Myrtle I am with you. Not long after my doc offered me a script for this drug, about 6 mos. ago, I saw a news report on it . That was maybe 4 mos. ago. I had made up my mind I was gonna' go for it. Since I have had some bouts of depression in the past and DO NOTwant to repeat them, I decided no. They didn't say a word about the people who vomited for 24 hrs. straight, or the people who tried to commit suicide or kill their spouse. I am kind of wondering about that myself. I am going to give the gum a go. Maybe the Welbutrin, butdon't know much on that either. Hopefully, I can get educated about that drug. Good luck to you.

Deniesall,

I've been searching the web for other people who've had similar reactions to my own and am finding that bad reactions might be much more common than thought. It's funny, because until just recently I thought my own reaction was just more typical to me. I didn't react well to Wellbutrin, either. Not until after I heard about the FDA investigation into Chantix last November did I start thinking about it in relation to my reaction. Wonder how many people never even bothered to report any problems with it? Or, wonder how many people did report it to their doctor and because the drug is so new the doctors didn't even put two and two together? It must be tough for the docs because so many people have success with Chantix that it could be hard to believe that it could have terrible side effects in some people.

I'm interested to see what pans out with more investigation into it.

I quit cold turkey 2 years ago and joined a great support group called "quitnet" I read so many horrible things about Chantix, from depression to kidney failure. I was very unhappy to hear Dr. Oz mention that drug! In the news there was a man who was taking that drug and was on a plane, he went crazy..ran into the bathroom and got naked ran out and was yelling "we all are going to die!!" after his arrest he said he didn't remember doing that.... It alters the brain in more ways than one... I see that there is now some lawsuits starting against the drug company. that drug will be pulled off the market just wait and see.

Connie

I talked to my docor about Chantix and he said he preferred that I go another route. And that the strongest thing to do was my mind in altering patterns and triggers. When I heard that Chantix causes nightmares I thought, no way. But these other side effects are awful. I wonder if the drug will stay on the market?

iamwriter,

You have a smart doctor

if ya need support feel free to e mail me..

sillyspirit51@hotmail.com

I took Chantix last October for about 3 weeks. I was concerned about taking Chantix because it is a mind altering drug. It seemed to really be working for the first 2 weeks. I wasn't sleeping well but I wasn't craving cigarettes either. I started having terrible nightnames and I thought I was becoming homidical. I had dreams about killing people. That really scared me so I stopped taking it. I haven't smoked since October 25th. It is hard but I am determined. Good luck!!

iamwriter,

My symptoms started the within the first week of Chantix. I never even made it to the full dose. I've read some horrifying stories from people who were further weeks into the med and then had problems, or didn't experience problems until they tried to wean off or were off it.

I think I said this already, but I'm really surprised that Dr. Oz didn't mention possible problems at all.

Anyway, not to scare anyone who's on it now and doing well. That's not my intention at all. My experience just bewilders me.

I had dreams about killing people. That really scared me so I stopped taking it.

I know what you mean! The kind where you wake up and think, "holy cow, what kind of a mind do I have to even dream such a thing?" It is scary. It's even scarier when weird thoughts start permeating your daytime thinking, too...which happened to me. I didn't think of killing anyone, but I had the weirdest sensation that people knew what I was thinking every minute of the day. Honestly, I was becoming paranoid. I'd never had anything like that happen to me and even at the time didn't realize it was the Chantix or really even realize how fast my thinking changed in those few days. I wasn't taking anything else. I stopped the stuff right away.:-(

I am shocked by the posts here about the adverse side effects of Chantix. I was a smoker who had tried to quit several times, through several bouts of pneumonia, and having to have 2 inhalers to breathe, but I still couldn't do it. Thank God for Chantix. I just forgot to quit one day about 3 and 1/2 weeks into it. I had a few times where I had mild nausea if I didn't eat with it, but that went away. I have been smoke free for a year and a half now, and have ditched the inhalers and haven't been sick since. Chantix saved my life. I had a lot of friends and family who smoked, and I was kind of the "guinea pig" for the group. All but one of them took the Chantix and have quit. They are 7 women, ages ranging from 19 to 55, ranging from light smokers to very heavy smokers who had smoked for 40 years. None of them had unpleasant side effects, except for mild nausea, which can be controlled by eating with the medication. I swear that I have no connection to the people who make Chantix, I am just a grateful woman who is smoke free along with my 7 friends. Now my husband is on it and ready to quit. I tried Wellbutrin years ago, and it made me crazy. I couldn't sit still, I couldn't sleep and I was very irritable. They put me on Xanax to counteract the side effects of that drug. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Many of my friends had also tried Wellbutrin and had very bad side effects. To the person who is concerned that Chantix is a "mind altering drug," I respectfully correct you. Wellbutrin is a mind altering drug, because it is an antidepressant and has many other effects on the brain than just making cigarettes taste bad. Chantix works only on the nicottine receptors in the brain by shutting them down so that your brain no longer gets the pleasant effects from nicottine that it craves, so smoking does you no good, and eventually, it does nothing for you but make you smell bad. I and my 7 friends would recommend Chantix to anyone. Please don't be scared away by these extreme posts. The worst that could happen by trying it is that if you do have the side effects the people are talking about in this discussion, then just stop taking it. But if it works for you, it could save your life.

