Chantix is really expensive but it works...

[DanikShade]

After smoking for 34 years I've gone 5 days without smoking. I couldn't justify another $7.00 a day for a pack and I was breathing really hard going up stairs. After only 5 days smoke free I feel incredible. No wheezing, no shortness of breath, my sense of taste is waking up, and I can smell things again. There are some slightly weird but tolerable side effects but don't let that chase you off if you're considering trying Chantix. I'm really grateful to them, I tried everything else and I was out of options.

If you are a young kid and you started smoking because you thought it was hip and trendy you are a fucking moron. Put down the smokes, walk away, and never look back. You stink, your breath stinks, your clothes stink, and you look like an idiot. You do not look sexy and ironic with a cigarette hanging out of your mouth. There is no justification for smoking that makes sense, none. I wish someone had kicked me in the head when I first tried it and woke my dumb ass up. Not to mention the cost... 34 years X 365 = approx 12,000 packs at and average price of oh say $4.00 a pack = $48,000.00 gone. Wasted. Flicked in the street. I could've done a lot with $48K. How about you?

[MoufOfKhaos]

I never started.

You sound like a former addict that now detests people that were addicted to what he once was, btw. Not gonna help anyone quit if you approach it like that.

[G-Lexington]

It took you five days to become the insufferable ex-addict? Wow, that stuff works quick.

Lex

[DanikShade]

I offer myself up as a bad example and an insufferable prick who defended his right to smoke for decades. I'm no saint and never claimed to be. I don't even consider myself to be an ex-smoker yet. Maybe in a couple of years. I'm still trying to get the smell out of my car and clothes. The whole point of the thread was to hopefully inspire someone else to try Chantix and maybe have the same luck I did.

I fully respect your right to attack my character tho. Knock yourself out

[Beachguyj]

Good for you for trying to quit. How much is it and is it just one pill a day?

and yeah basically anyone you see smoking you can look at them and realize they did it to try to look cool, there is no other reason to start.

[G-Lexington]

Well, now you're offering yourself up as an insufferable prick who's telling people why they SHOULDN'T smoke. And just because I agree with the basic premise doesn't mean I think you're going about your proselytizing the right way.

Lex

[rareboy]

I'm struggling to understand how you could recover within 5 days, from all the damage that smoking has done including shortness of breath, no wheezing and sense of taste.

I only smoked for a decade and it took weeks for my lungs to clear and for my sense of taste and smell to recover.

But glad to hear that you found something that worked for you.

Now lighten up and be understanding when it comes to other people not being able to easily give up this addiction.

[DanikShade]

You may think what you like, Lex that is also your right.

The Chantix is $180 a bottle. You start out slow, half a pill a day and build up to 2 pills a day. It affects digestion and sleep a little lol that was the hard part. The quitting part is surprisingly smooth. You just sort of after a week realize they taste nasty and you're not getting anything out of it anyway. Sort of anticlimactic. One side benefit, I've always had acid reflux and the reflux has gone way down.

[Beachguyj]

As long as the pills are cheaper than smoking and help you quit it's worth it.

I have a former friend that smoked so much that he had to go outside for a smoke half way into a meal.

[DanikShade]

I'm struggling to understand how you could recover within 5 days, from all the damage that smoking has done including shortness of breath, no wheezing and sense of taste.

I only smoked for a decade and it took weeks for my lungs to clear and for my sense of taste and smell to recover.

But glad to hear that you found something that worked for you.

Now lighten up and be understanding when it comes to other people not being able to easily give up this addiction.

I'm no where near recovered. I still get short winded and I'm coughing up crap lol. I can take a deeper breath tho, and I don't feel like I should have EMT's with oxygen follow me when I walk the dogs.

My intention wasn't to be a heavy, it was to point out what a stupid choice it is to smoke. I wish to hell I'd never picked one up.

