Champix and Vivid Dreams: What Users Say

• Ali...
• February 29, 2020

For Smoking Cessation "I only completed the starter pack, so 4 weeks of Champix. Been smoke-free for a month. Champix works but my side effects included vivid dreams, irritation to annoying people, and some cloudy thinking. Still worth it. I feel great now, deep breathing gets me through any urges and just feels good to be able to take deep breaths without coughing. Good luck everyone, you've got this."

• KIE...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2020

For Smoking Cessation "I have been smoking for 50 years. 15-20 a day. Now I'm 70, I decided to quit. On Champix for 3 weeks and I'm down to 2 a day for the last week. WOW! As I live in Australia, the most expensive country in the world for cigarettes, it's eating into my pension. It is $25 per pack of 20! Now I keep a big jar and put in the amount of money I would have spent on cigarettes and see it grow. I'll be able to go on holiday after 1 year. Side effects include colorful dreams and slight nausea. No interest in the taste, just the habit of having a beer and a cigarette. No more standing outside a pub in the rain, feeling like a leper."

• tru...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "I was prescribed Champix by my doctor and started on the them on the 12th January. I had to pick a date as a quit date, I chose the 25th Jan. I was a heavy smoker for over 20 years and on 2 packs of 20 a day (awful). I am proud to say I am a non-smoker after taking Champix for just 12 days. To me, this medicine is a pure miracle. I have to finish my tablets which were to last for 14 days. I have had headaches and really bad dreams that have woken me, but I can live with that. I have no cravings at all to smoke, and the thought of it does make me feel a bit of nausea. I just pray this lasts as it truly is a miracle medicine."

• Lou...
• July 26, 2009

For Smoking Cessation "I was not expecting Champix to work as efficiently, but I am surprised by how effective it is. I'm on my eighth week of taking Champix, and my fourth week of total quitting. I smoked as normal for the first two weeks, stopped smoking through the day, then got down to one or two smokes a day before quitting completely. It just seemed effortless. The side effects have been interesting. My dreams have been very vivid but not disturbing. The nausea has been easy to manage by eating something like yogurt before taking, and constipation remedies are easy to find. I would recommend it to anyone, and indeed do."

• Kee...
• April 22, 2014

For Smoking Cessation "I smoked for 28 years and I have a very addictive personality. I thought I'd never be able to quit smoking. It took me longer than what is suggested in the info pack for Champix, but now I am smoke-free! It is truly a miracle. I have suffered with many of the side effects ranging from vivid dreams, nausea, increased frequency of migraine headaches, acne, eczema, dry skin, tiredness, increased anxiety, and significant weight gain. However, everything that I've had to go through as far as side effects have been worth it to say I'm smoke-free and I know it will improve as I go back off of the medication. Good luck to anyone reading this who is still trying to quit. You can do it!!"

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "After 45 years of smoking a pack a day, plus I decided to try Champix. This is my first serious attempt to quit smoking. I continued smoking during weeks one to five, however, the number of cigarettes I smoked tapered off drastically. I am now in week seven and am eighteen days smoke-free. I will be honest, it is a battle for me since I enjoy my cigarettes. I've almost given up a few times due to cravings and the fact that I am cranky as heck. (I'm chalking the crankiness up to the lack of nicotine in my system.) But I haven't caved in yet, nor do I plan to. As for the 'side effects' - my dreams are vivid but interesting. I take this medication with food and the recommended full glass of water, so I do not feel any nausea. The cravings, well, there's bound to be some. Make sure to have lots of gum or mints on hand! Honestly though, I would recommend Champix to anyone who wants to quit smoking."

