Stories & experiences

Krishna
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Stories
16/07/2013
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Takes a few times, my experience with Champix

Posted in Hints and tips 16 Jul 2013
19 Comments

I smoked for about 12 years at 20 cigs a day, started at 19, soon after My Dad expired.

I didnt realise or know that he died from lung cancer until recently. 6 months before he died, he told me never to smoke. I thought that was just an advice from him. He hid the fact that he had cancer from the whole family. He had something growing in his arm pits, when we asked he said it was just a growth in his skin that can be easily removed.. One fine day he got himself admitted to a hospital and I think got chemotherapy done. After a week of being discharged from hospital he died of a heart attack.

All these years I wasnt even aware what a cancer is...Only now after seeing the images on the cigarette packs, I realised cancer is nothing but a growth in the body. 

I also realised in the last 1 year that my dad lied to us about his Cancer. May be if he would have told us the truth, I wouldnt have started smoking.

Past is the past... I have been trying to give up smoking since the last 1 year...I never even thought of trying before that. I tried 2 times and was able to give up smoking 2 times for about a month. I guess peer pressure, drinking etc were responsible. The 2 times i stopped smoking I realised I could actually control myself from smoking if I didnt have them handy.

I heard of champix from a mate, went to a doctor, got a prescription. Bought the medicine from chemistdirect for I think $30.

After reading all the bad reviews on the internet about champix being a suicide pill etc etc etc. I was a bit hesitant to start it.

I was still smoking and already hating myself and depressed about dying at 40 like my dad. I was really worried about leaving all the loved ones behind. And then there is my marriage which was making me even more depressed.

One fine Monday, I decided i will start Champix... I felt the only thing that could go wrong is may be I will be violent to someone and in the worst case in Jail for sometime, I was sure I am not so stupid to commit Suicide.

By day 6-7 unknowingly I was smoking only 10 cigs a day, I was at 20 cigs before. I still liked the taste of cigs.

By day 10 I was still smoking around 10 cigs, I was not feeling anything was stopping me from smoking, no bad tastes etc etc as I expected.

By day 12 I was still feeling like i did on day 10. I thought WTF this Champix thing also doesnt work for me and I felt like the unluckiest idiot in the world. Then I did some googling and found some people had similar experiences and I had to just stop smoking on the Quit Day deadline. Mine was day 14 since i liked smoking ;)..

Day 14 I didnt buy the cig pack. I didnt smoke the whole day at work. After coming back home, i was really feeling the urge to smoke. I called up a mate, went to his place, took a smoke off him and smoked like it was tha last one. But unfortunately Day 15 and Day 16 I did the same thing as well...

Day 17 I felt the urge to smoke after work, I said 'No' to myself and slept early.

Today is my Day 50, I think I had about 2-3 drags once after Day 17.  

I do feel the urge to smoke sometimes after work but that lasts 1-2 minutes. My mind seems to think about something else after that.

Before I used Champix, these moments were the weakest times, when I felt the urge to smoke, it would never go away until i actually smoked.

So far at Day 50 I am happy with the results. I take a champix once in 2-3 days, but will slowly reduce it as time passes..Just need the psychological support that champix offers i guess..

My suggestion to everyone smoking, it takes a few times of quitting to understand quitting. After a few times you will learn your body and mind and one fine day you will quit smoking completely. I understood this concept but I was in a hurry to quit Smoking so I used Champix.

I love Champix so far. I dont like the negative campaigns about Champix.. The Cigarette companies dont like Champix, so they are trying to stop people from using it. Dont get stuck in the propaganda. Cigarettes mean death.

I am not a doctor though. I am contactable if you need any information.

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19 Comments

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  • Gerry1 July 16, 2013 | 14:16
    you are going well. I used champix and had no side effects and it worked for me.
    Sounds like your dad may have had lymphoma with the lymph nodes under the armpit swelling.
    One thing to remember is "You cannot have JUST ONE cig"
    To give up is to forget about smoking completely.
  • Krishna July 16, 2013 | 18:57
    Thanks Gerry. It wasn't exactly in the armpits, it was to the left side of the chest but under the arms..(to the side of the body).so the only thing I can think of is the left lung. The next time I am in India I will surely check if I can find his medical reports etc...

    I smoked once (about 3-4 drags) since day 17.. Now I can ignore smoking even if my mates smoke right beside me..

    Just say 'NO' to the urge to smoke without concessions a few times and Your body will automatically learn to do that all the time..;)
  • converse July 17, 2013 | 8:09
    Hi Krishna, sorry to hear about your dad.
    thanks for sharing your experience on the champix and good for you for doing so well and handling the cravings ..... all the best....keep posting
  • kavie, Murrumbidgee July 18, 2013 | 21:00
    I too read the stories about champix but thankfully I knew a couple of people who used it with success & no side effects. I had already got my script from the dr before I read the stories so I was already committed. Today is day 12 on the champix & I haven't had a ciggie for 26 hours. There is still about 20 left in the pack in the cupboard. I have done that as a test of my willpower. I have had no side effects from the champix & even went on to that Side effects website to say that there are others who don't have these problems. Good luck to everyone & stay strong & take care
  • Krishna August 31, 2013 | 20:06
    75 days since I quit smoking... :))))))))
  • Krishna September 28, 2013 | 20:21
    I think i am at 103 days.. :))))))))
  • Krishna September 28, 2013 | 20:27
    I think i am at 103 days.. :))))))))
  • Krishna January 11, 2014 | 20:58
    I think i am at 208 days.. :))))))))
  • Hiiii January 17, 2014 | 21:02
    Hi Krishna.
    I read your story today, just 1 day i live without cigarette . I decide to quit so many time and quit so many times and back to smoke so many times. The longest time no smoking is 1 year, the shortest is a few weeks. I always use the patch, until today, I read your story and decide to go to the doctor to get some more advice. But I can not wait to see him, just want to ask you a simple question:
    Because I am using the patch at the moment, do you think, I can use both of them, Nicobate and Champix at the same time. The reason is, I smoke a lot and using Nicobate so many times, now it seems like does work on me anymore, and Champix looks like the right one for me.
    Thanks
  • Krishna January 18, 2014 | 7:50
    You need an environment without smokes and smokers first
    (no peer pressure)...

