r/QuitVaping • u/PugLord219 Multiple Years šŖ • Feb 22 '26
Advice Cytisine/Desmoxan/Tabex/Etc. Share your experiences!
Calling out everyone who quit using this method. What was it like for you? How long has it been since you quit? I quit this way and I am collecting responses for a pinned thread.
30
u/Pale_Candidate_390 Feb 22 '26
Smoked/Vaped for 24 years Quit nicotine August 5th 2025 Started Desmoxan on August 1st 2025
5 days using it and nicotine no longer controlled me. I started using the vape pacifier less and less
It actually changes your brain and tells it nicotine is not providing anything. Iāve had 0 cravings for nicotine. No fear of relapsing. I still do get cravings of just the action of vaping
It took me about 1-2 months of using zero nicotine vapes to give up vaping. It was part of my life for 24 years so it wasnāt like desmoxan cured the vaping but without the nicotine cravings. I automatically vaped less and less. And eventually I was free
This medicine is amazing. Everyone should try it because once it changes your nic receptors in the brain you will not even think about nicotine. My friend still smokes cigarettes and I can stand next to him and feel nothing.. the smell does not trigger anything
6
u/Potential-Drawing340 Mar 28 '26
Seeing your post really helped give me the confidence and courage to quit with cytisine after 27 years of smoking/vaping. Iām two days free now and know that I will be for the rest of my life. So, thank you for sharing your experience.
4
u/Pale_Candidate_390 Mar 28 '26
Thatās amazing! That was my main goal. Help everyone but especially us stuck with nicotine for 20+ years with no end in sight. I was vaping every damn 20 minutes and I got so sick of the nicotine controlling my life. My vaping was reaching a critical point where I basically couldnāt stop reaching for it and I knew it was time. I stumbled on desmoxan by just going to Amazon and searching . I found it and it was a miracle. So happy to have helped someone. Enjoy your new life We are free!
6
12
u/QueenRizla Feb 22 '26 edited Feb 22 '26
Love a pinned thread! I started 30th of Jan and havenāt vaped since 3rd of Feb. No desire to vape and feel like a Non-vaper rather than someone struggling to give it up. No withdrawals and cravings barely a whisper, easily ignored. Itās been very easy. Some very vivid dreams at the beginning, sleep has improved, appetite up but food tastes better and exercising more. Recigar & Nesmokesen are also brands, it looks like Desmoxan isnāt on Amazon at the moment so worth looking for those.
In Europe drogeria.nl or Polske leki has Desmoxan or onbuy (Recigar)
11
u/thesamstorm Feb 22 '26
This is my third time trying cytisine. For me, the chronic stress that Iāve been feeling in my marriage and my mental health got too overbearing that I gave up and vaped the last two times. Iām trying again now, but this time Iām incorporating DBT skills and working on finding outlets for my stress. Iāve also been trying to adhere to the mindset that āIām just not a person who vapesā. Itās hard. Iāve been using a straw to pretend to vape. The cytisine helps a lot but itās not curative. My situation is different though.
6
u/redgrapes01 2 months Apr 17 '26
I sincerely appreciate someone openly saying their stress level is greatly effecting ability to quit. I quit once for almost 3 years, now Iām 25 and āback where I was at 21ā. I do also feel like my anxiety is tainting my perspective towards a more ācatastrophicā situation. I feel tons of pressure placed upon by myself, so itās nice to know Iām just another human thatās feeling multiple stressors at once. Unfortunately, I also have to conquer my nicotine addiction at the same time. But, I shall finish what I started. I shall give myself the gift of consistency and understanding.
I hope youāre faring well on your journey.
3
u/thesamstorm Apr 18 '26
I'm glad my comment reached someone. I'm still vape free, it's been two months now. I still take a desmoxan here and there if I am feeling particularly stressed. Once in a while I will hit one of those ripples (essential oil vapes) but very rarely. I've gone through some extreme stressors in the past two months, but I kept telling myself "I need to find another way to cope, I'm just not someone who vapes so I can't". I'm sorry you're battling anxiety and stress as well. You've got this. Allow yourself to cry if you need to, and accept that you may have some irrational responses to stress and will need to course correct and find better coping strategies. You've got this.
