Champix and Nightmares: What Users Say

• Moj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "I began taking Champix a couple of months ago. The side effects are pretty grim. I felt nauseous most days, struggled to concentrate at work, exhausted by 7 pm, then experienced some very vivid & bizarre nightmares. I persevered with it though because I was determined to stop this time and knew people who'd successfully stopped using it. I stopped smoking on day 10 (after vomiting with my last cigarette) and haven't smoked since. I honestly can't believe how effective it's been. I spoke to my doctor about stopping it early because I was sure I no longer needed them, he said it was entirely up to myself and everyone was different. I took my last tablet on day 35. I have now been smoke-free for around 8 weeks and feel great for it. I just wish I'd done this years ago instead of wasting time and money on patches/vaping/hypnotherapy(!)/inhalators etc. I have been a heavy smoker of tobacco and weed for 20 years and if I can stop, honestly, anyone can!!"

• Smi...
• April 6, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "Champix works! I have been a chronic smoker for 28 years, tobacco and skunk marijuana. My teeth started to fall out through smoking at about age 24. I knew smoking meant I would have a short life, or worse, let me live with something horrific. The nightmares I had were horrible and absolutely real. I woke and wondered if what I dreamed was actually real, thank God not. Such weird stuff. Sometimes I thought how could my brain actually come up with these things? Having said that, nothing else has ever worked for me. Don’t underestimate the struggle that you are going through, it’s not for everyone. For me, it’s the only thing that works. Give yourself time, relax, it will get better. I’m starting to deal with the nightmares, they get easier and don’t last. You're doing the best thing in your life ever! I would also say if it causes so much stress, don’t be afraid to seek an alternative course of treatment. God bless you, and good luck!"

• Chu...
• September 7, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "I started Champix just over 8 weeks ago (been on them before but ended up back smoking as I stopped taking them too early!) I smoked 20 a day for 10+ years. By day 8, I had no craving at all and haven’t smoked since. These tablets really do work, but obviously do come with certain side effects?! I have found it’s an absolute definite to take them just after eating (at least 2 pieces of toast or so for AM and a proper meal for PM.) The nausea is horrific if you take them on an empty stomach, as I found on my first attempt with Champix. I have also been suffering with really bizarre nightmares/dreams? Quite cranky and easily irritated - suppose it’s expected though? This time around, I have struggled getting out of bed in the morning, but I don't struggle going to sleep - if anything, I could sleep longer (normally have a good 8-9 hours a night??) Feel a bit flat some days and no motivation or energy. Definitely think they are worth a go though - Good luck!!!!"

• 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!"

• Ory...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "I started taking Champix after 20 years of 20 cigarettes a day, trying all sorts of things: chewing gums, patches, e-cigarettes, all failed. I took Champix in the morning, 20 minutes after breakfast. If I took it on an empty stomach, it gave me nausea. The second dose I took in the afternoon, never after 7 PM to avoid any nightmares. Apart from nightmares, if I took it too late, I did not have any side effects. I gave up on day 3-that was 3 months ago. I gave up the tablets 1 month ago. I was worried about having cravings, but that did not happen. I’m a 3-month non-smoker. I’m socializing with friends who smoke 20 a day like I used to, and the worst I have to deal with is a few seconds of cravings, but not too often. Champix is the best solution for me."

• Non...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 13, 2019

For Smoking Cessation "WORTH IT!!!! Never thought it would be so easy with Champix on my side. Better watch out for those nightmares though... pretty creepy, especially for someone like me who never even experiences dreams. Having a drink still makes it a challenge, but I am managing through it. Second month of Champix and 12 days clean of smoking, you simply gotta give this a go if you are determined to give up smoking!"

• Roh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 30, 2014

For Smoking Cessation "Fantastic to erase all symptoms of smoking. Only 3 weeks in, and yes, I have quit and am able to be around any smoker with no wish to smoke at all. But in saying that, I can't speak to my partner without having a full-blown outburst of rage. I can't sleep, I have vivid nightmares when I do, along with breakdowns because of the intense emotions. I get headaches every day. I can't be in large groups of friends without feeling overwhelmed and anxious. I can't hold conversations with more than one person at one time. I find myself thinking of things that should not be thought of. I was the complete opposite beforehand."

