Chantix - Drug Information And Side Effects

How long does chantix stay in your system? Could it still be affecting me after 9 months?

REPLY

REPORT

No! There are no medications that stay in your system for that long.

The only way you would still be feeling effects was if it had caused some type of permanent body/organ damage, which I am sure would have been detected long ago.

Chantix contains the active ingredient Varenicline,it is a stop smoking aid.

Common side effects during use can include: nausea, drowsiness, headache and abnormal dreams.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Chantix/­

Did you have any other questions?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

You say that no medication can stay in your system that long. Hmmn, interesting concept. So no medicine/drug can stay in your system that long. So people who took a medicine/drug that affected their brain lets say back in the 60's or even possibly now of any said drug/ medicine could not have a flash back a day a week, month, year,5-10- or even 30 years later. Interestingly spinal taps and many doctors to include psychiatrist will disagree with your answer. Chantix also attaches itself in the brain to certain sensory mechanisms that seem to more than just affect the euphoric high that nicotine produces.

The studies were rushed and the true side effects are just now being reported, studied, and warned about. Let me introduce you to another drug/ medicine that has interestingly had some if not many of the same symptoms described by chantix users that has had a lasting effect on its users for decades. LSD also known as Dextro lysergic acid diethylamide tartarate. It affects the central nervous system primaly. It works, therefore, in the BRAIN. It creates, in its action, changes in the user's mood and behavior, perception and sensation. An LSD user cannot stop the LSD action. He may fear he is losing his mind, especially if the LSD effect is a bad trip. When this happens, he may panic, cause injury or death to himself. Paranoia. The LSD user may feel someone wants to control his mind, harm or kill him. He becomes increasingly suspicious. He may hurt or kill the object of his LSD-made fear. This feeling lasts 72 hours after the LSD has worn off. Mental Unbalance. As a result of panic and paranoia, the LSD user may get mentally unbalanced. This lasts weeks, months, even years. It requires psychiatric care to cure. Flashback. When a flashback occurs, the LSD victim may become insane or driven to suicide. (See What Is a Flash- back? above).

Heart Failure. LSD has led to fatal convulsions. His heart couldn't take it, as a doctor diagnosed an LSD death. It was: heart failure. Cause: LSD. Accidental Death or Injury. When the LSD user is on a trip, he may feel he can fly or float, leap out of a high window or tree, fall to his death. Or he may think that he/she is invincible, walk in front of a car and suffer injuries or even get killed. So how many of the symptoms above has been reported by Chantix users. To name a few nausea, vomiting, and vivid dreams oh thats right, that's what pfizer wants us to believe are the common side effects. It seems more common by the reports on line are the following reports of uncontrollable anger, flash anger, aggressiveness, moody,violent,suicidal, suicidal ideation,hallucinations, blackouts,memory loss, behavioral changes, vivid to extremely scary dreams, disaccociation, uncontrollable suicidal behavior, severe depression to name a few. Many of these symptoms occured during use, immediately following treatment, or even months to a year afterwards. The years of information on LSD proves that it can last years after the last dose. Where are the years of studies on Chantix? thats right there are none!!!!!! WE ARE THE GUINEA PIGS. Mind you I have never taken acid but many of the above symptoms I suffered while on, and after treatment.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 12

Previous commenter,

I appreciate your knowledge of the lasting effects of LSD on people, and you are completely right. It has been proven that many years later there can be side effects and it is possible for LSD to permanently effect mental well being.

However, all drugs affect the brain. It is not the LSD itself that is causing the long lasting side effects. During the usage the brain chemistry was changed. There is a huge difference between the way LSD effects your brain and the way that chantix does.

Chantix will not stay in your system for 9 months. It's half life is nowhere near long enough to allow the chemicals to remain that long in your brain.

Are the symptoms for withdraw really so overlooked when people are drawing their conclusions about chantix? Of course it is true that a small percentage of people may experience serious problems, but this is true of all medications.

I would credit any side effects after stopping for 9 months to other causes, unless you believe that taking chantix has permanently altered your brain chemistry.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

If you haven't tried a parsley supplement while taking chantix, give it a try! I almost gave up on chantix because the nausea was soo bad. Now I take 860mg parsley capsules along with chantix and No more nausea. I originally bought the parsley to aid with water weight gain and just happen to take both the capsules and the chantix at the same time one morning. This is a miracle to me and I'm so happy I found this. Good Luck!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

I took Chantix for 3 weeks, within those 3 weeks I developed swelling of my lips and severe panic attacks. I was told to stop Chantix immediately, that was 3 weeks ago. The swelling has gone away, but the panic and anxiety is still present. I am on Prozac and Xanax, which I have NEVER had to take before. I have never had anxiety or this uneasy feeling in my spirit.
How much longer before I can be ME again???????

