A Chantix user report

[Toastmaker]

As a smoker looking to quit, I was very wary of using the smoking cesation drug Chantix because of it's neuron-blocking function (which made me a bit nervous) and many reports of serious side-effects. My physician highly reccomended it and has had over twenty patients successful with this drug.

It does not provide nicotine, rather it blocks the neuro-receptors for nicotine thereby reducing the craving as the patient quits smoking. There's a bit more to it but this is the short version.

Anyway - I am now three weeks into a regimen that will last 8-10 weeks and have had very minor side-effects but if you scaled a smoker's withdrawl symptoms (cravings) as 100, this stuff has reduced mine by a whoping 70+ % !!! The rest is managable and will allow me to leave smoking behind for good !

Assuming I don't suddenly become a depressed, suicidal wreck (as some have claimed as side effects- and is warned about by the manufacturer), I'll be fine with it and can say that it certainly performs as advertised - at least it does for me.

[rpjkw]

The wife successfully used Chantix two years ago. The only problems she had were the 'disturbed' dreams. In one dream, she was eating baby elephants. That dream was really upsetting and she almost stopped taking Chantix, but she hung in there and has not smoked since. One thing she did was buy a pack of fake cigarettes, complete complete with a foil 'coal' on the end that looks quite real. Anyway, the crutch helped and she still uses them.

Good luck, Obio, I expect you'll succeed.

Bob

[yank51]

Just be very careful of using anything else that might alter your mood, or cause additional depression (i.e., alcohol for example...) Recently the Mayor of Warner Robins, GA committed suicide while using Chantix, but he also had a drinking problem. I'd guess the combo was too much for his system, IMHO. You seem to have a handle on it, just be careful is all. Good luck, and keep up the battle.... (I quit 14 years ago now, and don't miss them at all)

[Reddog]

I didn't use that stuff but used the patch instead and it will be a year smoke free come the 25th of this month.
Didn't quit for the health reasons just couldn't afford it anymore plus my state passed the no smoking in public places a while back so that helped too. And u know what I don't miss it at all.Amazing since I have been smoking since I was 12 or 13 years old.

[OBIO]

Good luck, Obio, I expect you'll succeed.

Bob

It wasn't me! It was Toastmaker.

I have cut way back on my smoking though...simply by not smoking in the house. I smoke half as often and when I do go out for a smoke, I don't smoke the entire cigarette. I'd day my smoking is reduced by 70%...and the house no longer smells like an ashtray! Working toward being smoke free by mid-summer.

OBIO

[N2056]

I applaud your efforts, and those of Obio. :ernae:

I quit "cold turkey" on 12/08/96. To this day I feel it is the best thing I ever did. Stay with it...it can be done!

[tonybones2112]

The drug companies are on an orgy of selling their products as magic bullets for just about everything, one of those that will cause you to kill your grandmother is Welbutrin. I know nothing of Chantix, I do know many "quit smoking" drugs contains it. Here's the danger:

Welbutrin is an MAOI anti-depressant(monoamineoxydase inhibitor). It stops MAO from neutralizing seritonin, which is a conductor, so to speak, for neurons to fire to each other, like a spark plug. When neurons don't communicate, depression is supposedly the outcome. Another popular anti-depressant is the SSRIs(Prozac, Celexa, etc.) These are selective seritonin reuptake inhibitors. They too inhibit the neutralization of seritonin. When MAOIs are mixed with SSRIs, as many idiot doctors do who don't read up on there latest journals prescribe "quit smoking" drug for their patients taking SSRIs, the result is too much seritonin, sort of like a massive dose of cocaine(an SSRI) and EX, and the hapless smoker's brain pops, and there is a danger of liver damage to boot.

My missus taught me a cute trick: Research every drug prescribed to me. Being guinea pigged for a bipolar medication prescribed for my ADD, I would be diabetic had I not researched the drug aand refused to fill the prescription, unfortunately my brother in law(who is bipolar) now has diabetes, and got squat for it, the "lawyer" took most of it, beside his manic mood swings.

The simple fact is the drug companies get permission from the FDA to release drugs not tested as they used to be. I'm not going to be anyone's guinea pig for any amount of money.

I've smoked since I was 7, I began regularly at 18, I'm 48. Everyone do as they wish. I quit for two weeks in the 1970s to allow wrist surgery to heal faster, I did the same for a recent hernia surgery. I had no "cravings" and didn't climb the walls. I stopped, when I felt better I started again. I'm sick of being called a drug "addict" too. There's a danger in too much smoking, there's a danger of too much oxygen and drinking water also. I think the real dangers exists in something I notice more as the years go by: Mass Media Politically Correct Brainwashing.

