Fiancé Committed Suicide on Chantix (If you want to quit smoking, probably best not to use Chantix)

[The Straight Story]

Fiancé Committed Suicide on Chantix

Pasadena, MD: "I pray that my story can help someone decide not to take Chantix and end their life," says Connie, whose fiancé committed suicide while using the smoking cessation drug. "I took Chantix too but I would prefer to smoke than hang myself…"
Fiancé Committed Suicide on Chantix
Connie takes a deep breath before she continues. "This drug has turned my whole life upside down but I am trying to hang on to my sense of humor. Eugene and I both wanted to quit smoking, so in November 2008 we went to the doctor and he prescribed us Chantix. He didn't say anything about side effects, and there was nothing mentioned in the brochure we both read.

"If we were warned of the possible side effects, Eugene's death could have been prevented."
"It took us some time to mentally prepare ourselves to quit smoking. I stopped taking Chantix after just three days because I had horrible nightmares (we heard rumors that Chantix could cause bad dreams) and Eugene struggled with it—he would stop and start.

"We were together for seven years and he was always an upbeat, happy person—no prior history of depression—so it was surprising that he got into these mood swings. It was like he turned into another person. Eugene lost his job and we had financial problems, which I attributed to his mental state. Of course there is no way of knowing that this would have happened if he hadn't lost his job. He was a truck driver—there is always a trucking job. He didn't need to worry about being unemployed.

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/13376/chantix-suicide-side-effects-31.html

......

Five Facts Chantix Ads Keep Hidden
Critical insights Pfizer doesn't want New Year's quitters to know
by John R. Polito, Nicotine Cessation Educator


1. Cold turkey quit smoking rates are likely superior to Chantix

Cold turkey defeated nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in nearly every real-world quitting method survey that assessed long-term quitting of 6 months or longer .

No study has yet pitted cold turkey against Chantix. In the only head-to-head long-term study pitting NRT against Chantix, when analyzing the percentage of participants who were not smoking at two long-term study points, Pfizer's researchers were forced to report that there "were no significant differences" between Chantix and nicotine patch quitters at either 24 weeks (varenicline 38.6% vs. patch 34.1%) or one year (varenicline 34.8% vs. patch 31.4%). The obvious question becomes, why assume Chantix's long list of serious use risks in exchange for little or no benefit?

http://whyquit.com/pr/122909.html


--------------------------------------------

Over a year ago I was in to see my Dr., had been in the hospital night before. Turned out it was potassium issue and the ole heart was fine (had other issues, personal ones, which aggravated things). He is a good Dr, best I think I have ever had (have not been able to see him though in over a year) and I glanced at his little PC as I paced the floor. He had a note to discuss Chantix with me the following year (2009). Pamphlets for it were sitting there in a plastic bin and hard to miss.

Here are some side effects:

A newspaper ad for Chantix lists the following:

Thoughts about suicide or dying, or attempts to commit suicide

New or worse depression, anxiety or panic attacks

Feeling very agitated or restless

Aggression, anger or violence

Acting on dangerous impulses

An extreme increase in activity and talking

Abnormal thoughts or sensations

Seeing or hearing things that are not there
Advertisement

Feeling people are against you

Confusion

other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

----I quit smoking at one point for sometime, and rarely do so now. But I think, personally, I would rather deal with the side effects of smoking than these meds :)

If you are going to quit this year please consider other means.

As for me - end of the world in 2012, or climate change will kill me, or overpopulation, or asteroid hitting the earth, super volcano, gun owners (they all like just shooting people I hear), Genetically modified crops, drinking, eating meat, etc and so on. ;)

[Th1onein]

1. Thanks for posting this. Chantix is an SSRI drug.

These drugs help a lot of people, but they are also very, very dangerous and a person needs to be aware of the side effects. Unfortunately, many doctors don't discuss these with their patients. And, the side effects occur both during ingestion and after getting off of these drugs.

[laundry_queen]

16. You're telling me.

I'm in the middle of an SSRI withdrawal hell right now. It (my med) is supposed to be one of the 'mild' ones, whatever the hell that means. I've been on and off it over the last 10 years for postpartum depression, but this is the worst withdrawal I have ever experienced. None of this was discussed with me with my previous doctors. My current doctor told me, after I went to him when I figured I was dying of a brain tumor or heart attack or something, that it was likely withdrawal. It's been a month since my last sliver of a pill and I'm still struggling. SSRI's are FAR more potent and dangerous than advertised that is for sure.