    Even today when some of my mates smoke, I remember the old days and feel like trying once but if no one around me smokes I don't even remember about... But I know if I try one smoke, it could lead to cancer and the end of me :).. I feel so much better now, so why should I waste it??

    If you stopped for 1 year, you were almost there but got carried away by the one cigarette urge..

    I think you should ask your question to a doctor, I can only suggest.

    One strategy : Take a week off from work and life, stay at home do nothing but sleep.. drink a Lot of water.. Dont use nicabate or any nicotine... I am sure you wont die if you dont smoke..
    In that one week analyse your body and smoking urges.. Start smoking again and analyse your body in the initial days, the changes in your body and mind etc..
    After another week(only one)of normal smoking, get onto the Champix dose as per doctor's suggestion.. Dont lose hope it will work..

    You should understand the reason you are quitting, only this will help you stay quit... Its easy to feel the urge and get back to it..

    I havent used the complete Champix dosage, I only used Champix for a few days. Champix provides the initial quit help but after that its a little bit of willpower and for this you need a reason to stay quit.
  • Krishna January 18, 2014 | 7:50
    You need an environment without smokes and smokers first
    (no peer pressure)...

    Even today when some of my mates smoke, I remember the old days and feel like trying once but if no one around me smokes I don't even remember about... But I know if I try one smoke, it could lead to cancer and the end of me :).. I feel so much better now, so why should I waste it??

    If you stopped for 1 year, you were almost there but got carried away by the one cigarette urge..

    I think you should ask your question to a doctor, I can only suggest.

    One strategy : Take a week off from work and life, stay at home do nothing but sleep.. drink a Lot of water.. Dont use nicabate or any nicotine... I am sure you wont die if you dont smoke..
    In that one week analyse your body and smoking urges.. Start smoking again and analyse your body in the initial days, the changes in your body and mind etc..
    After another week(only one)of normal smoking, get onto the Champix dose as per doctor's suggestion.. Dont lose hope it will work..

    You should understand the reason you are quitting, only this will help you stay quit... Its easy to feel the urge and get back to it..

    I havent used the complete Champix dosage, I only used Champix for a few days. Champix provides the initial quit help but after that its a little bit of willpower and for this you need a reason to stay quit.
  • Krishna January 18, 2014 | 7:54
    Also its best you stop nicabate or nicotine replacement when you are using Champix. Whats the point if you are still addicted to Nicotine and you try to stop smoking?? You need to kill the nicotine addiction altogether..
  • Hiiii January 18, 2014 | 14:19
    Thanks for your suggest, I am on a holiday for 2 weeks, and I did not smoke 2 days nows, still using Nicabate, The weather is too hot to visit my local doctor, I feel O K with Nicabate at the moment and don't feel need any cigs ( well, still miss that bad habit )
  • Hiiii January 18, 2014 | 14:19
    Thanks for your suggest, I am on a holiday for 2 weeks, and I did not smoke 2 days nows, still using Nicabate, The weather is too hot to visit my local doctor, I feel O K with Nicabate at the moment and don't feel need any cigs ( well, still miss that bad habit )
  • IVicki95 February 28, 2014 | 14:21
    I started smoking when I was thirteen and I am 37 years old now. I bought Chantix a year ago and tried it but I wasn't ready to quit yet. For the last 6 to 9 months I have noticed that my life was revolving around me being able to smoke, it was like I was planning things out before-hand to be sure I'd have a chance to smoke no matter what the situation was. I was washing my hands all the time, putting lotion on and perfume to cover up the smoke smell and I would even hide my hand at the red light so other people at the red light couldn't see me smoking. I realized how much I hated to smoke but couldn't break the habit, so I was ready. I picked the Chantix back up and took 1 pill for one day, and two pills for a week, and quit. Here is a Chantix coupon I've had success with: http://www.manufacturerdrugcoupons.com/chantix-coupon/
  • Krishna April 26, 2014 | 23:09
    Nearly 310 days..:)
  • may63 May 10, 2014 | 2:35
    I thank my stars that Champix/Chantix came out on the market. I smoked for almost 40 years, since I was 11 years old, and I was up to 2 packs a day, easily! I am now smoke free since January 19th 2013. I must say I had some reservations at first (fear of the side effects mostly) but it worked like a charm! and I still have no cravings. I hope the same for all smokers who want to quit! :D
  • Krishna November 22, 2014 | 21:42
    Loving it... justt checked today approx 523 days without smoke... saved atleast $6000 so far
  • Krishna November 22, 2014 | 21:45
    All the best May63.. Live to 100 without smokes..

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