Champix - stop smoking drug, anyone used it?

[mumof4angels]

I was prescribed a new stop smoking drug called Champix. Has anyone here tried it or heard of anyone trying it?

If so did it work? Any side affects?

Thanks

[AM]

My partner has just been prescribed this, and I've been looking around, and found this article about it, I guess you just need to be aware...

QUOTE:

www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22988603-2862,00.html

ANTI-SMOKING "wonder drug" Champix will hit shelves in Australia tomorrow, even after being linked to more than 62 deaths and thousands of cases of suicidal thoughts and depression in the US and Britain.

The revolutionary pill, which blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, has support from the Therapeutic Goods Administration and anti-smoking groups, even though side effects have appeared in thousands of patients over the past year.

The TGA has ordered manufacturer Pfizer Australia to comply with a range of measures including direct warnings on consumer information and sending letters to doctors warning of the risk of suicide and depression in patients, a spokeswoman said.




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The UK Government's medicine watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, had received 1335 reports of patents suffering serious side effects, including seven deaths -- one of which was a suicide -- by December 18.

The drug, launched in the UK about a year ago, was also linked to 748 cases of psychiatric problems including suicidal thoughts and depression, 819 gastrointestinal disorders and 70 heart disorders.

The US Food and Drug Administration began investigating the drug, called Chantix in the US, in November after it reported 55 cases of suicide and 199 cases of suicidal thoughts in just one week.

The drug is available in 26 countries and will be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from tomorrow.

Pfizer Australia was unavailable for comment yesterday but has maintained there is no evidence Champix has dangerous side effects after they did not emerge in clinical trials.

Patient information on Pfizer Australia's website admits "a few people have reported . . . depression and thoughts of self-harming or of harming others" while taking the drug.

Pfizer had insisted the symptoms were not caused by the drug, but more likely withdrawal symptoms.

"It is not known whether these mood changes are related to Champix but it is known that mood changes can be due to the effects of stopping smoking," it read.

The TGA ordered the Australian patient information brochure to be amended at the beginning of December to include the post-approval reports of depression, mood changes, suicidal thoughts and suicide in users.

The National Prescribing Service will also issue a warning on Champix in its next bulletin, timed to coincide with the pill's release.

The TGA will continue to closely monitor the situation, the spokeswoman said.

The positives of quitting smoking far outweighed any negatives from rare side effects, Action on Smoking Health Australia CEO Anne Jones said. "The real risk is leaving people to continuing to smoke, which kills 16,000 Australians a year," she said.

"People at risk of suicidal tendencies and depression should not be given this drug.

"But as it needs to be prescribed by a GP those who do fall into that category can be given another smoking cessation tool."

[iwant]

Hi mumof4angels I have heard from 2 people that have used Champix that they had no side effects and both are (6 and 8 months smoke free).
By the way I love your signature!

[Guest1234]

MIL used this and was successful with no side effects :)

[danniiyoung]

I am currently taking Champix and I am on week 6.... I was a 30+ a day smoker and have gone down to none, WELL almost lol!

I didnt have a ciggie for the first 3 weeks then I decided that I would still like to be able to have a ciggie every now and then (socially) so if I am out or doing something with other smokers I will have a few and thats it..

IMO I would have never been able to do this without the Champix as I have tried numerous ways to quit. The only side effects I currently get are feeling nauseas about 10 mins after taking them (and by nauseas I mean nearly head in a bucket!!!) but i have found that if I take them on a full belly I dont feel sick at all!!

The best of luck, it is really hard but so worth it (even if I am still having a few here and there) I feel soooooo much better its amazing!

[Kidz]

Yep ... On week 8 and doing great. Stopped on day 3 ..... At the beginning I was having weird and very vivid dreams (which I heard can happen .... and I never remember dreams) and still at times feel nauceous approx 10-15 mins after having one. Very worth it though. !!!!

[kribby]

Mum did it she is now 12mths free of ciggs! But I also think you have to be prepared mentally Mean want to give up!!

[delirium]

I tried it and never got past week 2. The side effects were really extreme, I could not move off the lounge or function for at least 2 hours after each tablet I was so ill.

Needless to say I'm still smoking :gloomy:

[*babygirl*]

Took two weeks worth and been smoke free from day 5 for over 6 months now... I'll never look back :)

[IndigoJ]

DP is on this, he is 7days clear of smoking, he thinks its great. He gets nauseous alot and has lost some weight, and gets cranky but other than that no side effects.

[lil miss]

I was smoking a pack of 50 a day (a carton of 50's wouldnt last a week), and my dr prescribed me champix.

Within 4 days I was down to about 5 smokes a day and within a week i had stopped completely! The only side effects I found was really bad nausea if i didnt eat before having the tablet in the morning and smoking made me feel a bit ill after a couple of days. Other than that I found them wonderful!!

I have recommended them to a few friends and they have all stopped smoking successfully.

Having said this, my mum (who has cancer dur to smoking) tried them several times and is still smoking. I think ultimitly it depends on if u are really ready and willing to quit, which i was but my mum wasnt.

[jagamoe]

Can anyone tell me how much champix costs ? I'm currently on patches n gum but still crave a smoke

[SeymourTheBear]

Can anyone tell me how much champix costs ? I'm currently on patches n gum but still crave a smoke

If you have a HCC or a pension card it is available through PBS, so $5.80.
However you can only have one course a year.
HTH

[jacobsmamma]

I would love to try this. Unfortunately my doctor said big no no for me. You shouldn't use it if there is any history of depression (inc.PND) or mental illness. Sounds like it works so well though wish I could use it!!

[lil miss]

I would love to try this. Unfortunately my doctor said big no no for me. You shouldn't use it if there is any history of depression (inc.PND) or mental illness. Sounds like it works so well though wish I could use it!!

I suffer depression and have done for many years, quite badly. But my dr still allowed me to start Champix, he just stressed that if I started feeling bad to stop, and he also recommended weekly- fortnightly checkups because of it.

[Nemmi]

Dad took them :) he got nausia but is now 4 years smoke free.

Mum took them recently and unfortunately she reacted to them and got a huge itchy rash etc, she was wondering if they would affect her as the patches etc do.

Sent from my MB526 using BubHub

[Qbaby]

DH used Champix for 4 weeks, and it completely changed his personality, cranky and really nasty. Though he said he never felt like a smoke, he stopped taking them after realizing how horrible and moody he was being. He didn't smoke again and has now been smoke free for 2 years! So I suppose they did work for him but not without side effects.

[knomie]

Dh and I are on week 5 and going well.by week two I was down to 4 smokes a day. Now i've been smoke free for two weeks. I trued to have one today and had one puff and tossed it
Its the best drug out to stop smoking. Side affects for us are a bit of a short fuse and weird dreams! I can't recommend this enough

mummy to gods gift to us :)

[Misschief]

My ex took them, but just the tablets alone didn't work well for him. He had hypnotherapy a few weeks after starting the Champix, and the 2 combined worked really well for him.