Stop Smoking

If you can't stop thinking about smoking,think about Champix.

Symptoms and side effects of quitting smoking

The cravings from nicotine withdrawal are often one of the biggest challenges faced by people quitting smoking. Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal can include craving for tobacco, irritability, frustration, feeling angry, sleep problems, depressed mood, feeling anxious, difficulty in concentrating, restlessness, decreased heart rate, increased appetite or weight gain. Not everybody is affected by the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Make sure you talk to your doctor about the potential side effects of quitting smoking and CHAMPIX®.

CHAMPIX® is not for everybody, you should ask your doctor if this medicine is right for you.

Smoking cessation with or without the support of a medicine such as CHAMPIX® can be associated with withdrawal symptoms. Smokers who used CHAMPIX® have reported changes in mood, behaviour or thinking, and sometimes these changes have been serious. It is not known if those changes are related to the medicine or to stopping smoking. If you or your family notice changes in your behaviour, mood or thinking, stop taking CHAMPIX® and see your doctor. Before using CHAMPIX® it is important to read the Consumer Medicine Information (also available at www.medsafe.govt.nz) and to discuss the potential benefits and risks with your doctor.

Common side effects of CHAMPIX® include nausea, difficulty sleeping, headache and abnormal dreams. In clinical studies with CHAMPIX®, up to 3 in 10 people had nausea. It usually started in the first week. Most people who had nausea still felt able to keep on taking the medicine.

If you are prescribed a course of CHAMPIX® it is recommended you read the CHAMPIX® support materials and ask for tips from people who are set up to support you with smoking cessation. They can provide you with information on how to best manage nicotine withdrawal symptoms and examples of strategies that have worked well for others.

The CHAMPIX® support programme www.liferewards.co.nz, provides useful messages and tools to help you through the quitting journey.

So, what now?

After reading this, you may be interested to learn more about CHAMPIX® and its accompanying support programme www.liferewards.co.nz You may also wish to talk to a healthcare professional, perhaps your doctor or a clinic nurse. Other recommended sources of information and support to stop smoking include:

In the meantime, give some more thought to the giving up process. The decision to quit smoking is an important one. When you pick the right time for you, make sure you are committed to quitting.