Any Way To Reverse Long-term Chantix Side Effects? (Page 12)
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My mother took Chantix several years ago in an effort to quit smoking. Well, she quit for a year. During that time, however, she became unbearably depressed. She has no history of depression.

She consulted a doctor several times and tried 3 different prescriptions, 1 of them being Zoloft. She stopped because she said they made her feel like she was just in a constant haze. She hasn't been to a doctor or a psychologist since then. In the mean time, she started smoking again because she thought that it would make the depression go away. It didn't.

Because of her experience with the 3 prescriptions, she is unwilling to go back to a doctor, and dismisses any notion of going to a psychologist. Our family has pleaded with her to keep trying, even if she has to tell whoever she sees that she won't try any drug for fear of the side effects; even if her only option is therapy, we want her to at least see someone. She is reluctant.

This side effect of major depression has persisted for years now, long after she stopped taking Chantix. Does anybody have any advice, or experience with the reversal of such severe side effects? My mother, and the rest of my family, is terrified that this is permanent, and she is terrified of the possibility that another prescription will result in even worse side effects.

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I just had an MRI that showed that I had a stroke. I had no risk factors. Trying to figure out what might have caused this, I thought about Chantix. I used it to stop smoking last February. It worked. I quit smoking. I had no terrible side effects from it at the time. Just vivid dreams, that went away in a few weeks. Looking at long term effects that other Chantix users have had, I am finding that I too have quite a few of these. I've written them off to aging, grieving, stress. Truth is, I am a different person than before taking the Chantix. I am afraid it has done something to my brain. I wonder how many others have had MRIs done, and if others show evidence of damage to their brains. This sounds a little crazy, but the doctors seemed very puzzled, as I am otherwise fairly healthy.

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If you can get to a homoeopath, ask for 3 doses of Thuja 200c, this will help with the damage the Champix/Chantix has done . 3 doses only!!
The supplement I took is "Stress and Stamina Formula with Rhodiola" from Micro Genics.
that has 965mg Rhodiola Rosea. also known as Arctic Root.

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Yes, I am from New Zealand.

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MNKISLAND... if u can find a supplement with Rosea Rhodiola in it, and you take those, you will feel a change for the best, within a week or so. If u post again, when I get home from work I will tell u what the supplement I had, is. But in the interim, contact a health store and ask for one with the highest dosage of this great herb. Good luck.

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My husband took chantix 2 mths. And it changed him permantly. It's been almost 2 years and he's so spacey, forgetful is an understatement, and shows hardly any love or emotion anymore, it's like he don't care, he never was the sweet romantic type but now he's even worse and we fight all the time, the sucky part is no one sees it but me :( our boys say it's just me and they don't see a change in him, he already wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer but it's worse then ever now and it drives me nuts. I'm wondering if anyone else is having these types of side effects? Basically they are: being spacey, forgetful, emotionally vacant and lack of empathy or understanding.

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I am having similar issues from taking chantix. I took it back in 2010 and still having issues. How is the Rhodiola Rosea working? Anything else you are trying? I've been on several prescribed drugs but little to no positive impact. thnx. - mark

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My husband took Chantix for 6 weeks starting in May. He's been off the medication for over 2 weeks now and is has horrible side effects: depression, anxiety, major agitation, joint pain, fatigue, etc. He was a pack + a day smoker for 30 years and no longer has any urge to smoke, but he is completely joyless. I've been reading stories about permanent side effects from changes in brain chemistry and I am getting more and more nervous. I'm hoping he will get back to being himself soon. He never stopped taking his Fluoxetine prescription so I'm not sure what's going on.

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Look up Midwest center for anxiety and depression. It's a program called attacking anxiety and depression. I had seen infommecials about this program many times and I finnaly called bought it and its the key to getting through it. Cognitive therapy will help

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You, are assuming the depression was from the Chantx. and possibly incorrectly. The half life of Chantx is very short,....3 weeks after stopping taking it , it is COMPLETELY gone, there is absolute 0 measurable Chantix in the body/brain.

I took Chantix continually for 7 months....broke a 50 year addiction ( 40 cigs a day),..with Chantix. Zero side effects except I dreamed in color.

For me it was a WONDER drug.

