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Type 2 Smoking And Taking Champix

rab5

rab5

Well-Known Member
My name is Rab and I am a smoker

I have started champix this morning. Has anyone else used this drug. It does mention it can raise blood sugars etc.

Any info good or bad appreciated

Thanks in advance
 
I took it before I was diagnosed with Type 2, so can't advise re BG increases.

I've since read all sorts of bad press about it and side effects, but it worked a treat for me.
 
My story is similar to @Indy51's. I took it before diabetes diagnosis, it was the only quitting method that worked. I am so glad I took Champix and was able to stay on it for the time required. On day 4 I had no desire to smoke. It was amazing.

For some people, it can cause side effects ranging from mild to severe. If it does raise blood sugars then it might not be by much and it is only taken for 8-12 weeks. The health benefits of quitting are greater IMO. Good luck and I hope it works well for you.
 
Jenny15 said:
My story is similar to @Indy51's. I took it before diabetes diagnosis, it was the only quitting method that worked. I am so glad I took Champix and was able to stay on it for the time required. On day 4 I had no desire to smoke. It was amazing.

For some people, it can cause side effects ranging from mild to severe. If it does raise blood sugars then it might not be by much and it is only taken for 8-12 weeks. The health benefits of quitting are greater IMO. Good luck and I hope it works well for you.
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That’s what I’m thinking.
 
rab5 said:
That’s what I’m thinking.
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I'm a lifelong non-smoker who lost their mother to lung cancer, but she also had significant vascular damage in her legs.

In my view, it's hard to think of anything else you could do to give yourself such wide ranging health benefits (having got your T2 into harness).

Massively good luck with it all, and if your bloods go up a bit for a few weeks, that doesn't seem like a massive deal in the bigger picture.
 
Hi @rab5, I was just thinking about you and Champix again and it occurred to me that your very good BGs may well provide a buffer against any small (temporary) increases from Champix. I've read on the morning BG thread that yours are often under 5 or only slightly over, giving you a big margin. So that is great!

Champix really was a lifesaver for me, because I had tried many times to quit but the physical addiction was strong and I always started up again when under stress or tempted by others.
 
I’m 55.... I started smoking when I was 35! Went off them for 7 years then for my 50th birthday I trekked the Tour du Mont Blanc..... when I finished I bought 40 cigs and a bottle of southern comfort Smoked my brains out got drunk fell asleep got sunburned. I sometimes make rash decisions

Anyway I have been ravenously hungry today. Hopes it’s not the champix?
 
Jenny15 said:
Hi @rab5, I was just thinking about you and Champix again and it occurred to me that your very good BGs may well provide a buffer against any small (temporary) increases from Champix. I've read on the morning BG thread that yours are often under 5 or only slightly over, giving you a big margin. So that is great!

Champix really was a lifesaver for me, because I had tried many times to quit but the physical addiction was strong and I always started up again when under stress or tempted by others.
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Yeh that’s what happened me I was off them for 3 days a couple of weeks ago and the. Stressed out in work A cig seemed to be the answer
 
rab5 said:
I’m 55.... I started smoking when I was 35! Went off them for 7 years then for my 50th birthday I trekked the Tour du Mont Blanc..... when I finished I bought 40 cigs and a bottle of southern comfort Smoked my brains out got drunk fell asleep got sunburned. I sometimes make rash decisions

Anyway I have been ravenously hungry today. Hopes it’s not the champix?
Click to expand...
It could be the Champix, because of the way it works in the brain. IIRC it locks a type of receptor that deals with the drive to smoke, so it affects the hormonal messengers in the brain such as dopamine, which are very similar to the ones that drive hunger. It may simply be increased food intake that raised BG in the studies that were done.

I would work on increasing fats and proteins slightly to see if that reduces your hunger a bit. And keeping busy and away from temptation if you can.
 
They say cigarretes are harder to kick far more than dangerous addictive drugs. For whatever reason, it's easy to appreciate (and far safer for the community) their reliance on nocotine.
 
rab5 said:
Yeh that’s what happened me I was off them for 3 days a couple of weeks ago and the. Stressed out in work A cig seemed to be the answer
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Very best of luck. A cigarette is never the answer to anything. Keep at it You'll win in the end. It took me umpteen attempts.
 
@rab5 I had this convosation last week with the smoking cessation nurse I'm a type 1 and this was one of my first questions to the nurse she assured me it will would have no effect on blood sugar what so ever
I was worried just having finally gained full control after 10 years of t1
 
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