Have you heard of the wonder drug called Chantix that has been heralded by as THE drug of choice to take to cease your smoking habit? Chantix (Varenicline), is the first prescription medicine that is aimed to block the pleasure receptors in your brain when you smoke a cigarette or two. For the first week of taking Chantix, you can actually light up a stick or two before you finally make your final farewell to your old habit.
What is Chantix made of?
This anti-smoking medication does not work the same way as most drugs. Most drugs contain nicotine, which works to feed the smoker nicotine through another route; which helps stop the
nicotine craving that a chain smoker gets from smoking a cig.
Chantix works quite differently from most nicotine patches and gums in the market. This so-called magical pill BLOCKS the pleasure effect of nicotine in the brain. And in effect, actually helps you develop distaste in smoki
ng, thus makes you consciously stop smoking altogether.
Your dosage will largely depend on your doctor’s prescription for you.
Is Chantix the ultimate medication to take to help you stop from smoking?
Smoking is one of the worst habits that anyone can develop. It is one of the leading causes of death in lung cancer both in men and women. Smoking also causes heart diseases because nicotine has the tendency to make your blood vessels harden – thereby reducing blood flow in your body and predisposes you to have fatty plaque build-up inside your arteries, veins and capillaries.
Aside from helping you curb your smoking habit, there has been some studies that taking Chantix also helps you curb your alcohol and drug addiction as well. However, this benefit is not concrete yet because of the small sample population they used to test for alcohol and drug addiction.
Overall, the advent of Chantix is indeed a miracle for people who do not have the discipline and
willpower to stop themselves from smoking.
As with any drugs or medications, we have to weigh in both the pros and
cons before making the right decision of taking it. We all know what the benefits of Chantix is, how about it’s con’s?
Does Chantix have any bad side effects?
Before jumping the gun and asking your doctor for a prescription of Chantix, it is important that you
know the side effects that you can be up against when taking it.
Nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, headaches, rashes and constipation are Chantix side effects that seem easy to handle. However, Chantix has one alarming side effect: Suicidal ideation.
It is to be noted that air crew, pilots, and truck drivers cannot be prescribed with Chantix or Champix (it’s drug name outside the United States). There have been reported cases of hallucinations and even blackouts with people who are on Chantix.
Most people who were able to go through Chantix accounted periods of dreamlike fantasies that occurred when they’re asleep and also when they were awake. From there it progressed to mild then wild hallucinations; as well as periods of blackouts.
There have been some individuals who were able to stop their medication when thoughts of suicide came in the picture.
Other than the usual side effects mentioned, it is clearly state
d in print in Chantix boxes that taking Chantix can also cause depression, aggressive conduct and suicidal thoughts.
It is no doubt that Chantix is an effective drug in ceasing your smoking habit. There are accounts of people under Chantix developing an aversion when lighting up during the course of their medication treatment.
Before you consider taking Chantix to suppress your smoking habit, try to consider other options such as seeking support from close friends and family, finding other hobbies to help keep your mind away from smoking or engaging in sports to help your lungs not just become clean, but strong as well.