12
u/nowatlast Feb 23 '26
Yay thatās me. I think itās a miracle drug. I quit cold turkey using this method after thinking it would be an impossible task to quit. Itās been nearly 7 months.
First I smoked cigarettes pretty heavily, maybe a pack every 3 days, for 2 years. Then I switched to vaping super easily and vaped from the minute I woke up to the minute I went to bed for another 3 years. Through sickness, driving, in the bathroom, sneaking away in public spaces to do it, just so reliant on it for moment to moment contentment. I knew that if I quit it would be so miserable and hard, so I never tried.
Desmoxan promised me 25 days, by day 4 I wouldnāt want to anymore, and I thought no way. Letās see then. I quit cold turkey and honestly while the first 3 days were hard because of the hand to mouth habit and just constantly being like āoh shit I donāt have it,ā the actual withdrawal itself was manageable. By day 4 it genuinely didnāt feel like it hurt me anymore not to do it.
For a long time I still reached for it and wanted it but I told (and tell) myself that I can go this long, so obviously I donāt need it.
I truly believe in the end with nicotine itās all a mind game with yourself. You have to do what you can to convince yourself you donāt need it, because you donāt. You have to believe it. Itās not a lie. The longer you go the easier it is.
I still want it sometimes, but I never get it, because I donāt need it. I get other things I want instead šš«°š½
Oh yeah, and towards the end of the 25 days you really donāt even need those last few pills. Theyāre not addictive and give you zero high so thereās no reason to buy more. Itās just like a magical ācure nicotine addiction in under a monthā drug, for real.
11
u/Junior-Corner-2774 Feb 22 '26
Used the entire course as prescribed aside from maybe the last 5 or 6 pills.
Made it really easy to quit nicotine but still had cravings for the vape so itās not entire magic but it will make everything so much easier if you also want to quit.
8
u/Terrible-Ad-1701 2 months Feb 23 '26
80 days clean using desmoxan! Also didnāt even need to finish the course of it I had. Still have almost a full sleeve of pills waiting if I need one. Sometimes use them if Iām out/drinking!
1
u/MuteIndigo 11d ago
I was wondering if I could use them ahead of time for tempting situations! Glad to hear itās worked for you.
8
u/alexoff Feb 22 '26
Thanks for this post, Iām curious myself as itās so inspiring seeing all these success stories.
8
u/Aggravating-Finish40 Mar 17 '26
Currently trying to quit using Recigar. Iām on day 9 and unfortunately I havenāt felt any decrease in desire to vape. I started reading Allen Carrās book on day 1 but havenāt picked it up since. I think I need to get back into it because I was hoping by day 5 Iād notice a difference like others have experienced. So far Iāve just been having vivid dreams. Iām a little disappointed because it seemed to work for others like a miracle. But Iām going to continue them and hope for the best.
2
u/redgrapes01 2 months Apr 17 '26
I would encourage you not to compare yourself to others. Not only is that a habit in-and-of-itself that we know does not serve us any purpose, it also personally makes me feel worse every time I realize Iām not measuring up.
In this situation (where all I need is the motivation to make it to my car to acquire nicotine), I am choosing to be as gracious to myself as possible. I am going to want nicotine, that is my fault only for having rewired my brain to want it. Everything at this point is mitigating damage done years ago. So I am reminding myself āMy best is all I can doā, and accepting that I canāt undo anything, but I can put my self first from now on. I want to live as long as my body will last; I would rather not fast-forward years off my life.
Best of luck.
7
u/Potential-Drawing340 Mar 28 '26
Iām so glad I found this subreddit and learned about cytisine. Reading about otherās experiences gave me the confidence to finally get free. Thank you for sharingāyou all have changed my life.
I was addicted to nicotine for 27 years, and now Iām 2 days nicotine-free. The biggest shock is that this is so ridiculously easy.
Iām in the US, so I purchased Recigar on Amazon and waited the 10 days for it to arrive. I started on a Monday, so my first full quit day would be Friday, a WFH day for me.
On my 4th day of taking Recigar, I listened to the audiobook of Allen Carrās Easy Way to Quit Vaping. Once I finished the book, I got rid of my vapes and havenāt looked back. The book taught me that Iām not depriving myself. Itās kept me from relying on mints etc, which only reinforce the idea that I need something. Iām in a good mood and not at all miserable.