REPLY

Was this helpful? 13

I quit smoking December 6th, 2010 only taking half the dose of Chantix for 6 weeks instead of the recommended 3 months. I was successful in my attempt to quit smoking for 6 months.

During the time I was taking Chantix, I did experience most of the side affects. Extreme agitation, anger, constant anxiety, bad dreams etc. so I decided quit taking the medication.

It has been 5 months since I've last taken Chantix and yet my side affects have not gone away. Although I no longer have bad dreams probably because I only sleep ~2 hours pre night for the past 5 months. I'm in a constant state of panic and I am extremely worried about this. My heart is fluttering all the time and I'm always very agitated. I thought that if I stopped taking the meds, the side affects would go away. Instead I'm in a panic and don't sleep anymore.

Yikes!! This is a very scary feeling to have day in and day out. I can't breathe and my heart is fluttering.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

I started taken Chantix 06/28/2011 and I stop on 07/15/11.
When I started to take the medicine on the 3rd night I started to talking in my sleep about hurting my daughter, sister and her boyfriend. So far it has not change since I stopped taking it and last night I was kicking and punching my wife in my sleep. I have never had anything like this before. I am not a violent person I do take many medications I don't know if it is just from Chantix or a combination of Chantix and another medication. I just want these problems to stop before I really hurt someone. When I am awake I so far have no issues but I don't want these nighttime problem to move to days. I scare enough to move my two handguns to my mom house. Do any one knows how long these issues last.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

I took two scrips of Chantix between Oct. '06 - Oct. '07. Endured two, long, hospital stays in '08. Feared drugs as a teen...can describe first hand, in VIVID detail an hallucination at 55.

This pill is POWERFUL...SNEAKY...and THOROUGH. Once in your system, only God knows how/where you'll land. You have know that people don't go to the trouble and expense of getting this prescription filled...w/hopes of having horrendous side effects. This drug is for real. A recall is OVERDUE.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

I was on chantix for five months and successfully quit smoking after 39 years of 3 packs a day. Its been five months since I stooped using Chatix, but the dreams are still happening every night. I'm lucky to get 3 solid sleep hours, but still get woken up from the dream.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

DO NOT TAKE CHANTIX!!!!!
I was on it back in august 2011 and stopped taking it in October because I was severly depressed and now its MARCH 2012 I started smoking again. I just want these symptoms to go away so I can be normal again.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I smoked for years. I took Chantix for 4 months and quit smoking after 3 months of treatment. I now cannot even stand the smell or thought of smoking. I have always had vivid dreams and Chantix did not make them any different. I am not do pressed or anxious. Most Chantix users have results like mine. My heart goes out to those of you having panic and anxiety attacks. I lived with that condition for 30 years until a doctor friend of mine suggested Paxil. I haven't had a panic attack in 27 years since beginning Paxil treatment. It did have the side effect of prolonging sexual endurance because it took longer for male orgasm. My wife loved that side effect. However now in my 60's sometes I lost the ability to orgasm due to the side effect. But it's still better than feeling like I couldn't breathe or like I had impending doom sweaty tingling hands and pounding fluttering heart, thinking I was about to die. Paxil gave me back my life. Chantix helped me quit smoking. I recommend both.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

I took Chantix for 10 weeks last year, quit smoking for 10 months. Relapsed over the summer, and then went back on Chantix for 8 weeks. I have quit again and remain smoke free after 4 months. I experienced the side effects too...nausea in the morning, the dreams, the strange thoughts during the day. I smoked for 25 years and NOTHING else had ever worked for me. It took away the desire to smoke and helped me get to a point where I could work on killing that desire to smoke with the meds. Whatever it does, for me the side-effects were 100% worth it. I would wake up in the morning and remind myself I had nothing to feel s***ty about...

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

MY HUSBAND TOOK CHANTIX TO QUIT SMOKING AND THE NIGHTMARES WERE SO BAD HE STOPED TAKING IT, AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS HE WAS TOLD TO TRY IT AGAIN AND DID. JAN 2012 WAS HIS THREE YEAR SMOKE FREE, NOW HERE ARE MY CONCERNS, HE IS A CHANGED PERSON, VERY MOODY, YELLS AND SCREEMS, SAYS VERY HURTFULL THINGS, HAS NO ENERGY, THIS IS NOT WHO MY HUSBAND WAS BEFORE THE CHANTIX.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 7

...I would credit any side effects after stopping for 9 months to other causes, unless you believe that taking chantix has permanently altered your brain chemistry.....

