it's the final countdown: Chantix and the New Year

[slappy]

I've been holding onto this prescription now since i got it filled back in september waiting for "my quit date" (which first was my 9/2 birthday, then i wanted to take it over thanksgiving, then dec 1st, so i could possibly be smoke free for the new year, but that got bumped and I started 4 days ago taking it.... well,. I mentioned this here back in 2007 when i wanted it, so you can see, almost 6 years later, i finally committed and got the prescription.
Kinda worried about the dreams, so i've been staying up till about 2-3am.. figure if i sleep less = might have less chance of dreams.... but i have yet to get one. But i just started taking 2 pills today though, one morning and the other evening.... so we will see. Next week the pills are blue, i'm currently taking white ones... maybe those are the "dream pills".:Sleeping:
Anywho,
So, i was wondering if anyone else here is currently taking it? How is/was your experience? I've heard of the dreams.... I've seen the SNL Skit (which by the way delayed me from taking it another year lol, but i still find it truthfully funny) but I was wondering the success of your story if any?

Feel free to post about other helpful quitting actions that have worked for you

 

[ThinkRight]

I quit about 20 times a day ! :ROFLMAO:
I have tried quitting several times over the years and the longest period was about 3 -4 weeks.
It is getting hard to smoke some places I have to work due to " Tobacco Free Campuses "
I use the electronic cigs and Snus when I have too.
And when it gets really bad I use these ...
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/atomic...--PERSONAL&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=sku8524148S
http://www.thefind.com/food/browse-atomic-fireball-cinnamon-candy
They actually burn your mouth a little , and keep you from craving a smoke for a while.
Nicorette gum never did help me much, I would chew a stick and get busy and lite up while chewing it.
It is a mental process to stop . (along with addiction)
Keeping your hands busy helps also, try holding something in your hand and keep moving it. ( like a coin , trinket, stress ball )
If you automatically lite up with certain things,( coffee , drink , after dinner ) try finding a substitute like the fire balls or sour candy.
Good luck

 

[ironchef]

Im super happy to say ive been tobacco free for over ten months, ive been smoking for ocer ten years, what really got to me were those freaking commercials, holy moly!! Also i tapered down to where a pack would last me three days, instead of one. Also. Those v2 elec. Cigs. That really did the trick.

 

[Marlene]

I quit some time back in the late 1990's (you know you are really done with it when you can't name the date & time anymore). what happended to me is I now can't stand to be around people who smoke and to go into a room where someone has smoked. I've heard that it happens to a lot of people and once that kicks in, it makes it so easy to not go back. for me it didn't take long. I didn't use meds, only the patch but I think it is wise to use something as you need to break the need for the chemicals in cigs and it is not easy with nothing. you can do this! I smoked 3 packs a day and have all the will power of a two year old and did, you can do it too. best of luck and if you need support, post a thread as there are a lot of ex-smokers here who I'm sure will be there for you

 

[DizzyMarkus]

I used CHANTIX to quit- IT WORKED for me. I was a 2 pack a day Newport smoker or over 25 years. I didnt dream but I didnt sleep well or solidly. It made me "race" and always had a nicotine taste. (lol prolly just me) From what I understood the first weeks pills are 1/2 dosage to prepare hehe. The follwing weeks are the full doage. I never finished the package.
I was ready tho, I really believe its from inside of you. I would light a smoke and be like "yuk tastes horrible" plus at that time I was like -- I'm not paying $5.50 a pack hehe who would have thought.. going on 7 years now and dont even want one

you can do it if you want to,
Markus

 

[SlightlyChilled]

I quit 4 years ago. Now for me I feel that if you REALLY are looking to quit you will. But you need to know what your triger is. Mine was a funny feeling in my cheast never could but my finger on it till one day after a week of not smoking. then 4 months later I was at the bar with my friend feeling good and said hay one for the old times. HOLY CRAP it felt like I almost died. The burn in my cheast was so bad after one drag... That sealed the deal. I hate smelling it now even when people drive in front of me I can smell it. The worst is walking in to a store and people a puffing it up out side and you have to walk through the wall of smoke.

 

[rmaclucy]

I'm on it now. Smoke free since Nov.3
This Chantix has worked well for me and I love the dreams. Not at all nightmarish. Still crave one every now or then but nothing I can't handle. Haven't got to the "can't stand to be around smoke" yet but hope it comes soon.
Good luck!

 

[DizzyMarkus]

Wait till after a few months and you begin smelling differently hehe I was like holy s@@@ I smelled like that I honestly don't taste things differently, I don't think.

Markus

 

[SignManiac]

Tonight at midnight marks thirteen years smoke free from three packs a day, cold turkey. You either smoke or you don't smoke. No excuses, simple as that. Best of luck to you!

