An SMS quit companion in development. Once live, Coach Rio will send medication reminders on the schedule you choose, celebrate milestones with the actual money you've saved, and help you through cravings as they hit — by text, on your phone, whenever you need it.
Currently in beta. Availability and features may change before public launch — or may not ship at all. Your prescription and physician care are not affected by Coach Rio availability.
What he is
An AI text coach, built for the quit.
Coach Rio is the support layer of Respiro — a software-based SMS companion designed specifically for nicotine cessation. Not a chatbot stitched onto a generic platform. Not a wellness app you have to remember to open. Just text messages on the number you already use, calibrated to where you are in your quit.
Coach Rio is not a human. It's an automated SMS service. Coach Rio does not provide medical advice and does not make clinical decisions — those come from your independent licensed physician. What Coach Rio does do is show up consistently, on schedule, in the moments that matter most.
Quitting is hardest in the gaps between physician check-ins. The 4pm craving. The Tuesday morning dose you might skip. The Day 30 milestone nobody else marks. Coach Rio fills those gaps.
What he can do
Four things, done well.
Coach Rio doesn't try to be everything. He does four things, on purpose, designed to match the timeline of an actual varenicline quit.
⏰
Medication reminders
On your schedule — once, twice, or as often as you need. You pick the cadence and Coach Rio sticks to it. Take with food, full glass of water, every time.
🎯
Milestone celebrations
Day 7, 14, 30, 90, 180, and one year. Each milestone comes with the real dollars you've saved based on what you used to spend. Screenshot it. You earned it.
💬
Craving SOS
Text CRAVING anytime. Coach Rio walks you through the four-minute window where cravings peak and fade. Breathing, distraction, redirection — based on what actually works in clinical settings.
📦
Refill alerts
Five days before your supply runs out, so you never lapse. One of the most common reasons quits fail is a missed refill. Coach Rio prevents that.
How it works
Opt-in only. Yours to control.
Step 1 — Opt in. When Coach Rio launches, you'll get a one-time invitation to enroll. SMS coaching is fully optional. You can complete the entire Respiro program — intake, physician review, prescription, refills — without ever using Coach Rio. The medical care does not depend on the text coach.
Step 2 — Set your cadence. Pick when you want medication reminders (morning, evening, both, or neither). Pick whether you want milestone messages. Pick whether you want craving support. Every channel is independently toggleable.
Step 3 — Use it on your terms. Reply STOP anytime to pause all messages. Reply HELP for support contact. Reply CRAVING when you need help in the moment. Coach Rio is on standby, not in your face.
Step 4 — Adjust as you go. What worked in week 1 may not be what you need in week 8. Cadence and channels are changeable anytime by replying to a message or updating your account.
What he can't do
Where Coach Rio steps aside.
Coach Rio is a support tool, not a clinician. There are clear lines he doesn't cross — and won't pretend to.
✕Medical advice or clinical decisions. Dose changes, side effect questions, and treatment decisions are made by your independent licensed physician. Coach Rio will redirect you to your physician for anything clinical.
✕Emergencies. Coach Rio is not for medical emergencies. If you are experiencing chest pain, severe allergic reactions, suicidal thoughts, or any medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For mental health crises, call or text 988.
✕Diagnosis. Coach Rio cannot tell you whether a symptom is from varenicline, something else, or nothing at all. Symptom questions go to your physician.
✕Replace your physician. Your physician is the clinical layer. Coach Rio is the support layer. They are not interchangeable.
What it looks like
Sample conversations.
Coach Rio · beta preview. The messages below are illustrative previews of the planned product. Coach Rio is not yet live. When launched, opt-in will be required and standard message and data rates may apply.
Scenario 1 · A regular dose day
Coach Rio
Morning, Kyle. Time for your AM dose — full glass of water, full meal. Your stomach will thank us. 💊
Evening dose check-in. Take it with dinner if you haven't already. 💊
Scenario 2 · Hitting a milestone
Coach Rio
Day 30. Thirty days nicotine-free. You've saved $210. Your body is already recovering. Screenshot this — you earned it. 🎉
i didnt think id make it this far honestly
You did though. And the next 30 days are easier than the first. Keep going.
Scenario 3 · Craving SOS
Coach Rio
CRAVING
I've got you. Grab a glass of cold water and step outside if you can. Breathe in for 4, out for 6. Cravings peak in about 4 minutes and then they fade. You're stronger than this one. Don't break the streak.
Want me to check on you in 5?
yeah
On it. Keep breathing.
Scenario 4 · Refill alert
Coach Rio
Heads up — your supply runs out in 5 days. Your next shipment should arrive in 3–4. If you don't see tracking by Thursday, reply REFILL and we'll get on it.
Common questions
Coach Rio FAQ.
No. Coach Rio is an automated SMS service — software, not a human. Messages are pre-programmed and behavior-triggered. Coach Rio cannot have an open-ended conversation with you and does not replace a clinician, therapist, or sponsor.
Coach Rio is currently in beta development. We do not have a public launch date and features may change or be removed before launch. Some features may not ship at all. We will email Respiro patients when Coach Rio becomes available.
No. Coach Rio is included with active Respiro subscriptions when launched. There is no separate charge. Standard message and data rates from your carrier may apply.
No. Coach Rio is fully optional. You can complete the entire Respiro program — intake, physician review, prescription, refills — without ever opting in. Your medical care does not depend on the SMS coach.
Reply STOP at any time to a Coach Rio message and you will be unsubscribed immediately. You can re-enroll later from your account settings. Reply HELP for support contact information.
Yes. Coach Rio operates within Respiro's privacy and security standards. Messages are not shared with third parties for advertising. The full details are in our Privacy Policy.
No. Coach Rio does not give medical advice, diagnose symptoms, or make any clinical decisions. All medical questions go to your independent licensed physician. Coach Rio will redirect you to your physician for anything clinical.
Coach Rio is not for emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For mental health crises, call or text 988 — the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, every day.
No. Coach Rio is built around the Respiro varenicline protocol and refill schedule. It is not available as a standalone product.
Coach Rio is in beta and we are not guaranteeing public launch. Your prescription, physician care, and Respiro subscription are not affected if Coach Rio is delayed or discontinued. Pricing is based on the medical service, not on Coach Rio availability.
The medicine works. Coach Rio is the bonus.
Start with the physician review and prescription. Coach Rio joins you when he's ready.