[coti]

42. It's not an SSRI. It's not Wellbutrin.

It works directly on nicotine receptors and is a totally different drug than Wellbutrin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline

[elocs]

2. I've heard for a very long time that suicide was a possible side effect.

A better option to quit smoking might be e-cigarettes where you can get a dose of nicotine without the tars and nasty stuff from smoking and wean your nicotine level down.

[KoKo]

22. There have been three full page ads for Chantrix in my NC Newspaper

just this past week. I guess it was put in there because NC banned smoking in bars and restaurants. I wondered why a company would spend that kind of money for three full page ads. I guess it's to get more folks on their drug to bring in money to counteract the class-action law suits that will be coming down the pike.

I hope Obama's FCC will stop these horrible Drug ads all over TV and our newspapers. Many of these drugs are still not tested enough...and those who will die are collateral damage with their families hung up in law suits for years for which they will get very little for the deaths. Very sad.

[dflprincess]

3. I quit smoking using Chantix over 2 years ago

(after many failed attempts at cold turkey and other methods). For me it was a magic bullet. The only side effect I experienced was horrible nausea but I stuck it out because I knew it was working for me. On the other hand, not all of the side effects had become evident when I was taking it and I don't know if I would have had the nerve to try it had I heard about some of the other problems people may have with it.

As with any drug, not everyone reacts the same. My brother is thinking about using it because it worked so well for me but I have cautioned him that he needs to be careful with it and to go over every potential problem with his doctor and that he (who likes to drink) needs to be ready not to use alcohol while he's taking it.

[The Straight Story]

5. True on different people get different effects - my X cannot handle codeine

but for me it worked great for pain.

I cannot handle percocets or anything ending in 'cet' - depresses me and does not fix the pain.

[Codeine]

31. I've never even met your ex!

Or have I? :rofl:

[mattvermont]

10. worked great for me

after 30 years of smoking off and on....already take other ssri's, so maybe not that big of a deal for me??
the dreams took getting used to... otherwise, after 3 months on the pills, i decided I was good. that was 13 months ago this week.

[MrMickeysMom]

36. This is a fair assumption...

I see people who have resorted to taking it in the pulmonary function lab all the time. Physician warning can't be over-emphasized enough.

It's about 50/50 with "bad" side effects, one of them being vivid dreams, or nightmares. The nausea was handled better when the eating habits were more centered around the dose.

Personally, I think cold turkey has as much, if not more positive effect on smoking cessation.

[dsc]

4. My sister's doc was up front about side effects

she still tried it but quit since it was making her miserable.

[Solomon]

52. That's what happened to me. Didn't like it at all.

I didn't take it for very long at all. It made me miserable. I thought wellbutrin was much better. Right now I'm doing cold turkey with a nicotine lozenge every now and then. I think Chantrix is very dangerous.

[The Midway Rebel]

6. Smoking will kill you or make you sick before any of those things you just listed.

And, unlike GMO's, asteroids and Mayan calendars, smoking YOU can control. Just sayin'.

However, IMHO, smoking is likely safer than dangerous mind altering man made molecules like Welbutrin.

I smoked 30 years before I finally quit. I'll pray that you will quit someday too.

:hi:

[The Straight Story]

9. I appreciate that, but am in no rush

Funny thing about my smoking, I learned by smoking cigars and pipes, so I don't generally inhale - sounds weird but that is just how I smoke.

Not saying it is any healthier for me or anyone else, but it is nice to be able to have that choice. During the winter I might smoke a pack a week, or only when drinking.

I enjoy it, and right now - there is not much for me to enjoy in life :)

[AllentownJake]

7. I took it 2 years ago before the side effects for people with my condition were fully known

I was off it in 3 days. Thankfully, I have people who let me know if I'm off in the real world.

[johnaries]

13. 2 years? You're not supposed to take it for more than 6 months.

Your doc prescribed it for 2 years? You might want to consider a new doc.

It worked great for me, took away all physical desire and I had no side-effects; not even the bad dreams so many have talked about. Of course, I never remember any of my dreams so that may have been a factor.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the psychological - I still had to have one in the morning with my coffee. Which I could have lived with. But, that one slowly turned into 2, the 2 turned into 3.....

[AllentownJake]

15. I took it 2 years ago.

I think you need to re-read my post.

[MichaelHarris]

20. it also

worked perfectly for me. I quit chewing tobacco after a 30 year habit. I did gain weight but that wasn't the drug's fault.

[MichaelHarris]

8. sorry

I had to unreq this thread. Chantix has proven to help thousands of people quit, even me. I chewed tobacco for 30 years and quit the first time using Chantix. I haven't used chewing tobacco for 5 years. My wife is a doctor and has hundreds of successful patients who have also used this drug. People are warned, read the drug inserts. If they don't understand what it says ask. They even have two sources, the doctor and the pharmacist.

