Chantix - Does any one else feel a little crazy on Chantix?

Day 4 of Chantix. I so far have mixed feelings about this medication. I feel as though the worst is over now. Day one was... well the worst of the four and day two... I wish everyday could be like that. I caught a case of the giggles and it lasted all night. ;-) although I didnt mind, I think it was just my body adjusting to this foriegn chemical inside of me. So nonetheless, everyday has grown more and more stable. I think at this point, which is day four, I seem to feel like I am leveling out. Last night was the first night that I took the medicine morning and night. I didnt seem to have any problems sleeping. The desire to smoke has lessened and I find myself preoccupied with other activities that keep my mind off that cig. I am still smoking (less of course) but again, this is only day four.
I was thinking.... Is this drug that so many people have come to hate, really the "miracle" drug? If so why do so many people have horror stories while on this medication?
I think I have come to a conclusion on this....
People handle stress in many different ways on many different levels. Some people are able to handle more stress than others. Now is it possible that the individuals who are having bad experiences with the medicine are just not able to handle the stress of nicotine withdrawl? If you think about it... Chantix, which is used to block the nicotine receptors in the brain "(hence the lost desire to smoke), does NOT put nicotine into your system. So after the 7th day when you put that last cigerette down you have basically just quit "cold turkey". You have the assistance of the Chantix which is only blocking the receptor not putting anything back into it...
Thus, some people are unable to handle the mental and physical syptoms of nicotine withdrawl and
ultimatly "lose their minds". Only later to blame the medication Chantix.
If you were able to quit cold turkey.. wouldn't you? I'm sure the majority of Chantix users have tried this method of "cold turkey" before obviously without success. Now all we are doing is throwing in a supplement to help with the cravings not provide your bodies with nicotine...
As with anything you put into your body that is not normally present there will be some sort of reaction, whether it be minimal or severe. Taking this into consideration, Chantix which as described in the side effects insert you get in your first box, clearly states that there may be side effects. Knowing that we still choose to put this chemical into our bodies, quit "cold turkey", have a bad physical or mental withdrawl from nicotine withdrawl and then point all fingers at Chantix.
Is it possible that this really is the "miracle" drug that we have all been waiting for and because of our inability to cope with the severe stress on our minds and bodies we will deminish this "miracle" forever.....
As a side note... I was reading through some posts on here before I put this up and thought of something else... Is it not worth three or four months of "feeling different" to save five to ten years on our lives. I do not know about all of your situations but in mine, well five or ten more years with my daughters would be an absolute blessing.
I support all of you in your decisions and just want you to really think this through before you decide to quit this medicine. I too thought about quitting until I realized all of this. To those of you who have had a bad experience, I wish you my best and hope that you feel better soon!!
In my opinion, I think nicotine is just as bad as some drugs if not worse. Heiroin, for example causes you to have physical and mental withdrawls similar to nicotine. There are sooo many chemicals put into the cigarettes these days that we are just inhaling poisionious toxins into our bodies.... But we think Chantix is bad. Hmmmm.
I would hate to see if cig companies just stopped producing cigs totally. We would have a world full of people going nutzo.

Mary wrote:

I am so releived that I have found this site. My husband has been taking Chantix for about 6 weeks now (5 weeks smoke free :D. His personality has totally done a 180. He is always tired except at night when he needs to be sleeping and then he is wide awake. He is very depressed and he has become so irritable and angry I don't even know him anymore. I was seriously thinking "bipolar" and even asked him to seek help 'cause I can't take much more. I even began to question his happiness in our marriage. He has always been such a happy easy going person, and since the first pill his whole outlook has changed. Even his employer and coworkers are asking him "what is going on with you"?
I never even considered that it was the Chantix. Thank you all so much for taking the time to post your comments. It helps people like me trying to help the ones we love.
Best of Luck to all of you.

It's from the death of a best friend. I don't know if you smoke but most smokers consider cigs their best friend. Please call you doctor and make an appointment for your husband. Good luck to you.

