Champix shortage: what should I do?
You might have heard there’s a current shortage of Champix, a commonly used form of stop smoking medication. In this blog, our Head of Health Advice, Jessica Kirby explains what people who are currently using Champix should do if they can’t complete their treatment.
It can be hard to change a long-term habit. But stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your lungs, and your general health.
Some people can quit ‘cold turkey’, but it’s well known that stopping smoking can be hard. Many people effectively quit smoking by using a type of stop smoking treatment – in fact, you’re three times more likely to stop smoking if you use a combination of stop smoking treatment and specialist help.
One of the most popular and most effective choices is using a stop smoking medication. There are two available on the NHS: varenicline (Champix) and bupropion (Zyban). It’s estimated around 37,000 people in the UK use Champix to help them stop smoking at any one time.
There is currently a supply disruption with Champix meaning there will be shortages. Because of this, some people who have been prescribed Champix to help them stop smoking won’t be able to complete their course of treatment.
What should I do if I can’t finish my course of Champix?
If you are currently using Champix, it’s important to not let this shortage dishearten you on your stop smoking attempt. There are options available to help you with withdrawal symptoms and to become smoke-free. The first thing you should do is talk to your doctor or stop smoking advisor so you can talk about what the best next steps are for you.
For most people the best approach would be to start using a combination of two types of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). NRT comes in different forms such as patches, gum, sprays, lozenges and inhalators. They’re available on prescription from your GP or local stop smoking service, or to buy from a pharmacy. They all release nicotine into your bloodstream in a safe way.
It’s thought the best choice of NRT is a patch alongside using a lozenge, mouth spray or nasal spray. But talk to your doctor or a stop smoking advisor to find the best NRT for you.
Another option could be to use an e-cigarette (vaping). This is an effective method of NRT, but you will have to buy this yourself and the long-term effects aren’t fully known.
Champix and Zyban cannot be used interchangeably, and so you can’t be prescribed this instead.
I want to stop smoking – what should I do?
Even with Champix being currently unavailable, there are lots of different options available to you to help you stop smoking. We have more information online to help you quit including an online questionnaire to remind yourself why you want to stop smoking. Deciding you want to quit is the first step in stopping smoking – make today your first day smoke-free.
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