Champix Tablets

When and how do I use it?

• You are more likely to stop smoking if you are motivated to stop. Your doctor and pharmacist ca provide advice, support and sources of further information to help ensure your attempt to stop smoking is successful.
• Always take CHAMPIX exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
• Before starting your course of CHAMPIX you should decide on a date in the second week of treatment (between day 8 and day 14) when you will stop smoking. You should write this date on the pack as a reminder.
• CHAMPIX tablets should be swallowed whole with water.

What’s the dose?

The usual dose for adults which you should follow from Day 1 is described in the following table:

Week 1 Dose

Day 1 – 3 From day 1 to day 3, you should take one white CHAMPIX 0.5 mg film-coated tablet once a day.

Day 4 – 7 From day 4 to day 7, you should take one white CHAMPIX 0.5 mg film-coated tablet twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening, at about the same time each day.

Week 2 Dose

Day 8 – 14 From day 8 to day 14, you should take one light blue CHAMPIX 1 mg film-coated tablet twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening, at about the same time each day.

Weeks 3 - 12

You should take one light blue CHAMPIX 1 mg film-coated tablet twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening, at about the same time each day.

Day 15 -end of treatment

• Should you experience adverse effects that you cannot tolerate your doctor may decide to reduce your dose temporarily or permanently to 0.5 mg twice daily.
• After 12 weeks of treatment, if you have stopped smoking, your doctor may recommend an additional 12 weeks of treatment with CHAMPIX 1 mg film-coated tablets twice daily.
• In smoking cessation therapy, risk of returning to smoking may be elevated in the period immediately following the end of treatment. Your doctor may decide to gradually lower your dose of CHAMPIX at the end of treatment.

Could it interact with other tablets?

Effect of CHAMPIX on other drugs:

• CHAMPIX is not expected to affect the way other drugs work.

Effect of other drugs on CHAMPIX:

• Due to the way in which varenicline tartrate is removed from the body, it is not expected that other drugs will affect the way in which CHAMPIX works.

Use of CHAMPIX with other therapies for smoking cessation:

• The safety and benefits of taking CHAMPIX in combination with other medicines for stopping smoking have not been studied. CHAMPIX in combination with other smoking cessation therapies is therefore not recommended.

Herbal products should also only be taken after talking with your doctor.

What are the possible risks or side-effects?

Giving up smoking with or without treatment can cause various symptoms. These could include changes of mood (like feeling depressed, irritable, frustrated or anxious), sleeplessness, difficulty
concentrating, decreased heart rate and increased appetite or weight gain.

Like all medicines, CHAMPIX can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Very common side effects which may affect more than 1 person in 10 are listed below:

• Headache, difficulty sleeping, abnormal dreams
• Nausea

Common side effects which may affect more than 1 person in 100 are listed below:

• Increased appetite, changes in the way things taste, dry mouth
• Sleepiness, tiredness, dizziness
• Vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, feeling bloated, stomach discomfort, indigestion, flatulence

Uncommon side effects which may affect more than 1 person in 1, 000 are listed below:

• Chest infection, discomfort or pain, inflammation of the sinuses,
• Fever, feeling cold, feeling weak or unwell, viral infection, shortness of breath, cough, hoarseness, throat pain and irritation, congested sinuses, runny nose, snoring
• Loss of appetite, feeling thirsty, increased weight
• Feeling of panic, difficulty thinking, mood swings
• Tremor, difficulty with coordination, difficulty with speech, less sensitive to touch, increased muscle tension, restlessness,
• Heart rhythm disturbances, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate
• Disturbed vision, eyeball discolouration, eye pain, dilated pupils, shortsightedness, sensitivity to light, watery eyes
• Ringing in the ears
• Blood in vomit, irritated stomach and heartburn, abdominal pain, abnormal stools, red blood in stools, belching, mouth ulcers, pain in the gums, coated tongue
• Skin rash, cyst, fungal infection, reddening of the skin, itching, acne, increased sweating
• Chest wall and rib pain, stiff joints, muscle spasms
• Glucose in urine, increased urine volume and frequency
• Increased menstrual flow, vaginal discharge, changes in sex drive or ability

Can I drink alcohol while taking it?

• This medicine may interact with alcohol.

What if I’m pregnant/breastfeeding?

• You should not take CHAMPIX while you are pregnant.
• Although it was not studied, CHAMPIX may pass into breast milk. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking CHAMPIX.

If you have any more questions please ask your Pharmacist.

Remember to keep all medicines out of reach of children
Please Note: We have made every effort to ensure that the content of this information sheet is correct at time of publish, but remember that information about drugs may change. This sheet does not list all the uses and side-effects associated with this drug. For full details please see the drug information leaflet which comes with your medicine. Your doctor will assess your medical circumstances and draw your attention to any information or side-effects which may be relevant in your particular case.

References:

http://www.drugs.com/comments/varenicline/champix.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline

http://patient.info/health/varenicline-champixr