Is it possible that this really is the "miracle" drug that we have all been waiting for and because of our inability to cope with the severe stress on our minds and bodies we will deminish this "miracle" forever.....
As a side note... I was reading through some posts on here before I put this up and thought of something else... Is it not worth three or four months of "feeling different" to save five to ten years on our lives. I do not know about all of your situations but in mine, well five or ten more years with my daughters would be an absolute blessing.
I support all of you in your decisions and just want you to really think this through before you decide to quit this medicine. I too thought about quitting until I realized all of this. To those of you who have had a bad experience, I wish you my best and hope that you feel better soon!!
In my opinion, I think nicotine is just as bad as some drugs if not worse. Heiroin, for example causes you to have physical and mental withdrawls similar to nicotine. There are sooo many chemicals put into the cigarettes these days that we are just inhaling poisionious toxins into our bodies.... But we think Chantix is bad. Hmmmm.
I would hate to see if cig companies just stopped producing cigs totally. We would have a world full of people going nutzo.
An excellent,intelligent,and articulate post. Nicotine withdrawal is extremely difficult and painful, but well worth the effort. I have not smoked for 88 days(on Chantix for 84 days). I still have gas and one very bloated stomach, but I'm not smoking and overall feel so much better than I did 95 days ago. Wishing you the very best with your quit!

I do not know how I accomplished the above post.

Am I crazy, or is this frickin pill making us all a bunch of wacko's?? Sure, I dont smoke anymore, but is quitting smoking really worth all THIS? Irrational thoughts, Short temper, nightmares, new health problems!?!?? Talk about irrational thoughts, I used to be a heavy crystal meth user (off it for 16 months now) and all I do is think about how much I would like to do meth!! I NEVER thought about using meth so much, EVEN WHEN I WAS HOOKED! After reading all the threads on here I'm a little torn about just going off chantix, weaning off, staying on.. who knows!? Everybody hang in there. Hopefully we'll all get through somehow!

Betty wrote:

Okay! Would someone please tell me if they have experienced anything similar to this....... My husband has been taking Chantix for 3 weeks and has been a zombie. He has a "On Call" job so in any spare time he sleeps, sleeps, sleeps. He has no energy whatsoever and can barley function. He also is having extremly vivid, violent nightmares EVERY time he sleeps. They are all of him dying. From being suffocated, eaten by a pack of dogs, blown up, run over by a truck, stabbed to death, ect. ect. It was kind of funny at first but I am becoming concerned for his state of mind after going through it every single time he sleeps. If anyone else is experiencing something similar, please let me know.

Tell him to try taking the second pill earlier than his bed time. Too close to sleeping time can really mess with sleep and dreams. I found that one out the hard way. Take the 1st one early morning when he gets up, and the 2nd one around 4pm so that it's quite a few hours before bedtime. Hope this helps you guys.

dammit Eli wrote:

Is it possible that this really is the "miracle" drug that we have all been waiting for and because of our inability to cope with the severe stress on our minds and bodies we will deminish this "miracle" forever.....
As a side note... I was reading through some posts on here before I put this up and thought of something else... Is it not worth three or four months of "feeling different" to save five to ten years on our lives. I do not know about all of your situations but in mine, well five or ten more years with my daughters would be an absolute blessing.
I support all of you in your decisions and just want you to really think this through before you decide to quit this medicine. I too thought about quitting until I realized all of this. To those of you who have had a bad experience, I wish you my best and hope that you feel better soon!!
In my opinion, I think nicotine is just as bad as some drugs if not worse. Heiroin, for example causes you to have physical and mental withdrawls similar to nicotine. There are sooo many chemicals put into the cigarettes these days that we are just inhaling poisionious toxins into our bodies.... But we think Chantix is bad. Hmmmm.
I would hate to see if cig companies just stopped producing cigs totally. We would have a world full of people going nutzo.
An excellent,intelligent,and articulate post. Nicotine withdrawal is extremely difficult and painful, but well worth the effort. I have not smoked for 88 days(on Chantix for 84 days). I still have gas and one very bloated stomach, but I'm not smoking and overall feel so much better than I did 95 days ago. Wishing you the very best with your quit!

