Champix Side Effects
Smoking cessation, with or without treatment, can result in various symptoms like:
- Feeling of depression
- Irritability
- Frustration
- Anxiousness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Decreased heart rate
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
Minor Side Effects of Champix
Quit smoking medicines, including Champix can bring on certain side effects that affect individuals in different ways. This side effect may or may not be a direct side effect of using this medicine and may possibly be a result of giving up smoking. However, stating a side effect here, in no way, means that everybody using Champix will experience that very side effect.
Mentioned below are some of the common side effects that are known to be associated with using Champix that helps in smoking cessation. The side effects that affect 1 in 10 people are:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Abnormal dreams
- Sleepiness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Change in taste
- Dry mouth
- Disturbances of the gut such as:
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal discomfort or bloating
- Indigestion
- Flatulence
Major Side Effects of Champix
Champix may also result in some not so common side effects that affect 1 in 1000 people approximately. These side effects are:
- Decreased appetite
- Inflammation of the:
- Nose and throat (nasopharyngitis)
- Sinuses (sinusitis)
- Lungs (bronchitis)
- Thirst
- Shortness of breath, cough or hoarseness
- Throat irritation
- Runny nose
- Snoring
- Mood swings
- Abnormal thinking
- Changes in sex drive
- Tremors
- Abnormal co-ordination
- Problems with speech
- Restlessness or agitation
- Palpitations or abnormal heartbeats
- Abnormal intolerance to light
- Skin reactions such as:
- Watery eyes
- Increased urination
- Chest pain
- Increased blood pressure or heart rate
- Increased weight
- Joint stiffness
- Feeling cold
Other rare but serious side effects that have come to light fairly recently are:
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Heart attack
Combining Champix with other medications may not be such a good idea. Therefore, when you are on Champix, you must consult a doctor before starting any new medication or stopping any medication as your Champix dose may need altering. The doctor must have complete information about all the prescription, over-the-counter and herbal medications you might be taking. This will ensure that the combination is safe for you.
Extensive studies have been conducted on combining Champix with other medications. Other smoking cessation medicines are therefore not recommended for use while on Champix. In addition, using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with Champix may bring on side effects like:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Indigestion
- Fatigue
- Drop in blood pressure
Moreover, if you have severe kidney problems you must avoid taking drugs like Cimetidine in combination with Champix as this may increase the blood levels of Varenicline.
Likewise, the components in tobacco smoke have the potential to wash out medicines from the body at an above average pace. Similarly, if you are not smoking the same medicines are removed at a slower pace, causing the blood levels ofVareniclineto increase. This means that your smoker or non-smoker status is going to be the deciding factor for most medicines you take. Medicines that can react with Champix are:
- Clozapine
- Dextropropoxyphene
- Flecainide
- Fluvoxamine
- Olanzapine
- Pentazocine
- Phenylbutazone
- Benzodiazepines like oxazepam
- Beta-blockers like propranolol
- Tacrine
- Theophylline
- Tricyclic antidepressants like imipramine
- Warfarin
Smokers who suffer from diabetes normally need more insulin, as smoking reduces the amount of insulin that is absorbed into the blood from an injection under the skin.
Use of Champix is restricted in:
- Pregnant women or women who plan on becoming pregnant
- Children below the age of 18 years
- Lactating mothers
- People who are allergic to Champix ingredients
