Comments on: Chantix problems were not fully reviewed before drug was approved

By: BEAR

BEAR — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:24:27 +0000

MY WIFE WANTED TO LEAVE ME BECAUSE OF BEING SO ANGRY. I HAVE BEEN CHEWING FOR 23 YEARS AND NOW I DONT IT WORKED BUT IT CHANGED MY PERSONALITY AND I AM DEPRESSED

By: charlie

charlie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:24:25 +0000

I smoked for 30 years took chantix and also kicked the habit, but I to have had kidney pains, doctor doesnt know why. I have had some thougfhts I shouldnt be having and I have extreme mood swings and hostility for minor things that happen I should not lose control like I do now, I never did before, scarry hope this goes away.

By: peter

peter — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:25:43 +0000

i a bi-polar and i started taking chantix a year ago,i finally stopped smoking on my own 6 months ago. my dortor never told me the side affort of this pill, u until about 2 months ago i had the fl for 3 weeks, after the fu was out of my body i was feeling blahhhh, i was so tired all the time, i wanted to sleep, my musacle’s in my whole body was aching, i just could not get out of my way, it took a lot out of me just to walk from my bedroom to bathroom, and alot out of me to walk over to the store and back. it took me a half hour t walk to my doctor’s office which it usually takes me 5 minues t get there, well on may 12th i could not walk. delta ambulance took me to the er and the doctor there told me that chatix was causing all this to my body..shetold me to stop using chantix and i did. so now i am feeling better.. also i was having real bad migrain’s… to me they should take CHANTIX of the market and not use this med anymore….

By: christina

christina — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:21:32 +0000

My husband and I took chantix in 2008 together. We quit smoking only after taking the pills for a few weeks, and we discontinued as soon as we were able. I was also taking welbutrin while I was taking the chantix. I had a lot of nausea, and I had really vivid nightmares. But I had quit smoking, and thought we were fine. About a year later my husband lost his job, and we started back. A few months back we decided it was time to quit. We found what was left of our meds, and began taking the chantix again. Immediately I began feeling wrong. I felt the over powering urge that something wasn’t right. Like the world would end. I couldn’t sleep. I was scared to try. The nightmares were so bad that I stayed awake for days. I started to getting hives, and was getting depressed. I hated myself, and I didn’t trust anyone. I always felt like something was wrong. I felt a zombie at times, and others like I was mental. I begged my husband to help me. He thought I was just losing it. He had no symptoms what so ever. Finaly I cried for 3 days straight wouldn’t talk to anyone. I quit cold turkey after only 2 weeks. It got much worse before it got better. Its been 3 weeks, and some things have gotten better. Its not as extreme but all the paranoia the dreams are still there, just not as often or as severe. I’m scared it wont ever go away. The only thing that I can think is that I wasn’t taking hte welbutrin. I flushed the pills down the toilet. I don’t advise anyone to take it. I would rather die of lung cancer than lose my mind permanently. I’ve already lost my husband because of this. He wouldn’t believe me. I advise anyone. ITs not worth it.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:42:11 +0000

I finally quit smoking after 15 years of doing so by using Chantix. I have been miserable ever since. I took it for three months because I just couldn’t give up that last smoke. It made me incredibly nauseous. Now, I am officially a non-smoker, but I am severely depressed, my brain feels like it’s sloshing around in my head, I have no energy, all the symptoms of Type II diabetes and severe nerve pain near every joint from the waist down. I am hanging onto my relationship by a thread because my personality has completely changed. I mentioned the side effects to my doctor whom I have been seeing for 7 years and he told me not to worry. I trusted him. He trusted Pfizer. Who the hell is accountable for this kind of thing?

By: rt

rt — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:33:41 +0000

All of the comments I’ve see here make me wonder. I’ve been taking Chantix for over 2mths now. I have a history of depression and spoke with my doctor about the side effects. Weighed my options and made a DECISION. The same as anyone else here. Take resposibility for your actions. I feel bad for you if you have had any bad experiences but you should have known the risks before taking the drug. If you didn’t do any research yourself I don’t reakky feel bad for you. Always check out a medication your doctor reccomends do blindly follow what your told. Like I said inform yourself then make a decision and deal with it. Stop blaming everyone for your problems and maybe you can figure out what’s happening to you and have a better life.

By: Beware of Chantix Problems if Considering Drug as Part of New Year’s Resolution | Legal News & Updates Blog - Saiontz, Kirk & Miles

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:43:17 +0000

[...] It is that time of year where people resolve to kick bad habits, and deciding to quit smoking often tops the list for those addicted to nicotine. While Pfizer probably hopes that people will look to their prescription medication Chantix to help them quit, smokers should beware of the many serious, and potentially life-threatening, Chantix problems. [...]

By: Not mixed emotions

Not mixed emotions — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:27:35 +0000

I am baffled that a nurse would state that regardless of the fact that it may have severe (suicide/homicide thoughts) side effects, that the drug shouldn’t be taken off of the market. That is insane! Drugs that cause such issues as this drug obviously does, should not be on the market! There are alternatives to quitting smoking. Die now or later. How bazare! People have smoked for years and many do not die from smoking! Smoking is not healthy, however, I would rather smoke than to turn into a dangerous person to be around where I have little or no control of my emotions/thoughts. I do not believe that this drug is only affecting individuals with mental problems. I believe this drug causes mental problems. This drug is dangerous. It affects lives, and not only the lives of those taking the drug, but also the lives of everyone who care about them. Doctors should be more informed when it comes to prescibing drugs! I do not believe it is a good idea for doctors to receive trips/gifts for promoting drugs. Please do not take this drug. It is causing problems that do not go away simply because you stop taking the drug. I have repeatedly heard individuals state that they are still experiencing problems after a year or more after quitting the drug. Smoking is better than suicide! The pharmacutical companies should look for a less dangerous alternative. It boggles my mind that the FDA would approve this and many other drugs!

