The Stop Smoking Megathread [ including Champix]

[Gemini65]

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

 

You do make me laugh! How about chewing gum, have you tried that? I really don't know what the answer is to be honest but I felt the same last time, really hated leaving the office on Friday which is stupid isn't it. Maybe its because you are in a routine during the week and you can't really smoke at work, I don't know but I'm sure it will get better with time. Maybe you need to go to places where you can't smoke to feel the benefits of your achievement, shopping centres, cinema etc!

[Lyn.]

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

 

I really sorry to hear about your experience with Champix.

Can I ask - did your doctor prescribe the tablets for your husband?

[pickchau]

I really sorry to hear about your experience with Champix.

Can I ask - did your doctor prescribe the tablets for your husband?

 

No, Lyn, it was the Practice Nurse at our surgery. She also prescribed the steroids and antibiotics previously. She knew my husband had depression, she also knew I had had a stroke 2 years previously. I reminded her of this when we were discussing how to stop smoking, but she said we would be fine. She even insisted we begin taking Champix the day before our holiday (which I ignored and we started the packs of tablets when we got home).

 

We both read through the leaflet that came with Champix before we began taking the tablets. We were concerned about the possible side effects, but believed the Practice nurse's recommendation..... "our life in their hands!"

 

Over the last 3 months my husband was admitted to hospital twice, and we have seen our own GP several times and a locum GP. No-one told us to stop taking Champix, nor did they make any connection between his psychotic episodes and the drug. In fact, our local hospital (Rotherham District General) had never heard of Champix and suggested my husband had probably had a TIA (mini stroke). It was only through reading scare stories on the internet that we decided not to take them.

 

I cannot emphasise how difficult it has been for us to live with this. It is scary and unprdictable. Our grown up children have been wonderful, but they are so worried. I have struggled to keep working and our GP offers no support at all. My biggest worry is how long this is going to last. We are both in our 50's so plently of living and enjoying life left in us.

[pickchau]

By the way.... it is 4 weeks today since my husband had his last psychotic episode. There have been some instances when his speech has been a little unclear, but none of the verbal abuse, threats and irrational/bizarre behaviours that we have seen many times over the last 3 months. His short term memory is good and we have everything crossed that we are over the worst.

[Gemini65]

By the way.... it is 4 weeks today since my husband had his last psychotic episode. There have been some instances when his speech has been a little unclear, but none of the verbal abuse, threats and irrational/bizarre behaviours that we have seen many times over the last 3 months. His short term memory is good and we have everything crossed that we are over the worst.

 

Glad to hear that, the drug must be getting out of his system now. Maybe you should complian to the NHS so that this doesn't happen to somebody else.

 

Hope you are all well and have a great smoke free weekend

[djtuffcat]

Hi all!!!!

 

Hope all is well with you guys!!!

 

Today marks 8 weeks smoke free for me and I also took my last trip to see my doctor for my final 2 weeks dose. Well she's given me 4 weeks but she seems to think I will be fine to just complete the 12 week course, yey!!!! I'm so looking forward to a good nights sleep, LOL!!!

 

Have a good weekend guys, keep up the good work!!!

 

xgx

[Tashant32]

You do make me laugh! How about chewing gum, have you tried that? I really don't know what the answer is to be honest but I felt the same last time, really hated leaving the office on Friday which is stupid isn't it. Maybe its because you are in a routine during the week and you can't really smoke at work, I don't know but I'm sure it will get better with time. Maybe you need to go to places where you can't smoke to feel the benefits of your achievement, shopping centres, cinema etc!

 

Gemini - laughing is good hehehe and too be honest humour is one of the only things that is getting me through this NIGHTMARE!!!!! God I can be melodramatic at times

 

The drive home was, surprisingly, good this week I have the feeling that I may be going around the bend Today, so far, not been the best but hey ho, such is life an all that. I'm just going have to deal with it, right? Infact hubby just got home and I may go take the dog for a walk with him - I don't usually do that at the weekend so as you can see I AM trying something different

 

Anyway I have to shoot as I'm being given the 'come on then if you're coming' so catch you all later and keep up the good work.

 

Tashant x

[Lyn.]

Pickchau - I do hope that when you return to something like normal that you make a report on this. If the practice nurse is prescribing drugs without checking patients history then she isn't safe to be let loose.

I wish you and your family all the very best that your husband makes a full recovery

xx

[Oldshirty]

how did the Zumba go OS?

 

Zumba was brilliant thanks, Tashant. I shook my thang like the best of them :-))

 

Glad you're still sticking with it (almost 5 weeks now!!) as am I but more of that in a minute...

 

Well done TC! 8 weeks is brilliant! (must be closer to nine now though?!) And well done to everyone else still coping and to any newbies out there!

 

Right. I know many of you will not approve of what I am about to say but I just had to share this with you....

 

I AM THE HAPPIEST CREATURE ON THE PLANET AND I WANT TO SHAKE THAT RAXS BY THE HAND!!!

 

I was a hair's breadth away from striking up again, so I thought I would try Raxs' suggestion and bought an electronic cigarette or as they call them in the 'vaping' world--ENIs (Electronic Nictone Inhalator, or in my case electronic non-nicotine inhalator).

 

It has totally made my world complete--still no nicotine, no tobacco but I get to take the edge off the habit and finally I am happy to be a non smoker!!!

 

Sorry to the purists amongst us but it has made the difference for me between staying off the ciggies (or analogues as they call them in ENI circles!) and starting again.

 

Keep going team champix and everyone else :-))

 

Hugs and kisses from one very happy Oldshirty who has found a way of having her cake and eating it too :-)))) xxx

[Gemini65]

Ha ha I am glad that you are finally happy Oldshirty

 

If there is no nicotine in it then it can't do any harm. Somebody at my work has been sucking on one of those plastic inhalators with no cartridge in it for about 6 months now, its like its his dummy

 

Well done Tashant too, how was your walk?

 

Hi and stuff to everybody else, hope you are all doing well.