[Scealle]

Hope you will get this bad habit permanently off your life soon. Gratz for staying it off for almost a week. Have quite a number of friends and sadly a few family member who's being smoking for as long as I know them. Trying to make them stop various occasions but fail to do so.

[DanikShade]

@Danik: I wish my OH could use it, but he's a heart patient. Some heart patients who've taken Chantix have had heart attacks, so doctors will no longer prescribe it for them.

My Dad had similar issues. He did eventually quit using more conventional aides (patches, etc) but it was really hard for him. I am indeed a huge fan of Chantix. I never thought I'd ever be able to stop. I'm doing like the program says and trying to remove any and all traces of tobacco from the house and cars.

For those that mistook what I had hoped was a passionate appeal to try Chantix and stop smoking I withdraw my advice. Do whatever you want, I could really careless. I quit for me. Please continue to enjoy your favorite addiction in any manor you choose. It will affect me not at all

[DanikShade]

I've been taking it for about a month and a half now. I've only smoked for about three years, but I've noticed a difference too. I actually broke down and bought a pack a few days ago, but I'm taking the Champix again and am committed to trying to quit again. Good luck with your quit.

Ive tried it before a couple of times. I've tried to quit a lot of times and kept falling off the wagon. Whatever they put in the cigarettes, whatever the chemical cocktail is, it's the most addictive shit on earth. I have real sympathy, Stud I really do. Inever made it this long before so I'm really hoping I can do it this time. I hate smoking with a sweet passion.

[Telstra]

I'm struggling to understand how you could recover within 5 days, from all the damage that smoking has done including shortness of breath, no wheezing and sense of taste.

I only smoked for a decade and it took weeks for my lungs to clear and for my sense of taste and smell to recover.

But glad to hear that you found something that worked for you.

Now lighten up and be understanding when it comes to other people not being able to easily give up this addiction.

So smokers have a poor sense of taste and smell.
Interesting ...

I've never smoke before.

[refujiunderground]

trill talk, smoking is a tough habit to quit so it's not even worth starting. my father used to smoke cigs by the pack daily. he quit smoking 11 years ago. don't know how he did it or if he needed help but he quit. however, just because you quit smoking doesn't mean that your lungs aren't damaged or your chances for catching things like respiratory illnesses doesn't decrease.

i'm also concerned a bit myself being that i was around when he smoked where i caught some of the second hand smoke as a kid. they say that secondhand smokers are more likely to get ill than smokers so....

[JayHawk]

I have tried other methods.... the electro shock therapy was the one that gave me the biggest thrill up my leg....

Wish you luck quitting. Eventually you stop taking chantix DanikShade. The key thing to do is modify your behavior so you dont simply go back to smoking. Think about it if you have a habit you do 20 times a day times your 34 years then you have taught your body that reaction almost 300 thousand times. So it wont be easy to simply walk away. Just remember when you do get urges again that they pass within about 30 seconds... but it would be even better if you found other relaxing habits to pursue. Like instead of taking a ten minute smoke break, take ten minutes and do some deep breathing and concentrate on relaxing your muscles. Always have a pack of gum handy so you can satisfy that oral fixation you have trained yourself to associate with taking a break.

Good luck. Have you looked at online or other local support groups? They increase the likelihood you will stay quit by about 75%.

It is a horrible habit and you will always have critical folks especially on these boards. Ignore it and focus on you.

[swerve]

I'm THRILLED that it worked for you!!!

Unfortunately, for me, I cannot even TRY it...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) regulations for the medical qualification of interstate truck and bus drivers prohibit the use of prescribed substances or drugs that adversely affect the driver's ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves medications for use, and has recently issued a public health advisory on Chantix (Varenicline). FMCSA's rules defer to the physicians and health care professionals to determine driver medical fitness for duty, which includes when a medication has actual and potential side effects that could impact safe driving.

While we do not name any medications, such as Chantix, in FMCSA regulations, it appears that medical examiners should not certify a driver taking Chantix because the medication may adversely affect the driver's ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle.

