Comments on: Chantix – Varenicline and Suicidal Thoughts

By: Dana Stanley

Dana Stanley — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:35:36 +0000

I took Chantix.

I am a shell of who I used to be, its been several years now and it is only getting worse. PLEASE try every other option out there before risking losing yourself to Chantix.

I took Chantix before enough studies were done. I did not realize that it would alter the state of my mind, slowly over a period of time, and by the time you can clear the fog enough to have a brief moment of clarity its too late. The real problems are when you realize the small side effects aren’t the problem, its months and even years down the road that you realize you are inflicted with something uncontrollable. The fog in your mind doesn’t let you see it until its beyond controllable.

I battle to stay alive one more day EVERYDAY. It would be so much easier to just go ahead and kill myself… just to get some rest. I do not know why I’m even prolonging the inevitable. The Paranoia controls me, I have not felt loved or close to anyone in years. Things that I think are real are not, my reality is not the same as your reality…. how does anyone ever learn to live with that? The voices, the experiences that have to be real, but they are not. And memories, I’m missing big chunks, whole years, people I know but don’t remember knowing or how I knew them. Vocabulary distress, being unable to use a simple word, not knowing a word mid sentence. A numb region on the top of my foot that has been there since 2010. This is just some of my post Chantix reality.

Please consider all options and educate yourself. Chantix only has a 10% success rate after 1 year….. meaning 90% are smoking again before a year has passed. I wouldn’t wish the hell I live in on my worst enemy..

By: kristin

kristin — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:31:25 +0000

I am starting my third week on chantix. I had extreemly odd dreams the first week and a half. Not to metion the mood swings. My husband already thinks I’m crazy but it has been a lot worse lately. I feel more depressed than ever. But I feel if this gets me to quit smoking it is all worth it. I’m still smoking about a pack a day. How long until I don’t have these ciggarette cravings anymore?

By: LorencoTuh

LorencoTuh — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:29:07 +0000

Did you know that USA and Europe blocked Wikileaks? What do you think about it?
Hope for no silence

By: David

David — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:03:05 +0000

Hello to anyone to reads this and finds similarities in our stories, please contact me at the email address you will find at the bottom of this. Please enter Chantix in the subject line when you email me back. I am searching for people who experienced severe panic/anxiety after taking chantix. I suffered a nervous breakdown and severe panic attack 5 months after stopping 4 weeks of chantix. Since January of 2008 I have been dealing with severe panic attacks, lost my job, am unable to drive and now am feeling more social phobia as well as severe depression. I just spoke to the FDA and they are unaware of those of us who feel that chantix left us with the long time gift of panic/anxiety, and after reading over 200 posts today I know there are others out there just like me.

Please if you would like to tell your story and have it presented to the FDA to that others might be spared what we have been through, please email me your story and contact information and I will get this information to the proper people You can email me at daveindy820@aol.com and remember please put chantix as the subject line. Thanks for your time in reading this and I look forward to hearing from some of you folks.

David

By: tried it

tried it — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:31:47 +0000

I have tried taking chantix twice. The first time I was so sick taking it I couldnt keep nothing down. I am talking about nothing, I had the crazy dreams and t he suicidal thoughts. I evenj questioned my doctor about t aking them since I was already depressed. I only lasted the first time taking them 4 weeks. By the end of the 4 weeks I was ready to kill myself and everyone I came into contact with. A month or so ago my gyno suggested I cut my pills in half. I tried it for 3 weeks this time. With the smaller dosages I didnt feel sick all the time. They were working great for me the 2nd time intill I was ready to kill my roommate and all she was doing was something on her phone but the clicking sound of it was to much for me. Then that same night I kept thinking it would be so much easier if I would just go jump of the freaking bridge I even had it all planed out. So the next day I stoped taking them again.I know quiet a few people who have tried it and have had the same outcome. I had better luck and longer sucess quiting cold turkey atleast I made it 6 months compaired to 1. I wouldnt even have my worst enemy take this drug, it will make you go crazy or atleast feel like you are.

