Hi Everyone,

 

I just started my last packet of champix and am planning to wean off as I get near the end just to be safe. I’m wondering for those who did this also, was there a specific day you started to wean or a specific schedule you would recommend?  Also was wondering if anyone went longer than 12 weeks? My doctor prescribed me another 12 weeks in case I needed it but I’d really prefer to not take the drug longer than needed. 

 

Any advice is appreciated!

 

 

I hated it and quit it after a few weeks. But that quit failed. Cold turkey five and half years now. I know it will be better once you get off everything nuts it's better than NRT 

I think Chantix (Champix) is absolute miracle drugs.  I had zero effect after taking my last pill after 12 weeks.  None.  Not just this round, but the previous 2 times I quit using it ?

 

i know now that some people do, but all reports still make it pale in comparison to cold turkey or weaning off of NRT. 

 

I’ll be curious to hear how it goes for you. 

For what it's worth, my experience: I stayed on the Chantix for 3 1/2 months. I weaned off the med my last 3 weeks, taking half dosages. I agree that weaning down the dosage is the way to do it.

 

But it was hard for me, being off the Chantix when I finished. My months 4 and 5 it was MUCH harder for me to be disciplined than the first 3 months while on the med. (I agree with Barry, I think Chantix is a miracle drug for quitting, and I don't think I could have done it without the stuff.)

 

So I would say, if you feel strong and confident in your quit then go ahead and wean down and quit the med. But if there's any doubt for you then I would stay on it another 3 months (assuming you have no complicating side effects). Better safe than sorry, it seems to me. It's still early in your quit, you have plenty of time to get off the Chantix.

 

Either way I know you can be successful Roopy. Let us know how it goes.....

Hi Roopy,

 

I used Chantix for more than 3 months, although the last weeks not the full dose. One a day, or every other day.

After that when the stress levels were too high I sometimes took half a pill.

So I weaned off very slowly and listened to my heart. But hey that’s me. If you think you need Chantix a little longer, please do.

As long as your quit stays in tact.

 

Good luck!

 

Dutchess

7 hours ago, barry said:

I think Chantix (Champix) is absolute miracle drugs.  I had zero effect after taking my last pill after 12 weeks.  None.  Not just this round, but the previous 2 times I quit using it ?

 

i know now that some people do, but all reports still make it pale in comparison to cold turkey or weaning off of NRT. 

 

I’ll be curious to hear how it goes for you. 

 

What he said.    I had zero effects after stopping.

Good job Roopy. I quit Champix cold turkey when the weekend the old board went down. 

I felt a little loopy (more than usual) for three or four days.  I also remember a couple (like two) cravings that seemed a little out of the ordinary. 

Aside from that it was all good. 

 

R

Thanks so much everyone for your advice! I will keep everyone posted. I’ve been one of the lucky ones in terms of side effects so I’m hoping that I will be lucky when stopping too! I’m just eager to be off of it because I remember nothing when I drink. I don’t drink too often and don’t go overboard but it seems to happen anyway and it creeps me out. But all in all the drug has made things so much easier!

How goes it @Roopy?  Off the Champix?  

On 2018-03-26 at 3:19 PM, barry said:

How goes it @Roopy?  Off the Champix?  

Sorry for the late reply! I had a houseguest this week so hadn’t been online much. I am still on the champix, I had just started the third month when I wrote the OP. I am going to start weaning next week just to be safe. Thank you so much for checking in!

Hi everyone,

 

So I’ve been weaning off champix and am becoming pretty concerned over my memory loss. I’m having a hard time keeping focus when telling a story and often forget what I was saying. I forgot to to turn the tap off after washing my hands yesterday and today I asked my husband to help me find something in the fridge  (I’ll admit it... it was cheez whiz) and not only had I already taken it out but I had already opened it. This would have happened seconds before I discovered it and I have no memory of it at all. Does anyone have a similar experience? It’s really embarrassing and I’m thinking maybe I should just stop all together. 

 

Still smoke free, no concerns there.

