Champix

[louise]

A friend of mine has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and has been prescribed Champix to assist nicotine cessation.

His question to me... and mine to you... is can anyone tell me if they have used Champix while continuing to use cannabis?

 

I am interested in hearing your experiences...
 

[merl1n]

Hey Lou,

I have known of 3 people who have used Champix, none who have given a good review. They can send people on VERY low lows, almost to suicide in one case. They can be mind altering in a major and nasty way. My mrs tried them too, but I stopped her using them. She was becoming more bitchy than normal. Real nasty side effects with sleep patterns too.

 

In short, be aware, very aware.

[Stix87]

Hey Lou haven't used them but a old mate did I remember him saying it was messing with his sleep alot

[The Rose of Darkness]

I can speak from experience on this..

 

Took champix many years ago not long after it's release.

 

I remember my practioner saying "blah blah" and I simply asked them to 'lay it out flat, what are the common side effects from most users so far in your experience? '

 

They replied " Actually, the most common side effect reported is nightmares, vivid nightmares"

 

I chuckled and assured that I would leave my night light on and thought nothing more of it, and besides... if that was the worst to quit smoking, sign me up

 

Two weeks in, nicotine withdrawal not noticed as I was still smoking as per program directions.

 

Had a few nightmares, but nothing really bad, pretty standard.

 

The last night I used it, my partner wakes up in the middle of the night to me sitting up in bed, staring blankly toward the end of the bed. (That feeling you get when you can feel somebody awake in the room, and it wakes you)

 

They asked what I was doing?

 

I said calmly "No need to freak, I know I'm awake talking to you... but do you remember that werewolf at the beginning of Van Helsing?" (Movie, Hugh Jackman)

 

"Because I can see it sitting on the corner of the end of the bed, staring with intensity and depth into my eyes... I can literally feel its breath..."

 

They said "Thats it! Your off that tomorrow"

 

Whether I quit smoking or not, well that's another story

 

But in science way, my brain sleep pattern was stuck between a conscious and subconscious state, the one we have when we drift into dreams.

 

Literally like a haluccogenic, it was pretty scary, but not the werewolf. .. the fact that they give this to humans and the side effects could be anything? Read the information sheet

 

Not advised to take, its not right.

Edited October 27, 2015 by The Rose of Darkness

[Jagged]

Failed Anti Depressant, Says it all.

 

Try an ecig

Edited October 27, 2015 by Jagged

[The Hash Nibbler]

Cold turkey mate..... best way.

I gave up after 25 years.

Its more about changing your habits than the nicotine....... and I smoked 20+ a day.

 

Most people smoke when they are bored or when they have emotional triggers.

I just smoked my canna and roughed it out mate.

 

It is hard. Best thing I found was using a beer can full of ciggy butts and water.

If you feel like a ciggy smash a big whiff of that and that will stop ya.

 

Always remember that giving in is not an option.

 

Best of luck mate.

Nibs.

[louise]

Thanks everyone, we are aware of the potential for both physical and psychological side effects and there are a couple of people keeping an eye on him for mood and behaviour changes.
 

Failed Anti Depressant, Says it all.
 
Try an ecig

I believe you are thinking of bupropion (wellbutrin, zyban) which was first used as an antidepressant. I'd hardly call it a 'failed' antidepressant... although it was only released in Australia as a smoking cessation aid, it is widely prescribed in the US and the UK as an antidepressant.
 
Varenicline (Champix, Chantix) has a different structure and is much more selective in it's action than bupropion.

The idea is he stops using nicotine... ecigs are replacement nicotine and like all the other nicotine replacements... it's just swapping the witch for the bitch.
 

Cold turkey mate..... best way.
I gave up after 25 years.
Its more about changing your habits than the nicotine....... and I smoked 20+ a day.

 

That's how I finally gave up, 21 days of crappiness and after that I felt a lot better. Granted, staying off them is difficult and I have had a couple of slip ups... especially since I have been living with a smoker. My mate on the other hand, has been smoking multiple packs a day for nearly 50 years and has no experience trying to stop. 

 

I am about to head over to see him and introduce him to vapourising cannabis.

 

Thanks again everyone 

[Ozzy420]

I used em for a week dident like em, went cold turkey.

 

Wasent fun but canna healped a lot.