I'm responding to the above commentator statement - - ....IS THAT SUCH A STRETCH ??

I took two scrips of Chantix in '07...endured two, long, hospital stays PLUS psyche unit in '08. The first hospital stay was for possible heart attack and the second for sincere suicide attempt followed up w/psych unit. MY EXPERIENCE W/CHANTIX SHOOK ME TO THE VERY CORE!!!! I never even KNEW a little, blue pill could have such POWER to totally turn my life upside down!!!

It's a sneaky, yet THOROUGH process...and could be deadly. IF I hadn't taken this pill myself...I'm SURE I would've had my doubts as to the validity of some of the horror stories...but, I DID...and can ASSURE you...most are true!! I'll be the first to admit that YES, it DID touch on my smoking receptors...and DID take away the pleasure...and had it STOPPED there, I, TOO, would be singing Chantix' praises....but, it DIDN'T and I CAN'T.

Once in your system it grows feet....and travels on throughout your brain affecting/DISTORTING/twisting... your dreams, thoughts and reflexes!! It literally CHANGES your way of THINKING!!! This is a very, VERY scary drug and needs to be removed IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

I took Chantix for 2-3 months and have been smoke free for 2 1/2 years. BUT............. about a month after stopping the Chantix, I began having a burning sensation like somebody slapped me really hard on a sunburn. The pain radiated from my back around to my front. At first suspected shingles but no. I have had every test imaginable but all ok. I have been on pain killers now for 2 1/2 years with no end in sight. The burning pain, by the way, sometimes is all over my body at one time; I have anxiety attacks, and my personality has changed. Drs. might say it is not because of Chantix, but I would argue that.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

EVEN SADER MY HUSBAND (AGE 45) JUST HAD MASSIVE HEART ATTACK 4/13/12, I KNOW IN MY HEART CHANTIX IS THE BLAME. MY HUSBAND WAS HEALTHY AND EASY GOING UNTIL CHANTIX, NOW LIFE IS A DAILY SCARY ORDEAL

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I am happy I came acros this thread. I took chantix twice. Once in 2008 and I was smoke free until JUne 2009. Took Chantix again in October 2009 to quit again. Once in a while I will still have a chantix dream. I never had the nightmares just really Vivid memorable dreams. It has changed my overall mood. Once in a while I will still have a crazy suicidal thoughts. I shake them off. BUT they still do occur. I went and did a google search to see if I was not alone and came across this thread. I dont know if it because I tok t twice that I have things happen once in a while. Every so often I just break down and cry and feel depressed but no reason for it. I worry now about stupid stuff. I never NEVER worried about anything before. I always wonder if I am alone with still having side effects.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I know how you feel. I am depressed half the time; feel like crying part of the time; and I don't even like myself much anymore. I have anxiety attacks; never did before chantix; I lose my temper easy and it has been 2 1/2 years since I took chantix. Horrible stuff. But still not smoking; sometimes I wonder if I went back to smoking I would fee better!!!!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

I took chantix for the 3 month cycle and did quit toward the end of the 3rd month. I did have some intensity in my dreams, but nothing nightmarish. I have been smoke free for a month now and feel worse than i did when i smoked. In the last two weeks i have been developing severe headaches and am nauseous for the majority of the day. I am also dizzy from about 2 hours after i wake up till i go to bed. I feel scared and wonder if others are experiencing the same headache/dizzy/nauseous feelings after stopping chantix. I also quit my job because the normal stress i used to be able to handle became unbarable. I am now jobless and my health insurance is done at the end of the month. I am glad i am smoke free, but miserable from the quality of life i have now. i also have a difficult time focusing on conversation or even typing this statement!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