• Lot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 20, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "Champix has worked. I was scared of taking them but my health had declined and my fitness levels were shocking. I had a history with mental health issues like anxiety, so you can imagine how scared I was given the long list of side effects. I took these with food and did not get any nausea, I haven't had one bit and have been on these 5 weeks now. It completely stopped my desire to smoke after 2 weeks. I'm short-tempered, but my boyfriend and I discussed all this before I started Champix, so we knew it was coming. Even he says it's worth it to give up. I have also had weird dreams, but not bad ones. In yesterday's dream, I won the Formula 1 race in France! I haven't had any cravings, and I'm pinching myself. I was also a heavy drinker, and I haven't wanted one since I can't smoke. So my real test will be a glass of wine, but I'm waiting until the 12-week course is up to drink, as I don't want to fail, and so far I haven't wanted to drink. All round, I'm super impressed."

• Bum...
• July 4, 2014

For Smoking Cessation "Smoked 25 a day for 28 years and lost count of the number of times I've tried to quit and failed. Now I've been smoke-free for 9 months (feel GREAT)! Life on Champix was VERY tough. Started off with the usual half tablet and things were fine, but within a couple of days of being on the full dose, the suffering began. Bloated, constipated, angry, vivid, nasty dreams, no sleep, lethargic, and so, so emotional I burst into tears over nothing. In the end, I cut back to half the usual full dose and eventually stopped taking Champix altogether after 6 weeks. Took some time after this for the symptoms listed above to disappear completely, but eventually they did."

• Ker...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "I started Champix on 27th March 2015 by my GP's stop smoking clinic and was advised to keep smoking, with a stop date of 13th April 2015. I wasn't really given any advice about the medicine, other than it may cause bad/vivid dreams. I came home and did some research myself. Days 1, 2, 3 were just fine - no changes at all. Day 4 I started to not enjoy my smokes so much. Days 7-10 I felt exhausted, headachey, tearful, moody, having horrendously black dreams involving murder and my husband cheating - this led to paranoia that he really was cheating. I stopped them two days ago and still feel very low in mood, withdrawn, tearful, and so tired. Please be very aware of the side effects and ask close ones to monitor your moods."

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 16, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "Absolutely brilliant. I’m now on week 12 without a cigarette. I stopped taking Champix after week 3. Dreams a bit weird, felt a little bit sick in the first 2 weeks, so tired, but all worth it. Will never smoke again. I highly recommend Champix, it works."

• Gel...
• March 23, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "Got to give it a 10 as it achieves the wanted result, rating it on side effects would be nil, which would be unfair and not constructive to a survey. My 3rd attempt on Champix, the 1st two attempts failed due to my own silly fault, being bored and having an overwhelming desire to be naughty. So this time I'm keeping busy and find it a lot easier. Side effects are all well documented and trust me I have the lot. Stools the size of Manchester alternating with a spontaneous tsunami and dreams so vivid I could write a novel each morning, being only a couple of a whole list of effects. Nothing I was not expecting or that can't be endured for the sake of being smoke-free after 45 years. Good luck to all on Champix."

• Nun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2014

For Smoking Cessation "Champix was very effective to stop me from smoking! After six days, I suddenly woke up, and for the first time in 30 years, I didn't feel like having a smoke. So I didn't and haven't for over three months now. I read many reviews before starting to take it and was kind of dreading the side effects, but decided to take it anyway. Took it for 2.5 months. I only noticed very vivid dreams (not bad nightmares) that even amused me, but made me wake up 2 or 3 times a night, so it was a bit tiring. Besides that, for the first two weeks, I had trouble remembering words and felt a bit disconnected. It was only after I stopped taking it that I realized I had been very depressed, had 2 car accidents in 2 months (first in 25 years of driving). Worth it!"

• Mad...
• May 17, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "20 a day for 26 years. Tried e-cigs, patches, gum, even Allen Carr. Champix felt like my last chance, and damn, it worked for me! Yes to nausea (even with food) and vivid dreams, but no mood swings or irrational behavior (so far), and I actually have a long history of depression and anxiety, so I was really expecting that. I quit smoking on day 13 of the meds. Partly 'cause you HAVE to make that choice and partly 'cause it was just horrid to smoke. I can't even stand the smell now. A few cravings, but easy to get over them. It's only day 18, but I do feel really confident this is it for me now. Champix might not be for everyone, but if you really have tried everything else, then why not?"

