Champix is a prescription medicine that helps adults 18 and over to achieve smoking cessation.
Define Champix Varenicline
Champix is a prescription medication that is used to help people who are addicted to nicotine and want to give up smoking. These tablets contain the active ingredientVarenicline, which acts in the brain, but differs from nicotine replacement therapy.
Varenicline, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and partial agonist, acts on the same receptors in the brain as nicotine. It works by stimulating the nicotinic receptors in the brain. Stimulation produces an effect that relieves nicotine craving. Once the nicotine craving is taken care of, the withdrawal symptoms simply do not occur. This makes it easier to achieve smoking cessation .
In addition, Varenicline blocks the nicotinic receptors from responding to the nicotine; this prevents inhaled tobacco from having a rewarding and enjoyable effect or giving the smoker the proverbial ‘kick’.
How to Use Champix Varenicline
Prior to starting Varenicline therapy, it is best to set a date quit date and then proceed to take the medicine about one to two weeks before that quit date. This gives Champix time to start working on the nicotinic receptors so that it becomes easy for you to quit on the date you have set for yourself. Give or take a few days, some people quit much before the quit date, but some find it impossible to quit on the set date also. Nevertheless, given time, one does quit with Champix .
You start by taking the bare minimal recommended dose and gradually increase dose in the first week of treatment. Then Champix is to be taken twice a day for 12 weeks. If you have successfully managed to achieve smoking cessation at the end of 12 weeks, the doctor may offer you a further 12 week course of Champix treatment. This is normally done to avoid relapse.
Champix tablets must not be broken, crushed or chewed. They are meant to be swallowed whole with a glass of water; however, it can be ingested with or without food. Champix increases your chances manifold of successfully achieving smoking cessation.
Precautions when using Champix
As with any other drug, Champix also comes with strict precautionary guidelines that must be adhered to – in order to achieve smoking cessation – as well as keeping oneself at bay from serious life-threatening side effects. Patient reports reveal that some people witness changes in behavior, thoughts and actions when attempting toquit smokingwith Champix. In case you, your family, or another caregiver notices these changes that are not normally typical for you, you must stop taking Champix and call the doctor right away.
Champix may make you feel dizzy or sleepy and therefore even impair your ability to perform potentially hazardous tasks like driving or operating machinery.
In addition, reports of suicidal thoughts or behaviour have been rampant. But, this is difficult to pinpoint as quitting itself can make people depressed, especially if they already have a history of mental health problem and depression associated with suicidal thoughts. However, not everyone will experience the above mentioned side effects. But in case you feel you are veering towards these negative side effects, you should immediately stop the use of Champix and consult your doctor.
In some people the urge to smoke returns upon concluding the Champix course. Similarly, feelings of irritability, depression or insomnia may also surface in some people. In order to overcome this problem, you must consult our doctor so that your Champix dose can be gradually tapered off, rather than stopping it abruptly.
Champix must be used with caution in:
- Decreased kidney or liver function
- People with history of psychiatric illness, like depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
- Epilepsy
Champix is not recommended for use in:
- Children and adolescents under the age of 18 years as there is no information regarding its safety and efficacy in this age group
- People who are allergic to one or any of the Champix ingredients
- Pregnant women or women who plan on becoming pregnant as its safety has not been established
- Lactating mothers as it is not known if Champix can pass into breast milk
In addition, Champix must not be combined with other medications as this may result in untoward side effects. These medications include:
- Cozapine
- Dxtropropoxyphene
- Fecainide
- Fuvoxamine
- Oanzapine
- Pntazocine
- Penylbutazone
- Some benzodiazepines, eg oxazepam
- Some beta-blockers, eg propranolol
- Tacrine
- Theophylline
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as imipramine
- Warfarin