Thank you chantix...I guess. Yesterday was my 2 month anniversary for not smoking. Yup. No slips. No cheats. No smokes. I posted on this site in the beginning of my downward spiral into what has become a private hell. At first I cried for no reason..then I became angry and on edge. Pretty normal stuff for withdrawl right? Right...
A lot people had all kinds of atta girl-go for a walk-think positive advice on here.
Little did I know what was actually happening to me was very bad drug reaction to a little pill called chantix. I quit taking chantix after 4 weeks. Depression, memory loss similair to brain injury or alzhiemers,fear and hopelessness are just a few of side effects. It has been compared to bad lsd. People commit suicide on this. They quit their jobs or just can't remember where they are driving to. They go from not being able to make a simple decision to the extreme opposite and go to work one day and feel compelled to quit their job because they feel hopeless.
If you don't believe me just look at blogs or google "this is my brain on chantix". It is crap shoot. Some will not be affected in bad way. Others will lose their mind. Some will lose their lives over chantix. All I wanted to do was quit smoking.I'm blessed to be alive because others went crazy and ended up in psyche wards and tripled their meds after taking the chantix magix bus. I strongly urge anyone who is considering chantix please please please try other avenues.
If I knew that smoking would bring me back from this terrifying hell and give me peace of mind I would smoke 2 packs a day. But there is no guarantee it will bring me back back to my old self. I reallly regret quitting with chantix. I think they should ban this dangerous drug. I would taken my chances with cigarettes over this anyday. 2 months. Yay me. I guess. No funny or amusing smiley to insert here...what a person goes through on chantix goes beyond words. It goes beyond what you think a side effect can do ..but hey I'm smoke free. I used chantix years ago and never had any trouble like this time. I feel compelled to share my experience with others. I'm not so cavalier about chantix anymore. Like I said I'm blessed to be alive. Being smokefree is just the side afffect. I was not a big drug user and have nothing to compare to for Acid or LSD but the long lasting side effects are VERY similiar. I have compared the long lasting effects of LSD (bad trip) to long lasting effects of bad trip on Chantix. Strikingly similiar. Some people have a good experience on LSD- also some have good experiences on Chantix. I just wanted to quit smoking. I did not want to take a drug that would effect me like taking Bad LSD!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

I have been on Chantix for over a month and it's helping so much with my resolve to quit smoking but I think it's also giving me terrible, smelly, noisy gas...and bouts of diarrhea, which today has been frequent. I'm very tempted to stop taking it but afraid I'll want to smoke again - this drug is working so well it's making me forget to smoke! But the gas is embarrassing and incessant, and the diarrhea - well, you can guess. I've also been getting heartburn. I had been afraid of the depression and anxiety since I already manage both conditions, and have been pleasantly surprised that they are in check. I have cut out all alcohol while taking this - not a sip - because I believe that consumption of it could logically enhance and possibly trigger that side effect. But does anyone have advice on controlling the digestive side effects? Both of these are listed as possible - but so many things are listed!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Bebe (# 5)

Just quitting smoking caused extreme anxiety, hives and fever blisters for me. This time I used Chantix and only had mild anxiety. Anxiety can be genetic or just a response to withdrawal.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Verwon (# 1)

I started taking Chantix 2 weeks ago, and started the 2 mg/day 2 days ago. Today I am feeling a body buzz similar to what I experienced while on Chemotherapy and steroids. It is almost an out of body experience. I get light-headed when I stand up and am nauseated - but I know that is normal. Does anyone else feel this body buzz? I am considering stopping taking the medication, do I need to taper off as you do with steroids?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi. A friend of mine's nephew began taking Chantix several months ago. Apparently, he blacked out and does not remember the incident. He was in the ICU for several weeks and for the last few months has been wheelchair bound and staying in a nursing home type of place.

He admits to messing around with marijuana and some methamphetamine, and his aunt whom he had been living with prior is convinced that it was those drugs that caused his blackout and inability to walk, speak, etc...

