Have you tried Chantix? Did it work for you?

I tried it, and was able to stop smoking for about six months. Unfortunately, I started back. For me, the most effective way to quit is “cold turkey.” Chantix works, but you need to see a doctor before you start it. There can be some rather… strange… side effects.

You’ve piqued my curiosity.. what kind of side effects?

I never experienced them, but supposedly psychological side effects. Apparently it exacerbates some pre-existing psycological conditions.

It was originally developed as a psychoactive drug.

my s/o tired it and was very nervous…had to stop! we both smoke. Mine started during my divorce three years ago…wish i could quit!

@CaptainHarley & @BoBo1946 – Interesting. Thanks.

@BoBo1946

Actually, you CAN quit. It just takes an almost incredible amount of willpower. The most effective way to quit is still “cold turkey.”

@CaptainHarley totally agree my friend! When it really hits me, will go for it!

I have to work up to it over several weeks. Generally, I will smoke less and less, using “light” cigarettes and extra filters, then, when I feel like I am psychologically prepared to quit, smoke a number of “full flavor” ones to almost make myself sick with them. Then I throw everything having to do with cigarettes away and just quit. My problem has always been that, after I’ve quit for awhile, I fool myself into thinking, “Well, I’ll just have ONE!” HAH! I could kick myself for starting back that one time after I had quit for ten years! I fooled myself into thinking I could smoke “just one” cigar. WRONG! I was hooked all OVER again! : (

@CaptainHarley – I quit twice successfully, to where there were no cravings and I didn’t regret it.. I, too, fell into that “hey, I’m so good, I’ll just have one with my buddies” trap. Damn it.

“Trap” is the right word too. Once you’ve picked up enough cigarettes to become addicted to them, and later quit, you’ll always be addicted to them for the rest of your life. The best thing you can do is to substitute one addiction for another. I use to run ten miles every other day as a substitute for smoking. Sadly, since my parachuting accident, I can no longer do that, so I am substituting walking on my treadmill for cigs this time. Want a cig? 30 minutes on the treadmill! Heh!

I’m on it right now and I’ve only had one cigarette since June14th of this year. It really helps to reduce the urge, and the website is awesome – tips and strategies to overcome the habit. Even an automatic call service to check up on you when/if you want.

REAL vivid dreams, tho’. I enjoy ‘em. Others might not.

@CaptainHarley – yeah, I almost bought a cigar after dinner the other night – i’m glad I passed on it. Even tho’ cigars don’t contain all the extra poisons that cigarettes have to offer, the nicotine high would’ve pulled me back in.

One of my friends was on Chantix and he was able to stop but then he started back up a few months later… Just having so many people around him that smoke didn’t help. The Chantix will kill your cravings because it blocks the receptors in your brain from experiencing pleasure from the nicotine, so basically the cigarette will taste like crap…

With that being said anytime you’re blocking your pleasure centers you’re bound to have some emotional side effects. He said that he would have really crazy dreams at night and he would have bad mood swings.

I think the quitting part because the cravings won’t be the problem. It’s more of losing the routine and having the smoke breaks with your friends is the hardest part of quitting smoking… That’s what the hardest part has been for myself and most of my friends….

@CaptainHarley have been down every road you mentioned…tough habit to break!

@stratman37

Exactly, which is another reason it’s such a difficult habit to break.

@BoBo1946

VERY! I’m in the process of quitting right now, and not doing too badly. I really do need to quit; it’s affected both my blood pressure and my breathing, so I have no choice.

@CaptainHarley yeah Captain, but it is so dang hard to walk away!

Since EPA required the cigarette people to change the paper, they don’t taste as good as they did. But, apparently they don’t taste bad enough yet. I’m still puffing them!

I have no experience with this drug. The complete list or reported side effects are a cause for concern, but when placed beside the massive list of harmful effects of smoking, the goal of quitting smoking seems worth the risk.

Please! For the sake of all those people whose lives are enhanced because you are a part of their lives, please stop smoking. For the sake of the years of your life you have yet to enjoy in a healthy body, please stop smoking!

I’m trying! I’m TRYING! Jeeze! : ((

@Dr_Lawrence – I appreciate the sentiment and perhaps that works with other people, but one of the main reasons I don’t give a shit about quitting smoking is that I am not afraid of death and the sooner I’m off this ride, the better. And my family is really dysfunctional and I sort of don’t care on that front, either.

Anyway.

I have to quit for myself, probably using the whole ‘it saps your energy and is wicked expensive’ argument.

Four days now without a cigarette. My pore old body just wants to sleep all the time because it no longer gets its daily supply of nicotine. I’ve been through this before. It only lasts for a few days, so soon I will be over this desire to sleep the clock around.

Hang in there @CaptainHarley !

I am. I am. I just have to brace myself whenever the circumstances occur where I would have had a cigarette: going outside, etc. Grrrrrr!

@CaptainHarley – Hold fast.. you can do it!

Day five! Woot! : D

One entire week without a single cigarette! I’m so proud of me! : D

I’m proud of you too, Cap’n! Keep it up, and keep us posted.

My blood pressure has dropped to levels I’ve not seen in decades! : ))

I still get the occasional desire for a smoke, but it’s getting weaker over time. Ten days now! WOOT! : ))

Yeah, I should be able to ditch my BP meds soon!

Kewl! : ))

@CaptainHarley – Yeah, dude! Keep it up! I’m proud and envious. :)

I’m trying. It’s always most difficult right after a meal. I want a cigarette so baaaad! Heh!

So, I’m on day 8 of Chantix. So far, haven’t noticed any major changes.. I’ve had a few cigarettes that tasted pretty awful over the past few days, but I don’t know if that was the Chantix or what. I don’t really have any less of a desire to smoke. They say you’re supposed to quit between day 8 and day 14.. so, I dunno if it’ll hit me.

I have been having tons and tons of dreams, so much that it’s actually making me tired because I dream too much rather than getting good, deep sleep. The dreams are sometimes crazy (and I think that’s great), others are so incredibly long and vivid that it’s like being in a movie.

Okay, months later and I had to give an update. The first attempt on Chantix didn’t work, as it was poorly planned and I ran out. I also wasn’t ready to quit, I don’t think, but on the 9-hour plane ride, I realized that the Chantix was working when I didn’t have a single physical craving.

So.. I got back to CA and smoked until I realized that it’s probably getting in my way in terms of dating. My mom sent me more Chantix, and I started up again a few weeks ago. They say you should quit between day 8 and 14. Around that time, I started slowing down on how much I was smoking, but naturally, without even thinking about it.

My plan was to quit on day 14, and I had that last pack of cigarettes going that should have lasted only a day, but it took me 3 days to finish it, simply because I was smoking less naturally. My final cigarette was really not enjoyable at all, and then that was it.

The Chantix basically weaned me off nicotine before I even quit, so then when I did, it was really painless! So without the physical withdrawal and cravings, that leaves dealing with wanting to do it out of habit, missing the physical action, that sort of thing. That’s not exactly easy for me (I’m rather obsessive), but I’m glad I’m not having to deal with physical withdrawal at the same time.

I highly recommend it for anyone considering quitting! It totally made this process easier.

@CaptainHarley – Did you stick with it?

Chantix worked like a charm for me. I quit on my “quit date” and I have not touched a cigarette or even thought about smoking since then. That was five years ago. Before trying Chantix, I had zero confidence that it would work and had no desire to quit smoking. I only tried to quit in order to encourage my partner to quit smoking, but after seven days on the medication, I was smoke-free. Sadly, Chantix did not work for my partner, who still smokes heavily.
Bottom line: Try Chantix—it might be just what you need to quit smoking.