======= Date Modified 22 30 2009 23:30:43 =======
This is going to sound very very odd, but bear with me...

For the past few days I have developed this weird lip twitch-y thing, like a tic. I recently (two weeks ago) started taking Champix to stop smoking, and now haven't had a cigarette for over a week. Buuuuut, tics are not a recognised side effect of Champix. So, I've now decided that writing up has driven me mad already, and have now developed a nervous twitch through stress and lack of sleep...



Ah well, the conference presentations and lectures I give will be fun!


:$

Are you anxious? Giving up smoking is probably the hardest thing I've ever done (next to this PhD!). It really is stressful and I went mad for 6 months. Mood swings, tears, grumpiness, the works. I didn't have any tics though...if this persists, you might want to go and see about it. Probably nothing, but still, it must be annoying...

You really sure you want to give up smoking at the same time as writing up ?

I know you should stop, but give yourself a break.

Sounds like you have a good old-fashioned nervous tic, probably due to stress of writing up heaped on top of doing the PhD. Few days relaxation (ahahaha... what's that?) and you'll be fine.
Failing that, get a massage...(up)

Unfortunately, I had a fairly nasty cancer scare (biopsies and all) last Christmas/January; and I have a check up mid-August. If my oncologist finds Camel Lights at the bottom of my handbag it won't be pretty! (Plus my funding has just run out so very very poor; £100 a month on fags isn't justifiable, despite just getting a £2500 grant).

More fortunately, I have got a stinking headache and fever today, so looks like I'm going to have to stay in bed for a few days and get that 'relaxation'! (this will mainly involve feeling guilty that I'm not working/applying for jobs!).

Hiya Sleepy,

Enforced rest: take advantage of it but I hope you feel better soon.
As an aside, don't worry too much about the cancer scare: if it was anything serious they would have had you back within 2 weeks and under the knife/chemo. Cross that one off your list of things to worry about and just spend a few days relaxing. Work improves after that, honest. If it doesn't - blame it on the moderators :-)

======= Date Modified 24 Jul 2009 09:03:17 =======
Headache & fever....!
Any urge to go Oink ?

Hope you are feeling better soon.
Fairy'nuff about the cancer scare !
Just as an aside......
when I stopped smoking, I used the Nicorette inhalator.
Very good. Really helped.

I had something similar writing up, but it was the slightly more common eye twitching. Annoying but it did pass (and only comes back really occasionally). I've since heard it might be a lack of potassium (in which case eating bananas may help) but I have no idea whether that is true!

Good luck writing up- look after yourself. Here is a link to some advice on writing your thesis:
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/1239/Completing-your-doctorate.html

Tennie

Hi Sleepyhead, me too! I developed this weird twitchy thing that makes me blink and or wrinkle my nose. I've found that its worst on days where I spend hours on end at the computer, or in stressful situations (e.g. teaching a new class). I have also had the eye twitch but that seems to be linked to lack of sleep and is involuntary. If I concentrate on relaxing the muscles in my face it goes away - so I'm hoping that post submission it will disappear. You are not alone :-)