Chantix and withdrawal symptoms

I have been on Chantix for about 1 1/2 months. I loved to smoke. Absolutely LOVED to smoke. I smoked about a pack and a half a day. It took me longer to give it up completely than it does most people on Chantix, but I haven't had a cigarette in about 2 1/2 weeks and I don't feel a need to have one. I just cut out different habits and eventually I didn't use it as a crutch. It was hard for me to give up the cigarette before work and the one after. I think it was more fear that I would hurt someone than anything else. I have dreams. They're not nightmares. They don't ever bother me actually. They're just a little off the wall and really detailed. I have had a few anxiety attacks ( I have an anxiety disorder), but only when something bad happened. I also seemed to feel like I had been asleep for a really long time when I'd wake up in the middle of the night and freak out thinking it was like 10 am when it was only maybe 2 am. I would definetly reccomend Chantix though, it has helped me tremendously ... I don't think I would have been able to quit without it. I've tried the patch and everything and still smoked while on every thing else I have tried. It's definetly worth the side effects in the long run! :-D

What is the cost of Chantix?

156.00 without insurance 53.00 with insurance

I am on my 12th day using Chantix. I have the urge for a smoke ever minute of the day. I am depressed over quitting. I feel like I've lost a friend. I enjoy smoking and I really miss it. Did anyone else have these feelings? I think people don't realize there is a psychological effect as well as a physical effect to smoking. I'm thinking about quitting the Chantix so I can have my "friend" back. :'(

I used Chantix once and it did start to work but I had to stop using it. I was freakin having the worst nightmares. Some serious side effects. There is another product out there that works like chantix but you dont get those side ffects. And it does work because I have quit now and have been a non smoke for 6 months. Its called Zivantix. This costs way less and you dont need a prescription to get it.

I'm a 40 year old female who smoked 2 packs a day. Quitting while on Chantix did make it easier, as I have tried other methods before. During the 1st week while taking it and still smoking as directed I became extremely irritable in the 2nd or 3rd day, which lasted about a week. I'm guessing at this point I was going through nicotine withdrawals, even though I was still smoking. I found myself smoking more because I could not get the satisfaction from the cigarettes, so I kept lighting up. When it did come time to finally stop, I found it was a little easier then expected. I don't understand how some can say they didn't have the urge to smoke, because I was still constantly having urges. I even cheated a few times in the first week, but I continued the process and I finally stopped cheating. It's been over a month and I still have urges. they do not completely go away. The only side effects I had were: more dreaming then usual (nothing bad, just a lot of dreaming), constipation and gas. I did experience a lot of nausea once, however it was because I didn't take it on a full stomach and it made me feel really sick. Normally, I always took chantix exactly as prescribed with a full stomach and lots of water. The constipation and gas was the worst of it all. I always felt really bloated and sometimes experienced pains. I usually got pains if I went out and had a nice meal for dinner. With being already bloated and a nice meal on top of it, I would walk out of a restaurant like I was going to pop. And unfortunatly, I couldn't pop. As much as I wanted and needed to go to the bathroom, I couldn't. After a month and a 1/2 I finally stopped taking it. I found myself forgetting to take it and I was so tired of the bloating feeling, I just stopped taking it entirely. I'm still smoke free, it's just a matter of willpower now just as it's always been.

Some don't realize how difficult it can be for someone to quit. I totally relied on cigarettes as a crutch. They soothed my nerves, they calmed me down when I was upset or stressed and they tasted great to me. It is a feeling and taste I will always miss. If your someone like me then I would recommend Chantix. You have to really want to quit though, if you don't really want too, you wont be successful. Also be careful of the more serious side effects that could occur. I was warned by people who knew of others that had bad side effects and they scared me to death. I took a chance and I"m glad I did.

I feel your description is very accurate to my experiences also with Chantix. It's funny you mentioned the sleeping comment.. how you felt like you had been a sleep for longer then you really was. I too felt like that but forgot about it until you said something.

Congrats on quitting.

I took Chantix as directed 1 week while smoking then up the dose and quit.  Haven't smoked in 50 days.  Side effects are minimal.  Not sure if the lethargy I'm overwhelmed with is related to the chantix or the quiting, but I am going to stop the chantix.  I am curious why people stay on it for 3,4,9 months, maybe I'll find out. 

  

I have tried to quit with chantix 3 times.  I am currently on my fourth time (no cigs for over 3 weeks now).   I always start smoking again after using chantix.   I think I go through chantix withdrawl and start smoking again.   This time I am going to wean myself off chantix - not go cold turkey like the other times.  I also have a better mind set this time.  I am sick of smoking and paying for cigs.   It will work this time.

 

this is completely wrong! Chantix contains NO nicotine. were you just talking out of your ass? Check your facts!

     I just started my second week of Chantix and today is my quit date. The first week didn't have too much effect on my desire to smoke, other than making the cigarettes taste bad. The biggest problem I've had so far has been getting used to eating breakfast. I've noticed that several people on here and various other sites say they get nausea and whatnot when they take Chantix. If you read the instructions, it tells you to take it with food, and a full 8oz glass of water. I had nausea once, and that was because I took it too soon into my breakfast and didn't have enough food in my stomach yet. Otherwise, no nausea other than that once.

     Having to eat breakfast however, is driving me crazy. I know it's a healthy thing to do, but I hate starting my day out feeling full. I usually only eat one meal a day, so this is taking alot of getting used to. But I'd rather feel full than nauseated from taking the Chantix without the food. The only other real sypmtom I've had is feeling tired. I find myself going to bed earlier, or taking naps, and waking up later than I usually do on my days off. The dreams have just started, and they're fairly mild. I normally don't remember my dreams, so it's kind of nice being able to remember them from time to time now, but certainly nothing amazing about it or scary or anything. No interrupted sleep, no depression, no urge to scream or yell at anyone yet...but then again, today is my quit day, and my first day without cigarettes in 26 years. All in all, even though it's still early in the day, I'm doing alright and think I will probably continue to do alright.

Good luck to you, and I hope if you decide to use it, that Chantix works for you. Just remember to actually follow the directions, it makes a difference and that's why they have them. No where in the packaging or instructions does it say to continue smoking after your quit date...so I don't understand personally why someone would keep taking it if they didn't quit on their quit date....but that's just me. Like I said, good luck to you.

I too have recently fallen off the wagon. 2 pack min a day smoker for 18 years and quit for 2.5 yrs on chantix. My question is....can you start over with thhe 2nd months supply but only take half in the morn and half in the eve? I already have the 2nd month and would hate to have to purchase month one if I can use month 2 instead.

My dad had the same reaction to this medication...... I am not saying that no one should take it- but be warned that it doesn't work for everyone.

Yes. You can split the pills to lower your dosage. I've done that to eliminate the nausea and it works fine.

I just started my eighth week of Chantix, and I haven't smoked since before I was finished with my second. I have NEVER HAD ANY WILLPOWER when it comes to smoking! That's the beauty of this drug. It takes the willpower right out of the equation. I still think about it a good bit, but the thought vanishes once I remind myself that it's pointless. I'll continue taking it until those thoughts no longer come up to begin with, and they're getting less and less common. I smoked a pack a day or more for 15 years, previously. Now, I can drink a twelve pack of beer on the weekend at the bar with my friends and still not even worry about a smoke. As above, it's obviously not for everyone. The warnings are there for a reason, and if you experience any of those side effects, stop taking it and talk to your doctor, as the commercials always (and rightly) say. As for the dreams? The dreams... I LOVE the dreams. I'll miss my Chantix dreams more than I'll ever miss smoking, I think. They're fun.