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I'm 37 & found out in April I'm pregnant with my first. My husband had a vasectomy reversal to make it happen. Something very much wanted, right? Terror & overwhelming depression. I suggested an abortion to my husband, something we have always had conservative views on (not to get off topic). (I posted back in January.)

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I started taking Chantix on March 1 and quit smoking March 8, 2014. I used 2 1/2 months worth of Chantix and my doctor suggested I stay on it at least 3 mths if not 4. However, I couldn't take the horrible, extremely bizarre dreams (which luckily stopped after stopping Chantix). I wish that was the ONLY side effect. I still to this day have 3 side effects that are driving me crazy. I have a constant funky sweet medicine smell/taste that won't go away. My hair spray, deodorant and even mascara smell like this and I get this awful taste when I drink plain ice tea or an alcoholic beverage or even brush my teeth! It's horrible. Then I keep hearing a sound of a ball or something being thrown again a cement wall with an echo type sound every 30 minutes or so in my head! I thought I was hearing noises in our house but it was me! In my mind! Lastly, my hair was always so healthy but now it's thinned out so much I can't even style it anymore. I'm so frustrated. Will these ever go away? Can I do anything to make them go away? What am I to do as I can't live with this. It will drive me up a tree! I'm still smoke free but continually crave cigarettes! Day in and day out. I'm just pushing myself hard not to cave in. Please help!!!

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My brother in law is exhibiting long term side affects from taking chantix. You posted in a 2012 form discussing this problem that there may a neurobiological cause. Please reply to this if you have additional on the possibility that this is true. Thanks for any information you may have.

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Hi just been reading your replies about Champix and it all sounds very similar to problems my partner is having. He is under a neurologist but he is running out of ideas and tests to carry out. Would you mind explaining what the Kappa receptors do and what an excess of dynorphins cause (sorry but I can't make sense of wikapedia's explanation)

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stop using it, depression gets really bad

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I am on day 3 of my first continuing week. I thought I was fine the first week but my spouse told me I was like I am now.Yesterday was hell, I was depressed crying every 10 minutes for no reason..I'd just be on my phone playing a game and next thing I knew tears were falling, I didn't eat at all, I drank a cup of water at like 1am, I locked myself in my bedroom away from everyone and everything all day! I've been super jumpy anytime someone says something to me I snap back with an attitude, not meaning to it's like I can't help it. I want to quit smoking but feel I can't without some kind of help, but at the same time reading all these posts about people losing their families, jobs, and basically their life I don't want to turn into that. My girlfriend of 5 1/2 years I am pretty sure hates me at this point, I've been a complete a** to her for no reason, always arguing, nagging, yelling, blaming her for things she hasn't even done, and before the arguments even end I just run to the bedroom and shut the door and start crying. Today I woke up in the middle of the night because I was crying, obviously I don't know why I was. I am normally a happy easy going person, I am always joking around more than I am serious. Even someone at my job noticed that I am acting different, of course I didn't tell them I am taking Chantix because I work in a Pharmacy, I just told them I was tired. I don't want to be put on Xanax or Zoloft or any anti-depressant I just want my normal life back..should I stop taking the Chantix? I know if I go to a doctor all their going to do is listen to my side affects and give me more pills, but I think I am ready to just give up the Chantix It's not worth losing people I love, and my job. All I read online is how people who had my same side affects told their doctors and their doctors gave them more pills for those side affects, and I don't want to go through life day to day like a zombie, I just want to be normal again, is that possible? I don't want to have lasting affects of this drug I took for 2-3 weeks.

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I couldnt climax while on chantix, as soon as I stopped I could again. It has never been the same as it was prior and my libido went down.

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any updates on Rhodiola Rosea useage? cheers

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Hi, are you Regan from NZ?

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Hi Laura,
{edited for privacy} I am thinking that this will be deleted, but am trying...
Blessings
Riegan

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I stopped smoking 7 yrs ago with Chantix and have never felt worse. Stress , depression anxiety. Now the autoimmune diseases psoriasis, and Hashimoto disease. High blood pressure good and bad cholesterol are bad. Weigh gain, and antisocial. I used to love a party and being with friends and now im just a
Shell of the person I was. So all the great things I thought I would be doing when i stopped smoking never happened. Other that 2 BP meds 2 cholesterol meds antidepression and anxiety pill and B viamins . So I traded smoking for a nightmare .

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