Weight loss and quitting smoking.... Chantex advice!!

mltdown
mltdown Posts: 311 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Ahhhhhhhhh I went two days without smoking and I wanted to punch someone in the throat! I get sick on the patches and stuff so the only opition was cold turkey, well on my way home from work all I could think about was what I wanted to stuff my face with! So I stopped and got a pack of smokes instead I know I know I'm healthcare I know it's terrible for me but I don't want to gain the weight I worked soooooo hard to take off, I guess it was damned if I do damned if I don't. Has anyone tried chantex and had good results? Because I've seen alot of people attempt suicide while on it and I'm scared to even try it, but here I am smoking while I type this... I'm at my witts end!!! Help!! :(

Replies

  • razord
    razord Posts: 1
    I've heard so much bad stuff about Chantex - Lots of reports say it literally makes you crazy, and is worse when you stop taking it.

    Even reports that Mel Gibson was taking it throughout all the crazy phone recordings.. Be very careful, and good luck!
  • bassetthree
    bassetthree Posts: 143 Member
    Both my husband and I quit smoking - both of us for over 20 years using Chantix. Side effects are different for everyone. Each of us did very well on it with few side effects and none that were extreme. Chantix was a miracle for us. I had slight nausea the first few days but a little belly ache is way better than emphysema I always say. My husband said he had slight feelings of aggitation but who doesnt when they are trying to quit. All you can do is try to see if it works for you. Congrats on your weight loss and congrats for wanting to try to quit!! YOU CAN DO IT!!
  • karlenasmith
    karlenasmith Posts: 19
    I was 21 the first time I quit smoking. Quit for 2 1/2 years and started again and smoked for a year and quit again for>>>>you guessed it! another 2 1/2 years. Smoked for a year, and quit again. This time I used Zyban, which was the easiest quit I ever had. Each time I quit I put on 25 lbs, when I lost it I would start smoking again. The last time I quit, I told myself I didnt care how much weight I gained, I would never smoke again. This I do not recommend, I put on 60 lbs and have struggled ever since with my weight. It took me 3 years to quit wanting to smoke and every once in awhile, when I've had too much to drink, I will take a puff. All it does is remind me how grateful I am that I do not smoke anymore. Not sure if this is relevant, as far as helping you with your struggle, it is just my story. IF you are serious about quiting, try the Zyban, or some other prescribed drug, as long as you continue to excercise and practice good eating habits you should be fine. Good Luck!!!!!
  • ambrewer07
    ambrewer07 Posts: 6
    I have known many people who have taken it and successfully quit smoking or chewing tobacco with only minimal side effects (weird dreams, increased irritability, nausea), if you have an underlying psych disorder I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist first, if you don't have an underlying psych disorder you can always try it out, keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings, stay on the 0.5 the whole time, don't go up to 1mg, and have a trusted friend be there to call you on your bs if you start acting weird.
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    Today is 17 days Cold Turkey For me, After the tenth day it gets really easy. I pretty much threw away all my ashtrays and lighters, Detailed my car( So I would think twice before smoking in it) and avoided people that smoke for a little. Since I quit 2 of my friends decided to quit as well you have lost so much weight so I know you can do this.....Believe me you will feel so much better, Good Luck!!!!!! Oh and I heard Chantex was horrible for you.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    My father quit smoking with Chantex.. he has been smoking since he is 12. He does say you get some intense dreams, but it worked for him and his brother.

