has anyone had side effects from stopping chantix

I took Chantix for 3 months and have stopped smoking after 2 weeks originally, however still smoked 2 or three a day after work for a month. I have not had a cigarette and have had no craving or desire for over a month now. The Champix gave me nausea as well but taking it after a meal with a full glass of water helped a lot. I have tried to quit smoking several times over several years and I didn't think I could ever quit. Now that I have, I will never start because I absolutely do not want to go thru this process of trying to quit again.
I was wondering if anyone else has had the experience of, at times, getting very emotional, teary, and sometimes just breaking right down and sobbing?
I am a very emotional person anyway, but have never been this wussy!

I've been a smoker for 30 years and I've now been off the ciggies for a month. One would have thought how healthy I must feel, but quite the opposite, I've never felt so unhealthy in all my 45years!!! I rarely go to the Doctors (twice in the last 10years) but I haven't been away from him since giving up. My problem is shortness of breath when doing a little exercise......... even walking up stairs. I haven't even had the energy to go out socialising with friends. My Dr sent me for a chest Xray...which to be honest I thought the result wouldn't be good, but the results came back all clear. All my Doctor said was...... It will clear up in time.
Anyone else going through the same ...... I took Champix for 4 weeks but my system couldn't handle it....... head aches, constipation and generally feeling unwell.
Steve

yes tenorten, i know exactly how you feel. I think i posted that a while back. Everyone keeps saying "oh, you must feel so great" and i've never felt worse. Ditto about the doctor's. I've had 3 rounds of blood tests....my iron was sky high, inflammation showed up (now have to have MORE blood tests to find out why..) urine sample was "abnormal".....had to have an ecg due to heart palpitations.....i have panic attacks, i have a zero frustration tolerance level.... So many things since i stopped the chantix. i tried to tell my doctor to tell her patients to NOT quit it cold turkey but she pretty much ignored me and said, but it works....

To the poster who might launch a lawsuit, go for it. Good luck. I've had the same side effects as you also. I think i mentioned that a while back too. Extreme rage....i can go from completely calm to major rage in 0.2 seconds. Anyways, good luck to you all....i'd really like to keep this thread going, it's good to hear from other people who are experiencing the same things. BTW, i've been smoke free fro over 4 months now and chantix free for about 2 weeks.

How about candied ginger? This works for morning sickness, motion sickness, it's good for digestion, and it's something pleasant to chew on when you've got that oral fixation thing going (which I do).

OK, I'll add my story here. I had smoked for 20 years, loved it, enjoyed every puff of every cigarette, but my health was really beginning to suffer. Doctor started me on Chantix. I followed the directions to the letter. Had my last cigarette after 8 days (I was planning to stop on day 14). I just felt I was ready. Only side effect was vivid dreams, thought the dreams weren't weird, just typical mundane stuff, only in much more detail. I would experience nausea or stomach pain if I forgot to eat when I took the pill. Quit taking the Chantix on week 14 (planned to quit on week 16). That was a year ago and I haven't smoked since. Do I still crave? Yes, every day, but I can control it. Plus, I chew A LOT of sugarless gum! Since quitting the Chantix, I experience random muscle twitching, especially in my legs (RLS?) and maybe some shortness of breath, but these are minor compared to when I was smoking. I have also gained 30 pounds! I must add that I am not some pillar of willpower and self-control; like I said, I loved smoking. I was even going through a very nasty divorce at the time! The patch and nicotine gum never worked for me. Chantix saved my life!

I have, but there are a lot of factors going into that so it's hard to say if it was caused by the Chantix, is related to it, or is completely unrelated. I started smoking when I was 18. I'm almost 34 now. My father smoked most of his life, was treated for several types of cancer, beat them all, and died of double pneumonia complicated by emphysema, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia (still no real explanation for the low platelet and white blood cell counts). He died April 1st of this year and I started taking Chantix one week later and smoked my last cigarette on April 15th. I only filled the first prescription, the Starter Pack. I never felt nausea and I never took my pills with food. Just water. By the end of week one cigarettes didn't taste good at all and I've never craved one since I quit, but I've often thought about smoking one out of habit, like "I just got in the car, let's have a smoke! Oh yeah...I quit!" I had a few vivid dreams, but nothing way out of the ordinary. I ALWAYS think too much and have weird thoughts so it's difficult to say if it affected me in that way. I'd had a complicated relationship with a woman I had fallen deeply in love with in a relatively short period of time wherein we were together, then not, then it looked like we might be again and then I finally just laid it on the table and was rejected.