[grow for me]

gday mate i tried them a few years back now. i spoke to a few people i knew were using them before i tried, i heard the stories about the nightmares one itialian said he thought he was back in the war, he said his wife woke him up after running around the lounge room jumping over couches and tables and shit haha. i decided to give it a go any way, i gave up smoking for 6 months because of the champix but yeah its a tough road when i look back, i would get the shits at the drop of a hat even with my best mates, and also after taking the tablet i would feel real crook about 10 minutes later but it would only last for 5 mins or so.

 

for me i think they are worth using as when you go cold turkey you get the shits at the drop of a hat anyway haha so my only added symptom i guess was 5 mins of bad sickness. tell your mate to have a go its worth trying as i have heard some people get no side effects at all.

 

and yes i smoked weed all day when i was on champix it can give you that feeling of almost greening out haha. but for me it was rare

 

good luck to your mate hope he quits the smokes

[Jagged]

I've been using ecigs now for about 6 months started on 18mg and have slowly reduced the amount of nicotine, i am now down to 6mg and when the lot of ejuice i have runs out i will be dropping to 3 mg then 0mg.

 

I have tried everything to give up smoking. Sprays, lozenges, gum, patches, Zyban, Champix and hypnosis, i got the furtherest along with the champix, 5 months.

 

Tried Champix again and had a terrible experience, went and spoke to the Pharmacist and he wasnt suprised it fucked me up as i take Cybalta for PTSD as well, he told me i was overdosing on serotonin as Champix was a failed AntiD. Shame the Dr didnt tell me this, but he was only a GP.

 

Ecigs imho are the future for people trying to give up smoking, they will take off in Australia when you dont have to import your own nicotine. Start at what level you think is good for you and very slowly reduce the amount of nicotine, it seems to be working for me.

 

Is your friends Dr saying he needs to stop nicotine or cigarettes? 

[louise]

I used em for a week dident like em, went cold turkey.

 

Wasent fun but canna healped a lot.

 

Thanks Ozzy, I don't think my mate is ready for a cold turkey. He started Champix today and so far so good...

 

gday mate i tried them a few years back now. i spoke to a few people i knew were using them before i tried, i heard the stories about the nightmares one itialian said he thought he was back in the war, he said his wife woke him up after running around the lounge room jumping over couches and tables and shit haha. i decided to give it a go any way, i gave up smoking for 6 months because of the champix but yeah its a tough road when i look back, i would get the shits at the drop of a hat even with my best mates, and also after taking the tablet i would feel real crook about 10 minutes later but it would only last for 5 mins or so.

 

for me i think they are worth using as when you go cold turkey you get the shits at the drop of a hat anyway haha so my only added symptom i guess was 5 mins of bad sickness. tell your mate to have a go its worth trying as i have heard some people get no side effects at all.

 

and yes i smoked weed all day when i was on champix it can give you that feeling of almost greening out haha. but for me it was rare

 

good luck to your mate hope he quits the smokes

Thanks for sharing your experience GFM. From searching around I am finding a lot more people talking about success with champix rather than failure... not to minimize the experience of people who experienced nasty side effects, but they do seem to be in minority.  

 

I've been using ecigs now for about 6 months started on 18mg and have slowly reduced the amount of nicotine, i am now down to 6mg and when the lot of ejuice i have runs out i will be dropping to 3 mg then 0mg.

 

I have tried everything to give up smoking. Sprays, lozenges, gum, patches, Zyban, Champix and hypnosis, i got the furtherest along with the champix, 5 months.

 

Tried Champix again and had a terrible experience, went and spoke to the Pharmacist and he wasnt suprised it fucked me up as i take Cybalta for PTSD as well, he told me i was overdosing on serotonin as Champix was a failed AntiD. Shame the Dr didnt tell me this, but he was only a GP.

 

Ecigs imho are the future for people trying to give up smoking, they will take off in Australia when you dont have to import your own nicotine. Start at what level you think is good for you and very slowly reduce the amount of nicotine, it seems to be working for me.

 

Is your friends Dr saying he needs to stop nicotine or cigarettes?

Oh Shit! It is not surprising you had a nasty experience, neither champix or zyban should be taken if you are using an antidepressant. That borders on malpractice, any doctor (GP or not)should be aware of the major contraindications when prescribing these sorts of drugs. With cymbalta and champix you were over producing more than serotonin... norepinephrine, acetylcholine and dopamine would have all been involved. That must have been a really shitty time for you.

 

Ecig is not an alternative for my mate as he needs to be smoke free to improve his oxygen saturation and nicotine free to reduce the stress it causes on the heart and arteries.

 

All the best with quitting Jagged.