By: stacie

stacie — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:55:52 +0000

I took chantix about 2 1/2 years ago and my doctor knew I am bipolar and said it was safe. But it was not! I felt worse and had so many problems off if it, I could not handle it, god it was it so bad!!!!

By: mixed emotions

mixed emotions — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:27:18 +0000

I am nurse and have spent a significant amount of time studying psychiatry and have been a smoker for 7 years. I would have to agree that with the amount of people that have quit smoking with little to no side effects from this medication that it is a miracle drug.

On the topic of side effects…

In practicing medicine I have found that ALL drugs have side effects for SOME people. If you have a side effect from a drug don’t take it. This quit smoking miracle pill may not be for you. It is the responsibility of the patient to report medication side effects and the responsibilty of the doctor to investigate a proper alternative. With medications that do cause side effects it comes down to a consequences vs. benefits debate. With some people with the suicidal thoughts it may be a debate of suicide vs. lung cancer or rather die now or later. You have the choice and they aren’t going to take a drug off the market becuase some people are experiencing extreme side effects.

In the case of long lasting psychiatric conditions following the course of medication…

Psychiatric conditions can often lay dormant in individuals who have never shown any sort of mental illness. Usually a tramatic event, reaching a certain age, or subtance abuse triggers the illness to show itself. The substance abuse, your age, nor the tramatic event CAUSED the problem. The problem has always been there, you just didn’t know about it. My speculation is that due to Chantix’s neurotransmitter involvement, that it is just another trigger of undetected mental illness in certain indiviuals. If taking Chantix has been the trigger for you, I strongly suggest you start therapy and see a psychiatrist so that you can handle the issue at hand.

I don’t want to come off as insensitive. After all, I have major depressive disorder and know how haunting manic & suicidal episodes can be. Smoking is hugely associated with mental illness. So if you are having issues with this drug, stop taking it & see a psychiatrist. I have had great success with this drug, but I am also on an anti-depressant, so I haven’t had psych issues with it. Anyway, good luck to all of you.

By: Katrina

Katrina — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:51:09 +0000

Me and my husband started taking Chantix together in January 2008 after my womens doctor found a lump on my breast(which was nothing). We both have smoked for 20+ years and we was wanting to quiet anyway. I thought ,a mirical drug, by the way my doctor talked about it, what could go wrong?? About 2 weeks into the medican I started looking at my husband with hate and did not want him any where around me. I would have thoughts of killing HIM, not myself. I knew something was wrong and I just kept telling myself, I just am depressed about quieting smoking. One night he was watching TV, we had been on the meds for about a month and he heard about the law suits on the suicid. He came running down the stairs and told me and I quiet right then and there,and thought I will get better now. Boy was I wrong, I am still depressed I am on anti-depressants. I went on that med around May of 2008. When I stopped taking Chantix the wanting to kill my husband stopped but the depression staied. I went to my primary care doctor he told me this anti-depressant would help. I am better some days but I am scared I will never be MYSELF.
My husband just broke down last night and told me he is still having suicidal thoughts and has for a long time but has kept it to himself and he quiet the Chantix the sametime I did. I wish there was help for us out there that trusted our Doctors to help us and the doctors was trusting the FDA. Who do we trust and who do we let help us. I know there is cases worse than ours and I am so very sorry to those people.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:16:01 +0000

Im now confused!!! This is scarey as to the stories i just read on chantix.. Got any other suggestions on quitting?

By: JusticeB

JusticeB — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:18:11 +0000

I am Bi-Polar and started Chantix in March, 2008. My lung doctor warned me about the depression/suicide problems that were arising but because I always lean toward the manic side of things my family and I thought we would recognize problems as they might arise. Well, no one mentioned the extreme agitation and extreme mania that might come with Chantix messing with dopamines. By day 9, my marriage was on the rocks, I became violent, and extremely irritable, I was now unable to sleep and crying uncontrollably. By day 13, 92 consecutive hours with NO SLEEP AT ALL NOW, my family asks me to take one of my bi-polar meds that I had actually been off of since November, 2007 Seroquel to try to get some rest. At 1:00am I took a half of pill (50mg) and at 1:10am I had a grand mal seizure and completely stopped breathing. My husband began rescue breathing for about 1 to 1.5 minutes and saved my life. I was taken to the ER where I again had another grand mal seizure around 5:15am and then another small seizure around 7am. I don’t recommend that anyone take this medication without the proper information from Pfizer. My specialists, a psychiatrist, neurologist, and pulmonologist, were all unable to advise me as well as the pharmacy b/c all that was released was depression/suicide information

By: Cassie

Cassie — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:37:27 +0000

Started taking Chantix in Dec. 2007. After 1 month of taking the meds myself and my family noticed a huge change in my behavior. I dropped out of school, started planning to divorce my husband, rarely left the house, and went from someone who never drank to one who drinks every night.

Since I have realized these changes and their cause, I’ve been trying to overcome it, but haven’t had much luck. My Dr. suggested anti-depressants and therapy, but the thought of taking another drug doesn’t make feel to comfortable.

Even though I have smoke-free for 5 months I can’t help but to think at what cost.