Your post reeks with late-night TV information that is designed to line the pockets of fly-by-night lawyers. It's funny, the biggest late night TV lawyer just recently started his class-action against Chantix.

[The Straight Story]

12. While I respect your unrec

I will say that there are probably better methods for people wanting to quit. Substituting one drug for another is not always the best way to go.

As someone who has struggled with depression myself, I don't need something else to make it worse.

[MichaelHarris]

17. Do you think

it's misleading when someones says "we were never told of the side effects" when the product insert is placed inside the bag of every perscription by law? The information is there, the doctor prescribes it, the pharmacist hands it to the patient with the product sheet. If the end user doesn't read the sheet or asks questions why blame the drug or the medical community? They had the information.

[KoKo]

25. Blame the user and not the maker? Is that what you are saying?

So many drugs are pushed out there in the past few years without adequate testing. Look at what Merck and Pfizer have done pushing drugs too soon.

We have worked in and with the pharma industry for over 30 years. We know that the relaxation of testing has gone on just like Bank De-regulation has gone on over the past 20 years. We know the industry. Not everyone understands side effects from reading the package inserts and many don't bother to read feeling their doctor and drug companies would never give them anything that wasn't "safe." Also some folks are not as quick to notice side effects as other more sensitives are and they end up in an emergency room or dead before they realize what's going on.

[MichaelHarris]

39. Yes

I will blame the user for not reading product inserts or asking questions. Faulty drugs are an entire different thing. People need to start taking some responsibility and quit looking for blame and a payday.

[seaglass]

48. Agreed. I can't even pick up drugs at my drugstore without signing off

that I am aware of side effects and had an opportunity to ask questions of the pharmacist.

I had bad reactions to both Chantix and Wellbutrin (different effects) and even though my Dr. did not discuss them in detail - all the information was in my hands to inform myself.

[JoeyT]

54. Even if they weren't given the fact sheet

it's a pretty simple matter to google the drug name. You can usually find far more information than even your doctor is aware of if you're willing to read studies and papers. While I realize not everyone has access to a computer, no one capable of arguing that people don't have access to a computer on a message board has that problem.

[Ruby the Liberal]

46. Have to offset you on this one.

This stuff made me psychotic back in 2006. I was the first patient my Doc prescribed and he pulled me off of it after a few weeks. At the time, he had no other complaints. Now he won't prescribe it at all as it is unknown.

I agree that it helps many, and congrats for being one of them! I know you must feel better. :)

People need to know that there can be issues however, and for anyone wanting to give this a try, I recommend letting a co-worker, family member or someone else close enough to see emotional/psychological changes know that you are on it so that they can observe for any behavioral changes. This kind of thing is sneaky, and for those who go it alone -- they may miss signs that they are deteriorating.

If I were to try this again, I would definitely use a 'buddy' approach.

[QC]

11. I smoked for over half my life, and Chantix helped me quit.

This sounds like more of the anti-SSRI hysteria that we've been getting on this site for years.

[MichaelHarris]

23. anti-SSRI

funded by lawyers.

[vanboggie]

14. Depends on the person & it helped me tremendously

While I agree that users should be informed of side effects, this drug has also helped many people I know quit smoking. I'm not one to stick up for big pharma, but I took Chantix and did not experience any of those side effects. I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder and there is chronic depression in my family, so I think we would have noticed if my behavior had changed because of Chantix. As a rule, I don't remember dreams, so I was kind of disappointed when I didn't get vivid ones from taking this drug.

I admit I went back to smoking, but I did so because Chantix made it so easy to quit that I thought I'd just go on it again if I got hooked again. I am in my late 50's and have smoked 3-4 packs of cigarettes for most of my adult life - give or take the months/years I did quit. I went the cold turkey route but went back to smoking after 2 years. I tried every method except acupuncture and failed. The guaranteed smoking cessation classes I went to finally turned me away when I returned a 3rd time and said they couldn't help me. I was afraid to try again because of the physical and emotional side effects of quitting by any other method. Quitting on Chantix was a relative breeze.

Even though I went back to smoking after taking Chantix (and it was my own dumb fault I started again), I have not smoked more than 1/2 pack a day since I started back up. Compare that to 3-4 packs/day prior and I can say Chantix was still beneficial to me. I'm going to get a new prescription when I go in for my yearly checkup in a couple of months and quit for good. I know I can now and that I don't have to suffer horribly TO quit.