• Reg...
• August 26, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "Guys, I was on this forum a few days back when I was desperate for answers. I loved reading everyone's varied stories about Champix and their experiences. I will try to make this as short as possible. I quit smoking 30 cigs a day 5/6 years ago but felt comfortable staying on the nicotine gum 2mg as a substitute. The thing is, I was going through 500+ a month. Ok, so I'm now taking Champix to get off the nicotine gum. Trust me, the first few days I felt anxious as anything and was chewing on the nicotine gum like a cow chewing the cud. I went through them even more quickly in a week than usual. Vivid dreams and nausea on and off. By day 7, my stomach was bloated like a balloon. Day 8, I was now on 1mg in the morning and 1mg in the evening, feeling ok. Day 9, sweet Lord, the tiredness. I felt so flat. I went to the doctor for a review, he said it would pass, and it did. I've now finished day 13 and feeling almost back to myself. Every now and then, I chew regular sugar-free gum because that in itself was another habit."

• Sai...
• August 21, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "Well, I'm on day 5 of no smoking, truly amazed how I have gone from 20 a day for 30 years to nothing. I get the odd craving, but sips of water work to banish them. I'm into week 3 of taking tablets, and the only side effect is vivid dreams. I have tried to quit before, but Champix is the best, effortless, not even missing my morning fag with my coffee. If you're thinking of taking these tablets, I'd say go for it. Time for an update, almost week 3 of no smoking, had lots of cravings, but stuck with it and came out okay. Water really helps, small sips, or get a jigsaw to keep the hands busy. Even my non-smoking husband is impressed, he's heard so many times that I'm going to quit but have failed every time apart from now and a healthier bank account."

• Spi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "Stopped smoking on day 8 as instructed and haven’t smoked since. When first starting the treatment, I noticed vivid dreams, aggression, and feelings of panic. These became more controllable as I progressed through the treatment. The day I stopped taking Champix cold turkey, I felt extremely agitated, panicked, and awful. That was today! I know I’ll never buy cigarettes again, which is amazing. I couldn’t even last 4 hours without buying cigarettes before. I think people taking it should be offered advice and support in dealing with the side effects, as they are powerful and really can put you in tricky situations. But I think I’m through that now and have gone from smoking up to 40 a day to nothing. Hopefully, the withdrawal symptoms from Champix itself don’t last too long..."

• Anonymous
• December 12, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "From someone who thought she would never be able to quit smoking. TAKE CHAMPIX!! After 3 weeks of Champix, not much felt different besides the side effects I had, like terrible nausea and vivid dreams. Thought it was a total waste of a good amount of money (it's not covered by insurance in my experience). 3 weeks and 2 days in, I did not need one cigarette at all, it was almost out of nowhere. 5 months in now, and I am still smoke-free. I only did the first month of the pill, the rest felt unnecessary. I feel so free. It is worth it!"

• Meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "I'm on day 7 on Champix and feel fine. I eat with every tablet, drink a big glass of water, and I've had no nausea. I can feel the cravings subsiding, I'm not enjoying smoking as much and have already cut back to about 3 per day. I had nightmares the first night, but that has eased, and I just have vivid dreams that aren't frightening. Other than that, I'm waking up earlier than usual and not experiencing any more fatigue than I usually would. So far, so good! The dosage gets upped tomorrow into week 2, so we will see how that goes!"

