Abstinence from smoking is tortuous yet worthwhile

Nicotine is present in tobacco found in cigarettes. Through smoking, nicotine gets into the bloodstream and stimulates the brain. That is what is responsible for the addiction in most regular smokers. As soon as the blood levels of nicotine drop, withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, increased appetite, inability to concentrate, irritability, dizziness, constipation, nicotine craving, and a feeling of awfulness is witnessed. Withdrawal symptoms peak after about 24 hours and then progressively ease over a period of 2-4 weeks. So, breaking the chain becomes impossible for the smoker.

It is believed that about 2 in 3 smokers want to stop smoking but fail to succeed because nicotine addiction is strong and difficult to break. It is here that Champix, the quit smoking, pill can help.

Varenicline, the active ingredient in Champix quit smoking pills, was first licensed in the UK in December 2006. Primarily developed to help in smoking cessation, quit smoking pills mimic the effect of nicotine in the body. Consequently, it not only reduces the urge to smoke but also relieves withdrawal symptoms.

Varenicline works by intrusively affecting the very same receptors that nicotine stimulates. It partly stimulates the nicotine receptors, mimicking the effect of nicotine, and reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms on smoking cessation. Conversely, Champix quit smoking pills partially jam the receptors and prevent nicotine from attaching to the receptors. Thus, the effect of nicotine is diminish and the temptation to smoke ebbs.

If you are looking to stop smoking, Varenicline can increase your chances. In fact, taking Varenicline has increased the success rate twice over.

Varenicline, generally a safe medicine for most people, needs to be used with caution in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those under the age of 18, those with severe kidney failure and those with certain mental health disorders.

If you are not determined to stop smoking and put a stop to your smoking habit, Varenicline alone will not help you. A combination of Varenicline with counselling is known to increase chances of successfully achieving smoking cessation. Hence, Varenicline is generally prescribed to people who have made up their mind to quit smoking and are unwavering in their resolve.

Varenicline can only be bought with a prescription at pharmacies. First you must decide on a ‘quit date’ and then start taking the tablets a week prior to that date. This helps build up the dose in your body so quit smoking becomes easy. Champix quit smoking pills start with 0.5mg daily for the first three days, going to 0.5mg twice daily for the next four days. From then on the dosage increases to 1mg twice daily for 12 weeks.

It is essential to take each tablet with a full glass of water, preferably after a meal. While on your Champix dosage, do look out for any side-effects. If you do develop any side effects, a reduction in Champix stop smoking pills may help. The first course of treatment lasts for 12 weeks and may be increased to another 12 weeks at the discretion of your doctor.

From the numerous stop smoking aids you can choose the one that works best for you

When it comes to best stop smoking aids, one’s own will and determination will always win hands down. If there is no motivation or commitment to kick the habit, no stop smoking aids are likely to work to a positive, conclusive end. But, if your own determination to quit is there, then all stop smoking aids have the potential to work skillfully.

Having said this, we can move on to discuss the various stop smoking aids that are on the market today. These stop smoking aids are designed to help people quit smoking progressively. But, choosing the right stop smoking aid is equally important that will essentially depend on a matter of preference as well as the medical concerns one may have.

The various stop smoking aids include:

Cold Turkey: Is the term used to describe smoking cessation without the use of any stop smoking aids. The upside of this method is advantage of this that a greater part of the nicotine is out of a person's body within a few days. Although the discomfort handled is intense, the physical withdrawal itself is short. However, it is not easy for every one to quit cold turkey and some may even find the method quite torturous and extreme.

There are definitely other more comfortable methods of quit smoking, such as:

Nicotine Replacement Therapy: This provides the smoker with a regular, measured dose of nicotine to help ease the physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. NRTs contain only nicotine which is very unlike cigarettes which contain various carcinogenic chemicals. When the NRT is used according to the directions provided by the manufacturer, a gradual withdrawal from nicotine is possible as the amount of nicotine in each dose can be reduced.