By: Hope

Hope — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:44:16 +0000

Been married to my husband for 16 years. He’s now on his 4th week of Chantix. He hit me for the first time in our marriage. Actually it’s more like punching me 3 times while our kid was in the room. This is AFTER punching the wall. Trust me … over 16 years of marriage I’ve given him PLENTY of reasons and times that even I would have wanted to hit myself, but he’s a calm and loving man who never gets physical, until Chantix came into the picture.
I’m bipolar and I would lose control of myself (just short of physical abuse) before I was on medicine. Funny how a medicine can do the opposite.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:10:13 +0000

I also had a horrible nightmare experience from using chantix. For me the worst part was trying to get off the poison. Two years later after filling a lawsuit, it lead me to the obvious conclusion, chantix is an antipsychotic type drug. Stopping it cause akathisia which Pfizer should be well aware of due to zoloft and other pysch drugs. They make and promote, even some illegally, as shown by the huge fines recently paid. Beware of AKATHISIA and EPS from withdrawal or better yet keep your money and just quit cold turkey like I did. After what I went through quitting chantix stopping smoking was a breeze. Too bad my faith in medicine has been damaged beyond repair. I call it health careless now and avoid those who are so GREEDY that my life means nothing in light of them making money. It goes againt the oath to practice medicine, DO NO HARM!

By: Misty

Misty — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:33:07 +0000

After 21 years, everything on the market, and months of consideration I decided to try Chantix to kick my smoking habit. Of the 10-15 people I had talked to the had quit smoking and chewing on Chantix, only 1 had side effects, so I was really positive this was going to be the best answer. OOPS! Day 1 (Nov 8th,09) I take my first .5mg pill, and I’m fine for about 20 minutes being my go-go-self as normal, then out of nowhere I start sweating, my stomach starts cramping, and I feel like I haven’t slept in 6 days. I spent the next 5 hours on the couch feeling horrible. I figure it’s only a day or so ordeal and my body will adjust. On day 7 I leaened that I can prevent being so sick for hours by drinking Pepto Bismal, so I start that. Day 14 I’m in the doctor’s office and have only smoked a half of a cigarette in 3 days, but I still feel hideous. The nightmares are horrific, the stomach issues awful, insomnia (despite taking Ambien every night), mood swings, headaches, but at least I’m not suicidal and I’ve now stopped smoking. I report my symptoms to him, he says he can’t do anything about it, and I stop taking them that very day.
Today is Dec 9th, 2009. I’m still having horrible stomach problems and can’t eat without feeling like garbage. I haven’t have any energy since day 1 of the Chantix, and I still have some residual moodiness. I haven’t taken a Chanitx since the 22nd of November.
Will this happen to everyone, no, but it’s worth saying that this pill isn’t for everyone too.

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:41:43 +0000

I tried taking chantix about 6 months ago and for the first few days I was okay then every time I took a pill within an hour or so I was vomiting horribly so a friend recommended I try taking it with a full stomach which I did and still it made me very sick. I broke them in half hoping that would help but it didn’t then one night was the end for me. The dreams were real intense until one night, I woke up in the middle of the night after about 2 weeks of being on chantix thinking my house was on fire. I open the window, kicked the screen off and started putting all the animals outside while I was screaming for the rest of the house to wake up. My roommate came running in asking what was wrong and when I told her the house was on fire she said no its not. We turned all the lights on and did a walk of the house and the house was fine.

I knew then chantix was not for me.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:59:12 +0000

Yes on my 2nd week . And feel sick like a few said the first couple hours . Hope that is the worst .Oh yes headake too . And stomach . But will keep trying and hope in the end its worth it . I have to quit for myself and the people that love me . And nothing else has ever taken the desire to smoke away . I don’t even enjoy it . But am down 50% or more and that is a good thing . Hopefully by next week down to 25% or less . But will not push it . That seemed to be the problem the first time I tried it .