 

Thanks for your help!

Can't comment on the weaning side effects since it was so long ago when I tried to use it to quit that I don't remember....as a late to the game response and an fyi, my doctor recommended I take it for a year to get it under my belt and get through all seasonal craves (she said she saw the highest success rate that way)...no way I could have afforded that and I had to quit quickly because of an allergic reaction...those are some interesting side effects...I might check in with my doctor to make sure it is that, then again, the timing is pretty coincidental for it to not be from chantex cessation...good luck ,?

Hey Roopy,

 

How are things going? Did you get off the Champix?? and once you were off did your memory come back?

I hope it goes well for you. I didn’t use champix. I used NRT for a lot longer than prescribed. I’d have preferred to not have used it at all but it did help to get me over the line. Look after your quit no matter what you decide. 

If I remember right, I put down the smokes on the 8th day of Chantix . I stuck to the msg board like glue. I took it for 2 months...only one pill at night, couldn’t do the the morning pill. It upset my belly, even with food. Then I just started to forget the night pill. But by then I had a good grip on my quit. 

 

I wish you the best. Talk to your doc and listen to your body. But at all cost, do not smoke. Don’t even be around it. 

Has anyone had bad side effects from taking chanting?and also

anyine use it when they’ve had cardiac issues?

Hi @Marilou Welcome!  I was on Chantix the first time I quit smoking and the worst side effect that I had was nausea in the morning which lasted about a half hour. I also had vivid dreams but those didn't bother me.  I thought they took Chantix off the market?  Speak with your doctor as he/she can advise you much better.  Good luck with your quitting journey, hope to see you around! 🙂

I agree , 

Any concerns you may have maybe see your doctor 

We are not qualified to talk about Cardiac 

issues 🐸

 

Hi @Marilou,

 

Im going to preface this by saying my side effects were very rare and include the experiences of others is know, let's call the Friends 1, 2 & 3.

 

F1. Minimal side effects, mainly crazy dreams, quit lasted 8 months, 10 years later still smoking.

 

F2. Felt a bit depressed, still not smoking 10 years later.

 

F3. No real side effects after first 4 weeks, which was nausea. Just hit 8 years.

 

Me, I got a dvt which became a pulmonary embolism. This is am extreme and very rare side effect. I Walked out of hospital and bought a pack and smoked for another 4 years.

 

Most people i know have had mild or no side effects.

I smoked for 40 years & had never really tried to stop, but as I was getting older & becoming more health conscious I thought I really need to try & give up the cigarettes. I started with the champix, set my date & off I went, almost 6 years later I am a non smoker & even detest the smell of it. I had no side effects what so ever, I love not being a slave to smoking anymore.

15 minutes ago, podarki said:

I smoked for 40 years & had never really tried to stop, but as I was getting older & becoming more health conscious I thought I really need to try & give up the cigarettes. I started with the champix, set my date & off I went, almost 6 years later I am a non smoker & even detest the smell of it. I had no side effects what so ever, I love not being a slave to smoking anymore.

I'm glad you had success with it. I got really sick on Chantix. Couldn't tolerate its side effects. My dreams were crazy! Patches worked in the past, I'll stick with them. Wishing you well! 😄

9 hours ago, podarki said:

I smoked for 40 years & had never really tried to stop, but as I was getting older & becoming more health conscious I thought I really need to try & give up the cigarettes. I started with the champix, set my date & off I went, almost 6 years later I am a non smoker & even detest the smell of it. I had no side effects what so ever, I love not being a slave to smoking anymore.

Congrats on being nicotine free for 6 years @podarki and I fully agree with you that being free from the slavery to nicotine addiction is really nice in fact, it turned out to be the best part of quitting in the end and was not siomething I'd even thought about when I first started out to quit.

That's great @podarki 😄 Six years is a big accomplishment!!

6 years is awesome! I also value not being a slave to nicotine any longer.

Gday

The main side effect of champix is becoming nicotine free. Lasts after the champix is free of your system too……