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Champix contains the medicine varenicline that is used to help people stop smoking. Varenicline reduces craving and helps deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms. It also makes smoking less pleasurable which helps in quitting smoking.
Champix is used to help smokers quit effectively. It works by reducing cravings for nicotine and helps cope with withdrawal symptoms like an urge to smoke again and feeling depressed or irritable which smokers generally experience when they are trying to quit. Smokers who are using Champix will find that they find smoking less pleasurable, and it is easier to stop smoking. Champix is only available on prescription and comes in the form of tablets.
Champix has been proved to help smokers quit effectively in a laboratory setting. The same study also showed that patients who used Champix were able to remain non-smokers after treatment.
Smokers become addicted to nicotine, a chemical that is found in tobacco that cigarettes have. Nicotine binds with receptors in our nervous system and helps release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for how people experience pleasure.
It is believed that Varenicline, the active ingredient in Champix activates these receptors and blocks nicotine from attaching to them. Champix does not contain nicotine and it is not addictive.
The average course of taking these tablets is 12 weeks and they come as 0.5mg and 1mg tablets.
It is important to set a date when you will start smoking since you need to start taking Champix tablets one to two weeks before you stop smoking. Your doctor will draw up a treatment plan that is best suited for you. But, here's what your weekly plan might look like:
Some medicines are effective on some people but might cause side effects to a minority of the patients who take them. Champix has a few common side effects that are experienced by a select few people. These side effects are mild and go away by themselves. The common side effects are:
Inflamed nose and throat
Headaches
Difficulty sleeping
Feeling dizzy
Bad taste in your mouth
Serious side effects happen in less than 1 in 10,000 people. These include:
Feeling agitated or depressed, or having suicidal thoughts. Side effects that affect mental health might also include feelings of aggression, mood swings, and seeing, and hearing things that are not there
If you have a seizure
If you get chest pains or shortness of breath. These are signs of a beginning of a heart attack
You get weakness on one side of your body, trouble speaking or blurred vision — these can be signs of a stroke
Champix is a safe medication that can be taken by adults who are aged 18 and older. You should tell your doctor before you start taking Champix if you:
Have pre-existing heart conditions
Have kidney problems
Have a mental health condition
Have ever had an allergic reaction to Champix or any other medicine.
Champix is not recommended for pregnant women because there’s not enough evidence to know whether it is safe for your baby.
Champix is also not recommended for women who are breastfeeding since there’s not enough research to know whether Champix gets into your breast milk.
Champix doesn't usually affect any other medications. But when you smoke, you need to change your dose of medicines like:
Medicines for breathing problems like Theophylline
Medicines to treat diabetes like Insulin
Medicines to reduce blood clotting like warfarin
Medicines used to treat psychosis like olanzapine and clozapine
You should also inform your doctor if you are taking Champix with any herbal remedies or supplements.
You need to store Champix tablets in a cool, dry place that is away from direct heat and light. Keep this medicine out of reach of children.
You can buy Champix tablets online from MedsNow. The medicines are delivered conveniently to your doorstep.
Though it depends on case to case basis, your doctor might prescribe you another round of treatment to help them quit.
