Common Questions

About CHANTIX

What is CHANTIX?

CHANTIX^® (varenicline) is a prescription medicine to help adults 18 and over stop smoking. CHANTIX helps reduce the urge to smoke.

How is CHANTIX different from other smoking cessation products?

CHANTIX contains no nicotine, but it targets the same receptors that nicotine does. CHANTIX is believed to block nicotine from these receptors. CHANTIX is different from most other smoking cessation products.

Learn more about how CHANTIX works.

What should I tell my doctor before starting CHANTIX?

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including if you:

• have ever had depression or other mental health problems, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX.
• experienced nicotine withdrawal symptoms with prior quit attempts, with or without CHANTIX. Quitting smoking, with or without CHANTIX, can result in nicotine withdrawal symptoms (such as depressed mood, agitation) or a worsening of existing mental health problems, such as depression.
• have kidney problems or get kidney dialysis. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of CHANTIX for you.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. CHANTIX has not been studied in pregnant women. It is not known if CHANTIX will harm your unborn baby. It is best to stop smoking before you get pregnant.
• are breastfeeding. Although it was not studied, CHANTIX may pass into breast milk. You and your doctor should discuss alternative ways to feed your baby if you take CHANTIX.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially, tell your doctor if you take:

• insulin
• asthma medicines
• blood thinners

When you stop smoking, there may be a change in how these and other medicines work for you.

You should not use CHANTIX while using other treatments to quit smoking. Tell your doctor if you use other treatments to quit smoking.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.

How do I take CHANTIX?

1. Choose a Quit Date when you will stop smoking.
2. Start taking CHANTIX one week (7 days) before your Quit Date. This lets CHANTIX build up in your body. You can keep smoking during this time. Make sure that you try and stop smoking on your Quit Date. If you slip up, try again. Some people need a few weeks for CHANTIX to work best.
3. Take CHANTIX after eating and with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
4. It is recommended to take CHANTIX for a full 12 weeks. If you have completely quit smoking by 12 weeks, ask your doctor if another 12 weeks of CHANTIX may help you stay cigarette-free.

• CHANTIX comes as a white tablet (0.5 mg) and a blue tablet (1 mg). You start with the white tablet and then usually go to the blue tablet. See the chart below for dosing instructions.

• This dosing schedule may not be right for everyone. You may need a lower dose of CHANTIX if you have kidney problems or get dialysis.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to the time for your next dose, wait. Just take your next regular dose.

What are the possible side effects and safety information of CHANTIX?

Some patients have reported changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions when attempting to quit smoking while taking CHANTIX or after stopping CHANTIX. If either you, your family, or caregiver notice agitation, depressed mood, or changes in behavior that are not typical for you, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, stop taking CHANTIX and call your doctor right away. Also tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems before taking CHANTIX, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX.

The most common side effects of CHANTIX include:

• nausea (30%)
• sleep problems (trouble sleeping, changes in dreaming)
• constipation
• gas
• vomiting

Tell your doctor about side effects that bother you or that do not go away.

These are not all the side effects of CHANTIX. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Use caution driving or operating machinery until you know how quitting smoking and/or using CHANTIX may affect you.

What is the important safety information I should know about CHANTIX?

CHANTIX is a prescription medicine to help adults 18 and over stop smoking. You may benefit from quit-smoking support programs and/or counseling during your quit attempt. It's possible that you might slip-up and smoke while taking CHANTIX. If you do, you can stay on CHANTIX and keep trying to quit.

Some patients have reported changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions when attempting to quit smoking while taking CHANTIX or after stopping CHANTIX. If either you, your family, or caregiver notice agitation, depressed mood, or changes in behavior that are not typical for you, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, stop taking CHANTIX and call your doctor right away. Also tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems before taking CHANTIX, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX.

The most common side effects include nausea (30%), sleep problems, constipation, gas and/or vomiting. If you have side effects that bother you or don't go away, tell your doctor.