I agree with you Crystal.....I've been on Chantix for the past month with NO side effects. I personally ( being in the medical field) think some of these posters have mental problems to begin with and NEED to seek a psychiatrist ASAP....its NOT the Chantix.

I tried the Chantix last year. I had to stop taking it after a few weeks. Every possible side effect that it can cause I had. I also tried Welbutrin, did not work for me either. I take offense in what you posted. I do not have any psychological problems thank you very much!! I can't believe that you said that just because for a few people this stop smoking aid does not work and makes you have vivid dreams, depression, etc is actually caused by a psychological problem that they may have? My doctor told me I was one of the few that this drug just does not work and may cause problems. It is a well known fact that for some people Chantix just does not work. I know alot of people that used Chantix and it was a lifesaver for them. I tried it, and it did not work for me. I had to go back to the gum and other means to quit smoking.

I am sorry, but I strongly disagree with you here kimba. Being in the medical profession, you should know that extreme depression IS one of the side effects. I am a 37 yr. old married, mother of 2 with no mental problems, and I have had to quit taking the Chantix because of the extreme mood swings and crying. I really take offense to you suggesting that I need a psychiotrist. Please look up some of the more recent studies on this drug, then talk to a couple of real people who it has had an effect on. This drug is a miracle for some, there are many more people who have been helped by Chantix then harmed, and I do not discount that one bit. But do not for one minute think that those of us who have had some of the more severe side effects are mental to begin with. I would not discourage anyone from trying the Chantix, but I would be honest about my personal reactions.

Jacki

Hi there, I have been taking chantix for about two months and have been doing great. I have not bought a pack. I will tell you withing the 2nd week of taking the medication I became really depressed which was also around my period time and I just couldnt stop crying. I mean over everything. My doctor put me on Wellbutrin too so my emotions have been much better.
I have had only two slipups with smoking because I went out with some of my friends and had a couple of drinks and craved one. I have one but it didnt even taste like anything. So I havent had one since.
I am really glad I tried chantix because I was a pretty heavy smoker and always have wanted to quite.
I will tell you that I have been feeling nausa with headaches and dont know if the cause is from the two prescriptions. I have a md appt soon so I am wondering if I really should be taking the two together.

Wow, I just found these message boards and I'm so relieved I'm not the only one having these side effects. I thought I was going crazy! I'm on day 11 of Chantix and day 4 of not smoking. I've been very irritable literally screaming at my children for doing things like accidentally spilling their apple juice and am sending nasty work emails where I just completely fly off the handle. At the same time, I know I'm doing it but I'm so ticked off I don't know what to do about it. I'm also nauseated which eating before taking it helps but I didn't realize that for the first 5 days or so--so I wasn't eating at all because I felt too sick. I lost 4 pounds but now I know I gotta eat first. I am being treated for depression for several years now and take anti-depressants and haven't felt this bad emotionally since right before I was diagnosed and treated. I'm also light headed a lot to the point of almost blacking out before I have to lower myself to the ground to avoid passing out. I haven't read of anyone having that side effect. I'm also exhausted and constipated and have the vivid dreams others have mentioned, mine are not bad, just very real. I dreamt of my father that passed away a couple of months ago and it was so real, I woke up and cried my eyes out but was so glad- I felt like I had just been with him.

I've quit cold turkey in the past and was NEVER this crabby but I thought that maybe if I took Chantix that this time it would be for good and I would not relapse. I think I am going to quit taking it. My hubby quit the same day I did- but he's doing it without the Chantix because he doesn't have insurance and he's not crabby at all. Even the first week I was taking it, I was crabby because it really does block the nicotine receptors in the brain.....for that whole week my cigarettes weren't registering and even after I had one, I got no satisfaction at all from it. I dunno---anything that changes the brain chemistry and makes me feel like this just seems wrong to me. I'm too afraid of going into a deep deep depression like I had in the past, and with losing my dad recently I think I was half teetering on the edge without needing the Chantix to make it worse. I wonder if I need to ween myself off of these pills. Any replys to this are appreciated.

Hi Beth,
I have been on Chantix for about two months. I have been doing great with not smoking at all. Just a slipup when I had a couple of drinks but the cigarette didnt even taste like anything. In the first two weeks I became really depressed and crying all the time at the flip of a switch. I was yelling at my boyfriend all the time for no reason. I had been on Celexa as well but my doctor said maybe Wellbutrin would be better for the moodswings. She weened me off the Celexa while starting the Wellbutrin. Now I am just taking Welbutrin and Chantix and I have been feeling awful. When I take both in the morning I am ok. When I have lunch and about 20 min later I feel lightheaded, nausea, hotsweats and headache to the point of vomiting at times. I dont know if it is because of the two but I have a feeling it is. I am going to see my md next week and I just want to get off one of them because I am having those symptoms from lunchtime on, till the time I go to bed.