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Chantix?

SanDar

By SanDar
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SanDar Newbie

SanDar

Posted
Posted

For anyone that's used Chantix. 

How long did you continue to take it after you had quit? 

Did you taper the dosage down or just quit taking it?

I have tapered my dose down to .5 mg (1/2 pill) per day for the past week and just really want to be done with it.

The only answer my Dr (actually PA) had is that they don't recommend taking it longer than 6 months.

I swear, even pulmonary doctors are clueless when it comes to quitting smoking. 

You would think that they would be more informed, since they are dealing with people's LUNGS?  :unsure:

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Chrysalis Newbie

Chrysalis

Posted
Posted

I agree. I have never had a doctor who seemed to know the first thing about quitting smoking or how to properly use quit smoking aids. Really aggravating! But, happily, you have us! 

 

I used Chantix for 3 weeks before I quit and 3 weeks after. I had intended to stay on Chantix longer but I got tired of the side effects (vivid, sleep-disturbing dreams and mild depression) so I stopped Chantix early. I tapered down slowly over the course of a week or 10 days and then quit. Once I stopped entirely, I had some pretty bad withdrawal symptoms for 2 or 3 days and then I was done.

 

Several months later I had something happen in my life that really upset me. I was afraid that I was going to relapse so I took 1/2 Chantix (i.e., I took 1 mg) once a day for a week. I got my emotions under control and stopped the Chantix after about a week (no taper this time) and I was fine. 

 

I hope this helps you.

  • Like 1
SanDar Newbie

SanDar

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I agree. I have never had a doctor who seemed to know the first thing about quitting smoking or how to properly use quit smoking aids. Really aggravating! But, happily, you have us! 

 

I used Chantix for 3 weeks before I quit and 3 weeks after. I had intended to stay on Chantix longer but I got tired of the side effects (vivid, sleep-disturbing dreams and mild depression) so I stopped Chantix early. I tapered down slowly over the course of a week or 10 days and then quit. Once I stopped entirely, I had some pretty bad withdrawal symptoms for 2 or 3 days and then I was done.

 

Several months later I had something happen in my life that really upset me. I was afraid that I was going to relapse so I took 1/2 Chantix (i.e., I took 1 mg) once a day for a week. I got my emotions under control and stopped the Chantix after about a week (no taper this time) and I was fine. 

 

I hope this helps you.

Thanks Chrys

I do think I had a few more smoking "thoughts" this week than at any other time and was thinking it was due to cutting down the Chantix. 

Nancy Mentor

Nancy

Posted
Posted

Sandy, I stayed on the Chantix for a little over 3 months.  It seems like as with everything else...everybody is different.  Your few more smoking thoughts this week might be because of cutting down your dosage, or it might be because you were anticipating it and thinking about it.  Why not take 1/2 a pill for another week, and then quit?  You can save some so you feel like you have a safety net.  You are doing great!!

  • Like 1
SanDar Newbie

SanDar

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sandy, I stayed on the Chantix for a little over 3 months.  It seems like as with everything else...everybody is different.  Your few more smoking thoughts this week might be because of cutting down your dosage, or it might be because you were anticipating it and thinking about it.  Why not take 1/2 a pill for another week, and then quit?  You can save some so you feel like you have a safety net.  You are doing great!!

I'm not really noticing any side effects from the Chantix, so another week surely won't make a difference. I do have extra left over, for as you said, "safety net". And who knows, the smoking thoughts just very well could be self induced, lol.  So guess I'll just hang in here on this dose for a while longer. 

I'm feeling great with this quit, no need to take chances :)

Nancy Mentor

Nancy

Posted
Posted

I'm not really noticing any side effects from the Chantix, so another week surely won't make a difference. I do have extra left over, for as you said, "safety net". And who knows, the smoking thoughts just very well could be self induced, lol.  So guess I'll just hang in here on this dose for a while longer. 

I'm feeling great with this quit, no need to take chances :)

My thoughts, exactly!!

  • Like 2
Still winning Newbie

Still winning

Posted
Posted

My experience won't help as I was terribly big on side effects so just felt instantly better on day 5 when I threw em out lol.

 

Nancy's suggestion sounds good. I have spoken to others, most had no difference to stopping, a couple did. Maybe in the mind. I just decided champix or no champix, I was quit and I never doubted that, seemed safest. xx

  • Like 1
Dentalfloss Newbie

Dentalfloss

Posted
Posted

I have been on it since july 8th. After a couple of weeks I went down to 1 pill a day because I was waking up every 2 hours. Lowering the dose didn't help with the sleep but I felt fine on that dose so I stayed on it. After a couple of months I went down to 3/4 of a pill for a couple weeks then 1/2 pill for a couple of weeks and right now I am taking 1/4 of a pill and I will continue to do that for a couple of weeks then I will be done. I don't think I felt different on the lower doses. I think any extra craves I felt were because I was making myself have them because I know I lowered my dose and was expecting something like that to happen. I was putting my self under the microscope.
Why doesn't your doctor recommend taking them for more that 6 months?

  • Like 1
SanDar Newbie

SanDar

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I have been on it since july 8th. After a couple of weeks I went down to 1 pill a day because I was waking up every 2 hours. Lowering the dose didn't help with the sleep but I felt fine on that dose so I stayed on it. After a couple of months I went down to 3/4 of a pill for a couple weeks then 1/2 pill for a couple of weeks and right now I am taking 1/4 of a pill and I will continue to do that for a couple of weeks then I will be done. I don't think I felt different on the lower doses. I think any extra craves I felt were because I was making myself have them because I know I lowered my dose and was expecting something like that to happen. I was putting my self under the microscope.

Why doesn't your doctor recommend taking them for more that 6 months?

She didn't exactly say why they wouldn't recommend more than 6 months - but I don't intend to be on them that long anyway so didn't bother asking her  why. I'm thinking, for me,  a few more weeks at the 1/2 pill I'm taking now, and I'll be done. I just don't like taking meds any longer than necessary. 

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