champix

How long has any of you stayed on champix ,I have done 7 weeks so far and haven't smoked ,sometimes I forget to take it in the evening .Maybe its time I can stop it ? What do you all do for the nausia ?

[Shaley Girl]

I quit the Chantix 5 days after I completely stopped smoking.  For the nausea I only took it before bed and only 1/2 of the prescribed dose.

Congratulations on not smoking!

[rhop1952]

I took Chantix for 118 days. At approximately day 60 I reduced the dose to 1 pill a day. For the last 3 days, I took 1/2 mg a day. Your best odds for success is to stay with it for 6 months. I stopped earlier due to side effects - primarily not being able to sleep. I encourage you to go to Quitnet.com and join the Chantix Users Club. Great support and immediate response for encouragement and inspiration. I have now been smoke free for 131 days after smoking for 41 years.

[Shaley Girl]

Congratulations on 131 days of being smoke free!  Today I am 17 days smoke free.  I am going to check out Quitnet.com.  Doesn't it feel great to be a non-smoker!

[la5]

Right on rhop I am trying to wean off the champix to one a day .I sometimes still want to have a smoke but it passes .Congrats to you for being smoke free for 131 .I cannot sleep well since being on the champix so I am trying the one a day for now to see how it goes

[daffy1]

I've taken the full 12 week program twice, but the second time I had to end early as I started to experience debilitating anxiety attack. The symptoms were very real including: trouble breathing, vomiting, out-of-body experiences, very tight throat and chest among a few others. I discontinued the Champix but the anxiety never ceased. In fact, it worsened. I've since developed a full on anxiety disorder for which I am having to see a therapist. I've tried anti-anxiety drugs but the side effects were so intense that I had to discontinue them after only a few doses. In my non-expert opinion I feel that the Varenicline changed something in my brain chemistry which does not allow my for my brain to regulate it's bodily senses properly. I'm constantly having sensory overload, which releases adrenaline and then BAM!: anxiety central. I'm guessing the problem all stems from some kind of alteration to my serotonin levels, or lack there of, and this is why the SSRI's I've tired have been so ineffective. I have also had terrible nausea, but no vomiting, since half way through the 2nd treatment. That was 8 months ago. I'm on Ranitidine now but it only works minimally .

Has anyone else had long lasting negative effects from Varenicline?

Since my second week taking the drug I have not had a cigarette, which was almost a year ago, and the main reason I will never smoke again is solely because of the price I'm paying to quit now, and that fact that I never want to take this crap again.

[kathyjo]

Sorry to hear about all your troubles! I think you should post your experience seperately and not on a thread from 2007 so others might see it.

I'm glad you were able to quit but I'm sorry that the expense was so great. Sometimes something that sounds too good to be true is just that and it needs to be shared with others so that they know that there are some risks.

I used Chantix to quit and I consider myself lucky after hearing too many horror stories like your own. Panic attacks are so devastating and crippling. I hope everything clears up. Hang in there and stay strong.

[daffy1]

Can U suggest a better place to post this?
I'm new to this forum so I don't much yet. I noticed it was quite old but thought I'd take a chance anyways.

[kathyjo]

post it to the "smoking addiction" forum. I don't think you will have to join it in order to post, but you might want to as we are very supportive : )

It's so important to be able to share your experiences, and those who are considering using champix/chantix will be fully aware of what they are getting themselves into.

Good luck and congratulations on your almost 1 year quit....what an achievement!

[Jade59]

Congrats on your quit, Daffy!  So sorry for the hell you've been through to achieve it.  

To start your own thread, go to the top of the forum and click on the green button that says Post a Question.  

You can also post in the same way (green button) on the anxiety forum.  I saw someone post for their g.f. who was going through the same thing you are after using Chantix.  This was some time ago and I used to have it on my watch list.  I'll go and look and bring the link to you if I still have it.  I believe I deleted it though since the guy never came back with an update.  You may need something like a benzo instead of an SSRI to interrupt this cycle you're in.  

[behice]

Hi my names bea and I'm from london. as a heavy smoker of 25 a day I've tried everything from nicotine patches to ciggerette inhalers but nothing worked for me so i still continued smoking away!!!. Last week I heard about champix and heard it's high success rate in people giving up, so I decided to give it a try!.
MY NIGHTMARE
Tuesday October 30th 2012...
Took the tablet in the morning kicked in about 5 minutes later, feeling sick for about 3hours later I was feeling normal. It did work because I did not have no cravings for fags or even think about I thought this tablet is a breakthrough in science!!. about half 10 at night whilst sitting watching t.v my legs started shaking uncontrollably, then my heart started racing, sharp pains in my back where my kidneys are, inflamation (inflammation) of my chest and sharp shooting pains through out my body, my right arm went numb feeling lyk sum1z crushed my arm under a tone of bricks, cudn't move my fingers, tongue was swollen, short breath, dizzyness, headache, u name it I was going through it. I decided to go sleep for a bit to see if it would help and slept like a baby with no weird dreams or difficulty sleeping.  
WEDNESDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2012
Waking up feeling ok I decided to take another tablet in the morning because even though I knew what had happened to me the night before I thought it was normal to have all these side affects from this tablet because It said on the sheet. My God my nightmare round 2 all over again, I had all the side affects again but worse. I cudn't breathe my heart was racing I was feeling high like I was on drugs, my mind state was terrible I kept forgetting everything I said and done and was having a serious panic attack. I rang my doctors but couldn't make any appointments coz deyv'e all been fully booked which our NHS in england is **** and this was an emergency so my instincts just kicked in to go down the hospital because something wasn't right. Went to the hospital and they said if I left it any longer I could of died from a heart attack, I couldn't believe it, how could this small 0.5mg tablet have nearly killed me?? The doctors said I have suffered the worse ever side affects they've ever heard of. As a professional ice skater I am fit and healthy so it just goes to show that anyone can have this problem weither ur old or young... Apart from having all these side affects, despite of all these side affects, I am gutted that I cannot use this product because it does not agree with me but it really did work 4me and stopped me from smoking better than any other product on the market. What I would say to those wanting to try this medication please see a doctor first and then do ur research....