What happened when I took Champix

I want to stop smoking, I've tried and by day 5 I was biting the heads off small children.

I'm not a social smoker, or one that needs to relax with a cigareete after a meal/work etc. I'm just a nicotine addict of 20 a day for 24 years.

I stopped smoking with the help of Champix in September. After 3 months of taking the pills and not smoking I restarted. Don't know if it was the company of other smokers, the nicotine or a combination of both, so last month I decided to have another go.

Day 22 and on the whole I'm not smoking as much, as in 1 cigarette every few days, but I'll tell you want I am doing......

I'm eating like a horse (TESCO pun in there of your choosing) have put on 9 kilos
I am constipated
I am NOT sleeping
I am crying
I am blaming everyone for everything
I am being negative
I am screaming and shouting at loved ones
I am trying to resolve every issue I've ever faced
I am blaming hubby for feeling like this

Today after a particular tearful phone call and a threat to end everything, interupting hubby from yet another meeting, making him travel 100's miles home. He called me back and said 'STOP THE CHAMPIX you did this last year when you were on them.'

I have a smile on my face, I got up out of bed with ease (it also helped that it was raining and the oppresive weather had cooled.)

I'm sitting here now, drinking tea, blogging, sorting out emails, waiting for hubby to come home. He said that tonight we start talking and we don't stop till all the issues are either resolved, or he accepts that there are some things that forever I will hold against him (doesn't sound much like a good relationship, but we've been through some very hard times), accepts that telling me to move on is impossible as I've never had the opportunity to explore some of these issues with him (hubby is a believer of putting stuff in a box and moving on, I can't till I've dealt with it)

So tonight, quietly and calmly and with the help of CHAMPIX, hubby has finally realised that I can't move on without the opportunity to discuss some key pivitol points in our relationship.

Blogging helps and hubby is fully supportive but for legal and family reason there are just some things I can't or I'm unable to blog about online, for fear of reprecussions, or causing myself further damage.

The first avenue to explore is the 'moving on bit' I have no where to move onto and I need a lot more help with that than I realised.

Giving up smoking is killing me

I gave up smoking on August 17th 2012.

For 4 fabulous days I was a non smoker.

On day 5 I smoked 1 cigarette.

On day 6 I smoked 2 cigarettes.

On day 7 I smoked 2 cigarettes.

On day 8 I smoked 3 cigarettes.

It is now day 9 and I feel like the hungry caterpillar, but for cigarettes.

I get to 1pm every day without giving smoking a thought. I'm back to swimming 1km everyday and with ease. Head down 10 lengths freestyle, without stopping. I can now swim it in 15mins instead of the 40mins it was taking previously. I have plenty to do in the mornings and then by 1pm I want to smoke.

I've changed my morning routine, I associate a morning cuppa with a cigarette, so instead I have fruit juice, but by 1pm I want a cup of tea and I start to think about smoking, by 4pm I am smoking a cigarette.

It tastes vile, I cough, I can smell the smoke already on my clothes and in my hair. I hate the smell of other people smoking, I always have, that doesn't make me want to smoke. I'm making crafts and sewing and gardening to occupy my hands. I spend more time upstairs as I don't smoke indoors and I'm not near the door just to pop out for one.

I've smoked for 24 years, I don't enjoy it, I'm addicted. I don't need a cigarette to calm the nerves, relax me, make me happy. I need the nicotine. It doesn't calm the nerves, relax me or make me happy, it just stops that nagging feeling inside as my body screams for the 24 years of nicotine it has gotten used to.

I think I was too adventerous, I told everyone I was a non smoker from August 17th onwards. I haven't failed, I've just stumbled at the first hurdle, not realising what a challenge I was embarking on.

So I will carry on smoking my 2-3 cigarettes a day, increase my exercise, cut back on the fats and sugars and will become a non smoker on September 3rd 2012.

I'm driving for 5 hours with my son to Kruger Park and spending a week in a tent and going on safari. I can't smoke, I won't be able to buy cigarettes and I will have changed my environment and routine and see if that works.

UPDATE

Well my plan to stop smoking at Kruger back fired. I'm back to 10-15 a day. I followed all advice, I re read the book and I know I'm stupid. The nicotine had a stronger grip on me than I ever thought possible.

I'm stopping smoking (again) tomorrow. Hubby is away for another 2 weeks, I've smoked the last cigarette in the packet this evening. I have no cash on me and no need to go out. I want to stop, I will stop, it's just harder than I realised.

UPDATE 2

I asked the Doctor for help. I've been prescribed Champix, I've picked day 11 to stop.
Check back on September 21st and I'll let you know whether I'm thinking about cigarettes or not.