Day 4 on Chantix

Day 4 of my battle to quit smoking. Like any good general does before going to war, I am preparing before I strike. In the war on quitting smoking my preparation is Chantix, my first battle will be fought around November 19th when I officially stop smoking.

As for how the preparations are going, on the plus side I haven't had to experience any of the horrible side effects I mentioned in my previous post. I feel like things get me a little angrier than they normally would but I still have control over my temper, thus its not too hard to deal with. I am not out of the clear yet though, you increase your dosage of Chantix gradually over time. I began with .5mg a day for the first 3 days, today I started taking .5mg twice a day. On Sunday, I will up it to the full dose which is 1mg twice a day. So we'll see :)

Day 1, but not the one that counts

Day 1 of quitting smoking, well if you can even call it that, since today is the day I began taking Chantix for the first time. I have to take it for between 8-35 days before I officially quit and begin the dreaded day 1. For those of you unfamiliar with Chantix, it is a prescription medication you take to help reduce the urge to smoke. Once the medication is in your system, after those aforementioned 8-35 days, you stop smoking and Chantix is supposed to help lesson the cravings and urges you would normally feel. The drawbacks though are the side effects. Although they do not affect everyone, they can be severe ranging from  nausea and vomiting to, and I quote from the directions, "psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, homicidal ideation, hostility, agitation, anxiety and panic". At this point you might be wondering why, given the possible side effects, I have chosen Chantix to quit smoking. Well quite simply, the negative effects can not outway the one positive...that it is the best option to help me quit, I'll be free from my cigarette prison, one that has imprisoned me for almost 20 years. Chantix will help me with the one thing I find the most difficult; the cravings! It won't take them away completely, but hopefully it will lesson them significantly.

So all you smokers trying to quit, former smokers and my friends and family I encourage you to read this blog as I write about my struggle to quit. Hopefully by writing it I give myself some accountability (now that the world knows), some cheerleaders (I am going to need a lot of support!!) and a way to occupy my time during those unbearable cravings.

One last thing, I dedicate this blog to my daughter Paris who told me the only thing in the world she wanted for her birthday was for Mommy to quit smoking...this is for you baby, I won't let you down!!!