Quitting Smoking with Chantix: What are patients saying?

Suffering from a smoking addiction?

Does the thought of quitting send you into a mental spin?

Had enough of the tobacco smoke on your clothes and breath?

Done with the cravings for cigarettes that seem to rule your day?

Have you had enough of cigarette ash burns on your clothes and furniture?

Finished with cleaning cigarette butts in ashtrays?

One of the newest smoking cessation aids on the market is Varenicline, also called Chantix or Champix. Scientists discovered that a natural chemical in the body called cystisine blocks the pleasurable effects of nicotine and duplicated it, creating Chantix and consequently, helping ease withdrawal symptoms. Chantix actually targets the brain’s nicotine’s receptors, combining with them and causes a release of dopamine equivalent to what is released during smoking.

Champix Side Effects Common, say those who write the testimonials

Like most prescription medications, Varenicline (Chantix, Champix) is not without its side effects. Nausea, vomiting, constipation, gas, heartburn, bad taste in the mouth, drowsiness, headache, and rash are commonly reported side effects from Chamtix. The bad taste in the mouth with other digestive system-related symptoms also seem to decrease appetite in some, and increase appetite in others on the smoking cessation drug. It’s not unusual for patients quitting smoking to also report trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or unusual dreams or nightmares with Varenicline.

According to www.ConsumerReports.org, there’s good evidence that varenicline helps people with quitting their smoking addiction. And according to patients posting their testimonials, the drug is working since they report quite interesting things such as:

-  “…easier to fight the ritual of I HAVE TO SMOKE when I wake up, on breaks, and when I drive”

- “With Chantix, I couldn’t believe I wasn’t screaming at everyone when quitting.”

- “Varenicline makes the cravings more bearable and not as frequent”

- “…feeling sick right after I take the pill but I can handle it.”

- “…using Chantix with very good results.”

- “Someone smoked within 3 feet of me and I didn’t want a cigarette.”

- “I smoked for more than 50 years before, and because of Champix now I don’t.”

- “After 2 weeks on Varenicline, I can walk away from cigs totally.”

- “Champix made smoking cigarettes taste awful!”

A greater majority of the patients writing testimonials about Chantix did mention the nausea, so you can pretty much expect it although Pfizer states nausea only occurs 30% of the time. Several people who quit smoking with varenicline were convinced it wasn’t working at the start, but then had a major realization that varenicline had helped them kick the smoking addiction when a certain situation arose that they never overcame before. The drug has been a great aid for those who have been hooked on nicotine for any amount of time; years of nicotine use doesn’t seem to matter.

According to Consumer Reports experts, in a study of three different quitting smoking methods (bupropion which is wellbutrin, varenicline, and placebo) with more than 1000 people, 14% quit smoking on Wellbutrin while 23% were successful with varenicline. Only 10% succeeded with the placebo. Most had been smoking for over 20 years. Pfizer reported on that same quit smoking study.

Experts warn not about combining Wellbutrin with varenicline for more effectiveness; the combination can be dangerous. They also warn that Chantix not be discontinued suddenly and not given to friends – get your own prescription for it. Recommended trial of Chantix is 12 weeks according to the manufacturer.

There is a word of warning, though; not every drug is miraculous for all. Some patients reported changes in behavior such as agitation, suicide thoughts or depression from using Chantix. The drug should be discontinued immediately if any of these symptoms appear.

Pfizer makes Champix and recommends that a person who wants to stop smoking should first create a plan of attack (selecting a date, deciding what method to use, getting rid of ashtrays, lighters, and cigarettes) before they actually start. These behavioral modifications can be extremely helpful during the quitting smoking process. These are commonly held beliefs by those helping smokers quit. Pfizer also recommends that someone use their quit smoking drug varenicline one week before you actually stop smoking cigarettes completely.

So when it comes to quitting smoking, it looks like Chantix may be the easy ticket out of a world of nicotine.

What do you think? .... What have you found to help you quit smoking?

Let us know and help others make their decision because no one, not even a smoker really wants to smoke!