    Good Luck quitting.. you can do it!
  • mltdown
    mltdown Posts: 311 Member
    Today is 17 days Cold Turkey For me, After the tenth day it gets really easy. I pretty much threw away all my ashtrays and lighters, Detailed my car( So I would think twice before smoking in it) and avoided people that smoke for a little. Since I quit 2 of my friends decided to quit as well you have lost so much weight so I know you can do this.....Believe me you will feel so much better, Good Luck!!!!!! Oh and I heard Chantex was horrible for you.
    I know I've heard so many bad things about it which Is why I don't want to use it. I quit smoking after my second son was born and yes he was born with ashma and I blame myself everyday because I smoked during I bawl my face out everytime he has an ashma attack and I will feel guilty the rest of my life, but when I quit I litterally gained 60 lbs in 3 months. I think I will try cold turkey once more and if it doesn't work I will see a doctor thanks everyone for your helpful responses :)
  • ouryear002
    ouryear002 Posts: 325 Member
    I quit by using Chantix. 9 months now! Yay! It was a miracle pill for me. No side effects except vivid dreams, which I enjoyed. :smile: The Chantix elimitated the physical need to smoke, so I could concentrate on the habit part. I only took it for a month, becasue I just didn't feel like I needed a refill. I still think about smoking now and then, but it is amazing to remember how I planned my activities around when I would smoke and now it isn't a factor at all. Cigs still smell divine, though! I was hoping to find the smell nasty after I quit, but no dice!
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    chantex (or champix as we call it here) is good but has really bad side effects for some. if u cant have patches, there's nasal spray, lozenges, gums or inhalators. there'll be something out there to help u stop. good luck, u can do it. plus you could also put aside a jar and put in it all the money you spend on *kitten*. and see how much u save in a month and once its accumulated enough treat yourself to something nice :)
  • Jag13760
    Jag13760 Posts: 23 Member
    I quit in Oct using Chantix. Took it for 6 weeks, then just stopped. I did smoke for an extra week when I started as I just was not ready to give them up, but once I did, I never looked back. I didn't have any side affects.
  • mollyt37
    mollyt37 Posts: 9 Member
    I used Chantex and so did my husband. He quit a year before I did and he has been smoke free for 3 years now. He did have some vivid dreams but neither of us wanted to kill ourselves or others. I can tell you I highly recommend it. I smoked for 33 years, 2 packs or more a day. I will also tell you this, I gained alot of weight when I quit but I also went through menopause at the same time so I know that had something to do with it also. My advice is to give it a try and if you have side effects, call your doctor. If you have ever seen someone die of lung cancer the better option is to quit. Good luck!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    A good friend of mine had such wonderful results with Chantix that she wrote them about her experience and was asked to be a spokesperson! I think that fell through, but she's been smoke-free for years and has helped other friends quit, too.
  • kioga86
    kioga86 Posts: 126 Member
    I've been smoke free since the end of June, and Chantix was my silver bullet! I kept smoking through the period they said to, and even after that as I had bought a carton, and I was going to finish all those cigarettes, not waste them! By the time I smoked my last cigarette, I was sick of the things!

    I did have some issues with irritability, but nothing too major. Talk to your doctor, and have a conversation about your medical history. If you have issues with the patch or gum (I ended up in the CCU with the patch, no fun), then maybe medications are going to be the answer for you.

    Good luck!
  • adhillman01
    adhillman01 Posts: 206
    I am in pharmacy school right now and we have talked about Chantix several times now. It has the highest quit rate of any medication out there. It is also has a good safety profile attached to it. There has been some problems with depression, but should be OK without any underlying depression problems. If you have a history of depression Zyban (generic is Buproprion) is the way to go. It is used as an antidepressant as well and also has a higher quit rate than going it cold turkey. I quit about three years ago using Zyban and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
  • jonye71
    jonye71 Posts: 7
    Hi there
    I quit last Oct using Champix as we call it in the UK. I started them the 19th Oct, stopped smoking 24th Oct after a 20 a day habit for 20 years, took my last tablet on the 31st Oct as i just did not feel right, i have not smoked now for 3 months and i will say that even though Champix made me feel weird almost drunk at times they did what they were meant to do. I also changed my habit and got a hobby. I never put on any extra weight since i quit as i did not substitute eating for smoking.
    Good luck
  • kmjenkins
    kmjenkins Posts: 396 Member
    I am on week 2 of Chantix and have been succesful. The first week you continue to smoke, but I gradually went down to where on the very last day of week 1 I only had 4 cigarettes (as opposed to my usual pack a day!). I have had no side effects so far at all, not even the dreams which are the most common. I have smoked for 10 years and can honestly say that I have not had a nicotine "craving" since about day 4 of being on Chantix, it is the habit now that is the toughest part for me to break. I think Chantix varies from person to person, I was very hesitant to go get the prescription, so I pulled all of the prescribing information and read it and made my up my mind that I would get the prescription. I had a long talk with my doctor about his experience (he has prescribed it to almost every patient he has that smokes, about 80% have actually gotten the prescription filled and succesfully quit smoking and he has not had one call about side effects other than the most common three, vivid dreams, nausea and irritability). I know I'm only two weeks in, but it has been a very good experience for me so far and I am on the full dose.

    Good luck
    ~Kelly
  • JeanHaynes
    JeanHaynes Posts: 55 Member
    I quit smoking using Chantix a little over 3 years ago. I took it for a month and that was just enough to help me kick the habit for good. The only side effect I had was slightly upset stomach. It was completely worth taking.
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