I read Allen Carr's book yesterday (after taking my first 0.25 champix) and was so impressed, I threw my cigs away and felt very positive. So far i've made it 25 hours but my resolve is really weakening.. I wonder whether I may have acted hastily and waited for my quit date on Champix (6th November). I have no intention of buying cigarettes BUT I do have an e-cig. Can I just use that sparingly until my quit date or have I made my own bed and now have to lay in the damn thing?? Allen Carr told me I would be ok and that I wouldn't overeat in place of smoking. I feel he was telling fibs
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Animac
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Hi Animac. As you would have been told when you were given your Champix, the idea is you carry on smoking normal cigs while taking the champix and at some point you will find yourself having less of a desire to smoke and they will become less appealing as you smoke them. Once you reach your quit date, that's it, you don't have any more cigs, real or e-type, no nicotine lozenges, indeed no form of nicotine whatsoever. You will still require some motivation, and you will still get cravings but to a much lesser degree than you would going cold turkey. The idea being the nicotine receptors in your brain slowly die off until eventually you won't have any desire to smoke any more. That's the idea anyway.
I personally would carry on smoking real cigs until your quit date and carry on with the champix. It has a cumulative effect so just one of the first small champix tablets won't have made any difference on its own, so your 25 hours abstinence will have been sheer willpower. By all means carry on reading the Alan Carr book to give you some extra motivation and encouragement as you go but stick with the Champix and perhaps don't bother with an e-cig for now, just carry on with normal cigs til your quit date. Good luck
Hey Animac, welcome to our online stop smoking community You'll get the chance to chat to others who may be going through the same as you which will help you realise that what you are feeling is quite normal
There are many ways to stop smoking and by arming yourself with the right ones is the way forward.
Champix works really well when used correctly. As you already know, most people continue to smoke and set a quit date any time into their 2nd week of taking Champix. Usually, once it is in your system you may not feel like smoking. The sooner you do the better it will work for you.
However, it really is important that you work with the behavioural side of smoking. Allan Carr talks about this and offers some very good hints and tips of how your mind works.
You have only taken your first dose of Champix and so it's not yet had a chance to build up in your system.
With regards to using your e-cig, as they have not yet been regulated we cannot recommend the safe use of them.
You'll probably find that if you continue to stay stopped now, you may have a few ups and downs but the feelings won't last.
What has probably happened is that you have read your book, got all fired up and as the time has passed, the cravings have started to settle in before your Champix has had a chance to work. Don't be too hard on yourself, re-read the parts of your book that seem to have worked for you.
If you do end up smoking again before your quit date, stay focused and on track.
Look towards your quit date and think about what you can do in preparation for it. Planning and preparation is the key to your success.
Write up a list of the things you may find challenging and what you can do to get through those times.
There are things you can start to get ready around your home...
Think about starting to wash any clean but 'smokey smelling' clothes from your wardrobe. This is something that Pete (Monky) found helpful.
You can do this, you're on the right track already.
Aup Animac a big warm welcome to this lovely quit smoking site
I've read Allen carrs book, and it didnt do a thing for me but thats me I've tried a, ermmmm few times to quit and have always found that the first couple of days are the easiest, THEN nic really strikes !!
I've tried champix, but cut it short hmmmm, shouldnt have done that eh Soooo, my advice to you is, keep taking the champix, if you really need a smoke, then have one, cos I tell you it will start working in the second week I was smoking about 35 a day, then it just sort of happened I went down to 9, so I said to myself, this is it, the champix is working, so I quit But please please take the full coarse of champix, cos then you will DO IT
I really feel like I do not want to smoke a cigarette, but my e-cig is calling to me.. I tried to re read the parts of the book that really got through to me, but unfortunately they were the bits where he said "smoke a cigarette and concentrate on each filthy lungful". I did that yesterday and it was pretty grim. The final cigarette part also made me determined, but here I am with a day old, food encrusted pile of broken cigarettes in the outside bin! Should I use my e-cig as the alternative to that cigarette?
I'm starting the 2 x .25mg on the champix as of tomorrow (day 3), and I will be so pissed off with myself if I cave, but I want to do it properly. I should have saved Mr Carr's pearls of wisdom for the day before my quit day..
Thanks again you lot.
monkyAdministrator35 Months Winner in reply to Animac
Hey Animac, thank you for coming on here and giving us your point of view
Wander, who comes on here now and again, quit with Allen Carrs book, she must be 18 months quit now so I know it does work for some people
But please stick with the champix as well eh hmmm, champix, when you take a tablet, you need to eat something !! even if its a biscuit, then you wont feel sick
You sound very determined to quit, thats what we need !! you have to keep determined all the way through your quit, thats the hard bit
Rite am off to bed now, nite nite Animac, try to keep the same frame of mind, as you have now
Hi animac, have you had a look at our breathing exercises? They really do work you know. They are worth practicing so that you can use them as and when you need to.
Before you cave in, I would advise that you monitor how long each craving lasts first. I bet you it's only a matter of minutes and although you probably won't notice the feeling leave you, you will most definitely feel t returning... So, for it to return it must have left....
Try and play the game, see overcoming each craving as a triumph onto the next level
Give me a mo whilst I look for an old post for you to have a read through....
Hi EmJay, I have just joined this group.... Who is this us Allen Carr that you are all talking about. I am desperate to quit, bought the Champix, but just waiting to get my mindset right🙄
Allen Carr wrote a book with an accompanying DVD/CD re quitting smoking. Some people have found it a really useful book but you still need willpower and the desire to quit. You can download it I think.
You can start taking the champix and continue smoking I think.... eventually you don’t feel like smoking but you must continue to take the full course of champix ! Again a lot of people have found it really works well 👍
Join in the daily chat or write your own post, you’re more likely to get a response from a new post.
We look forward to supporting you in your quit 👍🚭🚭🚭
Thank you so much for the update, need every bit of help I can get on this journey. I will see if I can download the book and read it. Need to get my mind set in the right direction.
Lovely thanks. I did go to get my e-cig at aroung 11pm last night, but unfortunately/fortunately, in my drunken state last weekend, I managed to leave my charging case at a pub and only had the e-cig in my handbag. Cravings then became r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s, so I went to bed. Feeling ok this morning, but will try those breathing techniques as soon as I get my first craving.
Well, i'm on one week tomorrow and still feeling good. In fact, since I realised that I didn't have my ecig to fall back on, I haven't had any serious cravings at all. I'm a little worried that i'm finding this too easy, I had read that it was horrific? I'm on day 6 of champix but I haven't increased my dose, i'm still on .25 mg in the morning, so no freaky side effects. I'm not sure if the champix is what's making this easier, as I quit the day I started taking it. Maybe the Allen Carr book brainwashed me? I don't care, i'm not smoking and i'm feeling good, happy and virtuous
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I've tried a, ermmmm few times to quit and have always found that the first couple of days are the easiest, THEN nic really strikes !! 
He was on Radio 1 this morning with Grimmy, they were soo funny.
E cigs grrrr
Champix
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