Hi, I thought I would share my stop smoking success with you all. On Oct 16th I went to the stop smoking nurse, and as I had heard good things about Champix I asked for that method to help me kick the habit.
I was not a heavy smoker, only about 7 a day, but now I am 12 days smoke free, I feel so much better, smell wonderful, and have so much more patience with my 2 children. (I should add that I have been smoking for 19 years, started at 23, what a stupid age to start!)
I was a secret smoker at work, I would go off on my own at lunchtimes to smoke, and would never join the other smokers in front of our building, as they didn't know I smoked! (Pathetic I know, I'm 42, not 15!).
Anyway, back to the tablets, the first 7 days I was taking them, I felt no different, I still smoked my 7 cigs a day. I set my quit day for day 11, and from day 8-10 I was only smoking 4 a day. I was dreading the quit day, but it came, and the thoughts were constantly there to go and have a cig, but with will power I refused to cave in. The second day of not smoking was the same, but with will power I got through the day smoke free.
So here I am, on day 12, still not smoking, I went to a fireworks party last Sat and although people were smoking, I wasn't tempted to join them (well, maybe a little, but you've got to be strong!)
I am a little worried, as I was reading a thread before where a few people have fallen off the no smoking wagon, I just hope it doesn't happen to me!
I do have good reason not to go back to smoking, health wise my sinuses and throat have never felt so clear (I was constantly clearing my throat and sinuses before stopping smoking), and also, my 2 best friends and their hubby's have all given up, and my Mum and Aunt have also quit in the past month after smoking for 50 years each! I'm so proud of them all for stopping, and they are equally proud of me. Of the people I mentioned above, only one of them used champix, but I do know 4 others who have also been successful.
On another positive note, I am not really drinking much alcohol at home anymore! Just wanting soda water or flavoured fizzy water! I would have at least one or 2 alcoholic drinks a night before, but in the last 3 weeks, I have probably had just 5 alcholic drinks in total.
The side effects I have experienced are a sickly feeling and sometimes slightly dizzy for about 15 minutes after taking the tablet, but this seems to not happen if I take the tablet on a full stomach.
I have had some vivid dreams, and the flatulence seems to be bad this week, I had to get off a tube yesterday, so I didn't "drop one" in the carriage, lol.
But all in all, fingers crossed I carry on being a non smoker. I must say, I hate the smell and I hate it when people are walking in front of me smoking (I would never walk down the street with a cig myself).
Good luck to any one who is thinking of giving up smoking.................