We are committed to ensuring safety on America's highways and we will continue our ongoing effort to review all FMCSA medical standards, including prescription drugs.

Source: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/statement-5-23-08.htm

Thanks to an overbearing government...

[palbert]

Congratulations. I used Nicorette lozenges. There may be no virgin like a reformed whore but don't let the nattering nabobs of negativism get to you. They've got experience being sour.

[DanikShade]

JayHawk, that doesn't match my experience.

For me, the first three days were fire-and-brimstone hell. The next three weeks were easier but still hell. After three months, it was all downhill, and after six, it became downright easy.

Three years later, I very seldom have cravings.

But I do think every person's different.

That was exactly what so far has inspired me. I still wake up every morning and my first thought is a cigarette. I pour a cup of coffee and my first thought is a cigarette. I take the dogs out and immediately think of a cigarette. The Chantix has helped a lot with the physical cravings, but the brain still wants what the brain wants.

Incidentally Swerve, I gave up my CDL to do this. I had to take a really long hard look at what was important to me. Driving was my all time worst trigger. I'm a lowly Class C driver again. Someday I may challenge the test again but if I do I'll light up five min later. Lol to thine own self be true, right?

[JayHawk]

JayHawk, that doesn't match my experience.

For me, the first three days were fire-and-brimstone hell. The next three weeks were easier but still hell. After three months, it was all downhill, and after six, it became downright easy.

Three years later, I very seldom have cravings.

But I do think every person's different.

I am working through a clinic support group now... those are just stats they cite from being the Heart association but I have no idea where they get em from. You are correct though everyone is different. Every quit smoker I have talked to tells me they still have a desire occasionally it is good you have never craved them again.

[ozguy]

.....I couldn't justify another $7.00 a day for a pack

Is that all they cost over there? Sheesh .... a packet of fags here will set you back $10 - $12. Very glad I gave them away over 10 years ago!

[DanikShade]

Buy them in the casinos and they go up to $9.00 a pack. Its all taxes. If you take the taxes off their like $1.50 a pack.

[gsdx]

I quit smoking after 40 years and it didn't cost me a penny. I'd tried 'the Patch', I tried weaning myself off them, but I always failed. I think I failed because I wanted to quit smoking because it was so expensive. The problem was that I still wanted to smoke. I was doomed to failure from the first attempt.

When I quit a few years ago, it was because I didn't want to smoke anymore. I still had cravings, and I still do on occasion, but it was my new mindset which allowed me to quit cold turkey and never want go back.

[DanikShade]

I quit smoking after 40 years and it didn't cost me a penny. I'd tried 'the Patch', I tried weaning myself off them, but I always failed. I think I failed because I wanted to quit smoking because it was so expensive. The problem was that I still wanted to smoke. I was doomed to failure from the first attempt.

When I quit a few years ago, it was because I didn't want to smoke anymore. I still had cravings, and I still do on occasion, but it was my new mindset which allowed me to quit cold turkey and never want go back.

I quit because my chest hurt now and then, not like a heart attack, more like just a muscle ache. I went to the Dr and had a stress test, etc. He told me that everything was ok and my heart was just fine for a fat smoker but that wouldn't last long. Scared me enough to decide it was really time this time. No more BS, no more excuses, just live or not live. So I actually think I might have a chance this time. It actually scared me.

[cgymike]

Well, I've heard bad things about it in terms of the known possible side effects but for some I guess it works. Now the challenge is to keep off the smokes for the rest of your life. One day at a time as they say. For me, I pretty much quit cold turkey and it was miserable with the cravings but after a few months they even went away. Yeah it takes a while. Like you say it's expensive and if nothing else just focus on the money you are saving in the long run. 48 K over 34 years invested in even a crappy stock market would be even more of course. How long will you need to take the Chantix? Smoking is just a bad deal "you pay now and you pay later (in medical costs)"... Hopefully any damage done can be reversed...