Description
WHAT IS CHAMPIX?
Champix is clinically proven to be the most effective prescription smoking cessation treatment. In comparison with other medications designed to help you quit smoking, Champix has the highest success rate for successful smoking cessation. In fact, clinical studies found that users of Champix were twice as likely to give up smoking successfully than with no medication to help them.
This makes Champix the most effective stop smoking medication, ahead of e-cigarettes, behavioural therapy and nicotine gum or patches.
WHY CHAMPIX?
NHS testing found that 45% of people had successfully quit smoking altogether after 12 weeks of using Champix. This compares to just 22% of people who used bupropion and only 11% of people who tried to quit using a placebo effect.
Champix isn’t just the most effective medication for quitting smoking when compared to other leading methods. There are many other benefits of using Champix which make it the best smoking cessation medication available. The benefits of using Champix include:
- A significant reduction of nicotine cravings
- Less feelings of stress, anxiety and irritability
- A smaller chance of experiencing insomnia or other sleep problems
- Alleviation of headaches
- A gradual elimination of nicotine reliance
- The opportunity to stop smoking in just two weeks
Champix can be used alongside other treatment methods for an even higher chance of success.
HOW IT WORKS
Champix is unique as it uses an active ingredient called varenicline. This works in several ways:
- Creates the feeling of nicotine without actually releasing the harmful substance into your body
- Reduces your body’s reliance on nicotine
- Eliminates the cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking
- Reduces any pleasant sensations you associate with smoking
Varenicline bonds directly with nicotine receptors in the brain to stop the feelings you get from smoking a cigarette.
Uses / Instructions
HOW TO TAKE CHAMPIX
Champix comes in the form of a capsule. Each capsule comes packaged securely with the correct dosages labelled for each day of the treatment. Champix can be taken with or without food, ideally with a full glass of water. The most common method of consuming the treatment is to begin taking it one week before your planned quit date in order to create a building block. Alternatively, you can start taking Champix straight away and decide on your quit date between 8–35 days after.
If you miss your dose of Champix, simply take the missed pill as soon as you remember. If it’s close to your next dose, however, simply miss the dose completely and continue your regime as normal. You should never take two Champix pills together.
WHAT DOSAGES ARE AVAILABLE?
A Champix starter pack is available from Express Pharmacy. This starter pack contains a 0.5mg dose to be taken once a day for the first three days, followed by a 0.5mg dose to be taken twice daily for four days, then a 1mg dose to be taken twice daily for one week.
Although Champix has been proven to help you quit smoking in just two weeks, it is advised that you complete the full 12-week stop smoking treatment. This has been shown to increase your chances of quitting for good from 50% to 70%.
Once you have completed the Champix starter pack, take a 1mg dose twice daily for eleven weeks.
Warnings
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking CHAMPIX.
There have been reports of depression, suicidal ideation and behaviour and suicide attempts in patients
taking CHAMPIX. If you are taking CHAMPIX and develop agitation, depressed mood, changes in
behaviour that are of concern to you or your family or if you develop suicidal thoughts or behaviours
you should stop taking CHAMPIX and contact your doctor immediately for treatment assessment.
The effects of stopping smoking
The effects of changes in your body resulting from stopping smoking, with or without treatment with
CHAMPIX, may alter the way other medicines work. Therefore, in some cases an adjustment of the
dose may be necessary. See below under ‘Other medicines and CHAMPIX’ for further details.
For some people, stopping smoking with or without treatment has been associated with an increased
risk of experiencing changes in thinking or behaviour, feelings of depression and anxiety and can be
associated with a worsening of psychiatric disorder. If you have a history of psychiatric disorder you
should discuss this with your doctor.
Heart symptoms
New or worse heart or blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems have been reported primarily in people
who already have cardiovascular problems. Tell your doctor if you have any changes in symptoms
during treatment with CHAMPIX. Get emergency medical help right away if you have symptoms of a
heart attack or stroke.
Seizures
Tell your doctor if you have experienced seizures or have epilepsy before your start CHAMPIX
treatment. Some people have reported seizures while taking CHAMPIX.
Hypersensitivity reactions
Stop taking CHAMPIX and tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following signs
and symptoms that may indicate a serious allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, tongue, gums,
throat or body and/or difficulty breathing, wheezing.
Skin reactions
Potentially life-threatening skin rashes (Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Erythema Multiforme) have
been reported with the use of CHAMPIX. If you develop a rash or if your skin starts to peel or blister
you should stop taking CHAMPIX and seek emergency medical help.
Side Effects
Most people who choose Champix as a stop smoking medication experience no side effects or very minor side effects.
The most commonly experienced side effect of Champix is nausea, and this is often mild and tolerable. For those who do experience nausea, taking the smoking cessation medication just after a meal with a full glass of water is thought to help reduce feelings of sickness.
Other potential side effects are insomnia, headaches and flatulence.
PRECAUTIONS
Please note that if you are pregnant or are a new mother who is breastfeeding, smoking cessation tablets are not advised. You should also be careful with alcohol consumption when taking Champix, as varenicline has been shown to increase the effects of alcohol.
Ingredients
What CHAMPIX contains
– The active substance is varenicline.
– Each 0.5 mg film-coated tablet contains 0.5 mg of varenicline (as tartrate).
– Each 1 mg film-coated tablet contains 1 mg of varenicline (as tartrate).
– The other ingredients are:
Tablet Core – CHAMPIX 0.5 mg and 1 mg film-coated tablets
- Cellulose
- Microcrystalline
- Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate Anhydrous
- Croscarmellose Sodium (see section 2 “CHAMPIX contains
sodium”
- Silica, Colloidal Anhydrous
- Magnesium Stearate
Tablet film coating – CHAMPIX 0.5 mg film-coated tablets
- Hypromellose
- Titanium dioxide (E171)
- Macrogol 400
- Triacetin
Tablet film coating – CHAMPIX 1 mg film-coated tablets
- Hypromellose
- Titanium dioxide (E171)
- Macrogol 400
- Indigo Carmine Aluminium Lake (E132)
- Triacetin
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