Champix (Quit Smoking)

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Ockie

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Hi guys. I hope you dont mind me starting a thread for this....but thought it would be better to have one dedicated to Champix instead of posting in the Quick Smoking thread.

Some questions for guys that have used it, considering it and general thoughts about it.

The main question I have really is ....I have read that a big concern with Champix is that it can cause depression and more importantly suicidal thoughts or actual suicide. Seems there has not been a direct link found as some say it might be the withdrawal causing it...no evidence either way...but Pfiser have even included a warning on the Champix web page warning people of this potential side effect.

Little hesitant cause I am prone to rather bad blue spells...but I guess many people are and they normally blow over after a while. Second reason why I am hesitant is cause my dad committed suicide. I dont think suicide really runs in families...but depression does...and we know that he did it while on a anti depressant known to actually put people who has suicidal tendencies in a frame of mind to take the leap.

I would love to hear from you boys and girls with experience in regards to this drug etc. I am really contemplating quit smoking now...dont really even enjoy it that much anymore and the ol lungs feeling rather tired....but first I would like to hear other peoples experience with it.

And no...cold turkey aint the way for me. I am man enough to admit that I have the will power of a 7 year old in a candy store. :(
 
Briefly reading about this stuff, would make me inclined to be very careful oc.

Best bet is obviously to talk to a doctor about it. :)
 
With you all the way - I've also not taken the plunge because of the reported side effects.

It's one of those drugs which have nasty issues for some, very much like Prozac.

Will be following this thread closely.
 
daveza said:
With you all the way - I've also not taken the plunge because of the reported side effects.

It's one of those drugs which have nasty issues for some, very much like Prozac.

Will be following this thread closely.
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yip. Hope there are some people here who have actually taken it and can share.

biometrics said:
Go cold turkey but smoke some cannabis?
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lol. Well, at least I know where to get some. Was approached last week at a Mc Donalds hehe
 
copacetic said:
Briefly reading about this stuff, would make me inclined to be very careful oc.

Best bet is obviously to talk to a doctor about it. :)
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Ja...I am indeed. Though I did survive Accutane though...and you know what...who needs to go the army and put your body through the grinder when you can just take a course of Accutane :p

I will see what replies comes up here of actual experience...and if I am still keen...then will also ask my doctor and see what he thinks.
 
Occie, I had a friend who was on this stuff, and honestly, she was so moody and constantly irritable and always depressed. Later on she figured out it was this medication to stop smoking that caused it. I would be careful, it was not a nice site.

On a side note, why dont you try electronic cigarettes as an alternative? I also smoke, and I once stopped for 3 years. How? Well I got very very sick and it was painful to smoke, so I stopped and when I got better I just did not smoke again. Damn new years eve and friends made me start again lol!
 
ocleroux said:
Hi guys. I hope you dont mind me starting a thread for this....but thought it would be better to have one dedicated to Champix instead of posting in the Quick Smoking thread.

Some questions for guys that have used it, considering it and general thoughts about it.

The main question I have really is ....I have read that a big concern with Champix is that it can cause depression and more importantly suicidal thoughts or actual suicide. Seems there has not been a direct link found as some say it might be the withdrawal causing it...no evidence either way...but Pfiser have even included a warning on the Champix web page warning people of this potential side effect.

Little hesitant cause I am prone to rather bad blue spells...but I guess many people are and they normally blow over after a while. Second reason why I am hesitant is cause my dad committed suicide. I dont think suicide really runs in families...but depression does...and we know that he did it while on a anti depressant known to actually put people who has suicidal tendencies in a frame of mind to take the leap.

I would love to hear from you boys and girls with experience in regards to this drug etc. I am really contemplating quit smoking now...dont really even enjoy it that much anymore and the ol lungs feeling rather tired....but first I would like to hear other peoples experience with it.

And no...cold turkey aint the way for me. I am man enough to admit that I have the will power of a 7 year old in a candy store. :(
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Hey OC. . . .OK so I have taken Champix and simply put it seriously works. In the first two weeks I was on it, I cut down to about 3 or 4 smokes a day and honestly had no desire to smoke. By the time quit day arrived I was mentally ready and my cravings were sufficiently under control. I experienced one side effect and that was nausea, every morning I took my first tab, about 10 minutes after I wanted to throw a cat but it passed quickly and that was that. My sister has also taken it and she had the same issue. Her nausea was a bit more serious so she cut down to 1 tab per day.

Honestly all I experiendced was the nausea. I can't say my mood really changed much, but one thing the tabs really did help me do was quit smoking. 4 years earlier I was on Zyban and that **** should be illegal. It screwed me up something special, but I did manage to quit for 4 years.

Champix is a very tame version of Zyban. It honestly didn't make me depressed or feel suicidal at all. All I had was nausea as mentioned. My sister mentioned she has vivid nightmares which she attributes to the champix. I guess it could be.

My personal opinion is that quitting smoking is one of the hardest things you will ever do and you need some form of aid. Champix seriously helps, no voodoo herbal ****, it DOES work.

I would go for it and if you feel like you are loosing the edge, stop taking it. Simple. Quitting is not a life sentence. It is a step to make your life better and healthier. If you feel the tabs are causing you more distress than you need, stop them. Simple.

