Has anyone tried Champix to quit smoking?
I just got a script filled and I'm going
to start on it soon
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2218 Location: Finally a picture to a name,
Thanks: 87
Thanked:121
Posted: 12-02-07 08:46am
Yes, It is called Chantix and it is a
wonder durg if you can tolerate it. This
first week you can still smoke while
taking it on the starter pak. But, once
you get to the second week No, NO! If you
docotor perscribes it for you, make sure
you take it on a full stomach. It is a 12
week dosing and I hope you can tolerate
it.
Lots of luck to you.
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smokin2007
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 3
Champix/chantrix Side Effects? Posted: 12-10-07 11:01am
I have just started on day 5 today. Wole
up this AM with red rash on my neck and
face and swelling around my eyes.
According to instructions I got with it
this is a possible side effect. My concern
is will this go away as my body gets used
to it, or what happens when I get to week
2 and double the dose?
If you have had this experience I would be
interested in how it progresses.
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*star*
Supporter
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 1779 Location: ,
Thanks: 19
Thanked:18
Posted: 12-10-07 11:05am
I don't know about the side effects, but
Im interested in them. I am getting ready
to talk to my doctor about getting that
prescription.
Any advise on the side effects would be
helpful.
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smokin2007
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 3
Side Effects Posted: 12-10-07 11:30am
I am just in early stages, but aside from
the rash I also experience nausea, kind of
like when I took my first drag on a
cigarette 45 years ago. It comes and goes
but is not too severe. This is the most
common effect listed. Next are: Vomiting,
Trouble sleeping, headache, abnormal
dreams, constipation, gas. Then under
Serious side effects,but rare, is
allergic reaction. This is what I am
having and it says to talk to my doctor
only if severe. So is severe when my eyes
swell shut and I stop breathing? I will
talk to pharmacist today. I have tried
everything else to stop, so really want to
stick with this.
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bcampbell
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 1
Dont Take It. Posted: 12-21-07 19:28pm
*star*
wrote:
I don't know about the side
effects, but Im interested in them. I am
getting ready to talk to my doctor about
getting that prescription.
Any advise on the side effects would be
helpful.
For some, it works wonders.. for others
like myself, it didn't work so well. In
fact 2 1/2 months after being off of it I
am still suffering major side effects. I
didn't notice any problems while taking
the drug at all. When I got off of it is
when it all started. Now I am feeling
nervous, anxiety, depression, can't sleep,
can't drive, feeling like things aren't
real. Been to psyc. neurologist, and my
general doctor. They all say it should
pass in time and gives me other pills to
counteract all of the problems... but it
doesn't help much. If you try it good
luck.
Wise men learn by other men's mistakes,
fools by their own.
Wish I would have listened. Use the
patch..
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homerx
Supporter
Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 2651 Location: , USA
Thanks: 233
Thanked:765
Posted: 01-07-08 00:02am
It worked for me but alas I have started
again...not as bad but still...the pills
are expensive...over 100 bucks a month.
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Frannie5252
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Marmaduke, Arkansas, United States
Chantix Posted: 01-27-08 12:30pm
I'm taking my third week of Chantix now
and have a few side effects, like weird
dreams, nausea, gas. But it gives me
somehting to do while I'm not smoking.
Just run to the bathroom and back.
Really, the side effects for me aren't bad
and I am determined to quit.
You do have to have some willpower.
