I started Chantix today!

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
and I joined their Get Quit internet support program. I have to check in with them twice a day. For the first week you just take the medicine and smoke as you normally would or as you want to. Your quit date is 8 days from the first day you take it so that would be next Sunday for me. On that day they will call me that evening to see how it went. Yikes!

Of course, we have all heard the warnings and side effects on TV about the risks with this medicine. I am a bit worried and Tony is freaking out. He says if I am even one bit more moody or irrational he is pulling me off it. I told him you can only expect me to be crabbier than normal if I am trying to quit cigs! Now if I start wanting to borrow his gun to shoot the family and myself...then he can worry...lmao. I also told him that if I succeed with suicide he can call the number for the lawyer that keeps running ads for people who committed suicide while on Chantix. Gallows humor.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Janet

Bit of experienced advice here:

That 8 day quite date is a recommondation, not absolute. No way was I near the point to do without cigs at that point. I didn't get there until after the 2nd week.

Now I say this, but after only a few days I noticed I wasn't smoking as much as normal. Few more days and my desire/need for a cigarette wasn't very often. By that 8 day mark I think I was down to half a pack at most. By the 2nd week I was at maybe 2 cigs a day and really didn't want those. Huge difference in my opinion. I asked doctor about it and he told me 8 day mark is a guideline as per when most people are ready. Many long time smokers need it in their system longer for it to work best.

It did not make me the least bit crabby/moody. In fact, I didn't experience any of the side effects mentioned on tv. Oh, maybe a bit of heartburn but that was cured if I ate when I took it.

I love chantix. Can't afford it right now, but soon as I can I'm going back on it and getting off cigs for good! :D

You go girl!!! :D Proud of you. Keeping fingers crossed you have no side effects and do beautifully.

Hugs
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
My daughter and sister in law both were able to quit for quite a while using Chantix. They both had smoked for a long, long time. They did really well for several months but both fell off the wagon during an extremely stressful period (his mom was killed in an accident). If it wasn't for that, they would have made it. But even now, a year later, they both smoke much less than they used to, sometimes just a few a day.

Good luck to you, Janet. I hope you are successful. I sometimes toy with the idea of what I would do with all that extra money I would have if I didn't smoke ... one of these days I'll be ready.
 
N

Nomad

Guest
I too am rootin' for ya!

Was told those with BiPolar (BP) illness can't take this medication.

PLEASE let me know how it works out all around.

thank you
 

maril

New Member
Good for you for wanting to quit and good luck with Chantix! :cheerleader:

I still smoke a couple a day (somewhat of a closet smoker). Years ago, I had quit for almost 4 years, then (big dummy that I am) started slowly smoking here and there and got back on cigs a couple or more a day.

I, too, want to once again ditch the habit but never last too long when trying to quit. I might look into Chantix.
 

Steely

Active Member
YAY! I am hoping this works for you! Just be cognizant of the side effects and I am sure you will be fine.

Hugs
Steely
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Well ya'll let me know if chanting helps keep you from killing anyone......

Ohmmmmmm......Ohmmmmmmm.....:tongue:

Best of luck.....
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Honestly, Janet, that seems pretty self-serving of Tony. Quitting is a challenge. You may be cranky at the beginning. You'll also be healthier the rest of your life. I'm sorry to hear that he's not being more supportive of you.
 

DenitaS

New Member
Check out quitnet.com too! It is another online support group! VERY active and a GREAT group of people!
Good Luck
I quit for 1 1/2 years and started back up after difficult child 1 moved back home pregnant! Thinking about doing it again though!
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Lordy...after reading the entire brochure that comes with the box of medication I am not sure which is worse for you...smoking or taking this pill! Risk of cardiac problems, risk of MS, and those are just two. I have never seen such a huge list of adverse reactions and some of them that are fairly bad in the "common" area.
 

klmno

Active Member
I haven't tried this one- I'll be interested in hearing how it works. I tried the patch and found it horribly useless. I bought the gum and kit and it worked well- although I smoke now. But, the gum allows chewing harder at times when you are used to having more nicotine get in your system (after eating, when stressed, etc) so it's easier to skip having a cigarette than it is if you have an even dose of nicotine all the time- at least that is what I found. The little book and tape that came with the kit were helpful- it was a similar plan to what you described. It had an area where you could write down the times that are hardest for you to not smoke so you could plan and ward it off. LOL! Like everything in my life, I didn't follow their recommended plan completely- I used it to keep eliminating 1-2 cigs a day, taking my time and using the gum, until I was down to 3 cigs a day. Then, I blew it.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
I was actually at Walmart filling the prescription for Chantix when I started having heart attack symptoms. How's that for irony?

The psychiatric side effects scare me, as I tend to be more sensitive to getting those. And it works on the dopamine - that makes me nervous, too. I don't know if I could take it anyway because of my heart.

I hope it works for you, though! I don't mean to be a negative ninny.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I worry about the dopamine too but heck...dopamine also increases gambling and sex drive...I cant gamble unless I go gamble on pogo because I dont have a credit card and vegas or atlantic city are way too far and Tony would be thrilled if my sex drive increased! Actually so would I at this point...lol.

Heck..I have always been one who is willing to try anything once. Twice if I like it!
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Janet I hear the distress and fear in your posts. It's been a long time for me, but it dawns on me what that fear and distress is. It's the addiction talking. I think that maybe the voices of the addiction will get quieter as you take the Chantix. I hope so! That's one of the hardest parts of it. We hate the addiction, but we fear what we will be without the crutch.

Still thinking of you! I hope it will go well and that I can recommend to someone I know and care about that I know someone it worked for.
 
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