You may have trouble sleeping, vivid, unusual or strange dreams while taking CHANTIX. You should use caution driving or operating machinery until you know how quitting smoking with CHANTIX may affect you.

CHANTIX should not be taken with other quit-smoking products. You may need a lower dose of CHANTIX if you have kidney problems or get dialysis.

Before starting CHANTIX, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or if you take insulin, asthma medicines or blood thinners. Medicines like these may work differently when you quit smoking.

How long should I take CHANTIX?

It is recommended CHANTIX be taken for a full 12 weeks or as prescribed by your doctor. It is recommended to take CHANTIX for a full 12 weeks or as prescribed by your doctor. If you have completely quit smoking by 12 weeks, ask your doctor if another 12 weeks of CHANTIX may help you stay cigarette free.

What do I do if I miss a dose of CHANTIX?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to the time for your next dose, wait. Just take your next regular dose.

What if I slip up while taking CHANTIX?

It's okay. Remember, you may choose to smoke for the first week you are on CHANTIX. Try to stop smoking completely on your Quit Date (Day 8). But if you slip up, don't give up! Some people need a few weeks for CHANTIX to work best. Forty-four percent of people who took CHANTIX for the full 12 weeks were able to quit smoking. Some of those even had slip-ups up to Week 9.

Will my urge to smoke go away when I take CHANTIX?

You might still feel some urge to smoke. But it might be less than you'd have without CHANTIX. Remember, it's possible that you might slip up and smoke while taking CHANTIX. If you do, you can stay on CHANTIX and keep trying to quit.

Who should not take CHANTIX?

CHANTIX has not been studied in children under 18 years of age. CHANTIX is not recommended for children under 18 years of age.

Do not take CHANTIX if you are allergic to anything in it. See a complete list of ingredients below.

You should not use CHANTIX while using other treatments to quit smoking. Tell your doctor if you use other treatments to quit smoking.

What is in CHANTIX?

Active ingredient: varenicline tartrate

Inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose (NF), anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate (USP), croscarmellose sodium (NF), colloidal silicon dioxide (NF), magnesium stearate (NF), Opadry^® White (for 0.5 mg), Opadry^® Blue (for 1 mg), and Opadry^® Clear (for both 0.5 mg and 1 mg)

How should I store CHANTIX?

• Store CHANTIX at room temperature, 59 to 86°F (15 to 30°C)
• Safely dispose of CHANTIX that is out of date or no longer needed
• Keep CHANTIX and all medicines out of the reach of children

About GETQUIT™

What is the GETQUIT™ Support Plan?

GETQUIT is the support plan developed to work with CHANTIX. GETQUIT offers:

• A 7-day pre-quit plan that provides specific topics and activities to help you prepare for your Quit Date
• A full year of support with activities and messages to help you learn how to stay quit
• A live GETQUIT Coach for support, encouragement, and motivation to help you get through tough moments when you may be tempted to smoke
• Learn more about GETQUIT

How can I sign up for GETQUIT?

If you are already taking CHANTIX, or have a prescription, you can sign up for GETQUIT. When you fill your prescription for CHANTIX at the pharmacy, you'll receive an enrollment card inside your box of CHANTIX. Find the number on the back of the enrollment card. Or, if your prescription comes in a bottle, find the prescription number on your pill bottle. Then go to www.getquit.com or call 1-877-CHANTIX (242-6849) and follow the instructions to enroll and set up your personalized support plan. If you have lost your card or don't have one, call 1-877-CHANTIX.

Why should I join GETQUIT?

CHANTIX is proven to be effective, but it's not a magic pill. For most people, smoking can be both a physical and a behavioral challenge. That's why we also offer GETQUIT, a support plan.

GETQUIT combines smoking cessation research with key learnings from the fields of psychology and behavioral therapy to create a day-by-day plan designed to help CHANTIX users kick the smoking habit.

In general, medication used with behavioral support can give you a better chance for quitting smoking than doing it on your own.

Learn more about GETQUIT.