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Yesterday was my first day off champix after completing my 12 week course. I'm scared, happy, excited nervous and a whole bunch more feelings. In a sad way it became my crutch and now it's all me staying quit. I do credit it with assisting me. Between champix education and understanding it went quite well. It had some intense side effects and that I won't miss.
You will be just fine. Change up your routines - reduce your smoking associations, and when you think you want a cigarette, get busy doing something to change your mind's direction.
You can do this! You are TWELVE weeks quit! Continue on!
Nancy
Way to go on you 12 weeks quit. Great job! I think you will be fine. Have youquit tool box ready as it is always good to be prepared. Don't sweat it just keep saying NOPE!
Stay close to the site, read how other people are handling things. You have already come a LONG ways. You certainly do not want to go back to day one. Keep going one day at a time and KNOW that it is going to get easier as you stack days. I agree with shashort to keep your quit kit ready in case you feel like you need it. When you think about it, remember, "I don't do that anymore."
Thank you everybody. To be honest though it's only 34 days quit (I started champix in feb, quit march 22, finished it yesterday ☺️
Great job with 34 days! Stay positive you can stay quit. You are doing it the Champix was only an aid.
kudos on your quit, and I bet you won't miss those side effects! You're doing awesome!
"Only 34 days"? You are quit for more than one month, yay! Please come here often, read about how other people are handling the change in behavior and you will be successful!
congrats on 34 days, and glad you are off the drug and the cigarettes, !
A big thank you to each and everyone of you for your kind and encouraging words. Together weather we are 1000 days quit or 1 day quit we can do this,share knowledge and information ☺️
I was going to post about this today. I took my last Chantix pill last night after taking it daily for 12 weeks. I have some anxiety over not taking it. I'm worried the craves will get stronger. You are not alone in this, I'm right there with you!
Hello how are u finding it so far? I've been off it since Sunday and wow no sleep for me. Bit moody but not smoking so that is awesome. Are you new to ex? Welcome if you are and still welcome if you aren't
Hi all my quit date was 1st of May. Been on Champix since 17th April. I am turning 60 on 8th July so figured I had about 3 months to quit a habit of about 40 years. It was easier in the first three weeks that I was on champix as I did not tell my family only the lady that works for me in the office . I smoked 3 cigarettes a day in the first two weeks and then quit at the beginning of the 3rd week. I just made sure I had my cigarettes always with me. No one else even noticed. They all assumed I had either just smoked one or was about to have one. I don't smoke inside my house. I live in Portugal and you can also only smoke outside. I used to smoke between 20 and 25 cigarettes a day. Towards the end of the 3rd week I had to tell my family as I we were doing a trip together and normally when I fly I am impossible. They were shocked but very happy. I decided to also start running. I did my first 6km run on the 28th May. It was really really hard. More like a walk/run. I am trying to keep myself busy but it is really hard of late. It is day 37 and I hate the side effects. I intend to carry on with Champix for another 6 weeks.
SIDE EFFECTS
The dryness in the mouth really horrible. If I drink too much water, then up and down to the loo. Water has a tin taste. The nights are a bit lousy too. Menopause does not help matters. Sorry I know we have to keep this relevant but think that the stress of not smoking and or the Champix definitely does not help my situation. So getting a full night sleep is impossible. I will only know for sure once I stop the course. I have suffered with migraine headaches for much of my life. With Champix I have continued to have headaches but have not had a severe migraine in about 3 weeks. Hoping that my migraines will reduce drastically since I do not smoke. Dreams have been vivid but not bad at all. Lastly I have had a few temper tantrums but only in the last week or so. I am definately not aggressive or depressed. None the less I will not become negative and will persevere. I am still young - well by todays standards, so have a lot to work for. I hope this helps someone. I would love to chat to anyone who is my age. First time I have every joined a blog.
Welcome to the community GILLPT!! Glad you found us! There are many of us on here around your age. I, myself, smoked for 40 years and just quit last March on my 58th birthday. It sounds like you're doing pretty good with your quit - it's great that you've taken up running. I enjoy hiking quite a bit and that was a real motivation for me to quit - I was beginning to notice getting out of breath easier and sooner than I had before, it also helped prod me that I have mild emphysema. It's a good possibility that your migraines won't be as bad now that you've quit smoking. I'd tried Champix years ago and the non-sleeping, bad dreams and the depressed, angry mood that affected me made we get off of it. Unfortunately, I then went back to smoking. There's a lot to read on this site that will help - a great place is Best of EX. Tried and true blogs from those who've quit and share their experience and advice.
Glad you are here!
Doug
I've never been much of a social media, bloggy kind of person. Facebook is defeating me!
Then I found this crowd. They're awesome. Each one in their own way has loads of experience and they will be giving lots of advice on necessary reading and educating yourself.
I'm turning 63 in August and also smoked for 40 years; happy to still be here and to be working on getting healthy. Quitting is a long journey so having buddies on the site helps an awful lot.
Stay close to us, blog as much as you need. There's always someone here to take your hand. Just blog the word Help if you feel trouble is looming.
Best wishes
Bree
I am almost 60, post menopausal, and quitting on Chantix also. My symptoms have been dry mouth & vivid dreams (usually of my children when they were young). Surprisingly, I had to think about this because I am estranged from 3 of my 4 sons. My triggers for smoking always included something along the lines of things being unequal & feeling trapped, because I suffered years of abuse from parents, husbands, and adolescent children. This quit journey has been about addressing the need to stop longing for things that were not good for me to have or be around anyway.
Hang in there. If you have survived all that. You will definitely crack this!
Good for BOTH of you! You are DOING this!
Ellen
The Champix was just a training wheel. Now you are ready to go it alone.You can do this!
GILLPT I am 67 and had smoked for 47 years before I quit over three years ago. I found this site and did all of the things suggested on the first page, when you sign in. I tracked cigarettes, planned for what to do INSTEAD of smoking, and I read as much as I could about nicotine addiction. I read Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" but I did not find anything easy about quitting. I DID prepare and I came here every single day, twice a day and read blogs and anything that the people here recommended. I read JonesCarpeDiem's page with "What to expect the first 140 days"...over and over again. I also paid very close attention to the advice I was given and I asked questions when I did not understand...there were lots of questions. I have to admit that I had two failed quits in the months before THIS quit but I kept "lurking" and learning and then I got sick and quitting was imperative. I am not used to blogging either but I have sort of made this site a second home. First to get all of the support I could and then to try to give back and find people who could continue to show me things. There are always people out there who may be new but they have great advice. I have seen recommendations to go to quitnet.com and whyquit.com for additional support. Quitting means NO smoking, Not One Puff Ever...the acronym NOPE was my best friend for months. You need to blog and tell the community about yourself like you did here in the comments. Go to the little pencil at the top of the screen to the left of the magnifying glass and select write a blog, introduce yourself and you will be overwhelmed with your welcome.
By the way, WELCOME.
Ellen
You'll do fine - just stay in touch and remember that you don't smoke!! I tried Chantix (same thing - different name in the U.S.) 7 years ago and after close to 2 months, I had to get off of it because of the side effects, so I can relate that you won't miss that.