I believe that Chantix in some way screws up the bodies ability to regulate dopamine, either in the production of it or the ability to absorb it. It seems for those with the extreme psychological effects what we are going through is dopamine withdrawal similar to a meth addict coming down. Here is an excellent article explaining what happens to someone's brain while on meth.
I think the chantix is in some way hindering our ability to use/regulate the dopamine until it is all gone and we are always irritable and full of anxiety. What we need to do is exercise to force our bodies to use the dopamine we have in our bodies and to PRODUCE MORE. Also, eating certain foods helps in the production of dopamine. For meth users, this is an 18 month process to bring the dopamine levels back to normal. It is a long struggle but their is a light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck to all, and may we pick up two positives, no more smoking and a healthy exercise full life.
I think the chantix is in some way hindering our ability to use/regulate the dopamine until it is all gone and we are always irritable and full of anxiety. What we need to do is exercise to force our bodies to use the dopamine we have in our bodies and to PRODUCE MORE. Also, eating certain foods helps in the production of dopamine. For meth users, this is an 18 month process to bring the dopamine levels back to normal. It is a long struggle but their is a light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck to all, and may we pick up two positives, no more smoking and a healthy exercise full life.
I got prescribed Chantix from my doctor about 3 weeks ago. I'm 17 years old and I have a 11 month old son. I quit smoking while I was pregnant but right after I had my son I started back up. I want to take the medicine but I've seen so many commercials about side affects and now this post and I'm scared my son is really winny due to he is teething and the bad weather he is getting bad ear infections. And I'm scared if i start taking the pill I'm liable to commit suicide or be so depressed I dont want to have nothing to do with my son or my husband. My husband was going to take Chantix but he has a past of major depression problems and our doctor said that he shouldnr even risk taking it. What should I do???????????
Just because of my husbands experience with Chantix, I would suggest trying every other available way to quit before taking chantix. He started taking chantix Jan. 1st of this year, did the three weeks and quit (two pack a day smoker) Within a week of him quitting, he was nasty, moody and snapped at every little thing. So i googled the after side effect of chantix and was horrified at what i saw.
Hez, I am sorry for the late reply, only almost 2 years. I have been still battling the panic/anxiety attacks. I went back to smoking because the anxiety was so bad. I continued to tell my doctor that something was wrong but he said that it was not a cause of the Chantix. He put me on Xanax and told me that it was all in my head. I did my homework and found that I was not the only one who had the same results as me. I changed doctors because the problems were just getting worse. The attacks kept getting worse to the point that I was rushed to the ER. I had hyperventilated from a back to back panic attack and passed out. I was taken off work and had some test run. After seeing a psychiatrist and many medical test, the results came back that I had a reaction to the Chantix where the chemical balance in my brain had changed. Chantix and nicotine both affect the seritonin in the brain, mine had been altered which changed how I felt, thought and felt. I was out of work for 3 months until I was able to get everything in balance once again and function. I am now on Lamictal and Propanatol to control the heart palipatations and panic/aniexty attacks. I continued to smoke up until a month ago. This time it is with the patch and it has been much easier to handle the urges while not messing with my brain chemistry. This may not be the case for most people, but remember that Chantix alters the brain chemistry which could result in long term damage. Smoking is bad as it is but please be careful of taking any medication that could change the chemistry in your body.
Chantix side affects: Still gotta be a million times better than Chemotherapy (that's what I keep telling myself....)
Seriously - that's what I keep saying when the nausea hits, or I wake up from some stupid WTF dream... "gotta be better than chemo"....
Seriously - that's what I keep saying when the nausea hits, or I wake up from some stupid WTF dream... "gotta be better than chemo"....
jan4558 wrote:
.... are you sure that that condition didn't exist PRIOR to smoking? You just said yourself - you started smoking again to stop the anxiety. Ever hear of self medicating? I know I would smoke when I was uncomfortable, anxious, angry... I wonder if I had not been "self medicating" with nicotine over the last 20 years, would my body have learned to cope with it naturally? I trust that your doctor may have been more right than you give him/her credit for... dealing with anxiety by smoking after you have quit is no different than an ex-heroin addict using it "because I can't sleep"...
One of the hardest parts of quitting ANY drug is learning to function without it.
hez wrote:
jan558; Are you still around?? I would like to know how you are and what your doctor said. I, too am having horrible heart palpitations, and shortness of breath, even at rest. i have a doctor's app. on Monday. I am still not smoking (almost 5 months) but, like others have said, i have a whole new set of problems....the heart palpitations, weight gain, panic attacks, feelings of dread, constant "empty" feeling in my stomach (hence the weight gain i guess...) i was expecting such great things after quitting smoking...everyone says "you must feel so much better" and I DON'T. I don't cough as much, but other than that, i feel no different and i have a whole new set of problems, caused by withdrawl from chantix???