While this was a thoughtful post, this is making the assumption that the people who are 'losing it' actually quit smoking. Myself being one of the posters who had a disastrous onset of severe depression, anxiety, etc, but never stopped, reduced, or changed my smoking habits in any way. If you would think about this for a moment, people don't typically make the decision to stop smoking when they have an overwhelming amount of stress in their lives. It is more often a decision made from a healthy mindset, when one feels outside stressors are at a level that may actually allow them to quit. How many times have you said, "there is no way I could quit smoking right now with all that is going on.."
I understand the natural inclination to look at what else has changed in the person's life, but what I feel, and know from my own experience, is that is not what is causing these issues...at least not in my case. And I don't drink at all...ever, so no combined effects from alcohol. If someone could point to one study conducted where subjects couldn't handle not smoking so much that - instead of just going back to smoking, they attempted taking their own life, I would gladly read it.
Sorry, the nicotine withdrawel argument doesn't hold water in my opinion for the severity of these reports.
But that is just me...9 months later, and still experiencing memory issues and leg pain..and still smoking.

I just want to see stronger warnings to the severity of the POSSIBLE side effects, and, and someone else here suggested, a study conducted on the people (many besides myself) who continue to experience (mostly the pain) issues months after they stop taking it.
I would also be interested in knowing if the total number of adverse reactions received to date could be disclosed to the public.

I still wouldn't tell someone not to try this drug, just know what you might be signing up for, and be very careful.

Thinking about it wrote:

Day 4 of Chantix. I so far have mixed feelings about this medication....
We would have a world full of people going nutzo.

I was actually intending to respond to this post, not Eli, sorry.

Thinking about it wrote:

Day 4 of Chantix. We would have a world full of people going nutzo.

o the above poster, while this was a thoughtful post, this is making the assumption that the people who are 'losing it' actually quit smoking. Myself being one of the posters who had a disastrous onset of severe depression, anxiety, etc, but never stopped, reduced, or changed my smoking habits in any way. If you would think about this for a moment, people don't typically make the decision to stop smoking when they have an overwhelming amount of stress in their lives. It is more often a decision made from a healthy mindset, when one feels outside stressors are at a level that may actually allow them to quit. How many times have you said, "there is no way I could quit smoking right now with all that is going on.."
I understand the natural inclination to look at what else has changed in the person's life, but what I feel, and know from my own experience, is that is not what is causing these issues...at least not in my case. And I don't drink at all...ever, so no combined effects from alcohol. If someone could point to one study conducted where subjects couldn't handle not smoking so much that - instead of just going back to smoking, they attempted taking their own life, I would gladly read it.
Sorry, the nicotine withdrawel argument doesn't hold water in my opinion for the severity of these reports.
But that is just me...9 months later, and still experiencing memory issues and leg pain..and still smoking.

I just want to see stronger warnings to the severity of the POSSIBLE side effects, and a study conducted on the people (many besides myself) who continue to experience (mostly the pain) issues months after they stop taking it.
I would also be interested in knowing if the total number of adverse reactions received to date could be disclosed to the public.

I still wouldn't tell someone not to try this drug, just know what you might be signing up for, and be very careful.

Ok...board = flaky this morning...first it disappeared and now it posted twice, sorry guys.

Just thought Id give a comment.
Perhaps some of the terrible experiences people are dealing with is the withdrawl of nicotine. Atleast, think about it, that nicotine is a very very terrible drug, its in every part of your body. Its in your bone marrow thats how bad of a drug it is. Perhaps what they are missing is giving something else along with the chantix to help with the side effects of stopping nicotine. It seems like the chantix is actually stopping people from smoking, but the side effects are so
bad. Question is are they from the chantix or the fact your withdrawing from nicotine or both. GOOD LUCK TO ALL.

SMOKE FREE TWEAKER wrote:

Am I crazy, or is this frickin pill making us all a bunch of wacko's?? Sure, I dont smoke anymore, but is quitting smoking really worth all THIS? Irrational thoughts, Short temper, nightmares, new health problems!?!?? Talk about irrational thoughts, I used to be a heavy crystal meth user (off it for 16 months now) and all I do is think about how much I would like to do meth!! I NEVER thought about using meth so much, EVEN WHEN I WAS HOOKED! After reading all the threads on here I'm a little torn about just going off chantix, weaning off, staying on.. who knows!? Everybody hang in there. Hopefully we'll all get through somehow!

