Hi Machiavelli,
Great to see that you have made a step towards quitting. And it is very understandable that you have concerns about the side effects of champix.
Here is some general information on Champix with some information of the side effects. It is important however, that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about this medication.
Champix is a prescription medication, which is used to help adults quit smoking. It does not contain nicotine. It is available in tablet form in 2 dosage levels: 0.5 mg (white) and 1 mg (light blue).
How it works:
Champix can help to relieve the craving and withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking. It is believed to work by stimulating the same areas of the brain that nicotine does. It acts like a weaker version of nicotine and also blocks nicotine from getting to the nicotine receptor.
You start taking it before you quit smoking as it takes a while to build up in your system. People usually start on one 0.5 mg pill a day (days 1 - 3), then move to one 0.5 mg pill twice daily (days 4 - 7), and then two 1 mg tablets a day for days 8 to the end of treatment. When two pills are taken daily, one is taken in the morning and the other in the evening.
It's important to set a quit date before you start taking Champix. The quit date should be during the second week of treatment (between day 8 and day 14). You can keep smoking prior to your quit date, however continuing to smoke, after your quit date, will reduce your chances of successfully quitting smoking.
You stay on it for 12 weeks usually. However, your doctor may recommend that you stay on it longer. It costs about $5/day. Don't take if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Not recommended for use in children under 18 years of age.
Taking Champix in combination with other smoking-cessation therapies (e.g. patch, gum or inhaler) has not been studied and is therefore not recommended.
The most common side effects are:
Nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, headache, abnormal dreams, constipation and gas.
If you have any problems, it's best to talk to your Doctor who may reduce your dose temporarily or make other recommendations.
In case of an allergic reaction or unexpected effects, stop taking Champix and call your doctor or pharmacist.
Hope that gives you a good overview. Post here often if your journey gets more rocky and you need to some support
Jason, Health Educator
