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-   -   1st day of Chantix...Terrified! (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=424233)

DeeCt Mon, Feb-28-11 18:49

1st day of Chantix...Terrified!
 
Hello everyone!!

So, today was my 1st day of Chantix.. like the title says I am terrified. I have been a smoker for 23 years (OMG.. I don't even feel old enough to be smoking that long!!!!) I have tried to quit many times, one other time with Chantix... BUT I really think I was not ready to quit.. the last try with Chantix, was the year my dad passed away, and 2 other very close friends... not a good time to quit! I am ready now.. I know I am! I cough every few minutes, get winded oh so quickly, and I hate paying the money that I am paying everyday for smokes.

So, if any of you have quit with this stuff... let me know!! I need a little bit of reassurance!!! :)

Dee

Za'atar Wed, Apr-20-11 11:14

I quit smoking 9 years ago and I smoked as long as you did. At 10 years, you can consider yourself a non-smoker, they say. I did not use Chantix (don't know what it is) but I did sign up for an experiment and was given an experimental drug (in a patch). The doctors said I should smoke as much as I wanted the first week, so I did. After 3 days, I threw my cigarettes away, and have not smoked ever since.

Now, I know you do not have any experimental drug. I will list some things that really-- and I mean, really helped.

I went to a book store and got the most truthful and graphic book on smoking cessation I could find. The book had nasty descriptions of death, and also good descriptions of what benefits there were from quitting. I kept this book on me and all times, and any time I felt an urge to smoke, I would read the book instead.

I burned incense in the house. It soothed me and also gave me an outlet to have some smoke in the house.

I took hot baths and drank a lot of water to try to sweat out, and pee out the nicotine.

I did not do anything stressful. No appointments, no errands, no work for the first 3 days (I took a vacation). Listen to soothing music. Basically, lock yourself in your room as though you have a cold.

I did not eat any vegetables of the night shade family.

I drank oat tea. (I know this is a low carb forum, but somehow oats are supposed to help.)

It takes you 3 days to quit. 3-5 days for your blood to circulate all the poison out. It will take another few months (sometimes more) to "cough up" all the gross accumulation of garbage in your lungs. You will be coughing up sticky grey/green stuff for a while-- this is good. You are getting better.

bonechew Mon, May-09-11 11:42

I quit in January. Here are some of the things that worked for me.

I posted the reasons why I was quitting on index cards and taped them to the bathroom mirror. I see them every time I wash my hands, brush my teeth, etc. I make sure I read them all every time. Now I scan them. It subconsciously reinforces why I was quitting.

Posted the amount of money I would save in a month, and a year, from not buying a pack on the back of my front door. Every time I went outside, I was reminded that I could work less now that I don’t have a habit to support. I could go guilt free shopping for clothes/shoes/fun with the money I saved this month from not smoking.

I didn’t pay any attention to diet while I quit. I didn’t pay attention to much of anything, except focusing on quitting. From experience, I know I have to focus on this and make it my purpose for living for a while.

If you have friends/family who smoke – don’t see them. Talk to them on the phone/send an email. When they light up, it’s a trigger.

Get out of the house, and go places were you can’t smoke. Start exercising a little each day – and see how it is to not wheeze and gasp for air as you move.

Stay active! Now is the time to tackle a major project at home. Do not sit bored in the evenings. Find a new hobby. As soon as you are done eating, get up and get back to work. You will find how much time was wasted by smoking!

Trim stress from your life. I used a 3 day weekend to quit. I learned to walk around the building to relax, to take a deep breath, and just wait 15 minutes once a craving hit before I acted on it.

The more times you quit, the more successful you will be. Each time you learn something, and it gets easier - so keep on quitting each day.

mainecyn Thu, May-26-11 17:06

I have known many people that used Chantix with great results. I quit over a 2 years ago, cold turkey. I couldn't afford the meds. I wish honestly that I had taken the meds as it seems to make it easier to cope, and withdraw isn't as bad. I am still struggling, a friend pointed it out, with eating. I find it difficult to occupy my hands and my mind. While i never gained a great deal of weight when i quit, i eat all the time now. I recommend the relaxation techniques that were mentioned. They help so much. I found myself walking in circles, waving my hands, taking a deep breath, trying to focus and be calm. It helped.

Patina Thu, Feb-23-12 09:27

I have....twice now!

I quit last January on Chantix and made it 6 months smoke free but then I managed to convince myself that an occasional smoke would be no big deal. I was wrong.

That one smoke in a weak moment became two then three and then...well, you get the idea.

So I went back on Chantix about 2 weeks ago. I smoked longer than the one week allowed when starting but as of 2/20 I am now smoke free.

Problem with Chantix is that it is definitely not for everyone. I do okay on it except it causes me insomnia problems but I take a mild sleep aid at night while I'm on it. Luckily I don't get any of the behavior changes that are possible while on this drug.

My goal is to get off Chantix after one more month so that I'll be on it for only 6 weeks. I took it much longer last year and I think that is way too long to be on it. I did have a bout of depression when I quit taking it last time around but I think part of that was because I'd been on it so long.

I like to think of Chantix as a short term tool to get me over the first month of quitting. It helps immensely to diminish my cravings and gives me time to break the old patterns.

My advice...pay attention to how you're feeling. If you're suddenly feeling depressed, anxious or generally angry, you can bet it's the Chantix. Also, a lot of people experience nausea with it and I do too if I take it on an empty stomach. So my morning dose is taken with 3 tablespoons of whipping cream..the fat seems to stem the nausea.

Good luck! Congrats on making the first steps to giving up smoking... I like being a non-smoker better than being a smoker so that too is another motivation for me.

Nancy LC Thu, Feb-23-12 10:11

My advice is, don't drink and be around smokers. Whenever I relapsed was usually when I went to a bar (when they allowed smoking in bars) and had a few drinks. Then I'd rationalize I could have one cigarette. Anyway, it almost never stopped at one.


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