However, I have been looking into Chantix and I am not so sure. Has anyone else who is not also taking illegal drugs experienced such a catastrophic reaction to Chantix?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi. I was wondering if anybody could help me with my question. I missed day 5 and day 6 of my chantix. Does that mean I have to restart from day 1 or just continue to pick up and take day 7?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I took Chantix twice, nearly 10 years ago. I want to say Fall of '08 and Spring of '09. My doctor recommended it so I tried it, and it worked awesome. I just didn't want to smoke - it truly was amazing. I got the dreams, and 9/10 were awesome. Very lucid vivid dreams, most either extremely curious or very pleasurable. The 1 in 10 were very bad nightmares, but I'd wake up and realize (after a while) that it was a dream - primarily because my girlfriend who I just butchered to death with a hammer was still alive next to me. I didn't sleep the rest of that night, nor any of the others when I had the bad nightmares. But... I wasn't smoking, so it was fine. One day, driving to her apartment, I was overwhelmed with the urge to drive my car off the highway into a bridge, and that scared the hell out of me. I went to the doctor, stopped it, and all was well. A few months later I was smoking again, so I figured I'd try Chantix again, thinking it was just a one-time negative side effect. The exact same experience happened a second time - the quitting, the majority of good dreams (anyone else experience "Hollywood dreams"?), and the sudden impulse of suicidal thoughts. Now, I'm not a person with anxiety or depression or history of suicidal thoughts or tendencies. It's been nearly 10 years since then and I'm not suicidal (truly don't think I ever actually was - Chantix just put that in my head), but I've developed mild anxiety that I never really had, and I have "flashback" dreams of which I can only compare to LSD flashbacks (haven't had an LSD flashback, but it sounds like what I'm experiencing. I'll have dreams every few months that are so completely vivid that I can't sometimes distinguish them from reality. I'm writing this today because I had one last night. That girlfriend from 10 years ago? I married her this year and we're very happy together, but these dreams really mess me up some mornings. Last night felt like it was a week long, and we were on vacation and basically fought the entire time. She was yelling at me about stupid things. I wake up genuinely mad at her because of them, and it takes me between 15 minutes and several hours for my brain to "normalize" and sort of compartmentalize dreams and reality. I am truly convinced that Chantix has permanently altered my brain chemistry. It appears as though I'm not alone, and I wanted to throw this out there to see if I strike a chord with anyone else. It should be noted that I still very much enjoy the good dreams. I'm also completely able to eventually compartmentalize reality from my dream world. Also comforting, it hasn't gotten worse. In fact, it has remained completely unchanged, which tells me I'll probably be like this the rest of my life. I'm also a closet smoker.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I haven't had a cigarette in almost six weeks, however, I would never recommend Chantix to anyone! I also had the vivid dreams, but that's not the side effect I'm concerned about. Has anyone else had problems breathing while taking Chantix, and even after you've been done with it for a while? My doctors can't seem to figure out what's wrong with me, but I believe it's the Chantix. My tongue is also numb/tingly. I never had either of these problems until I started taking the Chantix. Bad drug!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I just took my first Chantix pill this morning at about 6am. I didn't eat, but drank water. Around 9:00am I started to feel nauseous and dizzy. So I decided to try to eat, which I did. I still feel nauseous though. Is this common? I now know I should eat before taking it. Another thing that makes me nervous is that it says not to drive without knowing how your body reacts, but the nausea and dizziness came on so fast and hit hard, and I'm only on day 1? I have to drive tomorrow night and I'm scared that I may be hit with a dizzy spell. How long did you wait to drive especially since the dose changes often? How can your body adjust when its uping the dose so often?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I was determined to quit smoking this time. I started taking chantix 2 months ago all is well so far. no smoking, however I am having irritations daily and I sleep like I am in a coma, I don't dream at all. the first time I tried chantix a few years back I had such nightmareish dreams I couldn't rest at all so I had to quit taking it and continued to smoke. This time no dreams, no smoke, staying very fatigued and tired all the time. I have not smoked since july 26th, 2016 and this is september, so the 26th will make 2 months. I love the way chantix helps with the cravings. I hardly think about smoking but I am gaining weight and need to move more. I just don't feel like it because I am so tired, but I'm gonna hold on as long as I can because I really want to quit smoking.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I agree with you. I'm bipolar and have been on it before with no side effects except a very painful stomach, probably from not being able to go. This time was a completely different animal. I came very close to killing myself, if my husband had said the wrong answer to a question I asked I would have done it. Also very close to psychotic, stabbed myself in the leg twice with a ballpoint pen and scratched up my wrist with a phone charger (worse than it sounds) due to the rage / depression. I'm now off of it, several weeks, still smoking, and still very irrational. Part of my mind knows I'm being irrational, another part doesn't care. I don't know if the crap changed my brain or not. I'm wondering why it's still on the market!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

## Has anyone had any problems with taking this drug? I was given the drug for restless legs. ## I take 300mg. and have ...

42 REPLIES

I have been taking Siltussin for 1 week now. My doctor wasn't in so the other doctor who was on call at the time, ga...

1 REPLY

I would like to know about Pantoprazo and side effects. ## want to know the cintents of drug ' pan D' and its ac...

3 REPLIES

I took 3 doses of apiol steel and 3 doses of white Quinn. What are the possible side effects? ## I took two tablets of A...

24 REPLIES

I have pain and severe redness after two weeks on Travastatin - It didn't happen 'till now. ## I am not fmailiar...

3 REPLIES

Questions regarding moriamin S2: What are the side effects of moriamin S-2? How many can we safely take within 1 month? ...

I wanted to know if anyone out there takes this medication and if so what are the side affects that you all have had wit...

6 REPLIES

I started nustrate in October and I've been on my period ever since. I'm so annoyed and very frustrated. Will th...

3 REPLIES

Hello anyone. I was on Morphine for maybe 5 months after two years of a chronic pain condition. The analgesic effects we...

1 REPLY

I would like to know the side effects of this medication. ## What is Rmoquin NF used for ## Sorry, this doesn't appe...

4 REPLIES