Hi! First, glad to see you are smoke free and meth free.

As to the thoughts about meth, here is my thinking on it. I realize my story(drug of choice) is different than yours but...

It seems like once my body realized I was not going to give into the cig craves , it switched up tactics on me. At one time in my life I used to take a lot of vicoden. a lot. Then I decided to stop. I was doing fine and then one day last month I started thinking a bout it again. and how nice it would be to have some. The thinking progressed along those lines for a couple days until I found myself wracking my brain to figure out who I could call to get some. <---- that opened my eyes because please I don't even want to get started on that road again.

The thing is I think I started thinking about it so much because I was missing the high from the cigarettes. Since I knew I wasn't going to smoke my brain/body was trying to get me to get high from some other source. i had to finally deal with the fact that not only was I not smoking anymore but I was not getting high anymore, something that I had been doing in one form or another for almost 18 years.

Honestly I have never come here and told someone to smoke but if it's a choice between going back to smoking or going back to meth? I know which one I would choose. I think you should talk to your Dr. about it, maybe he can give you something- maybe for anxiety? that might help calm your thoughts about the meth.

My daughter is one of the Casualties of taking Chantix for 12 weeks. In early September she ended up being hospitalized for observation and every since has experienced all of the things that are not listed on the medication.....only on the 17 page report on Chantix by Pfizer. How about an accute psychotic episode that has left her posibble permanent damage. Attention span altered, anxiety, depression, emotional disorder, irritability, restlessness, aggression, disorientation, libido decreased, mood swings, thinking abnormally, euphoric moods, and more.

My daughter has never had any of these types of problems before starting to take the Chantix and now even after nearly 2 months off the medication our entire family has been living in "hell", I am now part of the conspiracy to put her away or kill her as is everyone else. My son-in-law is at the end of his endurance. He has not been able to work in over a month staying with my daughter. He is also considered part of the plot at least 50% of the time. She will not take any medication of any sort. Does not trust any doctor or psychiatrist and none of us know what to do to try to get her help. My son-in-law is thinking of leaving this country in hopes of getting her better help somewhere else.

Of course Pfizer has all these side effects listed in their 17 page report that you can get off the web but it sure was not in any of the literature or warnings on her medication. Even after going back to the doctor and asking if the Chantix could be causing what was going on that was making her wonder if she was mentally disturbed her physician said no and then on top of everything else gave her an inhalor for the breathing problems she was experiencing even though Pfizer does warn that any asthma bedication might work differently with the Chantix. Of course even though there may be 3 million people that have not experienced what my daughter is going throught there are at least 30,000 + victoms and extended families that are suffering.

I certainly hope that at the very least Pfizer will be made to restate (vivid dreams) to possible pschotic disorder and all of the above that are listed in the 17 page article.

Please everyone, simply ignore "Patricia - Trish."

My daughter is one of the Casualties of taking Chantix for 12 weeks. In early September she ended up being hospitalized for observation and every since has experienced all of the things that are not listed on the medication.....only on the 17 page report on Chantix by Pfizer. How about an acute psychotic episode that has left her possible permanent damage. Attention span altered anxiety, depression, emotional disorder, irritability, restlessness, aggression, disorientation, libido decreased, mood swings, thinking abnormally, euphoric moods, and more.

My daughter has never had any of these types of problems before starting to take the Chantix and now even after nearly 2 months off the medication our entire family has been living in "hell", I am now part of the conspiracy to put her away or kill her as is everyone else. My son-in-law is at the end of his endurance. He has not been able to work in over a month staying with my daughter. He is also considered part of the plot at least 50% of the time. She will not take any medication of any sort. Does not trust any doctor or psychiatrist and none of us know what to do to try to get her help. My son-in-law is thinking of leaving this country in hopes of getting her better help somewhere else.