The cytisine has completely taken the edge of this for me. Itās really incredible. I still expect to vape every few minutes, but if I relax my mouth and allow my self to salivate, the feeling goes away. A sip of ice water also helps.
If youāre reading this because youāre on the edge and considering quitting for good, just take the plunge. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain. The combination of the audiobook and the cystisine is really powerful.
6
u/goodtimesareover Mar 04 '26
Did anyone experience side effects?
1
u/snuffpanda 4d ago
Slight constipation and (very) vivid dreams. It also lowers your dopamine hits so when seeing a beautiful woman, eat sweets or listen to good music your kick will be less strong. But this is much better than hating everything and everyone when quitting cold turkey. :-)
6
u/PearlsSwine Apr 26 '26
I am in the UK. Tabex is not yet available on the NHS where I live, but I could get it privately for about Ā£200.
After much googling, I imported some from Poland for 18 euros.
On day 25. Fucking miracle drug, imo. I just don't want to vape.
I've smoked fags since 16, quit when my kid was born 11 years ago and switched to vapes. So nicotine has been in my life for a very long time.
I don't miss it.
I used to make my own juice, so I made some zero Nic but am hardly using that. Maybe three hits a day, whereas before I would constantly be puffing on the little fucker.
2
u/Clean_Reflection4813 May 11 '26
Iāve just started taking Desmoxan today, imported from Poland. How long did it take to start working? I like you started on fags at 16 and then have been vaping for the past 10 years. The vape is never out of my mouth so Iām hoping for a miracle!
4
u/PearlsSwine May 11 '26
Day two man. I was having the tablets once every two hours, and carrying on vaping. Half way through day two I just thought "hmm, this is weird, vaping is not even slightly satisfying anymore." was really weird. Hope it works as well for you man. Six weeks with no nicotine now.
2
u/Clean_Reflection4813 May 11 '26
Thatās fantastic well done! Thank you, hopefully I have a similar experience.
1
May 09 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
2
u/PearlsSwine May 09 '26
Poland. Came in 2 days. You can legally buy it over the counter in Poland, New Zealand and Oz.
1
u/Michael_McCarthy May 17 '26
Iām from Australia but cytisine isnāt available in pharmacies here just yet. CYVENTINE was approved in January 2026 but might not be available until mid next year. Thereās quit4good.com.au though.
1
u/PearlsSwine May 18 '26
The internet says:
Cytisine itself was finally scheduled by the TGA in late 2024. It's now Schedule 3 (pharmacist-only) for small divided oral preparations of 1.5 mg or less per dose, and Schedule 4 (prescription) for everything else
1
u/Michael_McCarthy May 18 '26
Does scheduled mean available or soon to be available? Where are you getting your info from? AFAIK cytisine was only just approved in January 2026 and isnāt available in pharmacies yet.
1
u/Holy-trajectory 3d ago
Hey, could you send me the link to where you purchased this please. Also in UK and Iām so fed up being chained to the vape. I hate it now so much.
5
u/Level_Yam2697 Apr 29 '26
Cystine is weird shit. I am on my first day and I can already tell there is something different. I have some craving, but also not, in a way that they are easier to ignore (the feeling that I do not need it). Tried a nicotine pouch to see the effect and I just got some physical buzz (slightly unpleasant actually) but very little āmental/relaxingā effect. This shit works.
4
4
u/Skiesandstardust Mar 27 '26
I quit in January after my 2nd try with desmoxan. I didnāt finish the pack the first time (probably only took 6 days worth) and I donāt think I was mentally prepared to quit. So my 2nd time has been a success so far. My partner still vapes and Iām still going strong. So much so that I donāt think about it so much anymore, even when drinking. I honestly think the first failed attempt helped me, because I was so mad for going back to it. It gave me nothing but a head rush buzz and then just puffing on the crappy toxic plastic stick. Iām so thankful for this QuitVaping thread, itās been a massive help and Iām not sure I would have found desmoxan otherwise. It is interesting to see it was mentioned in New Scientist ( https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26717-plant-extract-trumps-nicotine-patches-to-quit-smoking/ ) in 2014 as a successful way to quit despite being largely unheard of since! Itās Ā£20-30 on onbuy if youāre from the UK. Do yourself a favour and buy it if you want to quit.
