For any of you that smoke, theres a treatment now available that I am on. Its friggin working - and yes you smoke while on it.

Let me stress that I only been smoking ~5yrs and also about 1/2 pack a day which is light by some peoples' habit. Some of you may have heard of 'Champix'. Its nothing short of amazing.

I am on the very low dose "starter" pack. Nearing the end of the two week low dose (.5mg in the am for 3 days, then .5mg morning and bedtime for 4 days- wk 2 , 1mg morning and night). Already my sense of smell is back along with my sense of taste. Also, I really dont want to finish a "Cigrit". If i make it to the 1/2 way point on one right now thats pushing it. In the last day or so, I cut the number of Cigrits I have to 50% cause I wanted to. Not cause I forced myself. Up until a few days ago, I liked smoking.

When you smoke you do not notice the taste or smell of them. Let me tell you that they stink to high heaven and I am brushing my teeth even more as I can smell it on my own breath and its not good.

I heard good things about this drug from people so I tried it. I havent felt this good in well...~5yrs.

Side effects:

The dr will warn ya about it causing depression. Normally I get side effects from everything, including tylenol. This is the only two I got:

1) queezy when I eat them on empty or low stomach - last for about 5 mins. Not an issue if I eat, vitually any drug will cause that.

2) Vivid dreams. I remember virually all of em. Nothing bad or wierd at all. Its not like its going to cause ya to dream about picking flowers out of your belly button - the more you pick the more sprout back kinda situation. Keep in mind I feel much better from it.

Soon I will have even more money to spend @ Mysterybyte hehe priorities straight or what? Try it even if you wanna smoke. The sh*t works.

That's always been the issue with me, I love smoking way too much to want to quit. Yes my lungs are that of a 60 year old asthma sufferer, and all the other side effects that come with it, but I can't justify taking something I love out of my life to make me more physically healthy, when my mental health depends strongly on smoking regularly. Sounds great though, and with the right inspiration I might give it a try. BUT, as you said, you don't feel like smoking a full cigarette. I get that feeling after chain smoking one or two, and the feeling is just gross, feels like I'm drunk and can't see straight. Do I really want that feeling EVERY time I spark a cigrit? Still though, good to see it's working for you, all the best of luck on weening off.

Phonix..

I am like you, minus the lung issues - so far so good anyways. I do understand the mental aspect of smoking. Keep in mind two things are going on to calm you when you smoke. One, the relief of satisfying a craving ( its a stimulant so it doesnt have an actual calming effect) - Its the deep breathing you do when you smoke that calms you the most.

I need to stress that I didnt want to quit smoking. I figured what the hell. Your attitude will change when you do this. It did for me in regards to not wanting to finish one. You just wont.

The drug partially blocks nicotine and partially allows it to work as time goes on: Until the drug doesnt allow it to affect your brain at all. Its a three month thing. Most people quit in a couple to few weeks - cause they want to, and these are long term heavy smokers.

This isnt a drug to make smoke taste like a$$ so you will quit. You begin to taste smoke as you did when you tried it as a kid( we've all been there) - cause nicotine is losing it grip on your brain, gradually, taking care of the cravings until there is no craving at all. You will wonder where your smell and taste went cause you can begin to smell and taste like you havent in a long time.

"...feels like I'm drunk and can't see straight. Do I really want that feeling EVERY time I spark a cigrit? "

its not like that at all. Thats chain smoking at its best/worst lol It will not give you that feeling in the slightest. You just simply wont want to.

My girlfriend quit after over 30 years of smoking. She didn't use champix she quit cold turkey because right out of nowhere her health went to shit, high blood pressure, cluster headaches (i've never seen something like that before .. that was scary. Someone in so much pain they screaming for help and want to die.) and the list went on. So she quit and started eating better and now 2 years later is healthier than she ever has been and says she can't believe how much more she can smell things and how much better food tastes. Before it all happened she swore she'd never quit smoking cuz she liked it .. had a high stress job .. etc. But when she finally seen the health issues that accompany smoking and it all became real she changed her mind in a hurry.

Yeah, I've been a pretty heavy smoker for about 14 years now. About a pack to a pack and a half a day. I can confirm that the health issues really do seem to happen overnight. It seemed like I woke up one day and had 25% lung capacity, severe asthma (I'm told it was actually caused by smoking), migraines after withdrawal, black phlem, sore sinuses and the list goes on. I'm actually told that my smoking was most likely a big factor in developing my arthritis. I definately feel the effects of smoking so heavily for so long. Once again though, it has become such a major part of my life I dare not let it go. What's it gonna take for me to see the bigger picture?

Phonix - in your situation - probably something life threatening or at least something that feels life threatening - so you have little choice but to stop. Hopefully it never gets to that point for you.

Lobsta - I am sorry your G/F had to contend with the health issues - but very happy shes better now. Best you she is and would never touch it again.

I haven't smoked long enough or large amt/day to get much of a downside. I did notice a lil phlegm in the am but nothing that's black. Mostly clear. Dr's say your body WILL recover given time. Including your lungs - especially with exercise.

Now heres one screwed up fact that I still to this day find hard to believe:

My 88 yr old grandfather a few yrs back had his lungs tested, x-rayed whole 9 yards. Back in his day smokes were rolled by hand and no filter - at all. He smoked heavy. 2-paks per day all his life.

When the dr looked at his results and xrays he immed. left to get another dr. This freaked my grandfather out.

The dr who ran the tests asked the other dr who's set of lungs it was he was being shown. The dr unaware of it being that of a heavy 70+ yr smoker ( yes he started when he was 10) said it looked they were as of a mid 20 yr old.

in this rare case, for some unknown and screwed up reason - his body absorbed, and flushed the crap out. yes there was lung damage but no where near what it should be.

My grandfather died a non smoke related death. figure that one out.

Bah... I thought this was going to be about

Very nice!

I bout a pack of smokes THREE days ago. Still have 15 left (from 25). Normally I would be well into my 2nd pack by now. Didnt want a smoke since yesterday afternoon. The sh*t works. For those of you that even dont wanna quit - it still works great and you feel so much better. Difference is night and day.

Just a lil update for the people deep down would like to quit but the addiction has ya putting things off indefinitely...Champix works.

I been smoke free since the last post with NO WILLPOWER USED.

It works and you wont even need to 'want' to quit. Champix does it for you easily. You will try to smoke here and there in the first few weeks, eventually - you dont want any more at all.

I havent felt this good in a long time. Next step is hitting the gym. I would strongly suggest this drug to anyone who would like to quit, but just can't.

they say quitting smoking is harder than heroin - not with this drug it isnt. try it.

In one of my Social Psych classes there was a bit on substance dependencies and it ordered drugs in how addictive they were based on the CAT scans of users brain activity (I think - it's been a while) and Heroin pretty much topped the list. I think Cocaine was ahead of it as well but Nicotine was definitely up there and Caffeine wasn't too much further down. I found it ironic that those substances are legal where as much less addictive ones were not.

Anyways, congrats on quitting. It's a feat I'm sure.

The substances are legal because they are controlled by the government which means they can make money by taxing it.

Grats on quitting smoking but im going out for a smoke!

I tried to quit, I was successfully quit for about 4 months by going cold turkey, then one night I had a craving while drinking and here I am. I just failed on the patch, but I only gave the patch a week.