About Champix - its manufacturer and its other names (Chantix)
Manufactured by Pfizer, Champix Varenicline is only available on prescription. Smoking cessation with Champix helps curb nicotine cravings and reduces withdrawal symptoms. In addition, it aids in reducing the pleasure associated with smoking.
Champix affects the nicotine receptors in two ways – firstly it imitates nicotine and attaches itself to the receptor to give the same pleasure like that of nicotine and secondly it blocks nicotine from attaching to receptors as Varenicline binds to the receptors more tightly. As Champix does not contain nicotine like some other quit smoking aids, it is non-addictive in nature. This helps you quit smoking without having to resort to other forms of nicotine.
Champix, known as Chantix in the US, is the first new prescription drug forsmoking cessation treatmentapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a decade. Designed to help smokers quit smoking, it is now available as Chantix in the US pharmacies.
Comes in the strength of
Champix comes in a weekly dose pack and the starter pack lasts for two weeks. The starter pack includes 0.5mg tablets and 1mg tablets, which are coloured white and light blue respectively. This helps in easy recognition.
The recommended standard dosage for Champix is as follows:
Week 1
- Day 1 - 3: Take one white Champix 0.5mg tablet once a day.
- Day 4 - 7: Take one white Champix 0.5mg tablet twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Week 2
- Day 8 - 14: Take one light blue Champix 1mg tablet twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Weeks 3 - 12
- Day 15 – to end of treatment: Take one light blue Champix 1mg tablet twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
After 12 weeks of treatment, if you have stopped smoking, your doctor may recommend another 12 weeks of treatment with Champix. This will increase your chances of stopping smoking long term. For this course take one light blue Champix 1mg tablet twice a day.
Normally, this is the standard dosage forquit smoking, recommended by doctors. Always take Champix after eating and with a full glass of water and do not double dose if you miss a dose, just continue as normal.
Ingredients of Champix
Champix 0.5mg and 1mg tablets contain the equivalent of 0.5mg and 1mg of the active ingredientVareniclinerespectively.
Each tablet of Champix contains the following other inactive ingredients:
- Cellulose - microcrystalline
- Calcium hydrogen phosphate
- Croscarmellose sodium
- Silica-colloidal
- Magnesium stearate
- Opadry Blue, Opadry Clear and Opadry Clear as a coating
Side effects of Champix
Champix helps most people give up smoking, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. Some common side effects include:
- Headache
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sleepiness
- Abnormal dreams
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Constipation
- Bloated feeling
- Indigestion
- Flatulence
- Dry mouth
- Nausea (feeling sick)
- Stomach discomfort
- Increased appetite
- Changes in taste
Some rare side effects include:
- Tremor
- Increased muscle tension
- Abnormal co-ordination
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Severe c hest pain
- Disturbed vision
- Pain in the eye
- Shortsightedness
- Sensitivity to light
- Blood in vomit
- Red blood in stools
- Abdominal pain
- Mouth ulcers
- Pain in the gums;
- Skin rash
- Reddening of the skin
- Itching
- Wheezing (difficulty breathing or shortness of breath)
- Seizures or fits
- Fainting
- Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat
- Severe sudden onset of itchy swellings on the skin
- Severe skin reaction with painful red blisters with chills, fever, aching muscles and generally feeling unwell
After stoppingChampixyou may notice an increase in irritability, urge to smoke, depression, and/or trouble sleeping. This does not happen in everyone. However, if this does occur you should talk to your doctor.
Online availability of Champix
Champix is available in many countries including the UK, the US, and recently it was approved in Japan and Australia also. You can buy Champix from a local pharmacy or seek an online source to get it. It is easier to buy Champix online so many internet users prefer this method to procure Champix.
This smoking cessation drug is available in all licensed pharmacies in many countries of the world. You can buy it after doing a consultation with a doctor. Champix is also available online and you need to follow few simple steps if you opt for this method. This process starts with an online consultation from any licensed clinic and requires you to fill in an online questionnaire with your medical details. You should provide correct details about your condition in the questionnaire as this serves to help the doctor judge your eligibility for taking Champix
Online reviews for Champix and success rates
Champix was launched in a blaze of media glory and claimed that 44% of people would stop smoking while taking the drug. Champix quadruples the chances of smoking cessation in smokers who would otherwise quit smoking cold turkey. Champix also has double the success rate as compared to Zyban.
Some of the online reviews for Champix are:
‘I am on day 14 of Champix. I smoked my last cig on day 7. It felt great putting that last cig out. I have to say though I have started feeling really sick. I would say this started on day 11 and have been really tired from the start and as a lot of people have said a little spaced out. I will stick these out until the end because as far as I am concerned it is worth the sick feeling if I am never to put one of those awful things in my mouth again. Good luck to everyone taking Champix.’
‘I feel delighted that finally I have something to help me with this awful addiction that has controlled me for the last 30 years. I tried the patch and the Zyban and the cold turkey routine and was miserably disappointed each time that I failed. Now I have this great confidence that this time I will do it. I have no cravings, no increase in my appetite and I don't feel depressed. If anything I feel great and excited because this time I think I have it licked.’
‘It does still require some will power, you do get cravings but I would say that they are very weak and that hey are few and far between. Stops the effects of smoking and reduces the nicotine cravings from day one. I naturally cut down without even trying. I went from 30 per day to less than 5 within 2 days of taking Champix. Stopped smoking on Day 9 without any trouble. Now on day 22, the smell of ciggies offends me to the point it makes me feel sick. Dreams are vivid and random. Has made me a little spaced out. But other than that, it’s all been plain sailing.’
Ways to quit smoking
There are several ways to quit smoking. There are the medical, non-medical as well as herbal products that aid in smoking cessation. Some anti-smoking products contain nicotine in small amounts. These nicotine based anti-smoking medical aids include:
- Boots NicAssist Patch
- Nicorette Gum
- Nicorette Inhaler
- Nicorette Microtabs
- Nicotinell 24-hour Patch
- NiQuitin CQ Mint Lozenge
- NiQuitin CQ 24-hour Clear Patches
Some non-nicotine anti-smoking medical aids include:
Some non-drug based medical aids include:
Other methods include:
Remember, it may not always be easy to quit smoking, but with patience and persistence you may emerge as a winner.