If Chantix helped a super hard-core smoker like me this much (and helped many of my friends quit), I think you are wrong to condemn it for everyone. If I am not mistaken, the dangers are spelled out in the package insert. So yes, a doctor should mention it, but the user bears some responsibility in knowing possible side effects as well.

Heed the warnings, but please don't scare people away from trying Chantix for smoking cessation.

[ddeclue]

18. Saw an ad for this tonight and was almost sucked into the marketing pitch

until they started discussing the EFFECTS (I won't call suicide a "side" effect).

Fortunately I don't smoke but I do know a friend who does and I'd love to find a way to convince her to quit but Chantix sounds like a horrible way to do it.

[MichaelHarris]

19. side effects

are extremely rare. Does your friend ride in a car?

[CC]

21. I wonder where they got their Chantix.

The reason I wonder is this, "there was nothing mentioned in the brochure we both read." I used Chantix last fall (2008) including in November. You would of had to pull out your pills from all 3 packages and put them in a different container to avoid the warnings and list of side effects. That was without bothering to look at any of the package inserts, brochures, the strongly suggest website and the drug sheets from the pharmacy that comes with all prescriptions. The warnings did not just say these side effects could occur but to call your doctor if they did. Chantix worked for me when nothing else ever had after hundreds of tries over the decades. And that was with me not really interested in quitting but more the SO had a heart attack so I felt I should not smoke around him and might as well give it one more try. It wasn't as easy for me as it was for others I know but it did work. I did have vivid dreams as per the warnings and kind of miss them. They were not nightmares, just very vivid. I do understand that drugs affect people differently and the warnings are there for a reason. Unfortunately there isn't a way to force people to read the information provided before ingesting.

Then there is that free website to help coach you through quitting with the daily phone calls or emails of encouragement and support. They always ask about any side effects etc. I just do not see how they could of missed so many warnings if they purchased the drug from a legitimate source.

[MichaelHarris]

24. usually

when you hear someone say, "we were never warned of the side-effects" it's because a lawyer told them to say it. you could poll 1000 people about product inserts for prescription drugs and everyone will say, "it was in the box". Wonder how many can say, "we read it."

[CC]

26. I understand the lawyer part but

it doesn't stop it from being BS. By fall of last year Chantix packaging was loaded with warnings every step of the way. You would have to work harder to not see the warnings than to read them.
I seem to be weird, I read and learn about drugs before ingesting them. Then again I have some weird reactions to some drugs, like asthma inhalers cause an asthma like reaction in me.

[MichaelHarris]

27. Me too!

I take very few drugs but I always read the insert. Not because I'm worried, I read them to see if I can get high. Just kidding about the last part. my reading them goes back to my college chemistry days, the inserts have some interesting chemistry information.

[CC]

28. Yeah but you probably read

camera instruction manuals too instead of asking the closest person around you with a camera how to turn yours on. :) I do remember you take beautiful photos. You have probably been ask how to show someone else how their camera works even though you never used one of that brand/type.

[MichaelHarris]

29. LOL

thank you! It's funny you mention cameras, I hate the manuals that come with them. When digital SLRs came out I was lost. I bought those Magic Lantern guide books. I had come from the all manual camera world.

[MichaelHarris]

37. Rainbow on the Palouse

[CC]

38. Like I said beautiful photos.

Thank you.

Had to leave for a bit, that real life thing. I also hate camera manuals and rarely really do more than skim them. I use Steve's Digicam to get started then just play/use.

[MichaelHarris]

40. Thank you

Steve's is a great site. Also if you need well written information those Magic Lantern books are great.

[Lost-in-FL]

30. I heard their commercial today for the first time while cooking.

Was shocked when I noticed that the contraindication disclaimer was more than half the lenght of the whole commercial. :wow:

[Bluebear]

32. Feeling agitated, abnormal, restless, new depression...sounds like ANYONE quitting

I don't know how you can separate the possible side effects from the hell of quitting!

[Schema Thing]

33. I know of someone who had a psychotic episode and was shot

by a neighbor as he tried to bust into the neighbors house at 3 in the morning. He was on Chantix. He had been drinking some, but had never reacted in a similar manner to drinking in the past. Previous to the incident with the neighbor, he had even physically attacked his girlfriend (which is why he was locked out of her house at 3 in the am.) - again, no history of that sort of behaviour ever before.

His case brought some attention to the dangers of Chantix as he was a nationally recognized musician- Carter Albrecht.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

55. Yes, my sister knew him

He played at her wedding in Dallas. He was a keyboard player for Edie Brickell. By all accounts he was a very nice, reasonable, and calm guy. Until he took this drug and went nuts, that is. I have no doubt that Chantix has helped some people quit smoking, but I believe it's also gotten people killed, and I wouldn't personally touch it for any reason.

