When you smoke a cigarette, nicotine enters the brain and attaches to the nicotine receptor, causing a release of dopamine in the brain, which provides a feeling of pleasure and motivation. The dopamine reaches a peak in about 20 minutes, after which time it drops below baseline, causing a drop in the pleasurable feeling, prompting a smoker to have a cigarette. This leads to a cycle of nicotine dependence.
What is Chantix?
Chantix is a medication that occupies the nicotine receptor, blocking nicotine from attaching to it. Like nicotine, Chantix causes a release of dopamine, but is smaller amounts, without the peaks and drops. Ultimately, this means that smoking no longer provides the same sense of pleasure, and breaks the reward cycle. Most patients taking Chantix report that smoking cigarettes no longer provides the same sense of pleasure that it once did, and cravings are reduced.
For the first month, you will be prescribed the Chantix Starting Month Pak. You do not have to stop smoking before you start taking Chantix. The initial dosage for the first month is smaller, and builds throughout the month, ultimately up to 1 mg twice daily, which is the dose that you will continue until the end of the course of Chantix. On month 2, you will be prescribed Chantix Continuing Month Pak.
You should continue Chantix until you are certain you no longer wish to smoke. If you are successful quitting smoking, restart Chantix as before.