Staying on the Wagon without firing a shot!

Well I'm back. It's been a month officially and 2 months unofficially. I still haven't smoked but boy have I wanted to more than once. Friday nights when our friends all get together to throw darts, talk, hang out whatever oh yea and drink.......Now that smell just makes me sick to my stomach. I hate the way I smell when we get up the next morning.

I've quit taking Chantix. Took it off and on for over a year, never wanted to kill anyone or myself, all the side effects etc. It worked for me what can I say, or maybe it really didn't and I was just ready to quit - I'll never really know. But it helped me get there. I honestly think I finally decided not to let it beat me any longer. Us Taureans can be really stubborn you know! Bottom line whatever makes you quit makes you quit.

I've been faithfully working out (6 times a week) haven't lost a stinking pound or one Percentage of body fat, still on the blood pressure medicine, etc. I did have a pity party last Tuesday because NOTHING had happened to me since I quit except for I'd been sicker than a dog after quitting and I'd quit.

Here's the Positives - I can go a good solid 30 minutes on the elliptical without hacking up a lung, I can do 20 military style push ups, I can handle up to 40 lbs when doing tricep push downs. I haven't gained one pound from stopping smoking. I can take a deep breath without coughing and it doesn't hurt. I jogged/walked my first mile in my entire life a week ago and lived to blog about it!

Bottom line all the scare tactics in the world aren't going to make anyone quit.
You'll quit more than once
You'll fall off the wagon and get back on the wagon and fall off and get back on.
You have find the thing that will enable you to quit no matter what it is and go for it.

Pharmaceutical Drug Roulette

I feel the need to update my post about stopping the Chantix. It finally occurred to me that I also started a new antibiotic called Avelox on the same day I started taking Chantix. I figured that maybe I should take a look to see if Avelox had any side effects.

The side effects of Avelox are just about as bad as the Chantix. In fact, there are whole forums devoted to how bad Avelox has effected people. Joint pain is very high on that list along with feeling out of it. There were many more listed that sound like how I feel.

So, which drug did it to me? I have decided that I am not going to take the Avelox anymore either. I know that you are not supposed to stop an antibiotic in the middle of the cycle but right now I couldn't care less. I refuse to play pharmaceutical drug roulette any more.

Are some of you wondering if I am a hypochondriac? Let me assure you, I am not. I have never had problems with an antibiotic before or any other prescription for that matter. I don't go looking for symptoms and then start having them by power of suggestion. It is just very clear to me that one (or both) of these prescription medications have caused some uncomfortable and unwanted side effects.

I really don't trust the pharmaceutical companies anymore or the FDA quite frankly. I have always thought it was ridiculous how you see a commercial on television for a drug and then they run down the list of possible side effects. Most of them sound worse than what you would even take the medication for.

After having a son with a speech delay and possible high functioning autism, I have also seriously started questioning vaccinations and flu shots. Maybe I am becoming paranoid or cynical at the ripe old age of 34? I just think our safety was sold out a long time ago. As much as possible, I will stay away from prescription drugs.

Yeah, I smoke and that is stupid. I recognize that and will quit. I think at the beginning of this blog I gave myself a time frame of sometime this year. It will be sooner than later. My point is that I don't want to sound like a hypocrite for slamming the drug companies while I smoke a drug daily. Let's just say that Phillip Morris (and all the other tobacco companies) were the first to try and kill me.

Usually I am rather upbeat and easy going. I am not sure if I am fed up or if this little rant has something to do with a mood side effect from Chantix or Avelox. I am sure I will wake up tomorrow in a much better mood. Lord knows I won't be taking ANY pills tomorrow.

I Am Stopping The Chantix Due To Side Effects

This would have been my fourth day on Chantix but I decided to stop taking it already. I did not like the side effects from it. Today would have been the day that I started taking two pills (you start out on one and work up to two). I figured if I hated the way it made me feel on one pill then there is no way I could handle two. Then by next week, it works you up to an even higher dose per pill! Nope, not for me.

By the evening of the first day I took it, I had a rather strange lower backache. My back never hurts so that was very unusual. The backache stayed with me all three days that I took the Chantix. My whole body felt very heavy and sore. My legs were achy and tired. I was also rather lethargic and felt very tired mentally as well. I have also been in a rather pissy mood.

Of course, many people might say that the symptoms above had nothing to do with the Chantix. I know myself and what is normal and what is not normal. These things were NOT normal for me. I made the decision to stop before it got too out of hand. Since I did not take my pill today, I already feel a touch better. My mind is not as cloudy although I do not feel as sharp as usual yet.

I Googled back pain and Chantix and was very surprised (and relieved) to find out that A LOT of people complain about this when using Chantix. In fact, everything I mentioned seems to be fairly common to the drug. Then I read about a lot of people having more extreme symptoms once they STOPPED using Chantix due to withdrawal from the drug itself. I know I am better to stop using it now rather than stopping from a higher dosage.

This is just my experience. A lot of people love it and seem to have no ill effects. On the other hand, my Google search came up with thread after thread of negative discussions about Chantix. Everybody is different and it makes sense that the same drug can cause different reactions in different people.

If you have used Chantix, please relate your experience. Good or bad, I would love to hear what you think about it.

I Am A Quitting Loser!

I am hanging my head down in shame when I tell you that I broke my quit. On day 6, I just couldn't shake the all day crave and I gave in to a smoke like the addict I am. I went 6 days...... 6 days!!! How could I go back to it after that long?

My doctor wants me to try Chantix. I got the prescription filled today. I was thrilled that my insurance company did pay for most of it. I took my first pill today and I will see how it goes.

I have heard of a lot of success stories with Chantix. In fact, a few people have left comments on this blog about their success with Chantix. On the other hand, I have also heard some bad things about it too. Interestingly enough, two of my closest friends are using it right now to quit smoking too. I didn't know that and found it funny that we are all trying to quit at the same time. I asked them if they have had any bad side effects from Chantix but neither one of them has. They both feel that it is really helping them. Sooooooo, if they are liking it then I am going to give it a try.

I will tell you how my Chantix journey goes. I hate to point fingers but I am going to point one at my husband anyway! If only he would try to quit with me at the same time, I think it would be so much easier. While I risk soundy whiny, I must say it is hard to quit smoking when your spouse continues to do it. At least I was able to get a time frame from him. He said that he would quit once I have stopped smoking for three months. I see it as him buying himself some more time but I am going to hold him to it!

The way it works with Chantix is that you take it for a week and let it build up in your system. You can still smoke during that week. Then, you can either start cutting back or stop altogether. I will probably pick a day for early next week and stop. Cutting back has never worked for me before. Of course, it is painfully obvious that stopping altogether has not worked out the way I wanted either! There is one thing that I can guarantee: I will never stop quitting until I really quit. It will be done!

If you have a Chantix story, please share it here with everyone. Also, where are all of my quitting buddies?