Chantix - Drug Information And Side Effects (Page 6) (Top voted first)

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

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My experience with Chantix has been relatively the same as everyone else's I guess. The only difference is that it seems to have lost all effect in the 3rd month. There was no more resistence to finishing a cigarette. I stopped taking it completely about a week ago and I'm holding a full prescription until I feel it's out of me completely. Maybe when I try again, it will have the same effectiveness that it did at the beginning.
Yes... I was agitated, angry, had very vivid dreams (some really weren't so bad.. just vivid). I endured nausea and sleeplessness but I knew that would happen GOING IN, so I just allowed for it.

I'm just hoping that it will start to work again if I stay off of it for a while.... and this time, instead of cutting WAY down, I have to quit. Has anyone else noticed that it lost it's effectiveness after a while?

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I have the same issues as you. How do you feel now at this point and how long did these side effects last for you? Please email, thanks

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Kim-I was very excited to read your posts. My husband took Chantix for approximately 1 month and never quit smoking. He went off the med approximately 3 weeks ago. We have been together for 5.5 years, we bought a house together 1 year ago, married in August and are expecting our first baby together in October. My husband seemed to get increasingly angry soon after starting Chantix. He also seemed to slowly start losing interest in the baby and I. 2 weeks ago he left. He took off one night and has not come back. He has texted me maybe 10 times in the last 2 weeks and will not answer my phone calls. This Tuesday while I was out of town he came to the house and took most of his stuff. He still will not talk to me. He talks to his mom occasionally and all he can tell her is that he is unhappy and he cannot define why he is unhappy. He will not answer phone calls from some of his best friends. He will not tell anyone where he is staying, he tells them that they do not need to know. It seems like he has lost all emotions. This is a man that is normally very caring and compassionate. He is very close to my family and he is having nothing to do with them at all. We were married 8 months ago and he wiped tears from his eyes when I walked down the aisle. It is very hard to believe that he could just lose all feeling for me and the baby, especially when he was excited about having the baby. Your posts give me hope that eventually his brain might return to what it was before and he might be able to enjoy life again.

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Rachel,
I sincerely hope that he will come back to his senses soon for you and your child's sake. What does his Mother think of this? I did call my husband's doctor and let him know about his mood changes. Like your husband, mine was very caring before Chantix and thankfully is back to his normal self again. I do know what you are going through.....my life was a living hell for 2 months as I am sure yours is now, especially with a small child. My heart goes out to you and I will keep you in my thoughts. Hang in there! Please do call Pfilzer regarding this matter....every call may help to wake them up. You can reply or talk to me anytime you need to.

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Hi Kim
Unfortunately I found out this last week that my husband has moved in with another woman. I will be seeing a divorce attorney. His behavior is still eratic and he is offending friends with some of his posts on facebook about random things and kinda violent things. His mother is very worried and agrees that he is not mentally right at this time. He has never cheated on me before or treated his friends this way. I believe that the Chantix is playing a role in this as he used to have pretty strong morals. I did report to his doctor my concerns and hopefully they will attempt to address it at his next appointment. I am angry with him for cheating but I do not wish him harm I just hope that he will be able to get control of himself enough to be able to be a dad to his child. I to really hope that this drug will not be on the market for much longer and hope that people think twice before taking it. I do wonder if it affects Men and Women differently. It seems like women have a lot of anxiety and horrible dreams in this forum and it seems like men have become depressed and withdrawn from things. Either way I don't believe that I would take the chance with this drug if I were a smoker, and my husband didn't even actually quit smoking when he was on this.

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I am so sorry Rachel. It doesn't seem that he is the same man at all. How long was he on Chantix before the "evil twin" appeared? It took 2-3 weeks for my husband to change and 6-8 weeks for him to reappear after stopping Chantix. I took Chantix a few years ago and it gave me horrible dreams and insomnia...didn't really sleep....after 3 weeks I stopped taking it. I don't know if your husband is still taking it or if not, how long he's been off. Hang in there!

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I see in your previous post the length of time he was on and when he stopped taking it...I wasn't quite awake yet

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Chantix or Champix as sold in Australia gives me crazy dreams, restless leg syndrome, and erectile disfunctioning whilst on the pill. Takes me about 6 months for my body to return to normal.

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IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING TAKING CHANTIX PLEASE READ THIS. I tried Chantix in September 2007. At the time, I was 44 years old and had a job heading up a research laboratory in a major Pharma company (I have a PhD and had always been professionally successful). I was divorced but had a happy 14 year old daughter, many friends and close family members. My house was clean and fairly organized. I had smoked since I was a teenager and really wanted to stop. As a teenager in the 70's I had used a number of recreational drugs and as an adult I enjoyed alcohol. Nothing prepared me for the catastrophic consequences of Chantix. I actually received two Chantix prescriptions end to end but never finished the second one. I began to lose all pleasure in normal life activities, started drinking too much and too often due to a sudden massive increase in feelings of depression, anxiety, anger and loss of motivation. It is now June of 2013. I still smoke, I have been largely unemployed since the end of 2007, my daughter moved to her father's in November of 2012 in despair, I do not talk to friends very often and do not like to go out. My house is a disaster. My financial situation is bleak. Whereas I used to have very high standards in terms of personal hygiene and maintaining my personal appearance I now usually wash my hair in the sink and mainly stay in the living room rather than go upstairs at all even to shower. Stopping drinking for over six months did not help. Given that I had experience with other drugs in my youth (even some of the real nasty ones like methamphetamine, PCP and LSD, used for alot longer than I used Chantix) and had about 25 years of succeeding in all of the areas of life essential to survival and happiness following this recreational drug use, I really believe that Chantix has permanently changed me into a different person. I am still trying to fix things but it is hard to shake the feeling that nothing matters. What I think Chantix can take away from some people is the feeling that what you do in life matters and the will to survive. I also feel that Chantix had a significant impact on my mental / intellectual function and acuity. As a scientist I would love to have a control of myself-identical experiences with the exception of Chantix exposure to truly be able to prove that this was the pivotal factor. After reading the posts in this forum I guess I will try harder to get things back on track. I appreciate all of the experiences folks have posted on this site and wish you all well.