The whole time I'd taken Chantix and the time afterward I'd felt mentally "foggy" and numb and somewhat disconnected. Since that last part happened I think the loss of my father and the failure of another relationship seem to have come together in some perfect storm of depression. The point where the two intersect is the point where I knew my father was getting out of the hospital with pneumonia, and still went to see the girl before I went home, basically throwing away 2 days I could have had with him instead of getting home and rushing him to the hospital an hour later and then having him rushed to PCU and then ICU that night and never seeing him awake again over the next week until he died. The guilt I've been feeling is unbelievable. I seem to pull myself together one day and then fall apart the next and I've been a fairly emotional person as well through my life, but I've never felt like I was in a hole this deep. I haven't made any violent actions toward myself or anyone else, but I've definitely lashed out verbally a few times, generally breaking down into tears in the process, and had...I read this term while searching the web out of curiosity when I came upon this site, actually...suicidal ideations. I'm pretty sure I'd never actually hurt myself because I feel it's just a big cop out. "Life isn't going my way so I'm gonna throw the board off the table and mess up all the little pieces and then storm out of the room and quit." But the idea still pops in there. Driving down the road and "I could just pull the wheel a little to the left and run into that bridge embankment" or "I could just gun the engine and drive off that bridge." I wouldn't do it...and it bothers me that the thoughts pop up anyway.



Still, as I said, I've always been a pretty emotional person and I've had a lot of huge changes hit me all at once. Maybe I'm just a bit weaker right now than usual.



-m

I had been taking one pill per day of Chantix to minimise the side effects for 10 weeks. I successfully quit smoking but it was a huge challange that is still a daily struggle.
My doctor and I decided that I should stop taking Chantix early due to severe water retention. Since I was already taking only one pill per day I simply stopped. I have never felt worse in my life.
I dont sleep more than a few hours at a time, my heart races, I have chest pains, RLS, I am jumpy, achy, my skin feels hot, not feverish, just my skin. My breath feels hot, my mouth feels burnt, food has no taste. The fog is horrid. I cant remember my own name and its not safe for me to drive. There has been some improvement today thank goodness but I was really scared for a bit there.

okay so I quit Chantix a week ago, and I thought that I was coming down sick with something, but the symptoms have not gone away! I was on it for two months, and it is great! It did help me quit after smoking for 15 years, BUT since I was vomiting constantly my doctor told me not to take it anymore. I figured oh it was worth it since I did not smoke anymore. Well since I have quit I have had restless legs at night, constant headaches, and I felt like I was going to just fall asleep the other day while driving my car. I know I wasn't tired because I had 8 full hours of sleep! I have also noticed that I can not stop peeing, and I am VERY DIZZY! Oh, and my boyfriend looks at me like I am crazy because I get emotional just because! Is anyone else going through this once they have stopped taking the pill?

I to took Chantix to quit smoking after two weeks I became highly emotional at home and at work. I would be fine and then a second later pissted off. During the time I was on it (two Months) I figured I was loosing my mind. I was either breaking down and crying or ranting and raving at those around me. I am lucking I work for some wonderful people because any one else would have fired me. I couldn't do my job and I couldn't stand it any more. My old doctor told me to just quit taking the drug. After 4 days of mood swings I finally felt normal I thought it was over then I went into a deep depression. I am lucky to have survived and I able to write this down. On none of the liturature with the prescription where there any warnings about this. The doctor treatmenting my depression is still confused with all the reports out on this drug why I would have been giving this drug with out being told of the possiable side effects to watch for. Knowing what I know now I never would have touched this drug.