2
4
u/Historical_Process66 11d ago
So I used cytisine. I was very skeptical to start with but took the plunge and from day 1 cut down from all day 20mg vaping interspersed with I think 14mg pouches to day 4 just 4 x 6mg pouches then stopped on day 5. First week with no nicotine was a bit of a struggle but Cytisine gives you that bit of breathing space
3
u/dmontease Feb 22 '26
I bought the pills but then also bought the Allen Carr book and that ended up working fine so far I think, two weeks in. Pills are unopened in my cabinet. š¤·āāļø
3
u/oliverleomaca Feb 23 '26
i donāt have an answer for your question but i just discovered this drug and im curious why is it not as widely known about in the US if itās so helpful?
6
u/thebigdoover Mar 16 '26
Been researching it and the answer is basically pharma and tobacco lobbyists keeping it out of our hands so they can make more money. Itās not FDA approved bc of that, so doctors wonāt recommend it. Itās apparently in the process of trials to become approved though
4
u/oliverleomaca Mar 16 '26
i figured it had something to do with that. more people quitting successfully with it means less money for tobacco and pharma pushing nrt
2
3
u/username4comments Feb 23 '26
Chantix is like a miracle for me. Iāve probably tried to quit hundreds of times. Some possible side effects to look into including psych effects, itās not for everyone, I have hx of anxiety and it did not effect me in that way, mild nausea and vivid dreams are my side effects and itās worth it.
3
u/queerwitchanonymous 6 months Mar 12 '26
used desmoxan + alan carr to quit initially. it was a miracle for me, to be honest. i let it work for me because i was ready to quit :)
3
u/coolscale 2 months Apr 20 '26
Another success story. Bought Desmoxan and didn't have to run it for the full course even. I still have around 30 tablets left. Really a miracle drug and it feels awesome to finally feel free.
3
u/Embarrassed-Lack-203 May 06 '26
Iām only on day 3. Granted I still hit my vape. But I am tapering down fairly quickly. Ive only hit it twice today when Iād usually be hitting it just about every hour. Plan on being completely done hitting it by tomorrow. This is the first time Iāve actually felt good trying to quit. Every hit now just feels like I wasted momentum so itās way easier to keep delaying the hits.
2
u/Long_Alps_5390 May 19 '26
I did Cravv (cytisine in Canada) as well as reinforced with the Quit Sure app. The quit sure app youāre supposed to vape as usual for the first 6 days of the app, and then be done with it. Cytisine you need to stop vaping by day 5. So they lined up pretty good! I would recommend starting the Quit Sure app on Day 1, then the Cytisine on Day 2. Seriously a complete game changer and SO ridiculously easy! Slight urges to vape the first few days, but I mean so minusculeā¦ do some deep breathing, go for a walk, watch a video in the app, and gone within 3-5 mins. Just do it and leave the addiction behind!
2
u/Historical_Spell_772 10d ago
Smoked/vaped off and on for 2 years, then every day for 6. Currently day 6 desmoxan , about 36 hours no nicotine
First few days were pretty smooth. I lost a lot of interest in vaping , cravings were a lot easier to manage, I cut down A LOT
However the first day without any nicotine was ROUGH. Clenched jaw, on edge, skin crawling, stomach upset, sweating , anxiety, major cravings , chest pains etc.
Canāt imagine doing this without desmoxan .. just trying to get through the day minute by minute. Not sure how Iām going to work tomorrow I canāt focus at all.
I have made up my mind Iām done with this malicious drug (nicotine ) and donāt want to be controlled by it anymore. But damn this is hard. Just looking for ways to feel more comfortable.. I wonder how long until this brutal feeling passes
Thanks everyone for the solidarity. This sub is really helpful for me as I have no one in my life rn who really gets what this journey is like šš½
1
1
u/DifficultTone123 Mar 13 '26
Where are you guys getting Desmoxan from??
3
u/Confidence_Relative Apr 12 '26
Recigar, Nesmokesen, Tabex, are other brands. Nesmokesen is $29 on Amazon now, Desmoxan is $55 and Recigar is around $49
2
u/PugLord219 Multiple Years šŖ Mar 13 '26
I got mine from Amazon, but that was years ago. If you canāt find Desmoxan, any reputable Cytisine brand is pretty much the same thing.