• Qan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 9, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "I have tried many times to quit and found it difficult, as patches, gum, and lozenges did not work. The side effects started on the first day. The nausea, abnormal dreams, and, to a lesser extent, inflammation of the nose were felt. By the time I was 2 weeks into treatment, the side effects were light or unfelt. With some effort, on the 15th day of Champix, I had stopped smoking. The first 2 weeks I smoked normally, slowly, you stop craving it and do not feel its effects when the dose is 2 mg a day. I am confident that I will not smoke again. In short, you have some willpower to stop smoking, start Champix, and put some effort into it. Always remember the benefits of stopping smoking. I feel much better already: less mucus in my lungs, more energy, better breathing, and the best part is the smell. I cannot urge you enough, please give it a try and remember full recovery takes 15 years after stopping smoking, so you might as well start as soon as possible!"

• Dee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "Quit day was yesterday. Day 16 on Champix. Side effects of nausea and vivid dreams have been a struggle, but weighed up with how I have sailed the last 2 days, it's worth it. With willpower mixed and support of my physician, I recommend Champix if you truly want to stop. Early days, but 35 years of 20 a day, I knew my addiction had to be helped."

• Fee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "I was smoking 20+ a day, just smoking them because it was a habit, and a bad one at that. Then I decided to go on an e-cig. Yes, I just changed from one habit to another one. But after being dependent on my e-cig, I decided it was time to stop using it. I started the Champix, and I can say after day 15, I am free from all habits, and it feels so good to be back in control of myself instead of being controlled by cigarettes. I am still using the Champix, but they do give me vivid dreams, but that will pass, and if I wasn't using the Champix, then the smoking wouldn't go away. So, on a plus side, I would sooner have the dreams for a while. I am so pleased with myself that I can go on a flight and not have to worry about when my next nicotine fix will be. Now I don't have to use nicotine nor want to anymore."

• Jim...
• January 5, 2021

For Smoking Cessation "I was coming up to 60 years old after being a heavy smoker since I was 16 years old. I have previously tried everything to quit for the last 20 years with no success. I was diagnosed with COPD ten years ago, so I tried Champix on a course recommended by my GP. I cut down and totally quit after two months, that was 2 years ago. I still occasionally fancy a cigarette, but they have worked well. My only side effect was lucid dreams, but they soon stopped after I finished the course. Try them if you're serious about quitting, nothing else worked for me. Highly recommended."

• Whi...
• December 20, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "I am on week three of Champix and rather surprised at not only the complete removal of cravings and desires but also how all these side effects are not even happening. I will say it has made my dreams weird. All the people in my dreams now are just stupid! Clueless and annoying! It's like I know I am dreaming now and they are playing their roles poorly and I have to direct them stage left or right and give them their lines. Weird! But no nightmares at all. Was able to quit by day 8. Tried a few cigs since out of curiosity, but they tasted terrible and gave me no buzz at all, so it's not worth it. Nicotine replacement therapy is NOT the answer! I've failed a hundred times on the patch and the gum. This drug literally makes nicotine useless!"

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "This tablet has 'ticked' all of the boxes for me as much as it has really helped me quit! YAY!!! I had been smoking for 35 years. Only 6 days in, I couldn't stand the taste of a ciggie!! Now I'm into week 6 on the Champix, still not smoking, but I feel so ill! Feel sick most of the day, every day, and for at least half an hour after the first morning tablet. I'm sitting growling at everyone to leave me in peace until the intense nausea passes. I have bad wind, I wake constantly throughout the night following some crazy and scarily vivid dreams, and I sadly can't remember what it's like to sleep until my alarm goes off! BUT..... I don't smoke and I don't miss it!"

• Mrs...
• May 5, 2015

For Smoking Cessation "Started Champix on April 23rd. By day 5, I did not like the taste of cigarettes, but persevered (you know how we do)..... My husband smoked too, and I hated the smell of his breath. By day 10, I could smell my own breath and have given up on day 12. This is my second day smoke-free, and it is easier than I thought it would be. Of course, there are cravings, but I am managing them. Side effects I've experienced are slight nausea, but it passes quickly, terrible flatulence! And some very vivid dreams, slight headache today, but I think that's the nicotine withdrawal. Definitely worth a go."