The FDA has reported that Chantix increases the risk of Heart attacks and strokes. Chantix has also been cited as the cause of suicidal thoughts, depression, aggression, and unusual acts.
Is depression a side effect of Chantix?
There have been reports of depression, mania, psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, homicidal ideation, aggression, hostility, anxiety, and panic, as well as suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and completed suicide in patients attempting to quit smoking while taking CHANTIX [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Does Chantix affect your mood?
CHANTIX: Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using CHANTIX to help them quit smoking. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking CHANTIX, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping CHANTIX.
Does Chantix make you go crazy?
Since then, a small percentage of people who take Chantix have reported neurological side effects, and serious ones: depression, psychosis, erratic behavior, even “feeling like a zombie.” The drug has been linked to more than 500 suicides, 1,800 attempted suicides, and the bizarre death of an American musician.
Is Chantix a depressant?
Wellbutrin (bupropion) is an antidepressant used for the management of major depression and seasonal affective disorder and Chantix (varenicline) is used for cessation of smoking. The Zyban brand of bupropion is used similarly to Chantix to help people stop smoking by reducing cravings and other withdrawal effects.
Does Chantix make you gain weight?
Does Chantix Cause Weight Gain? Unfortunately, many people who quit smoking do gain weight, regardless of the method they use to quit smoking. Weight gain rates are similar for people who quit cold turkey, use Chantix, or use nicotine replacement therapy. The average weight gain is about 10 pounds.
Can I stop Chantix suddenly?
In some cases, a short tapering off of the dose over a week or so may be helpful. This is because at the end of treatment, if the medicine is stopped abruptly, in about 3 in 100 people there is an increase in irritability, an urge to smoke, depression and/or sleeping difficulty for a short time.
Are there withdrawal symptoms from Chantix?
Withdrawal symptoms include: increased appetite, weight gain, trouble sleeping, slower heart rate, feeling anxious or restless, and having the urge to smoke.
What happens if you continue to smoke while on Chantix?
Chantix mimics a low dose of nicotine, which eases the symptoms that are common when going through withdrawal. It also blocks nicotine from binding to receptors, essentially rendering it ineffective. If a person smokes while taking Chantix, they do not get the normal nicotine boost and smoking actually becomes bland.
Will Chantix keep me awake at night?
In Summary. Common side effects of Chantix include: insomnia, nausea, and abnormal dreams. Other side effects include: constipation, dyspepsia, sleep disorder, vomiting, and flatulence.
What happens if Chantix doesn’t work?
If it doesn’t work, ask your doctor about the possibility of adding varenicline or bupropion. Cognitive behavioral therapy and support groups can help break the mental and emotional attachment to cigarettes. However long it takes, quitting is beneficial.
Is Chantix worth the risk?
The FDA required the manufacturer Pfizer to do a clinical trial to determine whether those side effects were actually triggered by Chantix. The trial, called EAGLES, found that Chantix did not increase the risk of those problems.
What does Chantix do to your body?
Chantix works by delivering a one-two punch to smoking: It blocks nicotine from reaching receptors in the brain, which breaks the pleasure cycle of habitual smoking, and prevents cravings by releasing small amounts of dopamine.
Does Chantix help with anxiety?
In a Pfizer-sponsored clinical trial to assess the effect of varenicline (Chantix®) on smoking cessation, as well as mood and anxiety levels in smokers with current or a history of depression, researchers concluded that the drug does help some of these patients to quit smoking without worsening symptoms of depression …
How does Chantix make you feel?
These may include: urge to smoke, depressed mood, trouble sleeping, irritability, frustration, anger, feeling anxious, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, decreased heart rate, increased appetite, and weight gain. Some people have even experienced suicidal thoughts when trying to quit smoking without medication.
Is Chantix better than Wellbutrin?
Is Wellbutrin or Chantix better? Both drugs are effective in helping patients stop smoking. If you want to use nicotine replacement therapy in addition to prescription medication, Wellbutrin would be a better choice since it can be taken along with NRT, and Chantix should not be taken along with NRT.