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Champix Helps People Quit Smoking
Added: (Fri Oct 05 2007)
If you are a smoker, you likely do not need anyone to tell you why you should quit. Most smokers in today’s informed society understand the reasons why they need to quit smoking. However, doing so is often a challenge for these individuals. They are addicted to nicotine and the enjoyment they get after having a cigarette.
In the past the best line of defense to help smokers quit smoking was Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). NRT involved some form of medicine, whether it be a patch, gum, or spray, that contained a reduced amount of nicotine. When a craving for a cigarette hit, the patient would take the replacement item, gradually reducing the amount of nicotine that was in the NRT. These are usually effective, but the main concern among smokers is that they still require the use of nicotine.
There are other options, including medications that do not contain nicotine. One highly effective medication is Champix. Champix hit the market in February of 2007 with encouraging results. As with all medications, there are pros and cons to taking Champix.
How Champix Works
Champix contains an active ingredient called varenicline. Varenicline does two things for the smoker. First, it stimulates the same receptors in the brain that are stimulated by nicotine. This means that the cravings are fulfilled before the smoker takes the first puff of a cigarette. This can effectively stop the cravings and significantly limits the amount of withdrawal symptoms that a patient experiences when quitting smoking.
Champix also blocks the way nicotine acts on these receptors. This means that if the patient who is trying to quit smoking makes a mistake and has a cigarette, there will be no satisfaction or enjoyable effects from that cigarette. This makes smoking highly unappealing, and helps a patient break through the addiction much faster.
Positive Reasons to Choose Champix
There are many reasons that a smoker might want to choose Champix over other stop smoking products. The biggest reason is that the medication contains no nicotine, as is found in NRT products. To those who are concerned with the health effects of consuming nicotine, this is a major benefit in choosing this product.
Champix has been highly successful in clinical trials. In one trial, 44% of the patients taking Champix were successful in their attempts to quit smoking after 12 weeks, whereas only 11% of the patients who were receiving the placebo drug had the same success. This was also two times the success rate of Zyban, another popular anti-smoking medication. The success rate increased to nearly 70% when the patients remained on the medication for 24 weeks.
Negatives to Consider
Both the European Medicines Agency and the FDA have approved this product for use as a stop smoking drug. In the United States the medication is known as Chantix. Even with this approval, it is important for smokers to realize that Champix does have some potential drawbacks. First, if the drug is not taken as prescribed and for the entire treatment period, the desire to smoke will often return. The minimum treatment period is 12 weeks. However, permanent results are more prevalent among those patients who use the product for 24 weeks.
Another potential drawback of taking Champix is the fact that there are some side effects that can occur. The most common side effect is mild nausea, which usually goes away after the treatment begins. Other mild side effects, such as appetite changes, dry mouth, tiredness, and headache, rarely prevented patients from finishing the treatment. However, some patients experienced severe mood swings, depression, or serious sleeping problems. These more serious side effects did cause some patients to stop taking the medication.
How Champix is Taken
If you are going to take Champix, you will have to get a prescription from your doctor or from an online clinic. This drug is not currently available as an over-the-counter medication. Your doctor will regulate your dosages to make sure that the medication is working, and it is essential to follow the dosage schedule. If you do not, you will be at risk for losing your battle to quit smoking.
Champix is an oral medication, and you will want to start the treatment a couple of weeks before you wish to quit smoking. For the first three days of treatment, you will take 0.5 mg daily one time each day. Then for the next four days you will take 0.5 mg each day two times a day. Once you have completed the first week of treatment, the dosage is again doubled, and you will take 1 mg twice a day. The tablets are color coded so you will know which ones are 0.5 mg and which ones are 1 mg. A course of treatment lasts for 12 weeks, but doctors often recommend taking the treatment for a total of 24 weeks to improve the chances of quitting successfully.
The best way to be sure to have success with Champix is to combine your treatment with other stop smoking aids, such as motivational and support techniques. Just taking the medication alone may not be enough to help you quit successfully. With motivation, self-control, and the help of Champix, most smokers can successfully control their cravings and kick the habit.