Help Pray for Me!

Greetings!

Well, it’s Valentine’s Day, so I decided to mark this day as the FIRST day of no smoking.  I’ve stopped several times but always went back.  I REALLY need to quit.

So I’m going “cold turkey” and trying to fight the cravings.

I honestly don’t know if prayer works – I do keep an open mind though.  And I need all the strength to break this last unhealthy habit and get back to a healthier me.

If you are also trying to quit smoking, please contact me on this blog.  Maybe together we can fight this habit for good.

Best wishes to all!
Shannon

Quitting Smoking the Old-Fashion Way: Cold Turkey

Greetings!

Well, today is the day I FINALLY quit smoking.  A friend/former co-worker had a heart attack from smoking, a petite female friend of mine had a heart attack from smoking, my dentist has been diagnosed with COPD from smoking, and a former co-worker/acquaintance (Brian Lephew) died at the age of 34 from a heart-related condition brought on by smoking.  How many more signs and clues do I need to see a trend going on here??

Thanks to my medications, I’m actually enjoying living again for the first time in years, and I do not want to do anything to shorten my time here on planet Earth.  So I’m going to quit smoking today simply by not smoking.  No patches, no pills, just discipline and willpower, as much as I can muster.

I am not on an anti-smoker crusade, but if you do smoke I do encourage to think about quitting.  The benefits of quitting outweigh the pleasure of smoking in the long run.

Please take great care of yourself and have a long life!

Best wishes,
Shannon

My Experiences with Chantix: Part 2

I have received quite a few hits on my article about Chantix that I wrote last year.  At that time, my experiences were fine, and I quit smoking for weeks…  Until I stupidly tried another cigarette and became hooked again.

So I decided to use Chantix again.  Unfortunately, there were some serious side-effects that I feel I need to mention.

Amplification of Suicidal Thinking

As many know by now, I struggle with Atypical Bipolar Disorder, and I have had suicidal tendencies with the condition.  But when I tried Chantix a second time, my suicidal thoughts grew in intensity.  No longer were they passing thoughts, but I was actually plotting out my death.  My family was greatly concerned with my attitude and thinking.

Other Incidents

Two friends of mine also started a second regimen of Chantix.  One became very despondent and withdrawn from people while on the medication.  A second friend began obsessively thinking of death.

Once we had discontinued taking Chantix, our moods and thoughts return to their previous states.

One Time a Charm, Two Times Suicidal Ideation?

It seems odd that with each of us, the first time we tried Chantix none of us exhibited suicidal or depressive behavior.  The only noticeable side-effect was the vivid dreams.

However, during our second run on the medication, severe mood disorders appeared.  I still do not under the mechanism as to why this the case.

Word of Warning

If you are taking Chantix for the first time, be sure you have a loved one or guardian monitor changes in your behavior.  If you have already taken Chantix before and plan on trying it again, be extremely cautious, for our experiences suggest that a second trial may enhance dangerous thinking.

I just wanted to update my personal experiences with Chantix as a cautionary tale.  Please stay safe and realize that smoking, while definitely unhealthy, is less dangerous than losing control over your thoughts and moods.

I hope this post helps to prevent someone from suffering from Chantix-related suicidal ideation.

Best wishes,
Shannon

Chantix: An Update

Well, I’m out of
Chantix… And I’m smoking again! Sigh!

Still, I’m not smoking nearly as much or as often as I did before
taking Chantix – averaging about 2-3 cigarettes a day now – but
I’m afraid my habit will only grow again in time.

I have one more refill left, and I’m going to make the most of it.
I’m putting my foot down and refusing to smoke even one cigarette
while I’m taking the next (and last) month’s supply. Hopefully, I
will finally quit by the end of the last supply.

I know I have to take responsibility for my own health and cannot
blame anyone else for my decisions. That said, it’s hard to stay
quit when you are surrounded by other smokers. It’s almost like the
rule of other drug users: you need to stay away from temptations by
your friends and family. The environment plays a large role in
determining one’s success.

Cigarettes are the definitive love-hate relationship. I hate that I
love them and always feel guilty after smoking.

True, I’ve been under a lot of emotional stress lately, and it’s
better to smoke than deal with intoxication from alcohol or taking
heavier drugs like Oxycontin. But I know my heart and lungs are not
very understanding about the whole situation. Cancer is cancer, and
heart disease is heart disease after all.

Will I finally break the habit once and for all? I will be honest
with you and keep you informed of my success. If you are currently
trying to quit smoking, whether using Chantix or by some other means,
I wish you only the best of luck!

If you think this article is worthy, please Stumble it.

My Experiences with Chantix

No Smoking

After my father passed away in 2005, I took up the smoking habit out of depression.  I thought I could quit at any time, and did quit for a few short months using the “cold turkey” method.  However, I began smoking again early in 2006, after receiving more bad news.  This time quitting was not so easy.  And the occasional cigarette became more frequent until I was smoking close to a pack a day.

After many failed attempts, someone informed me of a medication called Chantix.  It is used to help people stop smoking.  It took me a while – and more failed attempts – before I decided to give it a try.

On Using Chantix

In my case, the results were amazing.  From the first minute dose I could tell a change.  Cigarettes would not give me a nicotine buzz anymore.  Three days later, cigarettes began to taste awful.  And the cravings disappeared.  I would no longer panic when the pack would run short.  By the fifth day, I had my one and only cigarette – my last one.

Over a month later, I am still going strong.  I still miss the actual ritual of smoking – opening up a fresh pack, lighting up, the social aspect of smoking with others – but I don’t miss smoking in and of itself.

Warnings

But would I recommend this medication to anyone?  Surprisingly, my answer would be “no.”  There have been substantial reports of people developing suicidal ideation while taking the drug.  In some news reports, there have been over 600 cases of attempted suicide while on Chantix.  So if you decide to start a Chantix program, you should be monitored by a doctor and stay alert to your thoughts and emotions.

Personal Side-Effects

The only major side-effect I have – and it’s a common one – is extremely vivid and complex dreams.  They aren’t necessarily nightmares, and a few have been rather entertaining.  (I will leave this for another post in the future.)  But the dreams can disrupt sleep and leave me feeling rather groggy in the morning.

Save Your Lungs and Your Wallet

If you smoke, I hope you can find the right program for you to quit.  Speaking from experience, quitting smoking has greatly improved my breathing and energy level, not to mention saved me money.  Chantix is one option to consider – one that has been beneficial to me.

If this post helps one person to quit smoking, then I have achieved my goal.  However you decide to quit, I wish you good luck and the strength to succeed.

If you have any questions about my experiences with Chantix, please feel free to contact me, and I will do my best to answer you.

UPDATE: Please read the sequel to this article here.