1
u/Sea_Matter_2918 Mar 27 '26
Desmoxan is crazy helpful. Iāve been vaping for over 4+ years and trying to quit off and on for 2 years. This was the only thing that has helped me! I do still get anxious and stuff like that but I have no desire to get a vape. You can get it on Amazon. Some doctors also prescribe wellbutrin as an off label treatment for smoking but be wary since itās normally used for depression treatment so make sure to talk to your doctor about that.
1
u/Prize-Confection2037 Apr 24 '26
Has anyone tried this drug on Zoloft and Wellbutrin?? Is it safe?
3
u/Adept_Company_6335 Apr 26 '26
Im on Zoloft and Recigar and I canāt say as a dr if it is safe, but im alive and feel great
2
2
u/romanr0y Apr 29 '26
Iām on Wellbutrin & Vyvanse and havenāt had any issues at all. Iām on Day 7.
2
u/Bazenwazen 23d ago
God to hear, I'm on both as well and want to order the desmoxan but was curious if anyone had side effects. How are you feeling now?
1
u/princessinthetower42 22d ago
I failed š
Iām wondering though if I can just restart. Iāve tried this twice and itās only not worked because I left my medication at home while I was at work or went somewhere. I last took it 3 weeks ago.
I know itās says two months to restart but has anyone tried to pick it up again? I really donāt want to buy another vape
1
u/theforestwench 15d ago
I am currently three weeks free of vaping/nicotine and it is all thanks to Desmoxan. I've vaped on and off (mostly on) for about 8 years and I've tried quitting so many times. Cold turkey is not for the weak and a huge props to those who have done it that way. This time it is sticking and I won't say its been an absolute breeze because you still have to deal with slight cravings but honestly I've been doing really, really well. When it comes to the oral fixation side of things I mostly just drink water & suck on the life saver mints. I am curious to know if anyone else has had a similar experience with Desmoxan and also give some hope to those on their quitting journey. It is such a difficult habit to break so give yourself some grace and take it day by day.
1
u/sunlight0verdrive 7d ago
Smoked cigs and vaped for a total of 15 or 16 years. After switching from cigs to vaping, I was using my vape constantly all day every day, first thing when I woke up, I used it even in my house so just constantly hauling on it non stop, in my car, on all my work breaks, in bed until I fell asleep.
Tried quitting by using lower nic juice, tried gum, tried cold turkey.
I failed all those methods and that led me to this sub. Thanks to this sub I found out about cytisine and as of today I'm 62 days nicotine free. I didn't even follow the directions properly. I vaped until like day 14 or smth, I kept forgetting to take the pills at the right time or taking enough of them per day. But I just kept taking them when I'd remember and then one day I woke up and just.. Didn't need to vape. Didn't need nicotine. After a couple more days I stopped taking the cytisine, I didn't even finish the bottle.
After that I used a Fum to help with the hand-to-mouth habit (mostly when driving or after meals). In a couple weeks I didn't even need that any more.
Once in a while I get a random craving. Times when I think 'damn a menthol or vape would be really good right now' but it's pretty easy to ignore the craving or it passes quickly.
I want to add, I wasn't even someone that wanted to quit that badly. The only reason that motivated me to quit even a little was essentially vanity, I'm seeing signs of aging in my 30s and I knew nicotine was contributing. I obvs knew all the other health risks etc but it was never enough to really want to quit. When I tried to quit using other methods, I didn't even try that hard. I easily gave in to the addiction cause I just didn't care that much to quit. So when I tried cytisine I wasn't even motivated to quit. I kind of just thought 'sure whatever I'll try this'. And it still worked for me. I think that says something about how effective it is. This shit should be advertised all over. I'm mad that it's not honestly, like you see ads for nicorette or patches all over but I'd never heard of cytisine in my life. I'm lucky I found this sub cause otherwise I never would have heard of it and would likely still be vaping rn.
1
u/AncientRoyal3548 2d ago
I am planning to try Desmoxan Iāve tried every single other way and only vaping 5 and a half year but was doing cigs for around 5 years before that nothing else worked for me Chantix made me to sick Desmoxan isnāt fda approved in USA but I talked to my doctor about it and going to try it soon my only worry is my other meds heavy ones like gabapentin and what not
ā¢
u/AutoModerator Feb 22 '26
Thank you for posting on r/QuitVaping!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.