The Stop Smoking Megathread [ including Champix]

[scottf]

i even had several cigs left in a packet from over the weekend not sure what to do with them now though :/

 

You should go through your house getting ANY smoking paraphanalia like this (ashtrays, lighters, etc) and throw them ALL out. Then open your windows and give everything a good fabreeze to celebrate your first steps as a non-smoker!!

[Gemini65]

Hi Taschant, I know how you feel I felt the same on my first quit, even dreaded the weekends! And wasn't because I drank or anything, I think for me it was because I found coping with my kids difficult All I can say is that it does get easier and as somebody said, maybe change your routine. Try swimming or something that always makes me feel better and you can't smoke while your swimming

 

Well done SJW, congratulations and hope it continues to go well for you. Good advice from Scott about throwing everything away.

 

Hope everyone else is good.

[Raxs]

Im here guys, just checking in very quickly, il catch up later on. I stopped taking the pills a while back after a couple of weeks as I was horrible and Im stil quit and doing well! Cya soon!

[maxofe]

just taken the first champix pill, hoping i dont get some of those homicidal side effects!

 

wish me luck

[scottf]

just taken the first champix pill, hoping i dont get some of those homicidal side effects!

 

wish me luck

 

 

Good luck!!!

 

You will probably get a couple, feeling sick and struggling to sleep but you have to remember its better than all the problems that smoking will cause in the long term!!

 

Short term pain for long term gain!!

 

[pickchau]

just taken the first champix pill, hoping i dont get some of those homicidal side effects!

 

wish me luck

 

I just want to warn Champix users of our recent experiences. My husband and I stopped smoking with Champix, back in November 2010. Unfortunately, our stop smoking specialist did not take into account that my hubby had depression and was taking 50mg Sertraline each day. He had also had a recent one week course of steroids for a chest infection (damn the fags!) and a course of antibiotics. On 6 December he had his first psychotic episode. It was devastating to see my quiet and loving husband turn into an argumentative tyrant, refusing to reason and physically threatening me when I took him to hospital.

 

He had more episodes during December and I began to research Champix, among friends and on the internet. I quickly realised that people with a known history of depression should not take the drug. We both stopped taking Champix after I realised that my husband was having more episodes and his behaviour was getting more bizarre. He began to lose huge amounts of short term memory and our GP refused to let him drive.

 

I cried for him on Christmas Day. He was so sad and his speech was slurred and incoherent. On Boxing Day he refused to believe he had experienced such feelings, so I filmed one of his episodes. He was distraught when he saw how angry, irrational and unpleasant he was. He cried when he became aware of the stress this placed on me.

 

Further psychotic episodes occured in January and our GP referred my hubby to a Neurologist. By February I became increasingly fraught with the snailpace of the NHS, so I demanded a mental health assessment be made. Hubby has finally been allocated an appointment with a psychiatrist.

 

His symptoms have now subsided and it has been over 3 weeks since his last episode. Yes, we are both smoking. It would have been impossible to endure the last 3 months battling with this confusing illness without going cold turkey.

 

I have no idea what the immediate future will bring, but, I would never recommend Champix.... particularly if there is any history (past or present) of depression

[Oldshirty]

Pickchau,

 

Oh my goodness, it sounds like it has been a terrible time for you both. It is important for anyone starting the drug to understand and appreciate the downsides as well as the benefits, so thank you for sharing your experience. For as many successful (straightforward) quitters on this drug as there are, there must be a good proportion for whom the experience is a nightmare--as in your case.

 

I am glad that your husband's pychotic episodes are subsiding and I hope that you can put this horrible experience behind you. I don't blame you for smoking like a lum...it has to be better than losing your mind :-)

 

Good luck with what the future holds. I'm sure things will improve for you both following your nasty experience.

 

Maxofe, it seems a little glib given the last post, but lots of people have successfully quit on the drug. Just be aware of any changes in mood or behaviour (beyond the stopping smoking moods!) I'm sure that your nearest and dearest will point them out to you soon enough :-) Good luck with your quit attempt!

 

Raxs, good to see you back on the circuit! How's that old e-cig going? I am seriously considering it myself, miserable old whingebag that I am:-) Quit Nurse (sort of) approved, providing I don't use any nicotine...

 

To everyone else, hope things are going well.

 

OS x

[Tashant32]

Oh My Lord, what a lot I have missed.

 

OkKKKKKKKKKKKK So seeing as a labotomy is off the cards:hihi:(I really would like to keep my head lol) It would seem that I may have to resort to either swimming as suggested by Gemini orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr running ????? LOL cheers Scott, NOT going to happen, lol I don't think I have ran since I was at school hehehehe which was many moons ago btw, but thanks for the suggstion

 

Infact i'm not even sure which of the two are the lesser evil at the mo Saying that I AM DEFFO going to be changing my routine lol That will include my drive home from work come a Friday afternoon - as this is when it starts boo hoo lol

 

Anyway no time for an epic today - still at work and i have to shoot now (now I can hear the groans from here hehehehe) If I get chance to post more later - before my weekly Badminton, then I will. Oh talking excercise, how did the Zumba go OS?

 

Really have to shoot now byeeeeeeeee

Tashant x

 

P.s glad to see you back, albeit briefly, Raxs

[lubylou12]

hey guys my quit day was 3 weeks ago, now ive been smoke free again for 2 whole weeks today, still ind it hard somedays but its getting easier

 

i have to say the experiance some people have had is awful with the side affects, but i have long long history of depression, on pills for years, they wouldnt allow me champix so had to use zyban before, and when id been off my pills a year they then and now allow me champix, ive not taken anti depressants for at least 2 years now but i know it will only take one thing to make me go back down to the pits, i know myself, so i was worried about champix, in the first two weeks on them i do get realy down, but now im fine on them

Edited March 17, 2011 by lubylou12

[sjwilliams]

I just want to warn Champix users of our recent experiences. My husband and I stopped smoking with Champix, back in November 2010. Unfortunately, our stop smoking specialist did not take into account that my hubby had depression and was taking 50mg Sertraline each day. He had also had a recent one week course of steroids for a chest infection (damn the fags!) and a course of antibiotics. On 6 December he had his first psychotic episode. It was devastating to see my quiet and loving husband turn into an argumentative tyrant, refusing to reason and physically threatening me when I took him to hospital.

 

He had more episodes during December and I began to research Champix, among friends and on the internet. I quickly realised that people with a known history of depression should not take the drug. We both stopped taking Champix after I realised that my husband was having more episodes and his behaviour was getting more bizarre. He began to lose huge amounts of short term memory and our GP refused to let him drive.

 

I cried for him on Christmas Day. He was so sad and his speech was slurred and incoherent. On Boxing Day he refused to believe he had experienced such feelings, so I filmed one of his episodes. He was distraught when he saw how angry, irrational and unpleasant he was. He cried when he became aware of the stress this placed on me.

 

Further psychotic episodes occured in January and our GP referred my hubby to a Neurologist. By February I became increasingly fraught with the snailpace of the NHS, so I demanded a mental health assessment be made. Hubby has finally been allocated an appointment with a psychiatrist.

 

His symptoms have now subsided and it has been over 3 weeks since his last episode. Yes, we are both smoking. It would have been impossible to endure the last 3 months battling with this confusing illness without going cold turkey.

 

I have no idea what the immediate future will bring, but, I would never recommend Champix.... particularly if there is any history (past or present) of depression

ofcourse you wouldnt want to reccomend champix after all your husband has been through but it does state on the enclosed drug information about the side effects and how to consult your doctor if any side effects occur

 

for me and my husband Champix is the best thing that ever happened to us we are smoke free and loving life