Anxiety, Depression - Smoking Cessation Message Board

Memaw649 · 02-26-2007, 11:02 PM

Andrea,
Welcome!
Are you almost through with the first month? Or are you almost through with the white pills? When is your quit date?
Unfortunately depression is a symptom of nicotine withdrawal. It shouldn't last more than a week or two. The Chantix helps with the withdrawal but you have to work on the "habit" part. You know, like when you have your coffee or when you talk on the phone, or when you get in the car. Or whatever triggers you have that make you want to light up. Be aware of them and change your routine if possible. Keep some fruit or hard candy (sugarfree) or cinnamon sticks handy for when the cravings hit. I ate sunflower and pumpkin seeds like crazy. Also peanuts, but not so often. I used them for the "breaks" I took.
Good Luck to you!!

Trish,
Girl you're doing good!!! Keep it up. I think I've talked to one person who was on the Chantix longer than the 12 weeks. They just felt they needed it. My doctor told me he would give me another month supply if I felt like I needed it. But he wanted me to stop after the 12 week course and see how I did before he did that. I had no trouble whatsoever. I've told you how I tapered off the Chantix. That's all I did. I probably didn't even need to do that. But I have a hard time coming off meds a lot of the time. I know you and True Brit are worried about what is going to happen when you stop taking the Chantix. Don't.! There is nothing to worry about. You don't start craving cigarettes again. You are no more tempted to smoke than when you were taking the Chantix. You still have "thoughts" of smoking, but they are still controllable. It's amazing to me.

Memaw

Memaw649 · 02-26-2007, 11:32 PM

Welcome Rhonda,
I'm so glad you could join us here. Congratulations on your decision to become a non smoker!! Wonderful decision. I'm so glad the side effects aren't very bad for you. Most people can tolerate them pretty well. You are gonna find some wonderful people here! Now just remember Smoking is no longer an option. And no more puffs off someone else's cigarette. I know I can never take one puff. If I do, I'll be back smoking 1 to 2 packs a day again. This is not an addiction you can take or leave. You have got to leave the alone for good!! Good Luck to you!!

True Brit,
You have done so good in your quit!! Your positive attitude had a lot to do with it. Congratulations on 9 weeks!! Wonderful!!
When you get ready to start tapering off the Chantix, go to the pharmacy and buy a pill splitter. They don't cost much. Makes cutting the pills a breeze.
Life after Chantix is wonderful!! Thanks for inspiring us all.

Kevin,
Hey man! You rock!! 4 weeks without that ole nasty smelling cigarette is wonderful!! You are doing such a good job of inspiring others here.
Congratulations!!

You know, ya'll are all doing so well in your quit. I love the way you encourage each other and cheer each other on. Ya'll are a terrific group!! I'm so proud that ya'll let me be a part of this.

Memaw

True Brit · 02-27-2007, 01:45 AM

Trish M&M
14 days today

If you feel this good at 14 days be prepared to feel even better. We'll have to nail your feet to the floor soon. It's not only feeling more energetic that's so great but also how quickly you recover after exersise. I now cycle at least 10 miles 3 times per week in hilly country. Sadly being a non smoker does not prevent saddle soreness

Travellor Florida
It's so great that you stick around to support us all. I aim to take my last Chantix (or half Chantix) 26th March. Will keep you all updated.
I may be the only person alive who quit smoking on the first days of meds as it made me feel too sick to smoke. After that the nausea went away. I only took one of the white tabs, quit, and then went straight onto the blue tabs for extra support. Plan to use remaining white tabs in 3 weeks time.

Memaw
Thanks for the tip about pill splitters Memaw. Brilliant idea. Hope they exist here in the UK. Nice to see you back

Nosmo King · 02-27-2007, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by True Brit

Hi All
Don't worry!! I will keep you all informed every inch of the way re reducing Chantix. I am not worried about cravings because if they get too bad it will be possible to increase the dose again for a while. My real worry is getting the waves of depression that I experienced the day I forgot to take [CENTER]my pm Chantix. That's what happened in the past trying to get off nicotine replacement. I might try to saw off 25% of the tabs to start with, then 50%, then 75%. [CENTER]As regards continuing for 24 weeks I think it would be a last resort as finishing Chantix will, I hope, be like finally being free to forget all about cigs and related subjects and getting on with life as a non smoker.[/

Don't forget all recent quitters, feeling tired and down in the dumps are normal symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and should improve slowly over a couple of weeks. Whatever, you don't need to suffer alone. There are plenty
of symathetic shoulders to cry on here and we really do know just how you feel.

True Brit,
In your last post you said you were going to begin reducing your dosage and also mentioned problems when you forgot to take a dose. In 47 days, I forgot only two doses. Both in the pm and neither caused a problem. I will start my third month (actually ninth week I guess) Wed 2/28 and plan to cut out the pm dose for at least four weeks and see what happens. If it creates a problem I will probably go back to the normal twice a day for a bit longer.

Please let me know how your schedule of cutting back goes and I will do the same. By the way when do you start cutting back? If you will, please post your reply to "Chantix: What comes next." Thanks.

Nosmo King

Trish M&M · 02-27-2007, 04:31 PM

Hi All: First of all, does anyone know what happened to our other Board....I went to it and it was marked "closed". I don't understand.

Thank all of you for the positive reinforcement. I wanna tell you this: in mid January, I fell off a desk and cracked a rib. I'm an avid exerciser (Body Pump and Body Step 5 to 6 times a week.) Because of the injury, I've been away from exercise for 6 weeks. Went back on Sunday (Body Pump) for the first time and did another Body Pump on Monday. Today I did Body Step. As dumb as I know this is, the first thing I always did after exercise was to light up a cigarette. (How dumb was that?!?) Anyway, after Sunday' and Monday's Body Pump, no problem with no smoking. However, after Body Step this afternoon, I wanted --CRAVED -- a cigarette more than I have since having quit....and it's been 2 weeks. Even during the class, I was missing not being able to smoke on the way home. I have absolutely NO idea why I wanted to smoke so badly. I didn't, of course, and wouldn't have even if I had one. And I'm in a really bad mood now because of it. It's just inexplicable....to me, anyway. Do any of you have any thoughts about why today had such an effect on me?

Meemaw: It's so good to see you back!! -- I missed ya. Someone said you'd had a death in your family. I'm sorry.

Thanks for listening!