Champix varenicline – helpful for smoking cessation treatment

Champix –Smokers can plan to quit

The smoking cessation drug, Champix, can help you if you want to stop smoking. It’s a tried and tested drug that has helped millions of smokers worldwide to stop smoking and to give up cigarettes for good. Champix is an oral drug that is available in the UK on prescription only. The main ingredient in a Champix pill is varenicline tartrate, which works by reducing nicotine cravings and the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Unlike some other treatments, Champix doesn’t contain nicotine in its ingredients, so the risk of relapse is reduced. The Champix treatment is generally prescribed for a period of 12 weeks, which is normally enough time for someone to overcome their nicotine dependency, but a further 12 weeks can be prescribed by a doctor if necessary.

Who can take Champix?
Champix is for smokers who are committed to quitting, but need an extra bit of help. Champix is only available with a prescription from your doctor, by arranging a consultation with him/her you can determine whether Champix is safe and suitable for you to use.

Champix should not be used by pregnant women and with great caution by those who are breast feeding. It can also clash with other prescription and non-prescription medicines, so make sure you tell your doctor if you are taking any medication. There also maybe concerns for people with Kidney conditions. Champix should not be used by anyone with a history of seizures or mental illness such as depression.

What dosages of Champix are there available?
To begin your Champix treatment your doctor will first ask you to set a quit date. You will need to begin your Champix dosage one week prior to your quit date. For the first three days, your doctor may recommend the lower 0.5mg dose once a day. This will then increase to twice daily for days 4-7. This helps the body to slowly get accustomed to the drug and to prevent feelings of nausea.

After 7 days, your dosage of Champix is increased to 1mg twice daily for 12 weeks. This is the recommended standard dosage of Champix as approved by the European Commission. To minimise nausea, take Champix with a full glass of water after a meal. If you forget to take a dose, try to take it as soon as possible. If there is a danger of taking both tablets too close together, only take one of your two daily tablets and continue as normal the next day. Never take two doses at the same time or close together if you miss a dose.

Does Champix have any side effects?
If you experience any Champix side effects they will usually be mild to moderate and may disappear gradually as your body gets used to the medication as well as the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Some of the commonly reported Champix side effects are nausea, headache, difficulty sleeping (insomnia) and abnormal dreams.

Some rarely observed side effects reported by people taking Champix Varenicline include a change in taste, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence and constipation. Consult your doctor as soon as possible if you experience changes in behaviour, changes in mood, depression or feelings of aggression or agitation.

Stop taking the medication and seek immediate medical attention if you experience symptoms of a serious allergic reaction such as puffy, swollen eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands or feet; if you experience hives, shortness of breath, a severe skin rash with peeling and blistering along with headache and fever, coughing or any pain whatsoever.

From where should I buy Champix?
Champix is available to buy at most pharmacies with a valid prescription. It can also be purchased online from a licensed pharmaceutical site (never buy from a site you suspect may not be licensed). If you choose to buy online, you will be asked to complete an online consultation. You will be provided with a questionnaire, which asks you about your various medical details. On the basis of these details, the online doctor decides whether to issue you a prescription or not. Once you get a valid prescription, you need to complete payment details with your selected online source to arrange delivery to your residential address.