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A good friend of mine, Danielle Collin, of lancaster Ny, used chantix and it made her suicidal!!! She complained to the company and they settled with her no problem!!! $300,000 bucks later!! write to her if you like to know more info! Im sure she will share!! 120 steinfeldt 14086

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After 3 weeks of taking Chantix I experienced the first seizure of my life. That was 9 months ago. I've experienced confusion and forgetfulness since then. Recently, I've awaken with 2 episodes of "altered mental status" so severe I was taken to emergency. I remember nothing from these episodes; I was told I was doing and saying pretty strange things. Complete medical workups showed nothing except that I'm in great health for my age (60 yrs). I'm no doctor, but I'm sure the Chantix is still affecting with my brain.

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I read this about your husband and he sounds like me. I took Chantix 4 years ago, been smoke free since but I have become angry, have fits of rage, became less affectionate to my beautiful wife and now find myself one outburst from divorce. Never violent just anger and rage. I also find myself thinking of suicide more and more but I'm being proactive about it and seeing my doctor tomorrow.
I was always considered calm, collected and patient with others and NEVER aggressive. Now I'm like dr Jekyll and me hyde. They say Chantix can't affect you after 4 years but seriously, it affects the chemical balance of the brain. There are thousands like me and none of us know where to turn. Not like anyone is gonna admit any of this

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Oh my, I am sorry to hear this. Have you seen a doctor? My husband is a lot better, but now and then I see what I refer to as the evil twin. No passion left. Please keep me updated....

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Saw doctor yesterday, Took lots of blood, ordered a CAT scan. Put me on a low dose of Celexa for now. Amazing how your husband sounds just like me. The evil twin and all. Has he done anything besides stop Chantix?

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YES! I had a seizure in my third week and was taken off Chantix in November. I had my second recognizable seizure in August and my third in September. I understand now that I've been having small seizures all the time (when a flashback made me violently ill or I suddenly became aware of pee running down my legs, seriously!). It has been 10 months for me and it's not getting better.

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He just stopped the Chantix, that was all. It did take close to 3 months for the effects to wear off and wind down. He really doesn't realize or remember much of how bad it was. I have read that if mental illness runs in the family the effects of Chantix can be worse. My husband never had an issue with depression and was always pretty easy going, however, he has a brother who is schizophrenic. I hope for you and your wife's sake they find something. At least you realize how you have been, that's a plus in my opinion.

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My wife has gone from saying she's miserable to being exceptionally supportive. More than I deserve. I learned last night that depression does run in my family. I had no clue. My sister, brother, niece all are taking something for it. Guess it waited to present itself in me and the Chantix possibly magnified it's effects. I didn't realize I was doing the crazy stuff either but I look back and see it now. Also, I appreciate talking to you about this. It does seem to take the edge off of the stress I have right now. Thank you

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I am glad that talking to me did help. It has helped me too....has given me insight to what my husband had been going through. Keep hanging in there and your wife too. I know it is hard for the both of you and I can really identify with what she has endured. You two have a strong love like my husband and I do. I truly wish the best for you and your wife. Stay strong!!! ...... Kim

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How does Nicotine play into this? I had vividly colorful (pleasant) dreams years ago when I used the "patch" to try and quit smoking. I was only able to quit for 5 or 6 months. The "patch" delivered more nicotine into my system than what I had been getting from cigarettes and kept me more addicted, needing more and more. Over the years I tried several other methods, none worked for more than a few months. Then my Dr. decided to try Chantrix (& Prozac for the side effects). I took these 2 medications at the same time and shortly realized they were dangerous for me. I started having physically violent, paranoid dreams. I also had many of the other negative symptoms described on this thread, but didn't associate them with the meds. The dreams were different. I usually did not remember them upon waking in the morning. Then I started sleepwalking. I got up and opened the front door and left it wide open then went back to bed. I "defended" myself against dream-induced villains, damaging my hands and breaking furniture in my sleep. I don't think either of those medicines contain Nicotine, do they? I stopped taking the medicines immediately about 3 or 4 months ago, but have continued to have the nightmares and one sleep-walk incident where I broke a table. I haven't smoked a cigarette in over 2 years and have been using the e-cig to get my "nicotine fix". It's far better than smoking cigarettes, but... is it really? My doctor said the Chantrix was causing the nightmares, not the e-cig. But, I still wonder. He prescribed the Chantrix/Prozac to get me off the e-cig! I'm afraid to give up the e-cig for fear I will go back to cigarettes. I'm also at high risk for Alzheimers. Has Chantrix altered my brain chemistry? What a horrific thought! Just like others who have posted, I realize these symptoms don't occur to everyone who use these drugs. Same thing with nicotine - not everyone is addicted who use it. I know that I am addicted to it, but I know people who have not become addicted with mild usage.

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I would stick with the e cigarette. It seems to be helping while the Chantix was destroying you. They keep pushing this Chantix and not giving all the bad side effects that it has.

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