Varenicline Maintenance Pack: the facts you need to know

How does varenicline work?

Varenicline blocks the action of nicotine by preventing it from binding to specific receptors in your brain. This helps to lessen the cravings and withdrawal symptoms that often occur when you try to stop smoking.

It can take you as little as 12 weeks to stop smoking. However, this time may be shorter or longer depending on the person. Varenicline can make it easier to quit within 12 weeks, as it helps to suppress the cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking.

How do I use varenicline?

Varenicline takes a bit of planning to use correctly, but is easy to use once you get into the routine of taking it. To take varenicline:

1. Set a smoking quit date before you take your first dose of varenicline. This will be done in your introductory phone counselling session. The date you set should be in the second week of treatment (between days 8 and 14). Write your quit date on your box of varenicline so you don’t forget it.
2. Once you have set your quit date, take 0.5mg once daily for the first 1-3 days.
3. Take 0.5mg twice daily on days 4-7.
4. Take 1mg twice daily from day 8 until the end of the 12-week treatment.

Please note: your doctor may suggest you take a different dose of varenicline, especially if you are already taking certain medications. If you experience undesirable side effects or have pre-existing problems with your kidneys, you should consult your doctor before taking varenicline as you may need a lower dose.

What is the difference between the Varenicline Starter Pack and the Varenicline Maintenance Pack?

The Varenicline Starter Pack is the first pack of varenicline you will receive and use when you begin the Quit Smoking Programme.

It contains 53 varenicline tablets (11x 0.5mg and 42x 1mg) and lasts for 4 weeks. You must begin the Quit Smoking Programme with the Varenicline Starter Pack before you can be prescribed a Varenicline Maintenance Pack.

The Varenicline Maintenance Pack is the second pack of varenicline you will use after you complete your Varenicline Starter Pack.

Each Varenicline Maintenance Pack contains 56 tablets (1mg) and lasts for 4 weeks. You will receive 2 Maintenance Packs during the course of the Quit Smoking Programme. These will last you until the end of the 12-week treatment, by which time you should no longer need to take varenicline nor feel the need to smoke.

Please note: you will be prompted via email to order your Varenicline Maintenance Packs. Please keep an eye on your inbox throughout the duration of the Quit Smoking Programme to make sure you receive your Maintenance Packs on time.

Why do I need to take the Varenicline Starter Pack before the Varenicline Maintenance Pack?

You must take the Varenicline Starter Pack first because it gradually prepares your body for the higher dose of varenicline included in the Varenicline Maintenance Pack.

The Varenicline Starter Pack includes two doses of varenicline: 0.5mg and 1mg. You need to take the lower (0.5mg) dose of varenicline first before you can begin taking the higher (1mg) dose.

The Varenicline Maintenance Pack only includes one dose of varenicline: 1mg. Therefore, you must get your body used to the lower dose included in the Starter Pack before you can progress on to the 1mg dose in the Maintenance Pack.

How effective is varenicline?

Research has shown varenicline to be an even more effective smoking cessation treatment than nicotine patches. One study demonstrated that more varenicline-treated patients stayed smoke-free during the last four weeks of their treatment than patients treated with nicotine patches [1].

Another study found that twice as many varenicline-treated patients refrained from smoking during the last four weeks of treatment than patients who were given a placebo drug [2].

Source: [1] & [2]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2962400/

Is varenicline suitable for everyone?

Varenicline is suitable for most people, however it is not suitable for:

• children or adolescents
• anyone allergic to varenicline
• those taking cimetidine
• patients with a predisposition to seizures; and
• some patients with a history of psychiatric illness will require closer monitoring.

It is important to talk to your doctor before taking varenicline to ensure it is safe for you to take and does not conflict with any medication you are taking.

Always read the safety information page included with your medication to ensure you use it safely and effectively.

What are the side effects of varenicline?

Like all medicines, varenicline can cause side effects — although not everyone gets them. The most common side effects include:

• nausea
• inflammation of the nose and throat, abnormal dreams, difficulty sleeping, and headache.

A complete list of side effects is available in the safety information page included with your medication, which you should always read before taking your treatment for the first time.

Please be aware that quitting smoking with or without treatment can cause various withdrawal symptoms, such as changes of mood (like feeling depressed, irritable, or anxious), sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating, decreased heart rate, changes in behaviour, and increased weight gain.

If you experience any of these symptoms you should contact a doctor, clinician, or another relevant healthcare professional.

How long does varenicline take to work?

After using varenicline in combination with the other therapies included in the Quit Smoking Programme (such as telephone counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT]), you should expect to be smoke-free at the end of the 12-week programme.

However, the time it takes to stop smoking may differ from person to person. You might find that you quit smoking before the end of the 12 weeks. On the other hand, it may take slightly longer for you to stop smoking. The combination of varenicline, phone counselling, and CBT offered in the Quit Smoking Programme is designed to help you quit as quickly as possible.

What happens if I forget to take my daily dose of varenicline?

If you forget to take your daily tablet/s of varenicline, do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten one.

Instead, if you forget a dose, just take that tablet as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, do not take the tablet that you missed and wait until your next dose instead.

Is it dangerous to smoke while taking varenicline?

No. You can still smoke during the first week of varenicline treatment. However, once you reach your “quit date”, it is recommended that you stop smoking. It is not dangerous to continue smoking, but continuing to smoke after you reach your quit date will make it less likely that you will quit successfully.

Why is the Varenicline Maintenance Pack £79.00 a month?

Our Varenicline Maintenance Pack is £79.00 a month because it comes as part of our complete Quit Smoking Programme. The Programme is a 12-week treatment plan designed to help you stop smoking, which includes:

• a 12-week prescription of varenicline
• one-to-one, weekly phone counselling with a registered clinician
• motivational emails and daily cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) SMS messages to ensure you stay on track with your treatment; and
• an optional Ripple vape to help reduce behavioural habits associated with smoking

We only offer varenicline together with our Quit Smoking Programme because studies show that combining certain smoking cessation therapies works better than taking them separately.

For example, one study* found that more people stopped smoking after 3 months when varenicline treatment was combined with telephone counselling than with varenicline treatment alone.

Quitting smoking can be difficult. Fusing these treatments together gives you the physical, mental, and emotional support you need to stop smoking once and for all.

*Source:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749379710001121