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homerx
Supporter
Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 2651 Location: , USA
Thanks: 233
Thanked:765
Posted: 01-27-08 15:31pm
i know it has worked for a lot of
people..good luck with it
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rebeccablackpool
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 1
problems Posted: 02-06-08 18:48pm
Hi has anyone experienced what my husband
is experiencing at the moment. Taken full
course of Champix, sudden onset of feeling
like all teeth are loose, gums swollen and
painfull, now had to have 1 tooth out,
others not feeling any better, scared to
death will loose all teeth, NO probelms
before medication, also had gastric
problems and needed medication for the
first time in his life and joint problems,
shoulder, elbow and wrist...had to have
steroid injections to ease pain. I feel
quite guilty and sorry I pestered him to
give up... any similar problems. thanks
Bex
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arpy
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Feb 2008 Posts: 2
Posted: 02-17-08 23:50pm
I was on it for 3 weeks. I got off it last
week when i started feeling completely
depressed on it, and could barely function
at work. I'm an attorney, and I had a
court appearance and actually snapped at
the judge (which is a complete no no). I'm
not myself yet. I cry every day for no
reason, but I'm sleeping better (i take
benadryl every night) and i don't have the
whacky vivid dreams anymore. Something
tells me that there's been permanent
damage to our brains from this, and the
FDA will announce it in another few years.
We were guinea pigs.
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homerx
Supporter
Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 2651 Location: , USA
Thanks: 233
Thanked:765
Posted: 02-18-08 12:05pm
we quit taking it because it made us feel
ill...we took it for 2 months. arpy, I am
afraid you are right, it will take a few
years and then BAM!...lawsuits and all
that...I think you are right about us
being guinea pigs for the drug company!
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bbfeet9
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 62 Location: ,
Whew....thanks all Posted: 02-19-08 09:02am
I am (or was) going to join a smoking
cessation treatment course. Chantix is the
drug of choice. After reading about the
caca that goes with this stuff, i am
really having second thoughts. They were
going to pay me, as i was going to be an
experiment. Forget the $$$$. I can't
handle not feeling well. What makes me
think that i will have ALL the side
effects is that i get sick to my stomach
on anything stronger that Tylenol. I
pulled a rotater cuff a few years ago. Doc
put me on Vicadin. All i did was throw up.
Had a bad toothach a few weeks ago, he put
me a darvacet, same reaction. Now i am
scared that this chantix will make me
sick. I think i wuill try harder on my
own. Thanks
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homerx
Supporter
Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 2651 Location: , USA
Thanks: 233
Thanked:765
Posted: 02-19-08 11:33am
bbfeet9, if darvacet made you sick to your
tummy even when you ate then I think
Chantix would definitely make you
nauseous...and the experimental drug would
almost for sure...think it over. It is SO
hard to quit on your own but I am like
you, baby stepps, one day at a time, etc.
I am down to maybe 4 cigs a day. I take a
puff, think about it, take another, it
tastes and smells bad and I putt it out. I
will smoke one cig about 4 times...just a
puff to take the edge off then put it out
and save it for next time. The $$$ of cigs
is another good reason to quit.
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maggie6524
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Feb 2008 Posts: 1
Champix Drug Posted: 02-28-08 07:12am
Just wanted to let ppl kno that I had a
very bad reaction to this drug.
I took the drug for 3 wks n quit smokin on
the 27th of Oct well on the 2nd of Nov I
was rushed to the local hospital with what
they called a thunderclap of a headache n
then I was sick to my stomach I passed out
in my husband arms then started havin
seizures. well they transferred me to
another hospital where I didn't have a
clue about anything. I was in there from
the 2nd of Nov till the 14th they put me
through many tests like EEG,SPINAL TAP,3
CAT SCANS ,plus MIR. Well on the 7th I
ended up coming back home n between my
husband n daughter they new I wasn't rite
so they took me back n again this time
they did another EEG n CATSCAN n they
found a BRAIN BLEED plus INFLAMMATION of
the vessels I also had a STROKE. I went
through an anngiogram also. I wud never
wanna go through anything like this again.
Low n behold I have recovered very well to
even what the DR's expected of me but they
even said with a brain bleed I shudn't
have survived this ordeal.
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bbygirl
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1
champix Drug Posted: 03-28-08 10:03am
Hi I'm a new user. I have been taking
Champix since Jan 8th. I quit on Jan. 21.
