During the first week of taking CHANTIX, you will slowly increase the dose over 7 days to give it time to build up in your body. After you start taking CHANTIX, you can smoke until your quit date.
What does Chantix do to your body?
Chantix works by delivering a one-two punch to smoking: It blocks nicotine from reaching receptors in the brain, which breaks the pleasure cycle of habitual smoking, and prevents cravings by releasing small amounts of dopamine.
How long does it take to quit smoking with Chantix?
Depending on your quit approach, your quit date could be after a week or up to a month after starting CHANTIX. Or, if you’re sure you’re not willing or able to quit that abruptly, you can start CHANTIX and then cut your smoking in half each month with the goal of quitting at the end of 12 weeks (3 months), or sooner.
Do the side effects of Chantix go away?
Some side effects of varenicline may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
What is the success rate of quitting smoking with Chantix?
Chantix success rates
Chantix has been shown to be approximately three times as effective as placebo at both three months and 1 year. According to the manufacturer’s website, www.chantix.com, studies have shown that at 3 months, 44% of those using Chantix were able to quit smoking.
Does Chantix make you gain weight?
Does Chantix Cause Weight Gain? Unfortunately, many people who quit smoking do gain weight, regardless of the method they use to quit smoking. Weight gain rates are similar for people who quit cold turkey, use Chantix, or use nicotine replacement therapy. The average weight gain is about 10 pounds.
What happens if you continue to smoke while on Chantix?
Chantix mimics a low dose of nicotine, which eases the symptoms that are common when going through withdrawal. It also blocks nicotine from binding to receptors, essentially rendering it ineffective. If a person smokes while taking Chantix, they do not get the normal nicotine boost and smoking actually becomes bland.
Can you stop Chantix suddenly?
In some cases, a short tapering off of the dose over a week or so may be helpful. This is because at the end of treatment, if the medicine is stopped abruptly, in about 3 in 100 people there is an increase in irritability, an urge to smoke, depression and/or sleeping difficulty for a short time.
How long should I stay on Chantix?
Patients should be treated with CHANTIX for 12 weeks. For patients who have successfully stopped smoking at the end of 12 weeks, an additional course of 12 weeks treatment with CHANTIX is recommended to further increase the likelihood of long-term abstinence.
Which is better Zyban or Chantix?
In clinical trials of Chantix, the drug was found to reduce the urge to smoke, reduce withdrawal symptoms, and help patients maintain abstinence. One study compared Chantix to Zyban to placebo. The study found that both drugs were better than placebo, and concluded that Chantix was more effective than Zyban.
Does Chantix affect your mood?
CHANTIX: Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using CHANTIX to help them quit smoking. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking CHANTIX, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping CHANTIX.
What medications should not be taken with Chantix?
Medications known to interact with Chantix (varenicline)
- cimetidine.
- dalfampridine.
- dolutegravir.
- ethanol.
- lamotrigine.
- nicotine.
- ranolazine.
- vandetanib.
Does Chantix make you not want to drink?
Feb. 15, 2012 — A drug that helps people stop smoking may also cut alcohol cravings, a new study shows. The drug Chantix works by blocking nicotine receptors in the brain. Many people who have taken the drug to quit smoking have reported to their doctors that they were drinking less, too.
What happens if Chantix doesn’t work?
If it doesn’t work, ask your doctor about the possibility of adding varenicline or bupropion. Cognitive behavioral therapy and support groups can help break the mental and emotional attachment to cigarettes. However long it takes, quitting is beneficial.
Can you stop taking Chantix cold turkey?
Once your full course of CHANTIX therapy is finished, you stop taking it. You do not taper off of CHANTIX.
Can Chantix cause brain damage?
More dangerous side effects have been reported each year the drug has been available for use. Chantix is associated with and is believed to cause neuropsychiatric injuries characterized by dramatic behavioral changes.