Having issues quitting on champix

[Mizzmar]

Hey there!

I'm currently in the process of quitting smoking and taking champix. The first while everything was going smooth. Week 2-3 the morning pill would make me super nauseous, my mouth would actually water and I was sure I was going to vomit but never did. The evening pill never did this to me. I've gotten over that side effect and am still taking them. I've smoked for going on 17 years, about id say 20 smokes a day give or take. I've cut down to about 3-4 a day depending on lots of things. What I am finding hard is giving up those 3 a day. While I'm at work I chew regular gum or use mints and keep myself busy enough or tell myself " give it 20 minutes" and usually forget about it by then. I just find the pattern or routine for me hard to break. At home however im finding it harder to keep myself busy or distracted long enough to not have a smoke, that being said I am sticking to about 3-4 a day still. I was thinking of purchasing a vape with zero nicotine fluid and starting on that at this point. Just so if im going to smoke something 3 times a day in my pattern at least its not a cigarette. Currently on week 4 with 4 more days of pills to go and I just need that extra push to quit completely. Any suggestions for that last little hurdle would be appreciated. *EDIT* I should note that anytime I do smoke, I really am not enjoying it, it doesn't taste bad but it doesn't taste good either or satisfy any type of craving for me. Its almost like im just smoking for the sake of smoking, like my mind knows I should have a smoke because im not doing anything else. lol

Thank you,

M

[Quit4Money 1 Year Smoke Free 9 Months Smoke Free]

Ever heard that expression to ‘have a strongly worded conversation’? You might need to have a strongly worded conversation with yourself. The physiological addiction is addressed by Champix. The psychological aspect of quitting is your own strength of will and decision. For myself, it came down to liking $$ to go on vacations. And trust me, you’ll save money! For you, maybe there’s another strong reason to quit. Focus on your reason as often (and even obsessively) as you need ... and dive in to a full quit! No magic equation. Just gotta really want it. You’re close.

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Welcome Mizzmar - congratulations on making the best decision of your life to stop smoking. We have several members here who successfully stopped with the aid of champix, some at their 1, 2, 3 and 4 year milestones

Usually, when taking champix, the stop date is around day 12 or 14 of taking the pills but this varies from each individual. If you feel a 0% NICOTINE vape will help get yourself of the 3 smokes you have then go for it. But like Quit4money noted, champix is not a magic pill, when you stop the prescription dosage, you are effectively going cold turkey and doing all the work yourself, it just takes the edge off the cravings when you put out your last cigarette.

We look forward to your day 1 post very soon and will be here for you to help in whatever way we can

[Mizzmar]

Thank you for both of your replies! It is a mind game right now and honestly knowing myself I don't think I have to will power to just cold turkey it after my pills are up. I feel like if I had a do-over I could address this situation better. I just let the time slide by thinking okay one day these are going to taste awful and ill have to stop. Not the case here. I think I may just pick up a vape pen and go that route. ( is it a no smoking solution? no, but if i can get zero nicotine and quit that addiction entirely. Will i be better off? hard to say theres not enough research in that subject to know for sure yet. ) I know I need to find something to replace the simple ho-hum of spare time when my mind goes "oh! right you should probably have a cigarette!" with something else.

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

With 0% nicotine vape Mizzmar , you are just keeping the hand to mouth habit which will be so much easier to stop than the massive battle of the nicotine addiction when we stop smoking. Its the nicotine that is the problem in smoking and why it makes it so hard to stop (some say worse than coming off heroin ). There is the other thousands of chemicals in just one cigarette too that with using NRT is SO much better than smoking a cig.

You appear to have a great mindset which will stand to you

[Mizzmar in reply to RoisinO1]

Thank you Roisin01!!

This is exactly what I was thinking, you just put it into better words and verified my thought! haha Well I guess this is the step that I will go with. I will keep my updates posted incase someone like myself comes around. I just know myself and I know if I don't have that motion *hand to mouth habit* ill fall back into it for sure. I've also noticed I tried to replace it with eating. So Ive switched about my diet a bit and decided to snack on fruits and veggies instead of chips like I normally would. Its a battle but ive got this

[Hidden]

So, There are two roads you can walk down.

one is easy. full of all sorts of options to make you comfortable. The second road is is a one-way street. there are no exits or turnarounds or even a runaway truck ramp. The first path leads to frustration. the second path is freedom. Stop making more of it that it is and follow the path that will lead to freedom from nicotine and our addiction.

All the best

Umpire13

[Stacey48 9 Months Smoke Free]

Well done, sounds like you are doing really well. I don't reckon you need a vape! I don't know much though as only on day 9 of champion and still smoking but much less at the moment. We will get there. Sending good vibes across the internet

[Mizzmar in reply to Stacey48]

I would say the vape has helped tremendously! I just picked up a little pocket sized one cost me about 40 CAD. I didn't like the way it would choke me up when I first started, but it was a learning curve all the same. I've been smoke free for 3 days now. HOWEVER I do currently have a 6mg nicotine in juice that I am currently smoking. SO win? lose? I don't know. I'll be purchasing a juice/liquid without any soon. I find that I only vape the 1-2 times a day like I would when I would only have those two smokes. I've started to smell just how bad smokes do stink haha Oh I also founds its super hit or miss with vape liquids so if anyone decides to do that, don't give up hope if you just cant smoke that 'flavor' I had to go through a few to find something I could stand long enough. It does help if you know someone who does vape too ( like I do ) really helps cut the cost of juice down if the two of you can share a full sized bottle of something you both like. Less wasted money anyway. Hope this is helpful. Its really helping me with the hand to mouth problem I was having. Hopefully someone finds this helpful, Best of luck to you too Stacey48!

EDIT ** I should note that I also never finished those 4 days of champix pills. I just decided to switch over to a vape.