• Mal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2021

"I am now nearly 9 years free of smoking. I took Champix, and the best way to describe it is, 'I just forgot to smoke.' In the early days of giving up, I still had those triggers coming through, but as I got further into taking the course, those triggers got less intense and further apart until they were no longer significant. I remember my doctor saying, 'Make sure you don't stop taking them, take the whole 3 months' worth.' I followed his advice, and I'm so glad I did. He also warned me of the nightmares thing. I did have dreams, but they were amazing, and I remember wanting to go back to sleep just so I could get back into the dream. Anyway, I can't recommend Champix highly enough. Get on it, take the whole course, and hopefully like me, you will forget you ever smoked. Good luck."

• jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2023

For Smoking Cessation "I was a pack a day, tried quitting for a decade, and couldn't do it. Took Champix, and after a week, didn't even want to smoke. Lit one and put it out right away. So after 3 months, the prescription is over, and the craving comes back, but it's a lot less and more manageable. I was able to quit for 5 years. However, the side effects are not something to be taken lightly, I was having nightmares every night when I was on Champix. I figured it would go away, but it never did. In the beginning, the dreams weren't terrible, but they got worse over time. After I stopped taking Champix, the nightmares became less frequent but were never completely gone. Sometimes I wish I had never started the treatment because I feel the drug had changed me as a person. One night, I woke up in tears because I watched my daughter die in my dream, and the dreams were vivid, and this type of dream happens all the time. I have recently started smoking (pipe tobacco) again, hoping the nightmares would go away."

• Chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "I have smoked since I was 13. I used Champix a few years ago, and it worked, so I started again. I stopped smoking again when I fell pregnant, but unfortunately started again due to baby blues. I woke up this morning and looked at my baby, who is now 18 weeks, and thought I need to stop for him and me, so I am going to try Champix again. From before, I had the nightmares and nausea, but I found a way around that, and it really worked. Eat before taking the pill, and the most important one was to keep hydrated. I had to drink a pint of water before bed and two more with meals, and this seemed to stop the nightmares and the feeling down, and it has worked for many of my friends who I advised this to."

• Lou...
• February 6, 2017

For Smoking Cessation "I am on my 12th tablet, gave up smoking on the 6th tablet, but I am suffering with side effects, tired, nausea, I ache all over and having terrible nightmares, my mouth is constantly dry and food doesn't have any taste to it. However, on the plus side, I don't want a fag and feel sick at the thought of one. I'm hoping to stay on the tablets as long as possible to kick this habit, but with two children to look after, it's hard! I'm going to only take one tablet a day from tomorrow and see if that helps."

• Han...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "I'm in two minds about this drug. I'm on my third week and have not had a cigarette for a week now. I smoked around 20 per day and always found it hard to quit. Tried patches, inhalers, gum, etc., in the past but found the cravings really hard. This is actually working, and I'm not wanting a cigarette so much. HOWEVER, I feel awful. I'm extremely tired all the time and have zero energy, which isn't like me. I'm having terrible nightmares and other strange dreams and waking up in sweats. I feel sickly all the time with a metallic taste in my mouth, headaches, and over the last couple of days, I've had severe stomach cramps and terrible wind. Going to the doctor for advice. I do not feel good at all."

• Nau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2017

For Smoking Cessation "Have smoked for nearly fifty years!!! Stopped a year ago and used nicotine replacement gum. Only smoked 20 cigs over a weekend. Who do you think I was kidding?!!! Now on Champix only and no problems. (Nightmares are so interesting). Read a book where they said, 'One smokes, not really for pleasure, but to stop the craving.' That is so true that it made me realize that it was not the smoking that is the problem with me, but the craving. So I am so happy to have found Champix to take away the craving and 'Hey Presto,' problem solved. Thanks, Champix."

• Dan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 6, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "I used Champix in Dec 2011. Since then, I don’t smoke and have no desire, even if you blow cigarette smoke in my face. I had taken the pills for about 2-4 weeks. After the first week, I increased to two pills as per the dosage but started getting horrible nightmares. I had nightmares about saving my dogs every night. It was scary - I never experienced anything like that. So, I decreased back to one pill. After 2 weeks, when I was slowly smoking less and less, I stopped smoking cigarettes altogether. Until today, I am still not smoking cigarettes and have 0 desire to start."