But every thing is not always hunky-dory about NRTs. Nicotine, the addictive ingredient in tobacco, does pose a risk of re-addiction when using these products. NRTs as a whole consist of various products that can be used successfully to achieve smoking cessation. They are:

• Nicotine patches
• Nicotine gum
• Nicotine inhaler
• Nicotine lozenges
• Nicotine nasal spray

In addition, there are numerous stop smoking aids on the market that do not contain nicotine as a basic component. But, even the non-nicotine stop smoking aids are not without its share of side effects and are therefore given under a doctor’s care only. These include stop smoking pills like:

Bupropion hydrochloride stop smoking pills are marketed under various names like Zyban, Wellbutrin SR, and Wellbutrin XL by GlaxoSmithKline. It is basically an anti-depressant drug that was found to work equally well as a stop smoking aid. It works by noticeably reducing the physical withdrawal symptoms associated with nicotine.

Varenicline Tartrate: Manufactured and developed by Pfizer Inc., Varenicline Tartrate is the active ingredient in the drug that is marketed under the trademark of Champix. Champix stop smoking pills are the only one of its kind that has the ability to partially activate nicotinic receptors in the brain and reduce the craving for nicotine when quitting smoking. Moreover, should the smoker decide to smoke during the course of Varenicline treatment, the stop smoking pills have the potential to hamper smoking satisfaction. Champix, the stop smoking pills achieve this by blocking nicotine from binding with these same receptors.

There are many alternative therapies that can help people quit smoking. Withdrawal from nicotine is just a very small part of the healing process. Counseling and support can ensure long-term success. Other stop smoking aids include:

Hypnosis: Is a therapy which puts people into an altered state of mind because of which the individual becomes more inclined to listening to suggestions. The very same theory is applied to smokers so that the habit of smoking can be broken through suggestions. While it seems to work well in a few of the smokers, it is not meant for everyone.

Acupuncture: A therapy that is very much in vogue in recent times, it is actually an ancient Chinese medical practice. During treatment needles are placed at specific spots in the skin to treat pain and even disease. It has therefore been used in the treatment of nicotine addiction with some degree of success.

However, before evaluating a particular quit smoking therapy, it is always helpful to hear how other people have fared using the same stop smoking aids, including stop smoking pills.

Although the ways to quit smoking are numerous – the end result is the same

There are many different ways to quit smoking. Although the ways to quit smoking may be different, the best method has to be selected upon by the individual alone. In addition, one may only be able to successfully quit smoking after several "quit smoking attempts" have been tried. Therefore, the moral of the story is ‘don’t give up hope and don’t stop trying’. Another approach may definitely work for you.

Quitting smoking actually becomes difficult because of the physical addiction to nicotine and also because it is more of a psychosocial habit. Therefore, effective ways to quit smoking would be interventions that can typically address both these factors together.

Numerous smokers have been able to quit smoking “cold turkey”. But smokers who are physically dependent on nicotine in larger quantities will only be successful if they wean themselves away gradually before trying quitting smoking altogether. This process will help reduce the severity of the withdrawal symptoms when quitting smoking.

Amongst various ways to quit smoking permanently, one of them involves using nicotine replacement products, like nicotine patches or nicotine gum. This method may gradually wean away from cigarettes but the downside to this method is that one has greater chances of becoming addicted to nicotine replacement products and therefore may not be advisable for die hard nicotine addicts. But quit rates have been found to be satisfactory when nicotine patches and gums are used in combination with “cognitive-behavioral” therapy with a view to smoking. Nicotine replacement products are now sold over the counter.

Another effective quitting smoking approach involves progressively switching to cigarette brands with lower and lower nicotine levels. This approach is called "nicotine fading" wherein one needs to make a switch once a week for 3 weeks to brands with 30%, 60%, and then 90% less nicotine. But, in case the smokers compensate the decreased nicotine with smoking more cigarettes, then the purpose of nicotine fading is diminished.

When using either of the ways to quit smoking ‘weaning’ can help develop the confidence in one’s ability to exercise certain control over smoking before quitting smoking altogether.

One of the effective ways to quit smoking is through “relapse prevention” where the individual needs to identify his personal ‘triggers’, ‘cues’ or ‘high-risk situations’ for which he needs to develop special coping skills so that quitting smoking can be achieved successfully. People, places, events, emotions all present probable triggers, but planning ahead and developing ways to avoid or cope goes a long way when quitting smoking.

Other ways to quit smoking involve the use of Varenicline. A prescription medication, Varenicline to date has aided many smokers in successfully quitting smoking and staying smoke free. Varenicline has been found to be more successful than most because it actually takes away the ‘kick’ from smoking. As a result, the very purpose of smoking is lost.

