chantix - problems after quitting or weaning

[BLB]

Amber in AZ wrote:

BLB, I so agree with everything you have written. I, too, think it's time for us to do whatever we can to let Pfizer know our concerns- as well as doctors and pharmacists. I don't want others to suffer as so many of us have as a result of taking Chantix. Please let me know if there is anything I can do. I wonder if it would be a good idea for everyone to post their concerns on the website I have listed previously. Here it is:
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/mass_tort_li...

Hi, Amber,

Thanks for your feedback, and Tina's, and Viki's (she's great, isn't she?)The reports that really concern me are here:

http://www.treatmentonline.com/treatments.php...

I do know of a couple of people who have contacted the website you posted, but they did not get a response.

Just know that I am working on trying to get some answers/solutions for those of us still having adverse effects long after taking the drug, with the assistance of far bigger brains than mine.:-) I would like my life back to the way it was before...working happily in my garden (hurts to do that now), and some stronger warnings for the severity of some of the possible side effects. Although a letter-writing campaign might be in order at some point. No finger pointing here, all these side effects were listed in the pamphlet. BUT I did not read anywhere that they could be as long lasting as this.
Take good care.

[Maggie]

Trish in Virginia wrote:

<quoted text>
Hi Maggie: Whenever I hear "long term side effects" of Chantix being touted, I simply cannot help myself with the retort that we *KNOW* the side effects of smoking...it's called death. And not just death, but - generally - a long, slow painful one because of the ravages smoking has done to our bodies.
To me, there is a huge difference in what *might* occur down the road w/ Chantix and what is a *known fact* down the road w/ smoking.
I hope you'll be successful in your wean and be able to stay quit forever.

Trish, I definitly agree that smoking is almost always going to be worse! But the amount of pain im in right now, that my Dr really truly believes to be a side effect from the chantix, I just and stay on it anymore. Im just going to have to work my ass of on staying quit, and I know I can! Im almost ready to just stop cold turkey.....but that could be worse. I just wish the intense crazy bad back pain would go away!!

[viki]

Debbie in Merced wrote:

Vicki,
I started the Chantix in the beginning of May, it wasn't hard for me to quit smoking. I thought this is so easy. May 18, my dog died. I was really depressed. Just kinda went through the motions the next two weeks. Smoked for two days and then quit. All hell broke loose when I stopped the Chantix. I have been to my doctor and after Shelby died he put me on 150 mg of Effexor I was on 75 mg of Effexor. He ran all kinds of blood tests and they came back normal. I have no ENERGY and I use to be a very active person. The depression is severe and I am back smoking. My brain is so fogged that I am scared to drive. I don't feel like I am with it. I haven't been out of the house except to go to the Dr. in 2 1/2
months. When I wake up in the morning I hate that I have to be hear another day. My doctor told me to stop taking the Chantix and gave me a B-12 shot and told me he would see me in two weeks. I am also having alot of pain in my right shoulder but I could deal with that if it weren't for the depression and the loss of energy. My family are worried but they know that I have been seeing the doctor. I guess they are praying it will pass. My husband started at the same time I did. He isn't smoking and feels great. He works alot- two jobs - so I am left to deal with this. I feel helpless and don't know where to turn. I sure would appreciate anyone's help.#1634
<quoted text>

Oh Debbie,

This is a bad one for sure. It sounds like all hell broke loose when you stopped the Chantix...this happened to me too. Boy, oh boy, When I quit Chantix cold turkey all all hell broke loose and I started smoking again too. I went back to my doctor because I had quit smoking for the 3 months, and really didn't want to smoke. She put me back on Chantix full strength for 2 weeks, even though it had been @ two weeks since I had taken Chantix. She also had me get the starter pack and do it backwards. I will give you the wean. It worked for me, and I can't believe it did considering that I had been it the ER twice with anxiety/panic attacks,,,,I thought I was having a heart attack plus the depression. crying. etc. was a nightmare!!! I she put me on Celexa, it has something to do with Seratonin, I don't know if Effexor is from the same family.

You are dealing with some deep depression, and I recommend you insist that you doctor researches Chantix...maybe he has, but it sounds like he not that familiar with this drug. I'm going to be away for the next two days, but Mike is really familiar with what is happening to you. Good Luck and please come here as often as necessary!!!

[viki]

Mike,

P.S. Good luck with your doctor's appointment Friday!!!

[Maggie]

viki wrote:

<quoted text>
MAGGIE, YOU JUST STARTED CHANTIX!!! Wow, I can't believe you are going to start your wean! Well you know how to do your wean, with all the help here!! If you can do it fantastic, but keep a backup of Chantix. I think it is safest to do the wean slowly. GOOD LUCK AND STAY CLOSE!!!

Viki, Im 40 days quit today. So I have been on it for a while.

[viki]

Maggie wrote:

<quoted text>
Viki, Im 40 days quit today. So I have been on it for a while.

Wow, When you've been quit for awhile, it just seems like yesterday that you quit!!!! When you are going thru the process, each day seems like a tremendous feat..it is!!! Good luck Maggie, Protect your quit and take it SLOW!!! Best of luch to you!!!
I'm going to be gone for a couple of days, so see you guys soon....will miss you!

[Amber in AZ]

Debbie, I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I know how absolutely devastating that can be. I'm so sorry about your depression also. If it helps any- I went through the same thing. I have never experienced a more despairing feeling. I quit Chantix cold turkey which is evidently not a good idea. However, I couldn't see going back on it because of the other side effects I was experiencing. I, too, had no energy- was on the couch most of the day. Thankfully, I'm a teacher and on summer vacation. I am on an antidepressant now which is helping. I think you should ask your doctor about that.
I wish you well!

