I have been smoke free now for 2weeks. Still taking Chantix. It makes me really feel sick to my stomach. I have lower to taking 1 pill a day instead of 2. Still sick. Could I actually stop taking Chantix, ?
How long after you stop smoking, do you have keep taking Chantix?
Question posted by Nak60 on 14 Jan 2019
Last updated on 12 April 2020 by SwamiG
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4 Answers
SwamiG
12 April 2020
I’ve tried to quit multiple times; and I’m chantix three times. I have never had bad side effects unless I kept smoking while taking... which I did once for 3 weeks... you know, I’ll just one... I mean 2 and these are my last two! Anyway- I went back to smoking with 3-6 weeks after coming off chantix. I kept saying to my doc- can’t I stay on this longer than 30 days? Doctors are so worried about side effects- they only want to prescribe initial doses even though Pfizer says 3 months (12 weeks). I quit again 23 days ago (really... zero). I’m down to my last 4 days of pills. Dr actually prescribed for me a second month. Now insurance won’t cover it and cost is $600!! I’m going to buy it- I think of your system can tolerate it- go 12 weeks.
Nak60
13 Feb 2020
Actually I only stayed on Chantix 1 more week, then I stoped completely. It made my stomach feel so bad, but you gotta stick it out. 2 weeks on 2 pills a day, then 2 more weeks with 1 pill a day. It’s now been a yr in January. Now I have stage 2 COPD.. smoked for almost 50 yrs. stick it out no matter how bad it feels.
SuzeHugo
13 Feb 2020
This is my second attempt with Chantix - I blew the first success. The hardest thing for me then and now is the daily nausea after taking the pill. I have tried everything. BUT the one thing I have found that helps me is taking a small nibble of candied/crystallized ginger and washing it down with water. Within 20 minutes, the nausea is gone. I can deal with this. For some reason, candied ginger is hard to find but Amazon sells it for about $8 for a small bag which will last a long, long time since you only nibble it. Don't go with ginger ale as there is no real ginger in it and it won't help.
ahyperdoc
19 Jan 2019
In a word? YES. If you've been abstinent from smoking for the last 2-weeks but still using the Chantix AND don't have significant withdrawal symptoms, you're good to go. Technically, the course of treatment with Chantix (aka, varenicline) is 12-weeks and whereby smoking should cease after a total of 2-weeks--the first being 1-week prior to starting the med and then for another week with the med. In all honesty, I myself would have you take the Chantix longer (see below) but because the med gives you GI side effects, so less is better in your case. Here is the manufacturers suggested directions. Dosage & Indications; Set a patient quit date to stop smoking. Initiate varenicline 1 week before the quit date, or, the patient can begin treatment and then quit smoking between Days 8 and 35 of varenicline treatment.
Titrate the dose over a 1 week period starting with 0.5 mg PO once daily on Days 1 through 3, then 0.5 mg PO twice daily on Days 4 through 7, and finally 1 mg PO twice daily on day 8 until the end of treatment. Duration of therapy should be 12 weeks.
I hope this helps.
RAY (ahyperdoc)
Related topics
chantix, smoking, smoking cessation, stomach, pill, smoke
Further information
- Chantix uses and safety info
- Chantix prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Chantix (detailed)
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