Sunday, November 23, 2008

Is Chantix really a wonder drug?

By Chris James

Chantix has been found to be one medication that has finally helped people to quit smoking when others have failed. Working like a nicotine blocker in the brain, it attaches itself to the nicotine receptors and blocks its absorption. And because there are fewer feel good receptors that the nicotine can freely attach itself to, it lessens the desire you have for a cigarette.

Many people have quit using this method relatively easily, with very little withdrawal symptoms. Even longtime, three pack a day smokers are amazed. Chantix is available only by prescription, so you need to book a doctor's visit and make sure that your insurance will cover Chantix, many insurance companies are slow to cover smoking cessation medication in general. However, if your insurance happens to cover Chantix, expect it to be in a higher tier of your pharmacy co-pay.

Over a period of two weeks you are prescribed starter pack that will build up the medication levels in your system. Since Chantix is not nicotine based, it is not necessary for you to quit before taking it.

Whether you pick a quit day two weeks or three weeks out in order to allow the medication to build up even further is unimportant. The important thing is that you do pick a quit day and stick to it.

Several side effects to Chantix have been recorded. Naturally they vary from person to person, but are normally short-lived. These effects can be anything from headaches, excessive gas, nausea or in some notable cases, extremely vivid dreams.

The support with Chantix is also quite good with a free online system that begins even before you start to take your medication. This includes daily e-mails updates and stop smoking projects designed to help keep your efforts going in the right direction.

Chantix is not for everybody and although it is a very promising medication, some people have more of the psychological addiction to nicotine, than a physical one. In the latter case Chantix could work very well and does offer some behavioral support. However if you have more of the psychological addiction to nicotine Chantax may not be the right medication for you and your doctor may recommend a different medication better suited to your needs.

As with any stop smoking aid, success comes only accompanied with a strong desire to stop smoking. If you don't have the desire to finally quit smoking, there is no miracle pill out there that you can take and suddenly become a nonsmoker. All of the medications that are now in the market are designed to give us a little bit of an edge in our battle to overcome our smoking addiction, but not do it for us. - 15343

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