By: Suicidal Thoughts and Rage: What are Causing Your Symptoms of Side Effects

Suicidal Thoughts and Rage: What are Causing Your Symptoms of Side Effects — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:45:01 +0000

[...] diseases like Lyme disease, or could be side effects associated with certain medications, such as Chantix and Welbutrin. Below is a list of diseases and conditions associated with symptoms like Suicidal [...]

By: FDA Announces New Warnings on Chantix, Zyban and Wellbutrin - US Recall News Alert

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:00:31 +0000

[...] reported in this recall alert from November 2007, the drug varenicline (marketed as Chantix and used to help patients quit [...]

By: Marci

Marci — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:42:58 +0000

I love it-it has helped tremendously. I am in week 3, and I am proud that I can do this-it is very hard, I have smoked for 40 years. My mother died in April of lung cancer (at 88) and my husband quit smoking 7 years ago cold turkey-I was actually mad at him when he quit, because it was one of things we had in common. The water helps a lot with controlling any side effects of the Chantix- the dreams are a little weird sometimes, but I wouldn’t call them nightmares. My biggest problem is that I am having hot flashes again-I thought I was past that-but I am sure they will too pass. I just need to get past the physical need to hold a cigarette-maybe I’ll just get a pencil-mornings are tough-the first thing I did every morning was light a cigarette-but luckily no one around me smokes so I don’rt even get to smell it at all. I am very happy I am doing this for a number of reasons, but especially my health. Thank you Chantix!

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:12:57 +0000

I’ve been on Chantix for 3 weeks and during the second week I was already down to 1-4 cigarettes/day from 3/4 a pack/day. I’m not craving them anymore or feeling the need to have one if I smell someone else smoking-which is nice! I’ve also lost a few pounds since I started! I’m not having any crazy side effects, no crazy dreams, or anything of that nature. For those worried about the side effects, just remember that every cigarette you smoke-you’re putting at least 4,000 chemicals in your body. So naturally, your body will react differently when it no longer has access to it.

By: cathy

cathy — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:31:18 +0000

The nature of quitting smoking… without Chantix I had weird dreams (nightmares even), fell into a profound depression, and had panic attacks. I do not have those problems on this quit, with Chantix. I do feel sick and nauseated for a couple of hours after taking it, but hey… smoking makes you sick and nauseated too – I hear that end stages of cancer are awful =:P

By: wen

wen — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:00:14 +0000

I had smoked for 34 years having starting young and was smoking 3 packs a week when I was 10. I honestly didn’t remember ever NOT smoking. I was able to quit using Chantix. The main side effect that I had was severe neuralgia in my jaw. My husband was so surpriised that he started taking it. 2 years later he still isn’t the same. He got severe depression and did attempt suicide and he also starting drinking hard liquor. We are miles away from where we were 2 years ago. This was not from withdraw as he only took it for a month and never did cut down much-let alone quit. He was a social drinker (a few beers on the weekend) and within days of starting Chantix was drinking either gin, vodka or bourbon. This actually has continued 2 years later. We have been married for 26 years and are not even sure we will be together by the end of the year. I recently started taking the Chantix again but have kept it at 1/day but most of the people I know that had anger/depression/suicide reactions (yes, he has all 3 now) were all men. I do know that I don’t really care for alcohol except for the real fruity drinks or cream-types. All I know is that while it helps me it has come at such a high price and I see both sides of the issue. I don’t think all the info has been released on this issue. For those who quit-Congrats! For those still coping with side-effects–may God be with you.

By: Silver

Silver — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:26:18 +0000

I will be 60 years old in June. I am a divorced woman, live alone and support myself with no outside help.

I smoked for 42 years. Cigarettes were my best friend and you were putting your life in danger if you even THOUGHT about trying to deny me a smoke. I can not find a single candid picture ever taken of me without a cigarette in my hand since 1967!! I have tried patches (still smoked with them), gum (same thing), cold turkey (that almost cost a few lives) and every other stupid or sensible stop smoking aid or idea there is. Needless to day, I wasn’t successful. Then I woke up one morning and out of the clear blue decided I wanted to quit. It was no longer convenient or socially acceptable, not to mention the health risks which were unknown when I began my wonderfully expensive addiction. My health and the money it cost each week was never a consideration I took seriously. It was MY life and MY choice. If I paid for it & died, so be it. But this time something was different. I really WANTED to quit….and that, as I discovered later, was the real key to success.