Bear in mind that combining ways to quit smoking for both physical de-addiction and kicking the habit makes quit smoking more effective and permanent.

Champix And Nicotine Do Not Go Hand-In-Hand

Within 7 seconds of taking the first puff on a cigarette, nicotine provides an almost immediate “kick” of euphoria resulting in rapidly changed brain chemistry. Nicotine attaches itself to nicotinic receptors, which affect both breathing and heart rate. That process in turn triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter thought to be responsible for reinforcing the pleasure/reward associations people feel when smoking.

Champix (Varencline) - is a licensed anti-smoking drug. Classified as a nicotine-receptor blocker, Champix binds to the receptors for nicotine within the brain, thus preventing nicotine itself from binding to those receptors. As a result, the drug reduces or eliminates the pleasurable effects people experience from smoking. At the same time, the drug has a mild stimulating effect on those same nicotine receptors - an effect that helps reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Varenicline Tartrate was discovered and developed by Pfizer, Inc. to specifically help people quit smoking. This prescription medicine works on two levels. Firstly, Champix partially activates sites in the brain known as nicotinic acetylcholine (called alpha4beta2) receptors that are affected by nicotine. This gives the person quitting mild nicotine-like effects and eases symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Secondly, Champix has the unique ability to neutralize the effects of nicotine if a person smokes while using this drug.

How to take Champix dosage?

Let your doctor decide that as well. The manufacturer suggests a 12 week treatment course, which your doctor may or may not endorse. Whatever your dosage, remember that you will need to be really strong up there in your brain to give up smoking. The quit smoking pills will help, but not without your brain calling the shots. Counseling and motivation from your doctor too play important parts.

Start by setting out a proper quit smoking date in consultation with your doctor. Once you have done this, start your Champix dosages about a week before this D-day; this will help your body accept and adjust to the medication and also build-up Champix in your blood so that when you stop smoking, the cravings and withdrawal symptoms do not kick you really badly.

The normal starting dosage of Champix is 0.5mg once daily for the first three days with an increase to twice a day for days four to seven. After one week, your doctor will most likely increase your Champix dosage to 1mg twice a day and then keep you at the same for the remaining 11 week period of treatment.

An important point to keep in mind is that you must stick to the full treatment course if you really wish to give up smoking. This means going through the entire 12 week course of treatment and repeating it if your doctor advises you to.

Which is the best anti-smoking drug?

This is a question that is best left unanswered, because every anti-smoking drug has something that makes it better than the rest of the treatments available out there. However, this something does not mean it is highly effective as an anti-smoking drug.

The best person to suggest which anti-smoking drug is best for you would be your doctor. If you have been a smoker for a while and now wish to kick the habit, just get in touch with your doctor for a consultation and get a prescription. With so many quit smoking pills in the market and every manufacturer claiming its anti-smoking drug to be the best, you should rely only on your doctor to make the right decision.

Among the better known prescription anti-smoking drugs is Champix Varenicline – a treatment that has proven to be highly effective in clinical trials. Available in two strengths of 05.mg and 1mg respectively, Champix contains varenicline – an effective chemical that works to reduce both cravings and withdrawal symptoms – as its main ingredient.

Champix being a prescription smoking cessation medication, you should strictly follow the dosage that has been recommended by your doctor. Any deviation from this dosage might result in undesirable side effects.

What are the side effects of stop smoking pills?

Champix, a stop smoking pills is a prescription treatment and just like all other prescription medications, it also has some mild as well as some serious but rare side effects. The most common side effects of Champix include stomach problems such as constipation, nausea, indigestion, flatulence, dry mouth, vomiting, upset stomach and feeling bloated.

Some users of Champix medication may also experience headache, dizziness, fatigue, feeling tired, increased appetite, and sleep problems. These side effects of Champix are generally mild and go away after some days.

Among the serious but rare side effects of Champix are included changes in mood or behaviour; trembling; palpitation; abdominal pain; blood during vomiting; and skin problems such as rash, itching, or reddening of skin. If you experience any of these side effects, then seek immediate help of your GP. It is advisable that you always consult your GP and understand all possible side effects of Champix stop smoking pills before you commence treatment.

Champix medication has shown successful results in most cases as it controls both cravings and withdrawal symptoms. However, you should always take these stop smoking pills under proper medical guidance only.