Some side effects associated with the use of chantix include _____

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Varenicline comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day at first and then twice a day in the morning and evening. Take varenicline with a full glass of water (8 ounces [240 mL]) after eating. Take varenicline at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take varenicline exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of varenicline and gradually increase your dose over the first week of treatment.

There are 3 ways that you can take varenicline to help you quit smoking.

You can set a quit date to stop smoking and start taking varenicline 1 week before that date. You may continue to smoke during this first week of varenicline treatment, but make sure to try to stop smoking on the quit date you have chosen.
You may start taking varenicline and then quit smoking between 8 and 35 days after starting treatment with varenicline.
If you are not sure you are able or if you do not want to quit smoking suddenly, you can start taking varenicline and stop smoking slowly over 12 weeks of treatment. For weeks 1–4, you should try to smoke only half as many of your normal number of cigarettes each day. For weeks 5–8, you should try to smoke only one quarter of your starting daily number of cigarettes. For weeks 9–12, you should continue to try to smoke fewer cigarettes each day until you are no longer smoking at all. Aim to quit completely by the end of 12 weeks or sooner if you feel ready.

It may take several weeks for you to feel the full benefit of varenicline. You may slip and smoke during your treatment. If this happens, you may still be able to stop smoking. Continue to take varenicline and to try not to smoke.

You will probably take varenicline for 12 weeks. If you have completely stopped smoking at the end of 12 weeks, your doctor may tell you to take varenicline for another 12 weeks. This may help keep you from starting to smoke again.

If you have not stopped smoking at the end of 12 weeks, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can try to help you understand why you were not able to stop smoking and make plans to try to quit again.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with varenicline and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm088569.pdf) or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide.

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How to Choose a Smoking Cessation Product That’s Right for You

Smoking cessation products approved or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are shown to help people quit smoking and can even double your chance of quitting successfully. Are you or a loved one among those American adults who smoke cigarettes and want to quit? Whether this is your first attempt to quit smoking, or you’ve already tried several times, know that there are FDA-approved and FDA-cleared products that can assist you on your journey to becoming smoke-free.

If you’re considering using a smoking cessation product and are under age 18, speak to a doctor before using these products.

Benefits of Quitting Smoking

No matter how much you smoke—or for how long—quitting will benefit you.

Quitting smoking can lower risk of:

Various cancers, including lung cancer
Heart disease, stroke, emphysema, vision loss, and other serious diseases
Disease and cancer in family members including children, and pets, who otherwise would be exposed to your secondhand smoke

Although there are benefits to quitting at any age, it is important to quit as soon as possible so your body can begin to recover from the damage caused by smoking. For instance, on average, 12 hours after you quit smoking the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. Carbon monoxide is harmful because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives your heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen.

Don’t know what to expect when you first quit smoking? Learn more about what it’s like to quit smoking.

What is Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)?

Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical compound present in a tobacco plant. Tobacco products are addictive because they contain nicotine. Nicotine keeps people using tobacco products, even when they want to stop.

Nicotine replacement therapy, also known as NRT, helps you quit smoking by gradually providing the body with smaller doses of nicotine over time, without exposing you to the toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke. In conjunction with a behavioral program, NRTs have been found to increase the success of smoking cessation and are available over-the-counter and by prescription.

Over-the-counter NRTs are approved for sale to people age 18 and older. They include:

Skin patches (also called “transdermal nicotine patches”). These patches are placed on the skin, similar to how you would apply an adhesive bandage.
Chewing gum (also called “nicotine gum”). This gum must be chewed according to the labeled instructions to be effective.
Lozenges (also called “nicotine lozenges”). You use these products by dissolving them in your mouth.

Prescription Smoking Cessation Products That Contain Nicotine

Nicotine spray
Nicotine inhaler

Prescription Smoking Cessation Products That Do Not Contain Nicotine

Two FDA-approved smoking cessation products do not contain nicotine:

Varenicline tartrate
Bupropion hydrochloride

Both are available in tablet form by prescription only. The FDA evaluated these drugs and found that the benefits outweigh the risks. For users taking these products, risks include changes in behavior, depressed mood, hostility, aggression, and suicidal thoughts or actions. The most common side effects of varenicline tartrate include nausea; constipation; gas; vomiting; and trouble sleeping or vivid, unusual, or strange dreams. Varenicline tartrate also may change how you react to alcohol, so talk to your health care provider about your drinking habits (if you drink alcohol) and whether these habits need to change. Varenicline tartrate is not recommended for use in patients 16 years of age or younger.

The most commonly observed side effects consistently associated with the use of bupropion hydrochloride are dry mouth and insomnia. Because bupropion hydrochloride contains the same active ingredient as the antidepressant bupropion, the FDA encourages people who use bupropion hydrochloride —and those who are considering it—to talk to their health care providers about the risks of treatment with antidepressant drugs. Bupropion hydrochloride has not been studied in children under the age of 18 and is not approved for use in children and teenagers.

Other Smoking Cessation Therapies

The FDA has also given marketing clearance to a device using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as an aid for short-term smoking cessation in adults.

Talk to Your Health Care Provider

Talk to your health care provider to determine the best course of treatment and which smoking cessation products might work best for you. Your health care provider may need to take into consideration your age, whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and medical history, such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, asthma, blood pressure, and more.

You can also read the labels to better understand how the products work and what side effects they may cause. If you want to know more about a specific drug, you can search the FDA's Drugs@FDA website, which includes information on each product by name. If you want to know more about a specific device, you can search the FDA’s Product Classification Database, for “smoking cessation” medical devices.

Discuss the possible side effects with your health care provider and call them if you experience side effects as they may tell you to stop using the product. If you have any side effects related to any smoking cessation products, or any other problems related to your treatment, the FDA would like to hear from you. Please consider making a voluntary and confidential report to FDA’s MedWatch program. You can also watch this short video to find out more about submitting a report.