Just remember one thing and I tried to stress this to my sister, champix or any other drug is NOT a miracle cure. So don't expect to wake up and just forget about smoking. It takes work. The champix will seriously help you though to pass the first few weeks of the withdrawal.

O and by the way, the prescribed duration to take it is about 12 weeks I think. . . . I took it for 6 and stopped as I was past the hard part for me, and it worked. . . .

I have now been smoke free for 5 months.
 
Grimspoon said:
Hey OC. . . .OK so I have taken Champix and simply put it seriously works. In the first two weeks I was on it, I cut down to about 3 or 4 smokes a day and honestly had no desire to smoke. By the time quit day arrived I was mentally ready and my cravings were sufficiently under control. I experienced one side effect and that was nausea, every morning I took my first tab, about 10 minutes after I wanted to throw a cat but it passed quickly and that was that. My sister has also taken it and she had the same issue. Her nausea was a bit more serious so she cut down to 1 tab per day.

Honestly all I experiendced was the nausea. I can't say my mood really changed much, but one thing the tabs really did help me do was quit smoking. 4 years earlier I was on Zyban and that **** should be illegal. It screwed me up something special, but I did manage to quit for 4 years.

Champix is a very tame version of Zyban. It honestly didn't make me depressed or feel suicidal at all. All I had was nausea as mentioned. My sister mentioned she has vivid nightmares which she attributes to the champix. I guess it could be.

My personal opinion is that quitting smoking is one of the hardest things you will ever do and you need some form of aid. Champix seriously helps, no voodoo herbal ****, it DOES work.

I would go for it and if you feel like you are loosing the edge, stop taking it. Simple. Quitting is not a life sentence. It is a step to make your life better and healthier. If you feel the tabs are causing you more distress than you need, stop them. Simple.

Just remember one thing and I tried to stress this to my sister, champix or any other drug is NOT a miracle cure. So don't expect to wake up and just forget about smoking. It takes work. The champix will seriously help you though to pass the first few weeks of the withdrawal.

O and by the way, the prescribed duration to take it is about 12 weeks I think. . . . I took it for 6 and stopped as I was past the hard part for me, and it worked. . . .

I have now been smoke free for 5 months.
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Great post Grim :)
 
Have u tried zyban?

I was on zyban and within 4 days i hated smoking. Very few side effects but then drugs affect people in different ways. What i can say is ensure you have family or friends monitoring you because often we cannot see our own behaviour for what it is.

Remember depression and moods are also cause by the lack of nicotine so it may not be the drug causing those symptoms. Depression is a very big side effect of quitting and many people put it down to the drugs. some people can quit and have no issues where as i quit and i get depressed and so angry i lose control on a daily basis, zyban helped but when i went off it the moods never stopped and the depression never went away. It can take 2-5 years to get rid of those side effects of quitting smoking for some people. You cannot really take people's opinions on a drug if you ask me as we all know drugs will affect people in different ways.
 
OC, I share your concerns...but going to give Champix a go in any case.

Let me know if any of you are going to take the plunge, see if we can motivate each other. I really want to get rid of The Habit.
 
ocleroux said:
Wow...thank you Grim. Great post. Made me a bit more excited to give this a go :-)
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Give it a go and see how you feel. Within 2 weeks I didn't feel like smoking much and the actual quit day was pretty easy / manageable. Yes you will crave, but the champix helps control the cravings.

As I said if you feel the tabs are having a seriously negative effect just stop them. But it's not like out of the blue its going to turn you into a monster frothing at the mouth :p
 
I suffer from bi-polar disorder and am on two anti-depressants and Champix. All that I can say is that the Champix has had no adverse effects on me whatsoever and I went from a 30-per-day Kent Special smoker for about 13 years to completely quitting on Champix. I haven't had a smoke in nearly a month now and I don't have a craving at all, for the most part. I've had the itch for one here and there if I drink but it's pretty easy to get over with Champix.

It is cheaper than smoking for those of you who are cost-sensitive and it really and truly worked for me. I wasn't even all that keen to give up but once I noticed the cravings going I just went with it, and hey presto, I realised the stuff really works so I might as well continue. Before Champix I'd tried cold turkey, cutting down, electric cigarettes and even a hypno-therapy scam.

Since quitting, I visited my mom who was had bronchitis at the time and convinced her to start with Champix. She's been smoking for 35 years and she too has been able to stop for the last week. She hasn't in her life ever gone a week without a cigarette...
 
DJ... said:
Since quitting, I visited my mom who was had bronchitis at the time and convinced her to start with Champix. She's been smoking for 35 years and she too has been able to stop for the last week. She hasn't in her life ever gone a week without a cigarette...
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My mom started smoking when she was 24 and last year I told her about Champix. She also smoked every day and couldn't go a day without smoking a cigarette. I thought it would be impossible for her to stop smoking. But she got a prescription for Champix from the doctor and also managed to quit smoking last year.

My brother and my brother in-law also managed to quit smoking using Champix.
 
Oh dear. That stuff sounds too dicey for me. Why don't you try a good ecig. I have been off tobacco for 9 months after 37 years of heavy smoking. I gave up stopping until I found the ecig. I am now very happy with my ecig. No ways will I go back to tobacco ever.
Check the post here on ECIGS. They work.
 
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