I had all the side effects like, nausea,
vomiting, trouble sleeping. The doctors
told you that this was caused from the
champix. Did you have any problems before
you took the champix. I'm sorry you had
to go through this. I'm glad you are okay
now. Ive only been taking 1 a day for
about a month now. It still seems to be
working for me. I am going to eventually
ween myself right off of them. Maggie6524
I hope you are feeling a lot bettert
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bobby2555
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 1 Location: ,
Chantix works Posted: 04-05-08 19:21pm
Chantix does work from what I've seen from
the patients that come to my pharmacy. It
has a very high success rate. The only
bad thing is that there have been case
reports of people wanting to commit
suicide when taking chantix. Mind you
that percentage is very low. Nobody to
date has actually committed suicide when
taking chantix. So I think it's worth
giving it a shot.
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leighm
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Apr 2008 Posts: 1
nausea on champix Posted: 04-07-08 08:21am
I have just started taking the second week
course 1mg tablets and I am feeling very
nauseas , I am throwing up and my lips
feel tingly has this happened to anyone
else and will it stop or should I stop
taking them
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markh1979
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 5
My Story Posted: 05-05-08 04:47am
My father and my family have become recent
victims of the rare but severe adverse
reactions linked to Champix in which my
father had accidentally taken his own life
during what appeared to be a major
“psychotic event”. He had been
drinking in combination with taking
Champix which appears to have resulted in
hanging himself in the garden shed. I had
spoken to him only hours before and he was
his usual happy self, just settling in for
the night to watch some TV and have a few
drinks. He was a contented happy man with
everything going for him and everything to
live for. He was happily married and had
recently become a grandfather and was
about to become one for the second time.
With no financial worries and his working
life nearing an end he was positively
looking forward to his twilight years of
watching his grand kids grow up and share
his retirement with my mother, family and
his wide circle of friends.
He had began taking Champix in
early February and had reported to the
family that he had suffered from some of
the more common side-effects including
vomiting, headaches and disturbed sleeping
but did not elaborate on why he thought
his sleep had been effected. On the 23rd
of March 2008 his body was discovered by
my brother at the family home. There was
no note and there appears to have been no
premeditation to the events. The
authorities so far are treating his death
as a “terrible accident” in which they
believe there was no intent to end his
life. In my opinion with the evidence
that has been explained to me, he appears
to have behaved completely out of
character including damaging our home in a
way that would be totally alien to my
father given the pride he had in his home.
In my mind there is no doubt that these
pills, which are designed to mimic the
“high” from smoking by releasing
dopamine which effects behaviour, had a
huge part to play in my father’s
premature death.
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champixman
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 2
Posted: 05-16-08 00:29am
While I sympathise wholeheartedly with
your story Mark and the adverse effects
Champix had on you and your fathers life I
would try not to let this put everyone off
taking it as an aid to quit smoking.
In complete contrast to your story I have
quit smoking now for 2 months using
Champix and have not had any side effects.
I guess if I am honest a slight bit of
nausea in the first week or so but nothing
that any normal person can't handle. I
have tried to quit smoking using soo many
other methods its too many to write. I
bet if you ask i have tried it!! Champix
has really helpded. I smoked for the
first two weeks I was on them and decided
to quit. Once I quit it was plain sailing
and apart from maybe half a dozen slight
cravings in two months that has been it.
The other benefit I think from Champix is
that in the past I had cravings to eat
lots of chocolate, sweets, crips etc...
and gained lots of weight. I am not sure
if its co-incIdence or not but this time I
had none of the food cravings and have
actually lost weight. ALhtough I have
been excersing as well, so that maybe a
red herring!!
They say that only 2 in 10 suffer side
effects and something like 1 in 1000
suffer serious side effects. The first
week you take a lower dose and gradually
build it. Give it a try and if you start
suffering from side effects you can't
handle then stop immediately.....
At not wishing to dismiss the concerns
expressed by Mark and the bad experiences
(bad experiences doesn't quite quantify
it) I would urge people to give it a try.
I felt completely the opposite, I felt
relaxed, calm and totally in control.
Never before have I found it so easy to
say NO to a cigarette.
P.S. I was a smoker for 16 years on 20 a
day.
P.P.S. I only hope that for every sad
story like Marks there are hundreds of
others like me......... My thoughts are
with you and your family.
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