Bones

[Snuffy]

Congrats Toastie ... It'll be good to have a smoke free Emperor!

[Lionheart]

Congrats Toast!

Sweet freedom.

:ernae:

Whats wierd is that most all of people that quit smoking suddenly cant stand the smell of smoke. Wierdest thing I have ever seen.

[OleBoy]

I can write a book on this subject. But I won't. I'll just say this. I was a user of this drug..and the effects (at first) were gratifying when my head came out of the clouds of nicotine addiction. The more I took this drug, the more I praised the positive effects and spoke highly of it to others. I took the drug for 30 days and had just gotten the 2nd script. My symptoms were mass depression and suicidal thoughts while both awake and asleep and at all times of the day or night. I was borderline (very fine line) of being institutionalized due to Chantix. Prior to taking the drug I had no depressive feelings whatsoever and my doctor also thought I was a good candidate to take it.

If you are a smoker and are considering using this drug, PLEASE.......do your research. There are millions and millions of people in the US alone. The FDA did not test this drug on enough people to learn of the extended outcome on a wider patient/drug relationship for side effects. IMHO Chantix should not have been released

[Toastmaker]

This is one of the things that first caused me considerable hesitation, the wide variation in reports from users about their individual experiences with Chantix. Seriously dangerous side effects all the way to little or nothing and glowing reports of it's effectiveness. Really sorry to hear you had that experience with it, OleBoy.

I have quit smoking before (for a year and a half) and my withdrawl symptoms are particularly severe, I suppose because my addictive level for nicotine is high. I rarely drink and do no illegal drugs so this will be the end to the cigarette chain around my neck and I thought thought the use of Chantix was worth the risk. So far, I haven't become a Berserker and Grandma is safe because she's already gone. . . !

[TomSteber]

People CAN really quit smoking. I never thought I could. Started when I was 12. Finally quit when I was 36 (2002). I'd be lying if I said I never think about it anymore, but I don't stay with those thoughts for long. Man, addiction sucks. Any kind. But, people can over come these things if you do the right things. Couldn't imagine spending $85 a week for a carton today!
Good luck to all who are trying.
My best advice to you: Don't try. QUIT! You can do it! You'll never regret it.

[rpjkw]

It wasn't me! It was Toastmaker.

I have cut way back on my smoking though...simply by not smoking in the house. I smoke half as often and when I do go out for a smoke, I don't smoke the entire cigarette. I'd day my smoking is reduced by 70%...and the house no longer smells like an ashtray! Working toward being smoke free by mid-summer.

OBIO

That's what I get for not taking careful note of whom I'm replying to. Sorry Toast if I lessened your achievement. And my apologies to you, OBIO, for getting you mixed up with others.

Bob

[Toastmaker]

That's what I get for not taking careful note of whom I'm replying to. Sorry Toast if I lessened your achievement. And my apologies to you, OBIO, for getting you mixed up with others.

Bob

Not at all, Bob - I've been called worse !! (sorry Obio, I had to take the shot. . .)

[Mick]

Toastmaker, congratulations on taking that big step!

Obio, congrats on cutting back so far, and good luck on going the rest of the way.

I started smoking when I was fourteen and started trying to quit when I was about eighteen. I smoked heavily until a few years ago, when I was fifty-nine.

My doctor prescribed Chantix for me. I read the booklet and the incredibly long list of potential side effects, got scared and thought, "Let's just skip this step and move directly to not smoking." I threw away the prescription and just stopped smoking.

One thing that amazed me was that, after several decades of trying to quit without success, it was easy! And staying smoke-free remains easy, even when I'm drinking beer with friends who are smoking. I guess it has something to do with being ready. Before I wasn't ready, and this time I guess I was ready.

The other thing that amazed me was how much better I felt, and how quickly I felt so much better. I didn't feel bad to begin with, at least I didn't think so, so I wasn't expecting to feel better; it was a complete surprise!

All who smoke and want to quit have my sympathy and support. If you've tried to quit and couldn't, try again. Maybe now you're ready. When you're ready, it'll be much easier than you expect.

[Toastmaker]

I agree that there is something particularly "motivational" about being mentally ready to quit a strong and destructive habit. I think prior attemps failed because of a lack of real desire and motivation. That allowed for an easy application of "justifications" for having a cigarette - and the failure that it produced.

The Chantix makes me less stressed and less disconcerted during the withdrawl process - which allows me to remain fully functional, non- offensive and starting with a greater chance for sucess.

[OleBoy]

Toastmaker, I obviously owe you a congratulations!!! on your major feat of kicking that damn monkey off your shoulders.

I am sorry. I guess seeing the name of the topic set me right sideways. I do apologize for that.

