It’s now been over a year since I first took Champix to help me quit smoking and apart from a short 3 week period where unfortunately I lapsed and  started to smoke again,  it seems to have been a success.

Those 3 weeks were due to stress at the loss of our best friend our Cane Corso Blue, whose sudden death was very unexpected and had a devastating effect on myself and Mel, still have trouble now just typing about it, miss her dearly and the cigarettes where a much-needed crutch during the initial period of loss.

Since using the Champix and giving up I’m no longer at the beck and call of nicotine addiction, no urge to spark a cigarette up straight after a meal or first thing in a morning, no hacking up of that horrible green/brown mess from my chest, even less snoring.

I still occasionally feel as if I need one when my stress levels rise, but have thankfully resisted to go out and buy a pack, because if I did I know I would just get hooked on them again, my addictive nature unfortunately . .

The Champix has been a fantastic find for me, I’ve attempted many times to quit smoking and failed miserably every time, before Champix I’d tried gum, patches, e-cigarettes and cold turkey all with very little success, the Champix has done what the rest couldn’t do . .  break the addiction and habits of smoking at the same time.

Now that those 2 are broken it should be a hell of a lot easier to resist the urge to smoke again.

So what have I found out from being a non-smoker

1. Its true what they say Non-Smokers are the worst people for telling others to quit, we become evangelical about quitting . .
2. I can actually smell what other smokers smell like and now realise how disgusting I must have smelt as a smoker
3. I can taste food so much better and don’t seem to need as much salt/sugar/spices/seasoning’s on everything to make it tasty
4. I have a cleaner house and car from lack of cigarette ash everywhere
5. I’m saving over a £10 a day on cigarettes (though it’s being spent on other things lol)
6. My sense of smell and taste seem 100% improved (it probably is with no smoke to deaden the senses)
7. I’m not having to continually stand outside pubs/bars/restaurants like a pariah any-more

There are probably hundreds of other things that are occurring within my body,  my senses and general surroundings that I’ve not even noticed yet.

Bes thing though is that I now feel good for being a non-smoker, never thought I would be able to quit, even with help, but I have and I’m proud.