I went on Chantix & yes had some pretty weird dreams…some of them were pretty cool actually. And as a few other side effects popped up I found out how to avoid them through the Chantix support system. So here I am, 120 days later. I am still smoke free & I owe it ALL to Chantix.

Now, I have read all these comments and the same theme and questions keep popping up as I read. To keep it short, I will list them by number and after you read my list, think really hard about how many of them apply to you and or your personal circumstances.

1. How old are you? Are you a woman of menopausal age?
2. Have you ever been treated for depression or anxiety?
3. Are you bipolar?
4. Are you employed? Have you recently lost your job?
5. Do you have a good marriage?
6. Do you have a good support team to back you up?
7. Did you eat something before you took the Chantix and drink the water you were told to do in the instructions?
8. Did you go online and register on “Get Quit”? If so, did you check in & do the exercises every day?
9. When you were having what you thought may be side effects from the drug did you call their hotline & talk to their counselors?

I found that by following the instructions, checking in EVERY DAY, doing the excersises as directed, and calling their hotline when I needed to (sometimes several times a day) I finally can say today that I am a non-smoker. I won’t lie and say I don’t miss it or want one several times a day, because I still do, especially when I’m stressed out. I probably always will. But I won’t ever smoke again. Not now. It took too much effort, hard work & will power I never knew I was capable of to make it.

I’ll just end this with two things for everyone to think about. First, you will NOT stop smoking if you don’t TRULY WANT TO!!! And second, think more about your own life and situations in it before you blame a drug for YOUR failures. Chantix is there to help you every step of the way & it’s your own damn fault if you fail due to neglecting to follow the directions!!!!

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:23:43 +0000

My friend’s husband did commit suicide after taking and stopping this drug. Now she is a widow with 3 young children. I find it absolutely unbelievable that he died as a result of taking an FDA approved drug and that his doctor did not even mention the warnings of this drug. Please do not risk your life by taking this drug! PLEASE contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK if you are thinking about suicide or call 911. Your loved ones and especially your children want you here!!!!

By: David

David — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:59:09 +0000

Well, I was directed by my doctor to stop smoking after 36 years due to COPD. I am a 50 year old male who started smoking early on in life. The COPD was not the bad boy one with Bronchitis and Emphaseyma, just the one with Bronchitis. My pulmonary doctor prescribed the Chantix and I started it 8 days b/4 my quit date which was Jan 1, 2009. Well, it did help me to stop, or perhaps I was just ready enough to do it. After about 1 week the weird dreams started, creating a lack of sleep. I was waking up every two hours from a ‘dream’. I felt pretty good for about 3 weeks, and then the weird thought patterns began to develop..nothing suicidal, just very agitated, irritable, angry, upset, no motivation, very tired, sleeping a lot, or trying to anyway to catch up. After 5 weeks on it it was just too much to deal with and I stopped it and began smoking again. I guess this drug is just not for everyone. It took me a long time to come down from it once I stopped taking it. Now I am ready to try again. I think hypnosis will be the next way to go for me, as it worked for my mom who was a smoker for as long as I have been and she stopped 25 years ago and hasn’t smoked since. Good luck to anyone who takes this drug, and please pay attention to your mind/body with regards to the side effects.

By: Smoke free in Canada

Smoke free in Canada — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:11:23 +0000

Within 4 days of taking Champix (what we call Chantix in Canada) I had completely lost the urge to smoke so I stopped. I had weird dreams and a couple sleepless night, but it was well worth it for me. My co-workers also took it and we have a completely smoke free office now! I got a little moody too, perhaps I even felt a little bitchier, but my husband said he could barely tell the difference! LOL

I ran 2 miles yesterday…try and do that while you’re smoking!!!