[debbierlus]

34. I had a friend who took it with bipolar and it really spiraled her out of control.

[anigbrowl]

35. very questionable

"He didn't say anything about side effects, and there was nothing mentioned in the brochure we both read."

Really? Drug companies have been required to disclose information about side effect in all advertising for a looooong time.

"Eugene lost his job and we had financial problems, which I attributed to his mental state. Of course there is no way of knowing that this would have happened if he hadn't lost his job. He was a truck driver—there is always a trucking job. He didn't need to worry about being unemployed."

aaah, not in this economy.

I'm terribly sorry to hear of someone's death by suicide under any circumstances, but the reasoning on display in this case is not persuasive.

[Ruby the Liberal]

45. The psychosis/suicide warnings have only been out for under a year

They didn't know 3 years ago when it was released that people would have these issues.

As it was a "miracle drug", it was fast-tracked through the FDA approval process with clinicals in asia (where smoking is more prevalent than here in the US).

I was one of the first patients in the fall of 2006. It made my psychotic. My doc pulled me off of it with no explanation as all of his other peeps were fine at the time. Now, he won't prescribe it at all because of too many issues.

[Romulox]

41. I had wild mood swings when I tried Welbutrin for smoking cessation years back

I dunno how similar Chantix is, but I found the loss of control associated with Welbutrin terrifying. Having successfully quit without the use of SSRIs, I can assure you that the mood swings are not a product of nicotine withdrawl (at least not by itself.)

[MadrasT]

53. Huh?

I can assure you that the mood swings are not a product of nicotine withdrawl (at least not by itself.)

Huh? I can see how you can say that nicotine withdrawal did not have that effect "for you"... but how can you assume that "your experience" = "everyone's experience"?

:banghead:

[Romulox]

56. Is there no shortage of DUers who actively misconstrue posts so as to rail against a point

that only they have made?

"but how can you assume that "your experience" = "everyone's experience"?"

Are you really railing against assumptions while simultaneously reading "everyone's experience" into a post which in fact contained neither that phrase nor that concept?

Really? :silly:

[laughingliberal]

43. People are different and different things work for them

The ads for Chantix that are running on television do mention the possibilities of changes in mood and suicidal thoughts. It has been a great help for some very hard core smokers who had not been able to quit using other methods. There have been others who have had side effects they could not tolerate. It is possible Chantix can cause some depression or exacerbation of other psychiatric disorders. This is hard to differentiate, however, because nicotine withdrawal is known to trigger depressive episodes and/or exacerbation of certain psychiatric conditions. It is always a good idea to keep communication open with the prescribing physician when taking any medications which affect brain chemistry. Those who suffer from depression or other psychiatric or mood disorders are well advised to communicate regularly with a supportive health professional during the process of quitting smoking with or without medications. Testimony from others about methods that worked for them is desirable but does not replace medical advice and follow up. People are different.

[dodger501]

44. I used Commit lozenges

Smoked 20+ years. Used these for a few weeks and done. Nothing to it.

[Bluebear]

49. Me too, they finally did it.

Of course, I was addicted to the lozenges then but eventually kicked them too :)

[malaise]

47. Anyone who watches Chantix ads

and buys that drug is willing to exchange one problem for another.
Replacing one drug with another is no way to quit.

[Z_I_Peevey]

50. Chantix helped me quit a 35-year smoking habit.

I'm quite certain I'd still be smoking if not for it. Like many on this thread, I'm no fan of Big Pharma, but this particular medication just shut down the desire to smoke in less than 12 weeks. Completely shut it down. It's been over two years since my last cigarette, and I haven't been tempted to restart.

The side effects for me were nausea in the first week or two, then the ultra-vivid dreams. Still, it was worth it.

[UpNorthSusie]

51. I Too Went Through Hell...

Chantix was great at first. I quit after the first week and had no desire to smoke. The dreams at first were very pleasant, sexual in nature. Then after the 3rd week the nightmares started. I would walk in my sleep and end up out in our back woods, in my bare feet and jammies. I even found myself sitting behind the wheel of our pick-up truck! The mood swings were terrible!

Then the paranoia started. I would imagine seeing things, people behind me, following me. The weird thoughts were too much to live with. I called my Internal Med doctor and stopped taking them immediately. He had me come into his office and did blood work. He found that Chantix had also caused some liver damage that was slight and a few months on meds made it right again.

This was over a year ago and I'm still having problems sleeping at night. My doctor has put "Allergic to Chantix" in my file.

UpNorthSusie