About to start Champix
I have made up my mind to quit smoking. I have done this before and quit cold turkey for 6 months. This time I am determined to quit for good and to help me with this I have decided to use Champix. But information about using Champix is hard to find and I have a few questions in my mind.
1) How severe are the side effects of Champix? Enough to make you want to stop using it?
2) Read somewhere that I should smoke for the first few days of using Champix to give me a better chance at staying off cigarettes. Confused about this.
Can anyone here share their experience or shed some light on the above questions?
I am on day 12 of champix. This is my second attempt on it. Whilst you take champix you still smoke as usual. After a while you will not want to smoke as much and then will not want to have one at all. I feel a little sick in the stomach sometimes after taking it, however I eat half my meal, take the tablet then finish the other half and it helps. The second time around i am feeling a little down in the dumps (didn't have it the first time ) am monitoring that. I smoked about a packet a day and on day 13 i am now down to about 3, which I put down to bordem. Good luck 😊
It doesn't mix well with some other medications so I suggest you talk to your doctor about this if you are taking other medications.
I am diabetic and I take Glucophage XR 750. Don't know if it is alright to use Champix with this medication.
Also, I bought Nicotinell patches. Used one today and didn't smoke (I haven't started using Champix yet). In fact I had no cravings at all. Wonder if I can use Nicotinell and Champix together but I read somewhere that ...
"Using nicotine replacement therapy in combination with bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Champix) is not currently recommended. You can, however, use a combination of different NRT products if you find this is helpful. Ask your pharmacist for advice."
and on icanquit.com ...
"Can I use Nicotine Replacement Therapy at the same time?
No. Doing so may cause an increase in side-effects. To date, Nicotine Replacement Therapy has not been extensively studied with the use of varenicline (Champix). It is unknown what effect combining varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy may have on you."
And my pharmacist said its ok to use Nicotinell with Champix!!
I think I won't be using Nicotinell.
I am currently on it, but it seems different for everyone - search this forum for Champix, and there are heaps of stories about it - different docs have different opinions, and watch out for mood swings - most the side effects are no more than cold turkey quitting symptoms, and you can stop it if you feel it does not work..
I stopped on day 14 on champix, as the smokes werent giving me a "kick" anymore, and been completely off and am at day 22 now.. it seems to have a day 10 off the smokes downer, and I really struggled this weekend for some reason, day 19 to 21 was my hardest challenge so far..
Good luck..
Oops - forgot - Champix is not a NRT, so if you do give up on it, there is no weaning off the NRT therapy after the 3 month course, so that's the reason I went for it..
NRT did not work for me.. but has for others here..