Any Way To Reverse Long-term Chantix Side Effects? (Page 4)

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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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61

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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62

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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63

stop using it, depression gets really bad

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64

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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65

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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66

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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67

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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68

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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69

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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70

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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71

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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72

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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73

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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74

Yes, I am from New Zealand.

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75

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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76

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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77

I've been experiencing ongoing dizziness/vertigo/balance issue/ringing in my ears/angry outbursts/ and high levels of anxiety/memory loss/bad headaches since April 2014. My doctor initially thought it was the result of a mild concussion. The symptoms have not gone away, in fact, have gotten much worse as time has gone on. Considering that, I started researching, and came across many sites loaded with many people experiencing the same issues. I too, have been on Chantix (twice - once back in 2011, and then again, started taking it a week before I hit my head in April 2014). I stopped taking it after 8 weeks, thinking that it may be adding to the symptoms of my head hit.

I then started to realize, I have been experiencing these symptoms since the first time I tried it. The symptoms were not very pronounced after the first try, but since the second try, these symptoms have gotten much worse. I'm at the point now where I can barely function some days. I am now convinced that Chantix has ruined my life instead of making it better.

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78

I recently had an MRI, and nothing turned up out of whack - but the doctors were looking for evidence of damage due to a head hit. I started taking Chantix just before I hit my head, and after reading comments here, and on other sites, I'm convinced that my ongoing issues are a result of Chantix, not the head hit - everything I am feeling has been described by other Chantix users.

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79

All the same for me. I took in Jan 2008 after the birth of my second daughter. By May, bought a Harley, left my family and just quit showing up to work. I stopped in July of 2008 after consumption of the new script and hitting rock bottom.

I have never felt the same again. My joy for life zapped........ Seven years later, I am beginning to think that the end is the only relief. I have been on everything. Been to different doctors. I have been arrested more in the past 3 years than I care to mention but always end up in a behavioral clinic instead of being charged with anything. At glance, I am a hard working father of 4 who wakes up and goes through the motions because I don't want to be that dad.... The one I had, for a small part of my life...... Anyway, Chantix has destroyed not only my life, but everyone else's life I touch.

I came across the post about the rhodiola rosea..... couldn't hurt, after all, NOTHING else has worked.

It has been 2 weeks today. I tried the suggested 3 doses of thuja occidentalis (200ck) and took no more. I also bought a multi extract vitamin for the lack of a better word for adrenal support that included 250mg rhodiola rosea and quite a few other extracts that I will not mention due to dis sapient in product.

Day one. Felt a noticeable boost in energy, it was not so hard to motivate myself to blink. BTW, I felt when I started this that it was a waste of time and money and 8 fact took an extra 3 terrible weeks to get the stuff, so I can rule out placebo effect for the most part.

2 days later, back down. Started to get irritable again and sat back in the butt groove. Other symptoms. Quit the supplement for 2 days.

Went back and bought just Rhodiola Rosea 500 MG 5% rosavins 25mg.
Suggested 2 cap 1 -2 times daily.

Day 1. 2 caps in am. Energy back. Irritable and impatient.

Day 2. 1 cap in am. Great energy. Tapping my feet and not bad composure. 1 cap in pm....@ 5. Little irritable but not dwelling on issues as normal. Way less urge to revert back to a couple nasty ices to calm me down like I have been doing for years.

Day 3-7........ Way better mood!!!!!!!!. I wake up ready for the day. It's not a burden or "out of the way" to pick up all of the kids from school after work. I get home and am making dinner..... and cleaning up after? I don't know if I recommend this treatment anymore! I just realized I'm doing everything now. Went to dinner..... in public and stood in a mall parking lot on the coldest night of the year so far to watch Macy's put on a fireworks display to Christmas music and DAMN IT, I loved every freaking minute of it..... This is all stuff I " don't do". Even suggested a walk through the mall to look at the decorations and left my cattle prod in the truck.

Sooooooooooooo. So far so good! I know how hard this is so I will try to keep updating good and bad. I hope this is a way to help some of us if not all.

A lot of old interests are peaking again. I feel joy. Food is palatable. Time with family is already improving so there is definitely something happening here. I found out my estranged father died Sunday and have taken the news well.

I have read less is more. Start slow, because I have to admit that I really super dosed in the beginning and it was not benificial. I have seen them in 100 MG but I also read that a higher concentration of rosavins is one of the main factors. This is used for a lot of issues and I have noticed overall improvements in many areas.

Fatigue.... non existant
Energy.... moderate
Mood....Good but still on edge, could be due to no alcohol either.... But I have not had the overwhelming desire to drink so that's another plus.

Minor constipation

Appitite back

Sleeping well.

Bought everything from the vitamin shop. 20 for the Rhodiola and 10 for the thuja.

Biggest testament is that I actually took the time to post this. First time I have ever posted anything. Ever.

Good luck. I hope it helps. I think it actually does here.

STAY STRONG! F phizer

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80

I also should mention that I quit taking anti depressant s in April of this year after my last episode. Since then, I have not been on any medications or under the care of a physician. I consider my self not only unhealthy but as I like to say so often, " done for".

All contributing factors to quality of life but information more for trial study study purposes.

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