Congratulations Toastmaker

[cheezyflier]

as a former smoker i applaud the efforts of all of you who either have quit or are trying to. i smoked from about 14, and quitting (this time) wasn't hard for me to do. however, there is one thing that i find to be a constant source of confusion. when i quit 9/2006, winstons were $3.85/pack. most people in delaware don't smoke because it makes you a social outcast. here in toronto winstons are over $8.00/pack, and more people smoke than don't. i wonder where some of them get the money.

[tigisfat]

Congrats Toast!

Sweet freedom.

:ernae:

Whats wierd is that most all of people that quit smoking suddenly cant stand the smell of smoke. Wierdest thing I have ever seen.

I can attest to that. I've quit for years before and that was the outcome.

[tigisfat]

I agree that there is something particularly "motivational" about being mentally ready to quit a strong and destructive habit. I think prior attemps failed because of a lack of real desire and motivation. That allowed for an easy application of "justifications" for having a cigarette - and the failure that it produced.

The Chantix makes me less stressed and less disconcerted during the withdrawl process - which allows me to remain fully functional, non- offensive and starting with a greater chance for sucess.

Good luck buddy!! I'm quitting right now too, but I'm using a far more controversial method: chewing tobacco. For some reason, I can literally forget to use chewing tobacco, and it takes away my symptoms. I start chewing and phase out smoking, then I forget about smoking. I quit for two years this way, and only chewed for a couple weeks.

[Toastmaker]

Good luck buddy!! I'm quitting right now too, but I'm using a far more controversial method: chewing tobacco. For some reason, I can literally forget to use chewing tobacco, and it takes away my symptoms. I start chewing and phase out smoking, then I forget about smoking. I quit for two years this way, and only chewed for a couple weeks.

Whatever works ! There's lots of evidence to indicate the whole process affects and works on different people, well - differently! For example, I remember when I quit for that year and a half, it never seemed to bother me if someone was smoking next to me - and it doesn't now, yet other "quitters" hate the odor of the smoke. . . just like side effects attacking some but not others.

[Snuffy]

I am a cold turkey quitter ... granted I may not have smoked as long, but I had the variety while I was. Started with Old Golds, went to SwischerSweet Cigarrellos, then a pipe and back to Camels.

It was while I was doing camels that I hacked up half a lung and decided to call it quits. Of course being an adult asthmatic while smoking didn't help.

[b52bob]

Took the smoking cessation course the VA gave us. I've tried before with the patch, gum and cold turkey. Nothing worked.
This time my MD gave me Welbutrin. No side effects and I've been smoke free now on my 21st day. Some people do have side effects especially if they consume alcohol. I'm a tea-toter so I didn't have problems.

Here's to future years smoke free!

[Toastmaker]

Took the smoking cessation course the VA gave us. I've tried before with the patch, gum and cold turkey. Nothing worked.
This time my MD gave me Welbutrin. No side effects and I've been smoke free now on my 21st day. Some people do have side effects especially if they consume alcohol. I'm a tea-toter so I didn't have problems.

Here's to future years smoke free!

Yeah - here , here !! :ernae:

[tonybones2112]

I can write a book on this subject. But I won't. I'll just say this. I was a user of this drug..and the effects (at first) were gratifying when my head came out of the clouds of nicotine addiction. The more I took this drug, the more I praised the positive effects and spoke highly of it to others. I took the drug for 30 days and had just gotten the 2nd script. My symptoms were mass depression and suicidal thoughts while both awake and asleep and at all times of the day or night. I was borderline (very fine line) of being institutionalized due to Chantix. Prior to taking the drug I had no depressive feelings whatsoever and my doctor also thought I was a good candidate to take it.

If you are a smoker and are considering using this drug, PLEASE.......do your research. There are millions and millions of people in the US alone. The FDA did not test this drug on enough people to learn of the extended outcome on a wider patient/drug relationship for side effects. IMHO Chantix should not have been released

This is my point exactly. Welbutrin alone, eh, most people have no problems, but withdrawing from MAOIs and SSRIs are a problem too. You have to stop Chantix at some point. This is a reading here of a case of Seritonin Poisoning, something too common today. of all anti depressants, MAOIs are the least effective and you need to watch the "natural" antidepressants too. Many depressives want to "kick up" their SSRIs with St Johns Wort, which is an MAOI.

As far as smoking goes I'm a militant smoker. I'm 1/4 Shawnee Indian, all the rhetoric and trumped up medical "evidence" is about as valid as global "warming" to me. Everyone do as you wish becasue I sure as hell am. With inurance companies one of the many parasites that are able to bend govt.policy, the day is coming when it'll be illegal to eat a cheeseburger.

You have a hand in your own health care, research your medications!

Dr. Bones