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Anyone taken Chantix/Champix for quitting smoking?


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i took it before and i got some nasty side effects but everybody is different and some people just get minimal side effects

maybe ring your doc just to check and they will know better

it may have reacted so badly because at the time i was doing nothing to treat my MI

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started getting really depressed

unbelievably horrifying nightmares too, im used to seeing really strange stuff but this was warped even for me

i know loads of people that have never smoked again after em and just got a couple of minor side effects so just ask doc and try stick it out if ya can

i really hope you stop :) fingers crossed for you

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Champix actually does carry a black box warning because of the possibility of neuropsychiatric side effects.

In some cases it can be hard to tell if the dysphoria is from quitting smoking or from the Champix but I would keep an eye on that and bring it up with your doctor.

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My parents (no MI issues) took it and it fucked with them horribly. My mother became depressed and suicidal.

I, however, have taken it quite a few times (obviously I went back to smoking although it was really effective), and I had no trouble with it. The only thing that I noticed were some pretty vivid (often hilarious) dreams.

It can be some wicked stuff. I'd say if you're having problems still after a week (that's when it's supposed to be up to its magical dose), then stop. Obviously, if you become suicidal or depressed, stop it immediately. You'll of course want to double-check my advise, but there shouldn't be any side effects from the sudden stop of the meds. Good luck with quitting!

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While I've never taken Chantix, I found that my desire for smoking went down to zero while I was on Wellbutrin. I was being treated for BP-related depression, so the reduced desire for smoking was a really nice plus. Unfortunately, Wellbutrin didn't do crap for the depression, so my pdoc took me off it and 100% of the smoking urges came back. I mention this as another possible drug option, if it fits into your psych drug needs.

abitcrazy

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never taken chantix, i've known a few people on it to quit smoking. i've heard a lot of static about the psychological side effects and the black box warning on chantix, though. i would be frightened to try it. i've heard bupropion [Wellbutrin] does okay with helping the urges to smoke.

an aside: Saturday Night Live had an amusing skit on last night about Chantix and its possible psychotic side effects.

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My sister-in-law, who is also bipolar, started it a few months ago and it fucked with her BAD. Full blown and severe mixed episode.... A long one too. She's just now starting to balance out, but still a ways of way from being at a comfortable state. Looking back she was in a manic state right before she started chantix, although this mania actually only consisted of the mild/positive symptoms. She's never been completely stable due to the years of self medication, so I'm sure that amplified these terrible side effects. But during all that craziness she never had the urge to smoke....which says a lot about the drug considering all the mania and depression it brought on.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good that you quit it then. Sorry your experience was bad. Have you tried patches or the e-cig? I quit smoking today actually and am using an e-cig and it helps a lot! I quit three years ago using the patches, but realized that I really just had a need for the HABIT, so I picked up an e-cig and didn't really want another cigarette for a couple of years. Sigh. I blew that one. Time to start over.

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  • 1 month later...

My wife has been taking champix for about 6 weeks. Results:

a) She appears to be not smoking

b) She has gone from a bubbly, and generally nice person to

being utterly Psychotic. She now shows all signs of severe Bi-Polar disorder, Narcissism, Deep Despression and Suicidalness

Champix has, in 6 weeks, pretty much destroyed my marriage, myself and my children are, simply put, scared of so much as speaking to my wife.

She is on the brink of a nervous breakdown, or Psychotic break. I wont leave her like this but this must be causing her mental damage that i dont think she will recover from when she stops taking.

Champix should be a last resort, and actually in my opinion should be banned.

If you are going to take it, make sure you have people around you who can keep tabs on you, whom you trust and who love you enough to take the abuse you will dish out.

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Champix should be a last resort, and actually in my opinion should be banned.

If you are going to take it, make sure you have people around you who can keep tabs on you, whom you trust and who love you enough to take the abuse you will dish out.

Here's the thing...

It isn't for everyone. It is a medication, a chemical, it will change the way some people behave. Not all but some people, sometimes. There are various warnings in various places regarding this.

If your wife is showing drastic behavior changes, the thing to do would be to call the doctor, not let her languish in misery.

You're an idiot for watching her slowly break down. If she's aware of these problems, she's an idiot for obeying her doctor "come what may".

You feel like shit, you call the doctor and get to the bottom of it.

It's pretty simple.

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My wife has been taking champix for about 6 weeks. Results:

a) She appears to be not smoking

b) She has gone from a bubbly, and generally nice person to

being utterly Psychotic. She now shows all signs of severe Bi-Polar disorder, Narcissism, Deep Despression and Suicidalness

Champix has, in 6 weeks, pretty much destroyed my marriage, myself and my children are, simply put, scared of so much as speaking to my wife.

She is on the brink of a nervous breakdown, or Psychotic break. I wont leave her like this but this must be causing her mental damage that i dont think she will recover from when she stops taking.

Champix should be a last resort, and actually in my opinion should be banned.

If you are going to take it, make sure you have people around you who can keep tabs on you, whom you trust and who love you enough to take the abuse you will dish out.

You passively watched your wife descend into a serious illness, and did nothing. You make all kinds of bullshit psychiatric diagnoses (confusing symptoms with illnesses, no less) without trying to get her help. Her getting proper treatment would benefit your children and your marriage, as well as her, but you just watch. And it is the *medication* that is at fault for all of that?

Take her to the doctor. Why would you let it get to the point where you feel she is a threat to her children's well-being, or your marriage?

And after she feels better, you might want to think about getting couples counseling. Your response to her illness was to drop the ball, do nothing to help your wife, and not protect your children from something that could have easily been remedied.

Are you married and a parent, or aren't you? If you are, then act like it, and hold up your end of the deal. You will get sick someday, I can almost guarantee it, and you better hope she is a better caretaker than you are.

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I was on it for about 6 weeks and it worked great. After 20 years of smoking I managed to quit quite easily. I was surprised at how effortless it was.

The only side affect (that I noticed anyway) was lack of sleep/shitty sleep. Sleep meds could not counter-act this for me. Feeling burned out for a month and a half was worth it though.

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It threw me into a state of rage and suicidal depression in a matter of a few days. On starting the medication I was feeling fine. Be careful and moniter how you are feeling closely. Good luck with quitting by the way! I quit again nearly two weeks ago as well.

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My normally mild-mannered and very laid back husband tried Chantix and turned into an irritable, angry person... we both realized it wasn't good.

He called his GP (who had written the script)....told him her stopped...... he stopped taking it within a matter of days from starting it. I don;t think HE was all that uncomfortable with side effects but I sure the hell was!

The guy whose marriage and family are falling apart should get his wife to the doctor - stat! Now! Don't keep just watching her suffer..... Some people have a bad reaction. Its different for everyone I guess.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi All, I have just had the worst experiene whilst taking champix. I like to think I am a well adjusted 47 Year old lady I work full time in a job I love and take everything in my stride. However after being on Champix for 9 days I became a total Pscyco, I was shouting and screaming at both my boyfriend and my best friend for no apparent reason and once these outbursts started there was nothing I could do to stop them. fortunatley my family pointed out my insane behaviour and I then stopped taking the champix...so you may think happy days..oh no then the most severe neck pain started and I was unable to move my head or neck for 3 days!! When I started Champix I hoped it was the miracle drug that would stop me smoking... I would happily smoke forever rather than go through that nightmare again.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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