Champix

Re: Champix

Sal the 1st — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:10:25 GMT

[quote user="Katie Brocklebank"]

surely anyone can quit with will power.

[/quote]

maybe so - but if it was so easy the government wouldnt be spending millions on promoting smoking cessation clinics and medication and treating people with smoking related illnesses - and wanting to stop smoking wouldnt be the number one reason for a client to approach a hypnotherapist. Nicotine addiction is just like any other drug addiction and sometimes for some people will power just isnt enough and they need a little help.

Re: Champix

Katie B — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:41:47 GMT

I knew someone who had the pills and they did work but they did make him feel sick. I think he caved in once and had a ***, he was very sick afterwards. I don't agree with them though, surely anyone can quit with will power. My dad smoked for a long time and gave up after seeing a program on lung cancer, he has never had one ever again. This was like 20 years ago and his lungs have completly reformed back to before he started smoking. Crazy stuff. Just tell him not to give in as I think the sickness was real bad for a bloke I knew when he caved in and had a cheaky cigerette.

Re: Champix

Mac Feather — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:42:26 GMT

Well husband and champix were not a successful combo- horrible mood swings (him, not me for once! lol) and really low spells.

So,hes stopped taking them, will see what his smoking cessation nurse says when he sees her next.

Re: Champix

Mac Feather — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:32:50 GMT

[quote user="christinam"]day 2[/quote]

Sorry, yes day 2 of taking champix prior to stopping.

Will just have to take it a day at a time and see how he goes!

Re: Champix

Katie Tallett RVN MBVNA — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 14:40:03 GMT

my hub gave up on champix about 18months ago. he had tried other methods but none were as effective. the only downside we found were his mood swings which he had not really had whilst trying to give up before. he was an absolute monster!! i know a couple of his friends have tried it and had to come off it because of the moods and depression, one of them got very close to splitting with his girlfriend over it. i think they have all had a go at quitting before without the same feelings so must be the champix. other than that he quit very easily and didn't actually need to finish the course of tablets. he had been smoking for 13 years and could easily have 30 in a normal working day. doesn't suit everyone but worked for him! i just had to realise he wasn't been arsey at me!

good luck with it!

Re: Champix

christinam — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:46:23 GMT

No, don't remember anyone mentioning lethargy, only bad dreams.

When you say day 2 - when I did the trial it was to do with the length of time you took champix before giving up, I have the worse memory(!), but you took the meds for x period before giving up, the trial was to see if taking the meds for a longer period, before quitting, was better. Turned out I had the placebo, but sure the 'normal' period was a week (the clincial trail being 4 weeks)

Re: Champix

Mac Feather — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:59:52 GMT

Day 2 of champix, husband says he hasnt really wanted to smoke but hes been v tired- is tiredness a side effect?

Re: Champix

christinam — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:00:34 GMT

I tried champix but found they were no good.

I done it as part of a clinicial trial, and although I didn't have any, they was lot of side effects like dry mouth, nausea and odd dreams! I cut down to just one now and again but that was it.

I then used Zyban a few months later and it worked! (I had used these previously a couple of years back and failed!)But I think I actually wanted to give up this time as opposed to feeling like I should give up.

Both are drugs seem to worsen depression which is why they tell you not to drink alcohol.

Have to say a year later I still get the odd craving and know if I had one ciggie that would be it. Although can quite happly be in a smokey environment and not want one.

Re: Champix

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:58:38 GMT

Falling off the wagon was purely stress (see langar skydive thread!). I'd really cracked habitual smoking. Just had a bad day. Wife bought a half pack. Then I had another a few days later. Slippery slope.

As to alcohol, I'm not really sure. For one reason or another, I drink very little at the moment (hoping to get back into training later in the year), so it wasn't an issue for me. I think I drank one or two nights whilst on Champix and don't remember any problems.

Re: Champix

Mac Feather — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:36:24 GMT

Cheers Arlo.

Yes reckon it could be similar with my other half, hes smoked a long time too.

What prompted you to fall off the wagon so to speak and is it ok or not ok to drink alcohol when on champix?

Re: Champix

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:28:10 GMT

I wrote about my experiences here:

http://www.vetnurse.co.uk/forums/p/8548/82883.aspx#82883

Since then, I have had a slight, er, relapse, and now back on the pills!

With hindsight, I think I needed to be on them slightly longer than 3 months to crack a 25 year habit!