Smoking cessation via Champix. A diary. (Packing in)

This thread is for us smokers who wish to pack in.

If you believe all you read Champix can possibly lead to suicide which is the reason I started this thread. I'd rather give you an objective blow by blow of someone who's going through it so you can form an objective opinion.

I decided to pack in about 3 weeks ago, against the grain I have to say. I've lost 2 loved ones to the sh*te disease over the last 2 years and my decision to pack in is nothing to do with that. Listen to the telly or radio now and you can get cancer from eating chips, walking or licking a toad. My decision is a combination of getting shoved 20 yards from any doorway, and a distant memory that I never should have started.

So when I'd made up my mind to pack in I looked into all the options on the internet and having tried patches with the freakish dreams and the fact that they didn't stop the cravings I decided to look into the other options. Now I've seen my brother-in-law (a bitter) walk past me patched up like he's just walked off the front line sucking on a plastic
cigarette and he's still smoking now so I decided to look further.

Never follow a bitter.


I've been on Champix now for 2 days (you don't stop smoking till day 7 onwards) and it's strange, yesterday I went 3 hours without even wanting a smoke where normally I would've just had one every hour or so. I should clarify that Champix basically attacks the cells that require nicotine and closes them off. Anyhow, I've also noticed small changes in my behaviour, where I'm normally calm, I'll become agitated (only for seconds and up to a minute) and occasionally I'll become tired (same time scale) but in the scheme of things I can assure you it's like a drip in the ocean. These side effects to the non smoker might sound strange but to a smoker they're the least of our worries.

I'll add more tomorrow but I have to say up to this point Champix is doing what it says on the tin.

Good luck with it. Haven't touch a cigarette since the start of lent. Tough at times but well worth it

Cheers RacerMan.

Woke up this morning with an ulcer on that bit of skin that's under your tongue. Surprisingly enough mouth ulcers affect 1 in 1000 according to the HUGE list of side effects. As you mat be able to tell by the time I started this diary I'm also suffering from sleeplessness.

Oh and for some bizarre reason my farts have gone silent. The kids are happy, their heads are safe. For now.

Ha Ha. Nice.

I tried niquitin mints, but to be honest when you're in a pub and your mates are lighting up all the mints in the world do nothing.
Food and drink have pushed my weight up so watch that.

Joing a circuit training place to get my fitness sorted. Will be one more reason to stay off the smokes

Good Luck LFC Exiled.....you'll get lots of support on here, I've never smoked fortunately, but I think I would find it pretty hard to give up if I did.

Keep at it hun, and just think of all the benefits in doing so 

Keep going Racer, you've done really well hun 

You can do it Exiled! The key is wanting to do it.

After smoking since my teens I packed in January 2010 and haven't wanted one since. It's all in your mind. Good luck!

And keep up the good work Racer. You've clocked it after two weeks off them I reckon.

I need to pack in smoking, but when the fire brigade put me out they left me smouldering any advice ?

Good luck Exiled I'll be monitoring your progress because I really need to quit, not only for my own health but because of my boy, I want to grow old and watch him have his own kids.

Cheers folks.

Not much to report from today. I haven't grown two heads or nothing. Cravings aren't there at all.

I need to pack in smoking, but when the fire brigade put me out they left me smouldering any advice ?

Good luck Exiled I'll be monitoring your progress because I really need to quit, not only for my own health but because of my boy, I want to grow old and watch him have his own kids.

I think if you get to the point I did you will Daz. Just bored with them and they've become pointless and expensive to boot. 20 years of hectic hedonism and I can justify packing in, they've been with me through thick and thin but their purpose is no longer required.

Till tomorrow.

Adrian Mole, out.

good luck in quitting.
i admire people  who decide off their own back that  they  are going to  stop.ive been off cigs since january last year,but  only because i was so  ill and close to  death that  it was an easy  choice to  make and TBH was really easy psychologically for me. however if i hadnt have become so  ill id still be smoking myself to  death like every other smoker!!
yes i did make a conscious decision and acted on it, but it was forced on me. this make sense. hope so.
anyway good luck to  all ex smokers as thats what  you are now mate.

When you're running after your son and get short of breath it tends to focus you on what needs to be done

When you're running after your son and get short of breath it tends to focus you on what needs to be done

I don't get short of breath mate go for 4 mile runs every couple of days, so I'm still quite physically fit in that sense, its lung disease heart disease, cancers that worry me.

My family has a history of heart attacks. That'll be my downfall

My family has a history of heart attacks. That'll be my downfall

Same mate my mother has angina and my uncle had a heart bypass around 5 years ago.

My dad had a quadruple. My uncle and granddads all died from heart attacks. At least it'll be quick

My dad had a quadruple. My uncle and granddads all died from heart attacks. At least it'll be quick

I'd rather go quick mate and preferably before suffering the indignity of some one changing my nappy and wiping my arse.

Saw my nan die of cancer. That's some hard times right there. New blood in she looked as healthy as ever. One week later gone again. Continue for a year

Saw my nan die of cancer.

Same again mate, posted the drugs don't work in here some where and stated it reminded me of watching my nan die from cancer so it had a special meaning to me.

I remember kissing her to say see you later, before I went for dinner. My aunt arrived, went down to see her and came back up to say my nan was dead. The last thing that happened to her was me saying I love you and kissing her. Mentioned her in my wedding speech and nearly cracked

I remember kissing her to say see you later, before I went for dinner. My aunt arrived, went down to see her and came back up to say my nan was dead. The last thing that happened to her was me saying I love you and kissing her. Mentioned her in my wedding speech and nearly cracked

Bad times mate, the memories at the end aren't the greatest to be left with, but you have to some what suppress them and remember the times when all was well, that's what I try to do anyway.

I have good memories of her. Great woman. Shaped me a lot

 Iv'e been smoking for 23 years now. [cough, cough] . Have tried to quit quite a few times , usually cold turkey but had no luck.

  I started taking Chantix (US version of Champix) about a year ago. The first week or two you can still smoke, which I was but I started to notice the cigs really started tasting like sh*t. So I would light one up, take a drag or two then snuff it out cause it tasted horrible. I thought, hey I got this kicked.
  That's about when the insomnia and cold sweats started kicking in. I started to feel really tired and lethargic all the time ( probably due to lack of sleep). About a week later I started getting these horrible nightmares (like literally jumping out of bed , heart racing goin WTF was that). I know that's one of the side effects but it was a bit much for me, so I got off the meds.  I think the drug probably does work, but obviously not for everyone.
   Well I'm still smoking but Iv'e cut down from 1 1/2 packs a day to about a half a pack a day. Mostly because they're $10 a pack in NY. I try not to keep'em with me. If the pack is right next to me it's so easy just to grab one and light up. Now I usually keep them in my car, so I have to actually make an effort to go get one.

   I always told myself I'll quit before I'm 40. Well , I'll be 40 in November so times a running out. Quitting is really hard but Im gonna give it another try ( just not today)

   Hope it works out for you LFCexiled

I'd love to quit.  I've given up a couple of times and gone back to them.

3 years the first time, 12 months the second.

I'll be following this thread Exiled see how you get on mate.

That cancer sh*t just F***ing takes people out regardless, horrible F***ing thing - my Dad went fairly young through a stroke he never took any medication for it, I was advised that I had the same inherant condition so dutifully take the medicine.
Still putting the Marlboro Light away tho although only about 5 a day.