Spot.bz | Connect and Share

How does it work?

Champix tablets have the active ingredient varenicline, which is a medicine used to aid people who are passionate to nicotine to quit smoking. It acts in the brain, but is not the same as nicotine replacement therapy.

Varenicline is a sort of medicine called a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist. This means that it takes action on the same receptors in the brain as nicotine.

Varenicline functions by stimulating the nicotinic receptors in the brain. This produces an effect that relieves the craving and withdrawal symptoms you can get when you end smoking.

At the same time, varenicline obstructs nicotine from acting on the nicotinic receptors. This checks any nicotine inhaled in tobacco smoke from having a rewarding and enjoyable effect.

You should set a date on which you will stop smoking and start taking this medicine one to two weeks beforehand. This is because the medicine needs time to start working.
The dose is augmented little by little in the first week of treatment (follow the instructions given by your doctor or pharmacist) and the medicine should then be taken twice a day for 12 weeks. If you have profitably managed to give up smoking at the end of 12 weeks, your doctor may offer you a further 12 week course of treatment.

The tablets should be ingested whole with a drink of water. They can be taken with or without food.

You should look for aid and support as much as possible while giving up smoking, even while taking this medicine, as this will boost your chance of triumph and success. Your doctor, practice nurse or local pharmacist can all give this support.