Of course Pfizer has all these side effects listed in their 17 page report that you can get off the web but it sure was not in any of the literature or warnings on her medication. Even after going back to the doctor and asking if the Chantix could be causing what was going on that was making her wonder if she was mentally disturbed her physician said no and then on top of everything else gave her an inhaler for the breathing problems she was experiencing even though Pfizer does warn that any asthma medication might work differently with the Chantix. Of course even though there may be 3 million people that have not experienced what my daughter is going through there are at least 30,000 + victims and extended families that are suffering.

I certainly hope that at the very least Pfizer will be made to restate (vivid dreams) to possible psychotic disorder and all of the above that are listed in the 17 page article.

Mike221 wrote:

Please everyone, simply ignore "Patricia - Trish."

Beware, everyone! The Internet predator is back! He's here only to charm the ladies and get their attention, since he gets no attention from his wife (if there is a wife, that is). His real intention here is not to give support to others. Soon, he will start rubbing off on some of you. If you were around from July through September, you should be familiar with this predator. If not, this is your forewarning!

hey Patricia,

I think everyone is just tired of your high almighty knowledge

Wisdom Bits

Genius is the ability to avoid work by doing it right the first time.

Lord help me to remember that nothing is going to happen today that you and I together can’t handle.

What you are is God’s gift to you, what you make of yourself is your gift to God.

Oh! Lord help my word’s to be gracious and tender today, tomorrow I may have to eat them.

Fear knocked at the door, faith answered. No one was there.

In an argument, the best weapon to hold is your tongue.

The road to success is always under construction.

Be an individualist: He who follows another is always behind.

Some people swallow a bushel of error because it contains a grain of truth;
while others throw away a bushel of truth because it contains a grain of error.

You are never fully dressed until you put on a smile.

If you see someone without a smile, give him or her one of yours.

Every minute you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness.

God has given us two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

I wondered why someone did not do something. Then I realized that I was somebody.

The Foolish Fight

I saw a fellow standing on a box before a little crowd,
And he was sayin’, in a voice that sounded awful loud –
There ain’t no God my friends no God of any kind.
It’s just an ancient myth, that’s all
A big delusion of the mind.

Course I didn’t stop to fuss with him
But went right on my way.
I like a country where a man has a right to hear his say
But as I passed on I couldn’t help but think.
If fate had led the way for me to talk to him,
I’m sure this is what I’d said.

There ain’t no use arguin’ with God
If you think he don’t exsist.
Ain’t you actin’ kind of silly when you shake your little fist.
If you think God ain’t real then you sure ain’t getting no where.
And if he does exsist he’s got more sense than you
And lots to spare.

There ain’t no use a fightin’ with the Lord
Cause if he’s nothin’, well: to start a war with nothing,
Apt to land you in a padded cell.
But if he does exsist you had better hide.
Cause fightin’ with the God who lit the stars
Why! That’s worse then suicide.

There ain’t no use a slanderin’s the Lord
Cause when your slanderin’s done
If God is just a myth then you ain’t hurt his reputation none.
But if God is real like all the Prophet’s said
Somewhere, sometime your speech will sound dumb
And will your face be red.

There ain’t no use a preachin’ no use a preachin’ unbelief.
Explainin’ God away
Cause religion’s been here quite a spell
And kinda looks like it might stay.
And all your rantin’ friend is silly more’n a crime
Cause whether there’s a God or not,
You sure are wastin’ time.

Betty wrote:

Okay! Would someone please tell me if they have experienced anything similar to this....... My husband has been taking Chantix for 3 weeks and has been a zombie. He has a "On Call" job so in any spare time he sleeps, sleeps, sleeps. He has no energy whatsoever and can barley function. He also is having extremly vivid, violent nightmares EVERY time he sleeps. They are all of him dying. From being suffocated, eaten by a pack of dogs, blown up, run over by a truck, stabbed to death, ect. ect. It was kind of funny at first but I am becoming concerned for his state of mind after going through it every single time he sleeps. If anyone else is experiencing something similar, please let me know.

Hi Betty,

That is not what happened to me but everyone knows ... lack of a restful sleep can drive you crazy. Please report these side effects to the FDa. Here is the link and PLEASE don't let him drink alcohol or the dreams he is having might become reality.

Peace and Love

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwat...