self yet but I want to do it this time so I know I will x

[gggg123 7 Years Smoke Free in reply to June1963]

Don't let it win !! You CAN do it, it is possible. I smoked from the age of 14 to 43 and I managed to quit, it's hard but doable.

[Cigpeace]

Don't give in he's telling you for a reason, try using cinimmon gum, loilli pops are really good that's my new cig, when you feel anixious grab on and start cleaning or go for a ride , I'd put on a 1/2 patch and find something to do or reach out and talk, you can bet it mind over matter

[Cigpeace]

You got this you can do it, I know easier said than done!!!everyone on this sight is great!!