• Can...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2016

For Smoking Cessation "My husband and I are on day 7, and it's the first day I've not had a cigarette. By day 3, I was already down to only 3 a day (first thing, after lunch, and after tea), and doing it together has definitely helped. Like other stories on here (and doctors' warnings), we have both had extreme nausea, headaches, nightmares, and an inability to sleep all night. But you know what? If it means I won't be smoking again, I can put up with those for the short term. After 20 years of smoking, it finally took a doctor's warning due to mild emphysema to get me to quit. For others out there, don't let it get that far. We didn't pick a quit date, we just went with the flow and let our body tell us when we had had enough. When I try to smoke now, it just makes me feel sick."

• Dor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2021

For Smoking Cessation "I took Champix 2 and a half years ago. I smoked for 35 years, 20 a day smoker. Loved my cigarettes, and I put my cigarette in front of my husband, children, and grandchildren because I was addicted to them. If I had cigarettes, I was a nice person, if I ran out, I was a monster - they totally controlled my life. Everywhere we went, I would be looking to see where I could have a cigarette. Champix was my savior!!!! I took it for the full 12 weeks. I also had a counselor every week to talk about how I felt, and by week 9, I gave the cigarettes up. I didn’t have many side effects, some nightmares now and again, and I felt a bit nauseous only sometimes in the morning. It was the best thing I ever did, my family is very proud of me, and I am no longer controlled by that cancer stick."

• Ari...
• December 7, 2016

For Smoking Cessation "I have used Champix before and stopped smoking for 2 years. I stupidly started and have gone back on them. I have tried lots of different nicotine replacement methods, and this is the only one that works. Those of you with little willpower (like me)? This is for you. I do suffer side effects but can manage them as the alternative is smoking! Side effects include stomach pains and sickness. To solve this, take the tablet after a decent meal and a lower dose (I can manage on the .5 mg). Hard to sleep and nightmares - no solution, but better than waking up coughing up phlegm every morning. At times, I still get the urge to have a cigarette, but the experience of this is a big mistake as they taste awful, and as soon as you light up, you will put it out. Keep busy."

• Joe...
• July 25, 2017

For Smoking Cessation "This medication works, but not for everyone. I took this medication and had been smoke-free for 9 weeks. I stopped taking it because I was no longer myself. I had terrible nightmares, and my mental state was altered and still is 4 years after stopping the medication. I do not recommend this medication if you have any mental health issues, depression, anxiety, etc."

• Sha...
• February 12, 2017

For Smoking Cessation "I was on Champix for my 19th day when I decided tomorrow would finally be the day I'll stop!! Hid anything that would remind me.. ashtrays, papers, filters, lighters... Difficult when your house is a halfway house for your son's homeless mates, all smokers!! (At least they can't hit me up ATM!!) Anyway, that brings me to 4 days of not smoking. About to go to bed, tomorrow will be my fifth.. I've never had any serious issues with Champix!! I've tried and given up twice before, things have just happened... I have always had the nightmares, which I love!! This time around, (I always eat with them) hours after taking it, I'll suddenly get a massive headache and full-on nausea, out of nowhere, at the exact same time!!"

• Bek...
• October 13, 2016

For Smoking Cessation "I had a very negative experience on Champix. 5 days in and I've thrown away the packet. Day 1 I was nauseous and vomiting and had terrifying nightmares, dry mouth, hot sweats. Day 2 My mood changed, I felt like I was in a trance/had been sedated. Still having terrifying nightmares. Day 3, 4, 5 Sent home from work, feeling severely depressed and exhausted, can't function. I'm so upset that Champix affected me like this. I've read so many great reviews, but it just wasn't for me. I could have dealt with all the side effects if I didn't work full time. But even customers were picking up on my 'zombie' like state. Best of luck to everyone else trying to give up! I'm going to have to try good old-fashioned willpower!"

• Roz...
• January 29, 2016

For Smoking Cessation "I am on my 9th day today, and only quit smoking yesterday. I was on 2 for the past 3 days before my quit day (to be completely honest, unless it was social pressure, I wouldn't even have them). I woke up today excited about life. My senses are going through a new phase as well. I can finally enjoy the taste of my food and smell the wet grass in the park. It's all new for me, but I am just loving it. And since Champix is blocking all your cravings, you start wondering why I didn't do this earlier. There are side effects for sure, it's completely worth it. I realized that the side effects that I had are the same ones when I tried to quit without using Champix. I did have terrible dreams back then and would wake up sweating."

• It ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "I worked, but scary dreams and erectile dysfunction were the side effects."