[Amber in AZ]

Maggie, You're correct, of course, about what smoking can do to us. Fortunately, I was able to quit when I was on the Chantix for a few weeks. However, it is very disturbing to me that people in their 30s, 40s, etc. are suffering so terribly from the side effects of Chantix. It's even more disturbing that we don't know the long term effects of this drug. Unfortunately, even with the "known" effects of smoking, I can't say I would recommend anyone going on Chantix at this point. Perhaps someday they'll be able to determine if some people are more predisposed to the side effects than others and be able to inform us of long term effects.

[Mike221]

viki wrote:

Mike,
P.S. Good luck with your doctor's appointment Friday!!!

Viki, thank you so much. WOW you remembered. No CRS there.:)

[Mike221]

Maggie wrote:

<quoted text>
Viki, Im 40 days quit today. So I have been on it for a while.

Congrats on that. Maggie. Awesome.^5

[dps]

i quit almost 2 yrs. ago but got hooked on the gum! person at the "smart shot" clinic said they had no luck getting people off nicotine gum with the stop-smoking-shots. when iheard about chantixblocking nicotine receptors,idecided to see if it would get me off gum. i felt if i'm not going to smoke,iwant to be not addicted to any form nicotine!! i took chantix 3 mos.[with all usual side effects]. i weaned off meds at doctors suggestion. took last 1/2 pill today! still think about smoking and miss it. depressed about wt. gain.wonder if people lost wt. when stopped chantix. thanks

[Mike221]

HI DPs. I never gained weight while on the Chantix, but I did change my eating habits so I wouldn't gain any; cut out salami and baloney and switched to turkey and chicken breast for sandwiches. I cut out cookies and ate granola bars instead and switched from potato chips to pretzels...etc. I was constantly hungry while on the Chantix at full strength so much of the time I would eat and eat cereal just to fill myself up. All this kept me at the same weight and now that I've been weaning off the Chantix (right now-1/4mg a day,) my appetite is back to normal and with my newer eating habits, I've actually lost 7 lbs even though I wasn't over-weight to speak of.

[RobinL]

Depression is an issue of focus for many who quit smoking. At times, quitting smoking is an extremely difficult thing to do, and it is difficult enough when you're feeling happy. I would venture to guess that many people have relapsed during periods of depression; it is more difficult to stay focused and maintain resolve and motivation. For those people who suffer bouts of depression during the cessation process, the condition is usually mild and temporary.
People who have been diagnosed and or treated for depression prior to quitting smoking should monitor any changes in symptoms carefully as they begin and move forward in their smoke-free journey. Some may experience changes in their symptoms, which may necessitate a change in treatment. If you experience drastic mood changes when you quit smoking, or if they persist for an extended period of time, a visit with your physician is advisable. While quitting smoking, the body and the mind are in a state of transition, and it's not uncommon for new ex-smokers to struggle with their emotions. Good Luck.

[Mike221]

Depression that has been directly linked to quitting smoking and not the withdrawal that some of have had after quiting the Chantix cold turkey has been described like, "losing your best friend." I felt this to some degree during my first 2 months of not smoking even though I was still on the Chantix. Most of us have smoked for so very long, and now going without it seemed very odd even if there was no physical craving which I never had. But I still felt a tad empty as if something was missing from my life. It was, but as it turned out, I know very well that it was really my friend at all even though smoking seemed like it for over 30 years.

[Mike221]

Mike221 wrote:

I know very well that it was really my friend at all

That should have been; I know very well that it was NOT really my friend at all...

[zokime]

Thanks for the feedback! I've been feeling fine since yesterday's incident and I'm thinking it had more to do with the heat, I had a physical in early June and everything checked out ok, but I may call my Dr to make sure this isn't anything to worry about.

I've been reading about folks having cravings after so many months smoke free, I think because we smoked pretty much non-stop for so many years, we may never forget what it feels & tastes like to light up. The same way you can watch food tv and salivate when in reality the food is not physically there. I believe it's the same principal that if smoking is thought about too much, a pseudo-physical craving occurs, I say this because I struggled so long pre-chantix with nicotine withdrawal and that's why I could never quit. Now that nicotine is completely out of my system I'm aware that any desire to smoke is out of some nicotine-mad notion that it makes me feel good, or old habits die hard. Something like that.

[Mike221]

zokime, I'm so glad that you are feeling fine. I agree with you that it may be best to check with your Dr. I also agree with your theory about the wanting to smoke for so long after the quit. I do believe most of that is a thought process and not actually physical cravings. Sometimes our thinking can be our worst enemy though. I know it can be with me and like you said, we had smoked for so long, its hard to erase it from our memory. But in time, it will be erased.

Let us know if you do see your Dr and what he/she says. OK?

[Debbie in Merced]

I want to thank all of you for your input. I am going back to the doctor to see is I can get so more Chantix. I will keep you posted.
Thank you all so much. I didn't think I was going to make it through yesterday. I was having terrible thoughts. God, I pray that it is not having the Chantix in my system that is causing this. It has to be because I never felt this way before. Everyone have a great day and I will let you know what happens.

[Mike221]

HI Debbie: Viki, Linda and myself, plus others have been there too. We do know that horrible feeling and yes, please keep us posted. Just so you know, my Dr was hesitant to put me back on the Chantix and then I showed him a copy of posts from the board that I had printed out just show him that others had the same problem and to show the wean that was posted by Viki.
Again, keep us posted.

[Mike221]

Glow, if you wish, feel free to mention my sobriety if it will help you make a point. I know Viki and my stories are different, but our end results are the same. :)