Hez, I am sorry for the late reply, only almost 2 years. I have been still battling the panic/anxiety attacks. I went back to smoking because the anxiety was so bad. I continued to tell my doctor that something was wrong but he said that it was not a cause of the Chantix. He put me on Xanax and told me that it was all in my head. I did my homework and found that I was not the only one who had the same results as me. I changed doctors because the problems were just getting worse. The attacks kept getting worse to the point that I was rushed to the ER. I had hyperventilated from a back to back panic attack and passed out. I was taken off work and had some test run. After seeing a psychiatrist and many medical test, the results came back that I had a reaction to the Chantix where the chemical balance in my brain had changed. Chantix and nicotine both affect the seritonin in the brain, mine had been altered which changed how I felt, thought and felt. I was out of work for 3 months until I was able to get everything in balance once again and function. I am now on Lamictal and Propanatol to control the heart palipatations and panic/aniexty attacks. I continued to smoke up until a month ago. This time it is with the patch and it has been much easier to handle the urges while not messing with my brain chemistry. This may not be the case for most people, but remember that Chantix alters the brain chemistry which could result in long term damage. Smoking is bad as it is but please be careful of taking any medication that could change the chemistry in your body.
.... are you sure that that condition didn't exist PRIOR to smoking? You just said yourself - you started smoking again to stop the anxiety. Ever hear of self medicating? I know I would smoke when I was uncomfortable, anxious, angry... I wonder if I had not been "self medicating" with nicotine over the last 20 years, would my body have learned to cope with it naturally? I trust that your doctor may have been more right than you give him/her credit for... dealing with anxiety by smoking after you have quit is no different than an ex-heroin addict using it "because I can't sleep"...
One of the hardest parts of quitting ANY drug is learning to function without it.
hi
i am so pleased with all i have read on this site as like others i feel i have had every side effect and i too am now weaning myself off as i have done the 12 weeks and am suffering with withdrawl effects i really thought i was going nuts but thanks to everyone for all your posts .Chantix does work and i can see why people stop taking them as the side effects can be bad,you feel like your doing a good thing by quitting the ciggies but are being punished with the side effects. :)
i am so pleased with all i have read on this site as like others i feel i have had every side effect and i too am now weaning myself off as i have done the 12 weeks and am suffering with withdrawl effects i really thought i was going nuts but thanks to everyone for all your posts .Chantix does work and i can see why people stop taking them as the side effects can be bad,you feel like your doing a good thing by quitting the ciggies but are being punished with the side effects. :)
Ive had no side effects this drug chantix is wonderful it better than smoking disgusting cigs.
I told my doc of my anxiety and panic attacks and he did nothing...he took narcotics off his DEA license b/c many have gone to him, het a script for percocet//Oxy and move on(prevalent in my area--have a doc for a client, who said the same thing)
Chantiz, along w/ ***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed helped me succeed in getting smokes outta my life...
No withdrawl from Chantix, stayed on it for almost 6 months, grandually tapering off
No withdrawl from Chantix, stayed on it for almost 6 months, grandually tapering off
Only needed to take chantix for 45 days, had no problems when I stopped taking it and had no major side effects while I was on it.
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed have started popping up as a result of numerous people suffering terrible side effects from taking chantix
Thank you!! You are correct!! I have been taking Chantix for 6 weeks now, it doesn't matter what method you use to quit smoking, YOU HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT FOR ANYTHING TO WORK! People get Chantix thinking it's a magic pill that will just make you want to quit smoking! It does help more than anything else I have tried! I have been a pack a day smoker for a lilttle more than 30 years! I have tried the patch which did not work for me. As far a the nause, I always eat breakfast before taking the pill and also eat dinner in the evening before taking the second dose, it really helps to have a full stomach! I have always had crazy dreams so the dreams really don't bother me. I did break out in a small rash within the first 2 weeks of taking Chantix but it didn't last long and it was very minimal. I am begining to think the ones who have all these horrible side effects really don't want to quit smoking and that gives them the RIGHT to back to puffing on those cigarettes!!! I am a firm believer in Chantix and would recomend it to anyone who TRUELY WANTS TO QUIT SMOKING!!! Chantix is a miracle to me!!
o.O I had been taking Chantix for the first month when I ran short by three days due to poor appointment-making on my part. I ran out of Chantix 3 days ago, and I woke up yesterday feeling as if I did not want to get out of bed. When I did make it out of bed I was short-tempered and had no desire to be around anyone. Being a morning person, this behavior was a surprise to me. I just am not feeling like "myself" for sure. My emotions are on a roller coaster ride, that's for sure!! I will discuss these emotions with my physician tomorrow because I was told not having the Chantix for a few days would be "just fine". Of course, I trusted the opinion and thought no more about it. On a positive note, I have been smoke-free for about 3 weeks! Yay! After smoking for 23 years, I am grateful for that :-)
Hi everyone. I just stopped taking the Chantex, I held out for five weeks! My doctor took me off, blood pressure dropped pretty low. I still feel a little weird and very depressed. I experienced every side affect there is except I have not gone blind yet. I did stop smoking after the first week, but, only because I chose to do it, think the pills did help. I wish I would have never continued on the pills. I have been in bed since I started them, am still in bed from depression and lack of motivation. Before Chantex very active person....I do go to work every day, but, that is all, work then home to bed. I call it the stupid pill! It really should be taken off of the market. I'm sure down the road there will be huge law suits. I'm still not smoking but, it's only been three days off of the Chantx.