Champix and my side affects
My reason to stop smoking this time was due to the fact that my breathing was getting so bad that it was a struggle to walk back up the 100metre driveway without a couple of pit stops to catch my breath. After hearing many horror stories about people taking Champix, I still decided to give it a go. I started taking Champix on January 12th 2015. By the 22nd I had completely stopped smoking.
The urges are zero to minimal since stopping. It is only nine days since my last smoke. Previous attempts using patches, cold turkey etc have always been a huge struggle with withdrawals for the first couple of weeks. My partner and family have noticed that I'm not even a raging psychopath this time around!
The side affects such as a slight nauseous feeling that lasts about 15-20minutes is worth it for the long term benefits of quitting. I was docile for the first couple of weeks after starting the course. This has gradually subsided. In fact I feel pretty cruisy considering I am not smoking.
I like the fact that I still have money in the bank. I think I have saved around $150 already. I'm thinking how much I'll have saved after 12 months.
I have been on BP medication for the past 15 years and in this last week my Bp has dropped to a point where my medications have been virtually halved. This alone is worth the perseverance of the Champix. I had tried many, many times over the years to stop smoking without success.
I'm hoping the Champix path will be the final nail for the smokes forever.
It is this kind of stories that are helpful to me. Thank you for sharing it. I am 58 and have been a heavy smoker since I was 14.
My reasons for quitting are health related too plus I hate seeing the look in my wife's eyes when I'm outside puffing away. She lost her father to a smoking related illness.
I am now on day 2 of Champix and so far (knock wood) no side effects. Since late December, I have been cutting down on my smoking and have gone relatively easily from 25-30 a day to less than 10.
This weekend I have been experimenting with the mouth spray each time I get an urge to smoke and found it help. I am trying to wean myself off the smokes, at least partly before the Champix kicks in
Hey apalsson, I wish you all the best. The Champix was the best idea yet. My mum died 20 months ago from lung cancer at age 67 and I still couldn't kick the deadly habit. I smoked 25-30 per day and sometimes 2 pks of 25 if I had a very sociable drinking day! Having forums like this have helped this time around and it is encouraging to see so many people have kicked the habit using Champix. I really didn't wean myself from the Champix before I started, the funny thing is that after a few days on Champix, the urge to smoke got less and less until I just didn't light up at all. I also didn't feel like drinking alcohol either! My sister is also on the same journey and was a heavier smoker than myself. It took her a couple of extra days to stop altogether, however she also reports that she no longer has the urge and the smell makes her nauseous.
That should say I really didn't wean myself from the smokes before I started Champix. :)
Hi, have just started a course of champix on day 6! I had given up smoking for 6 years prior to this, could kick myself as I was so happy being a non smoker but that day is near, am noticing slight side effects but am noticing more good effects than bad, am in awe that a pill can make me not like smoking! Am smoking about 6 but these are purely out of habit and not a nicotine demand, go much longer in between them and am noticing that they aren't tasting very nice! Wish me luck
I am on day 5 of Champix and am finding that I also notice I am not enjoying the smokes. Just having it because of habit had about six today wasted half of them taste awful.
Not everyone has side effects with Champix, but alot of people do. Including myself. I first tried champix in 2015. Almost immediately I had bad chest pains, terrible nightmares and I developed a very short temper. I had to stop taking them. But now, I'm ready to stop smoking again and I'm really apprehensive about going onto Championship again. I wasn't going to, but the Dr prescribed me the strongest nicotine patches, and they don't do a thing. I am still smoking whilst wearing them. So it's either champix, hypnosis or cold turkey. The problem with the willpower method of cold turkey is you're not addressing the addiction and you are stopping smoking in spite of it, not because you want to. And if you stop that way you'll forever crave a cigarette and be miserable. I would rather continue smoking than be miserable.