Several of my doctors are really pushing me to quit smoking. I know – intellectually – that I do need to quit. The problem is, in 1999 I quit for three years and never got to the point where I was comfortable. I wanted to smoke every single day of those three years. Finally I couldn’t stand it any more and started up again.
This dramatic failure – and the fact that I really enjoy smoking – are two huge factors playing against my even making another attempt.
Still, I was willing to try bupropion (generic version of the antidepressant Wellbutrin and the anti-smoking aid Zyban). This was a major disaster.
I do have e-cigarettes, but they aren’t satisfying (maybe I bought the wrong brand?). Then they died, I couldn’t find the charger, and it took weeks for the company to send me a new one (promised in 3 days). That kind of killed my interest in using them.
My ashtray at the end of the day
But I smoke a lot: at least 2 packs a day. I have developed wheezing when I lie down. I really don’t want COPD, and I was told that smoking could have contributed to the attack of ischemic colitis I had a few years back (which could have been fatal, though I didn’t know it at the time).
There’s one more drug that has a very good record in helping people quit smoking: Chantix. But my doctors refuse to prescribe it because of my bipolar II disorder, and I agree with them. My current meds’ control over my BP and anxiety is precarious enough without adding a drug known to cause problems to people with mental illnesses.
In 2008 the makers of Chantix issued a warning that patients “should be observed for serious neuropsychiatric symptoms, including changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.” This was, according to the statement, especially true for patients with pre-existing psychiatric conditions.
All this came from post-marketing experience – that is, reports of problems that came in after the drug was already approved. Before approval, nobody with mental illnesses had been included in the clinical trials.
Then in 2011 the warning was strengthened. Chantix had been on the market for 3 more years, and serious symptoms had appeared in people who did not have pre-existing mental health problems. The warning that appears on patient handouts and information given to doctors is:
Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using CHANTIX to help them quit smoking. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking CHANTIX, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping CHANTIX. If you, your family, or caregiver notice agitation, hostility, depression, or changes in behavior, thinking, or mood that are not typical for you, or you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, anxiety, panic, aggression, anger, mania, abnormal sensations, hallucinations, paranoia, or confusion, stop taking CHANTIX and call your doctor right away. Also tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems before taking CHANTIX, as these symptoms may worsen while taking CHANTIX.
It’s worth noting, too, that Chantix tops the list of drugs known to be associated with violent behavior by a wide margin.
I don’t know if my primary care doctor and/or my psychiatrist have had direct experience with patients taking Chantix and having such severe side effects, but both of them said “Absolutely not” when I mentioned the drug. And after my miserable experience with bupropion, I’m not exactly thrilled about taking something that has the potential to wreak havoc on my mental and physical condition (sleep issues are also prominent side effects of Chantix).
So what do I do? I like to smoke. I don’t have any dedication to quitting. All I can think of is to find the e-cigs, find the new charger, and give vaping another try… but I don’t feel very confident about that.
My sister was one of those early cases that revealed the neuropsychological side effects. Symptoms started after a couple of weeks and intensified rapidly, and they didn’t go away when she went off the drug. She’s now on disability due to severe depression and crippling anxiety. She’s been suicidal on many occasions and barely sleeps.
I believe that she had mild, undiagnosed mental illness before taking Chantix. They should do intensive psychological screening before prescribing this drug for anyone and not just rely on histories. My sister’s life is ruined.
Oh, and as for smoking, she was able to quit right away. However, she started again because, of course, it helped with the anxiety.
Smart, gal. I had a FB friend a few years ago whose son died by suicide from taking Chantix. RxList.com shows that there’s a “black box warning” associated with Chantix. Glad you’re letting others know of the dangers.
I know this is an old post, but it spoke to me. My husband started Chantix a few weeks ago. The vivid dreams are really getting to him, even though they are not bad dreams, just way too real. He already didn’t sleep well, and it has gotten worse. His mood is normal, but I’m afraid of him changing from his usual funny self to someone I can’t live with. I already have major depression that likes to rear its ugly head without warning, and I can’t take a trigger like that. He is only quitting because he thinks his blood pressure is higher than normal because of smoking. However, it has actually increased since stopping smoking and taking Chantix, which I think is a sign that his smoking did not cause his BP to be slightly elevated (it was not enough to even be on antihypertensive meds). He has taken up walking on our treadmill, which I know will help, but I want to know why his BP has gone up 20 points (both systolic and diastolic) after quitting smoking and while taking Chantix. He smoked 1 pack per day before quitting. I smoke, but only about half a pack a day, and I do not want to quit (couldn’t take Chantix anyway and wouldn’t want to even if I could just because of the darn side effects). I also have below normal blood pressure, but still considered good and not too low (has always been like that, even before I started smoking at age 25…am now 49). He plans to stop the Chantix after the first month, but I told him that might not be a good idea and to talk to his doctor before doing anything.
Your husband absolutely should talk to his doctor before quitting Chantix, and I hope he has told the doctor already about the side effects – that’s crucial.
The irony here is that I did wind up using Chantix to quit smoking, under strict supervision from my psychiatrist, and the only side effect was that my mood improved while I was taking it. I wished I could have continued taking it as an antidepressant, but of course, that was impossible. It has been almost two years since I quit. I don’t think I would have made it without the hand-to-mouth help of e-cigarettes. I only use 0% nicotine e-liquid.