I kept quiet over here for a while , my dismal track record on smoking stops persuades it 's best not to shout too soon .
In fact if I were coldtukeying I'd stay mute even longer . BUt I actually feel quite confident and solid in this current stop .
I'll take some credit but really give a big hand to Champix that has made it relatively painless . I've been fortunate to
have had only mild side effects , although the dreams are a bit on the heavy side , yes very vivid too .
For the first week I smoked about four a day , about a third of normal . Then quit totally on day eight and that was three and a half weeks ago .
So after the sucess I've had with tsm and Naltrexone this is turning me into a big fan of pill popping . Just so long as
pharmacological extinction is concerned of course . Champix is at any rate a recptor blocker but as you don't continue smoking I'm not sure if it qualifies as extinction as with the NAL. At any rate I'm hoping to get away with not having have needles in me again or visiting the "Mad Russian " Path mentioned , especially as Boston 's a bit out of the way for me .

I've continued with NAL at the same time and for me there seems to have been no change in the NAL's effectiveness as my
Doctor suggested .

So if anyone feels a stop coming on and needs an exta push , do consider Champix to help you out .

Thanks for all the above comments again .
Anyone else continuing on Champix now ?

elfern, I used chantix back in 2008 and it worked..I was down, from over 2 packs a day to less than three ciggarettes a day..This,in less than a month..I was,honestly suprised as I thought it was all BS..Ya know?? the doctor just wrote out the script and told me to keep smoking..Just like that..I was not drinking at the time,so I dont know that side of it..But I hear ya, when u say they go together..Now,I am a depressive person and suffered from suicidal thoughts while on chantix..I guess that is one of the side effects..Well,I stopped taking it..And I am back up to a pack a day..But If I ever have success with tsm,I intend to give it another try..I must add this..So far,the only way I have been able to get people to understand TSM,is to compare it to chantix..Funny,people will believe there is a cure for smoking but not for drinking.Hahaha,not really funny but what else can u do but laugh??Please let me know how u do with the smokes and chantix..I am really interested...Goodman

Funny that its called "Champix " here in France and apparently "Chantix" in US .

Ah , just saw old Goodman's post , sad sigh . Hope you're ok Goodman .
Say a little prayer for him if its your way ?

Champix is serving me well . It's been fully three/three and a half months .
I had two slips of 4 cigs on each occaision . These were notably on days when
I set off with binge intention and drank more than usual . Such binge intention I used to get
strongly alost every week now it's every couple of months and the NAl keeps all under control
it takes the whole day of intermittant slow drinking and as a binge its a fairly poorshow
(not much damage ) . But these forays seem to centre around having a free day off work and none the next day , and I go into town indulgetly planning on a restaraunt lunch and diving
the afternoon away . So that's were the cigs got bought on these two days . Then I never
went back to the cigs even thought they were still in the car . With previous attempts to quit
smoking I just caved in the "quit" got abandoned as normal smoking resumed . So clearly this
is the champix preventing full blown relapse .
i'll continue champix now at least until new year . Stopping champix I hope won't bring back
strong craving . I do unfortunately know several people who stopped six months on champix
to go back to smoking when again after . yikes .
Might this be the moment to buy an electronic cigarette as astandby ( for the gestural part ?)
I could just inhale the non nicotine products - in an emergency .
Or is this the addict talking ... ?
ANy thoughts from anyone on the electronic cigarette as a post smoking alternative

Elfern,

Hope you never return to smoking, Chantix or not. I quit with bupropion (Zyban). It's been a little over 1.5 years since my last cigarette and, for the first time in my adult life, I have absolutely no desire to smoke. I've quit four times before that but each attempt only lasted around six months. The thing I learned from them is this: don't let yourself to slip. A single cigarette was totally enough for me to abandon many months of smoke-free life. Apparently, nicotine is that addictive. It's like an on/off switch. Finally realizing this was a key this time. It helped me to successfully white knuckle through few times I wanted to smoke so badly.

elfern,
i second what nutella said. i have been quit for over 4 years now and it took knowing that even one puff would lead me right back to a pack and a half a day habit. i think that an electronic cigarette, or anything that is a reminder of smoking would just make things worse. it's funny, all the feelings of guilt so many on this board have about drinking, i only had about smoking. being a non-smoker for me is a tremendous relief. hang in there, it is so worth it to lose the habit for good.
all the best,
path

Elfern,

I tried the electronic cigarettes for awhile and realized that I was just trading one nicotine delivery method with another. I'm not a big fan of nicotine replacement therapies. I didn't just want to quit smoking, I wanted to quit the addiction to nicotine and I did that cold turkey. Nicotine leaves your body completely within 3-4 days. The cravings after that are all mental.

Just remember, cigarettes never did anything for you. They never relaxed you, never improved concentration, never relieved boredom, or relieved stress. All they ever did was keep you addicted. Smoking is like banging your head against the wall only only to feel the relief when you stop. Don't bang your head against the wall in the first place.

Instead of investing in drugs, or electronic cigarettes go buy Allan Carr's, "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking." Here's a short youtube video of him on smoking (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w87SZvhopco).

I, along with path and Nutella, really hope you don't touch nicotine in any form ever again. You don't need it!

-Chance

Hi just my 2 cents. I live in New England, Mass. area. There is a very reputable Russian gentleman here in the Brookline area. Not far from Boston. If you will, please Google: The Mad Russian. His name is Yefim shobentsov. May not be correct spelling of last name but, you will find him. My friends have nothing but praise for him. He is a bit "off the wall" but knows what he is talking about. You also DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT to get the benefits. People like Drew Barrymore Billy Joel & others have contacted him with thier addictions. He has helped many, many, overcome smoking. Al is a little more difficult but, smoking is his fort". What I like about him is if you are not happy with the results, call back. He WILL call you back & perform his service again for free. For the REST of your' life" according to others I know. My friend was a Chain Smoker" for YRS. Hasn't had a smoke in 4yrs. Anyway, worth a look see. You do not have to be there for it to work. Try it. Can't hurt. Google him. Someone will get back to you. I think for $65 It's worth it.
So....Just some advise. Hope this helps.

jane,
that's how i quit. totally painless and it worked. no withdrawal symptoms, craziness or struggle like all the other times i tried to quit. it's been over 4 years now. i had mentioned this before, but i did not realize he also worked by phone session. thanks for mentioning it. i know it sounds crazy, but this is all he does for a living and has for decades.
path

path & Jane, I'm curious. Do you think the Mad Russian used a form of hypnosis to help you stop smoking? How do you explain his success?

-Chance

Hey Chance, How're doing? The best way I can descibe him is to suggest to you to google him in. Try "The Mad Russian" or his real name which is: Yefim Shubentsov. There you will find his story. Quite interesting. But I went with a friend who was a heavy smoker. He tells everyone to go out side & have that one last smoke because "you'll never want to smoke again". It's funny because when you drive by, there are hoards of people standing in front of the building just puffing away. He is very hard to understand, his accent is very thick. But it's the results that count. Like I mentioned celebrities have traveled to the Boston area just to see this guy, Drew Barrymore, Billy Joel, & others I forget. He does also weight loss & alcohol too, but they require more than one session & I do not know the success rate. But he has cured many of heavy smokers. Check him out you will be impressed.
Good Luck, JANE
PS. If you find you are still having trouble, he will call you on the phone & do again whatever it is he does. Best part is you can see him or call him & he guarantees one price forever. It's been $65 in USA currancy. Not a bad deal.