Today, I celebrate 1 year smoke free. I smoked 35 years, 1 -2 pks daily.
Now, I worry about a ceasing the chantix. yes, I know it was to be for 3 month period, but I liked the feeling of well-being that it fostered in me.
For me, I enjoyed the cure. Yes, I did always eat first to diminish any
stomach discomfort, but after 3 days or so, this was so mild, it was nearly non-existant. I am smoke free. I do not believe that I could have done
this without this med. but now, I wonder, what battle lies ahead ?
I have taken 1/2 of the chantix dose, always, for that was all I needed, but now, I fear I do not want to stop the pill. It may be helping me
stay in an upbeat, emotional, well-being feeling. All in all, while it is
true that cigarettes kill ya, I'd like to find more info on the effect of
chantix, physically, as for me, it was the opposite of suicide. But I am
sure it is different for all and not to be taken lightly. but only if you are really ready to battle the butt.

I too, had success and am now a non smoker. Today is 1 year cigarette free. I do however, still take chantix. Mostly, I like the feeling of
well- being that it aids me with. Recently, I have concern that the cure,
might need a cure. I did not experience any negative symptoms, physically, except for mild discomfort in the tummy, but a meal before the pill nearly illiminated this. I mean, I am smoke free and this is
a miracle. but, thanks for the information on how you weaned off
of the chantix. If there were no long term effects, i llike the good mood
so much that i would stay on it indefintiely, but a little voice in my mind
says, to good to be true. I will have to exercise more to hopefully
produce the endorphines that will replace the dophomine produced by the
chantix. Thanks for the dosage decrease info that workeed for you. I have already gone down to 1/2 a pill for 3 days. (i only took 1 pill daily, so
i hope the de-toxic is not to bad, but even as i write, I feel I will have to fight cause i want to take the chantix and feel in a state of positive wellness.

Thanks for the info on the de- chantixing. I thought that anything this
powerful is not to be taken lightly but could not find any info on how
to successfully stop. I found this site and hence, your words to be of
comfort. I have already dropped my dosage to 1/2 , with no problems, but I will keep your time in mind, as i was only going for 1 week at a time
to lessen the dose. I will see how it goes, but 2 weeks makes more sense.
I stopped smoking a year ago today, but, I still take chantix because
I like the well-being feeling and this site is the only place i found that even
speaks about problems getting off the pill. Again, when i compare it to
the smoker that i was, i would do it again. In fact, ( this is the part that
concerns me) I have not stopped taking the cure, only lower the dose.
well, 1 step at a time. I have a very positive attitude. Thanks for your
successful de-dose strategy.

I started Chantix 8/15/08. Was down to 2 cigarettes a day as of 8/23/08 and completely smole free by 8/30/08. I had stomach aches if I took without food - easily solved. I started with weird dreams and fitful sleeping about the time I quit completely. I weaned off Chantix (half dose) starting 9/22/08 because I wasn't feeling like myself and completely off as of 9/29/08. The weird dreams are gone. The fitful sleep is still here and my mood has really turned to depression. I was not a depressed person before. Anything that goes wrong now seems to be the end of the world instead of an inconvenience as it was before. I have read that Doc can prescribe anti depressants but I don't want to put anymore drugs into my system. I would love to know how long I can expect this to last. I'm thrilled that I have been able to stop smoking but my family is not thrilled with me right now. :-(

I have been on it for almost 2 weeks and feel sick every time I take a pill. I have noticed my mood changing somewhat, and haven't been too woriied until today, I sat on the side of my bed and a vision of me killing myself. Kind of freaked me out. Also have trouble sleeping and weird dreams. Amazing that this stuff can do all this to you. But on the good side................I haven't smoked or had the urge to.

I also had problems with the side effects.I only took Chantix for 3 weeks .It has been 15 months and I still have the same side effects.panic attacks,weight gain,swelling,nausea,mood swings.So I pretty much feel awful all the time but on the up side I'm still not smoking. Because the side effects feel almost hormonal my doctor and I decided to try birth control pills to see if that would help. So far no luck.What has everyone else tried?