Champix is a prescription drug that helps to get rid of smoking addiction. It must be taken under the control of a doctor and the treatment takes about 24 weeks. The dose setting is standard, but can be changed according to the health status of the person. Its active ingredient, varenicline, mimics nicotine, reducing withdrawal symptoms and the need for cigarettes. Complying with the instructions for use increases the success rate of the drug. It has many side effects. The most common of these are headaches, trouble sleeping, strange dreams, constipation and nausea. It can trigger suicidal thoughts and attempts, especially in people with a history of depression or psychiatric disorders. It can also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Please consult your doctor before use
Why is Champix used?
- Champix, which mimics nicotine, alleviates the physical effects of smoking on the brain;
- Reducing withdrawal symptoms,
- To meet the need for cigarettes,
- It helps to prevent the pleasurable effects of smoking.
How should Champix be used correctly?
Drink the medicine whole with water without splitting it.
Use after meals to reduce the chance of nausea.
Take it regularly, at the same time each day. If you forget a dose, you can drink it as soon as you remember it, but you should not take the missed dose if the next time to take the medicine is approaching. Never take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses.
If you feel that the effect of the drug is too strong or weak, do not adjust the dose and stop taking the drug suddenly without consulting your doctor.
How intensely and for how long should Champix be used?
If you have stopped smoking after 12 weeks of treatment, your doctor may recommend an additional 12 weeks of treatment with 1 mg tablets 2 times a day to increase your chances of success. If you are unable or unwilling to quit smoking, you should reduce smoking during the first 12 weeks of treatment with Champix and quit at the end of this treatment period. You should then continue to take 1 mg tablets 2 times a day for 12 weeks. The total duration of treatment is 24 weeks.
What should Champix users pay attention to?
Those who have had depression or other psychiatric disorders in the past; those with cardiovascular disease; Those who have epilepsy or have had an epileptic seizure before should definitely inform the doctor. Those who have previous experience of quitting smoking with or without this drug should tell the doctor about the symptoms they experienced at that time.
Since Champix can increase the effects of alcohol, its intake should be limited.
Those on a controlled sodium diet should consider the sodium content of the drug (each tablet of 1 mg contains 0.36 mg sodium).
Since it may cause dizziness and drowsiness, driving and using machinery should be avoided without being sure of the effect of the drug.
