Day 18

Hey folks. Big day for the blog today. 2 Comments in one day. That's a first.

Good to know your still following the blog Jamie. Whether your thinking seriously about quitting or not I'd get an appointment with the doc. The worst that can happen is that you have to tough it out with a bit of willpower like me (remember what I said on day 1, 'Truth is I like smoking') Best case scenario is it works for you like it does for Kerry and in less than two weeks the smell of smoke makes you feel sick. The absolute worst that can happen is that Champix does nothing and your still smoking in two weeks time. What do you lose? If you've tried several times in the past then your already one up on me because my last attempt was way back in about 2002/03. Got to make the doc think your serious though or you'll not get the pills.

The more people that can put their quitting experiences here the more help it will be to others who are thinking about quitting. I only started this blog because when I tried to find out what it would be like all I could find was either horror stories or stories that seemed to good to be true. What I wanted was to create something day to day that would have let me know what I was facing.

So it's more than half a week without the cigs now. (Sounds more successful than four days). I didn't do one of those carbon monoxide tests when I started the Champix. Unlike Kerry however I'd be surprised if mine was clear yet, although I really haven't smoked so it could be. Like Kerry I've developed a cough. It's not as persistent as my good old smokers cough but it's more successful at bringing up the gunge that I suspect has been hiding at the bottom of my lungs for some time. (Sorry if that's too descriptive). I'd love to say that my sense of smell and taste have returned but it's maybe a bit too early for that type of success. On the positive front today was a bit easier.

If your thinking about trying this lark at home then here's some things you might want to think about. First you can only get Champix if you've tried everything else so you may have to lie to your doc. Second, don't tell anyone because nobody understands that it's actually OK to smoke for the first two weeks so you get those 'knowing looks' whenever you go for a cig. Third, because Champix has more side effects than a bin bag full of class A drugs everybody will constantly ask how you're feeling. You can tell them to f**k off though because they'll just assume that the drug's turning you psycho. Then there's the, how are you finding it now you've stopped? The final one is the one I really wasn't prepared for though. Why did you decide to give up now?

I've spent thirty odd years defending smoking and being almost proud of the fact that I wasn't one of those smokers who always wished they could quit. Instead of saying 'god I have to give this up' I was saying thank god I've still got the cigs. I therefor am not about to tell the do gooders and anti smokers that actually I've had a cough that could power the sail of an ocean going yacht across the Atlantic and have had since before Christmas.

So here for the first time I set any readers of this blog and passers by a challenge. Given that this isn't about preaching to smokers to try and convert them but to inform them of a potential quit method should they want to try it...What's a good reason for giving up smoking that wouldn't make the smokers around you wish you'd shut up and give them peace and at the same time not allow the anti smoking lobby to feel smug? Looking forward to some good answers.

Stay hooked....