 

[SlightlyChilled]

WOW 3 a day good lord you must be rich now

 

[SignManiac]

Carton every four days at $25.00 per carton. Adds up fast. Everything in my shop, office, home, had a yellow tint. Especially the ceilings.

 

[amw]

Smoked for 19 years 2-3 packs a day and on Fri & Sat add a pack or 2.

Ended up quiting cold turkey...just sucked on hard candy when I realy wanted to smoke. Been about 3 or so years.
It was the best thing I ever did for my health.

I hate to be around smokers now, like most former smokers.

Good luck! Hopefully it goes easy for you.

 

[rfulford]

My wife tried Chantix and had a bad reaction to it. It seemed to be working and she was not able to finish a cigarette by day 2. By day 4, she started having out of body experiences and panic attacks. The panic attacks mostly occurred at night while driving. She quit taking the drug immediately but the panic attacks continued while driving at night for over a year. Please be careful, Chantix is an antidepressant and can alter your personality. I would advise you to tell anyone who knows you that you are taking the drug and to tell you immediately if you seem different.

 

[slappy]

I told all my immediate family about the effects of the drug. I also told them i don't want any stressful situations while trying this attempt to quit because i truly want it to work. I find myself not being able to smoke a complete cigarette.... funny you said that rfulford. I see myself smoking maybe half or a lil over and putting it out. I thought it was odd the other day when i looked into my ash tray.... but it must be the pill.
Last night I was up till about 4, went to bed about 3. My imagination kinda was playing floating shadows in the room. Might have been the pill, or lack of sleep since i've been on it.
Praying it works for me! I've been smoking since maybe the 6th grade or so. Steady smoker since age 15 when my parents had a bar and i was employed as a dishwasher/waitress. I'm now 31.
I hate the smell. Like getting out the shower to put on my stinky housecoat. Hated christmas when i bought my dad cologne and i helped my mom open it to take a smell and all she said was that she smelt the smoke on my fingers. Things like that make me want to quit and i welcome them telling me it. My new Jeep, i started smoking in.... i'd drive with the windows all the way down... all of them. I don't want it to smell like a mobile ashtray...
While, i'll us this thread to vent when needed and state my progress from time to time. Hopefully it may become useful to someone else trying to kick the habit.
The vapor cigarettes i'm looking for. I need to get a pack of those for the moments i know i like to have one in hand. Other then that, i downloaded the book "the easy way to quit smoking" which was referred from Signboy here. He quit after reading that... I didn't get past page 7 yet. So vapor cigarette, book and chantix hopefully the combination will work for this time for me.

Thanks for the good lucks and you can do it.... i truly need them:signs101:

 

[Gino]

Good luck to all those going to quit tonight.

The Goddess and I have been smoke-free since April 15th, 1985.

Like mentioned, you're only gonna quit, if you really want to quit. Drugs, tricks, cold turkey....... nothing does it more than your own will-power.

 

[MikePro]

+1 to needing to quit.
mainly due to the horrible smell and personal image impairment, as a 10yr smoker, but also due to the $$$'s I see disappearing along with the white of my teeth.

I will be cheating and making a resolution that I have a better chance at keeping:
"I will not buy a pack of cigarettes until my eurotrip summer of 2014"
(as i will most likely enjoy a few $2 packs while abroad)
this also still allows me the occasional smoke as a "bum" from friends but, assuming I keep the resolution, that will be approx. 18mo. x 4wk. x 4pk @$8ppk = $2300 kept in-pocket and would at least cover my airline tickets

i've been using the Blu-cig from walgreens for the past few weeks, and it does the trick. Haven't bought a pack in a month, and have only bought 2-$10 ecigs.
everyone I've heard that has taken chantix, says it works and the side effects are really no big deal. still undecided if I'll give it a go. for now, most likely not.

 

[ironchef]

Yea, good luck to whoever quits tonight, try out v2cigs and hard candy works wonders, my fav now is butterscotch n caramels

 

[slappy]

day 10
Still smoking, but cut way back. My pack is now 3 days old with 4 cigs left.
I start the full strength pills tomorrow..............
*Accomplishment: Today was the first day in years that i woke up and got in the shower and got ready and realized i hadn't even smoked my normal morning cigarette. Like i had forgotten all about it. Felt good, getting closer.


MikePro, thanks for you comment. I'm trying to plan a disney trip here for 2014. I'd like to have that extra $$$ in my pockets also. Guess it all adds up fast when you don't think about it.

 

[401Graphics]

awesome! I quit smoking 2 years ago. Just stopped cold turkey.

 

[BigfishDM]

I tried a lot of smoking aids when I quit and the nicorrette lozenge work the best hands down, good luck man!