CHANTIX Reviews (VARENICLINE TARTRATE)Average Rating: 3.5 (355 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare CHANTIX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on CHANTIX: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR CHANTIX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | stop smoking | nausea, depression,low libido,mood swings | My husband and I both started chantix at the same time, 20+ years of smoking. We have used many different things to try to quit, and all without success. He is having a harder time than I am. I am very pleased myself, with this product, it has definitely took most of the panic out of not having a cigarette. Although I have been very depressed, and emotional the entire time I have been taking it. On the other hand, my husband has lost all sex drive, to the point of impotence. We have never had a problem in this area before taking this medication. Just to see if it had anything to do with the pills, he quit taking them for about 5 days, during his 3rd week and it started to improve, started back on and it hit full force again. We are trying to deal with it in hopes that the quitting smoking benefits will be worth the wait. I hope its all good in the end. | F | 41 | 21 days | 3/28/2009 | 4 | stop smoking | nausea,bloating,bad gas | I have been a smoker for 15 years and had enough. Started taking chantix and by 1 1/2 weeks completely quit. The first 30 minutes after taking the pill I had extreme nausea. It got so bad I stopped taking the pill after a few weeks. I still have some cravings but have not smoked in 2 weeks. Now I just have really bad gas that smells horrible and some constipation. I would take the pill again if needed. | F | 35 | 2.5 weeks | 2/25/2009 | 5 | stop smoking | I had a bit of bad gas and some vivid dreams but these were nothing compared to the effects of smoking | When I started Chantix, I was already addicted to wearing three patches, and smoking 2 packs a day. Chantix worked likeacharm. And I was not really that motivated because smoking has already given me terminal stomach cancer. But I just did not want to die a smoker on oxygen. I really pitty those of you who who cannot tolerate Chantix because IT WORKS GREAT and I cheated a lot on the program. I have been off cigarettes for over a year now/ There was not problem with Chantix withdrawal because I just tapered over a month and never missed it. | M | 61 | 5 months | 1/24/2009 | 1 | Smoking Cessation | Nausea if meals were skipped, depression, mood swings, mania, psychosis. | On day 7, I quit smoking and felt like I was on top of the world. I was amazed at how well it curbed the cravings, I completely FORGOT to smoke. It all went very well until I started week 6. All of a sudden I was very emotional, had mood swings, had manic and then depressive phases, even thoughts of suicide. Fortunately my spouse immediately recognized that something was wrong, and contacted my doctor who slowly weened me off the Chantix over a 2 week period and on to Welbutrin. I had no history or depression before, but it does run deep in my family. Unfortunately I did return to smoking, but please use caution... this is a great drug and definitely helped me quit while I was on it, but if you or ANY FAMILY MEMBERS have a history of mental illness or depression, it is very risky to try Chantix. | F | 27 | 8 weeks | 1/19/2009 | 1 | to quit smoking | nausea,abdominal pain,weakness,tired,gas,bloating,etc... | I started taking chantix in nov. of 08,ihave been smoke free for a little over 2 months now.taking chantix would prove to be the worst thing i have ever done!recently i ended up at my doctors office with the left side of my face completely numb,I was confused,and i couldnt speak right.Immediately i was sent for a cat scan. I told my Dr.i didn't think i needed the ct scan,that i thought it was the chantix!well as you can guess i had the test anyway and it was fine.Little did i know the worse was yet to come.I was told by my Dr.she didnt think it was the chantix but she took me off it anyway.I was so excited finally i might feel better!boy was i wrong!Since being off,i have never felt worse in my life.I feel as though my life is falling apart,like im crazy.Somewhere i lost who i am.Idont have any excitement in my life or anything to look forward to.I cant thnk straight half the time,and i think things and hear things that arent there.If there is anyone out there who knows if this ever g | F | 41 | 3 months | 1/18/2009 | 1 | To quit smoking | The Death of my Daughter, Suicide by Chantix Danielle was 32 years old, born on March 7, 1976. She was my heart & soul. At five years old she tested out at near genius level. Danielle had lapis blue eyes, natural ringlets’ curly auburn hair and a smile that would light up any room. She got married at 18 years old to a wonderful young man. He joined the USMC, while he was gone Dani developed severe mental illnesses, unbeknownst to anyone. We did not know the signs and would never have guessed that she was so ill. They divorced when he got home. Then came alcohol & drugs - she went through several treatment centers, even had 6 ECT's done on her. Since she was "an adult" under the law, I had no say so with her care. Danielle was diagnosed with PTSD, severe depression, agoraphobia, Board Line Personality Disorder and board line sycophantic tendencies. This all took hold of her between 18 and 20 years old. Several times I had her live with me but she could not l | Dani had been on SSI since she was 20 years old, therefore the mental health care was at no cost. We live in the country and I suppose she was rather isolated, just me, my husband, three dogs and three cats (counting hers). I would take her to all her appointments, as she would not drive anymore. We gardened together, enjoyed the same type of TV shows and she had chores to do on a regular basis. Due to Danielle being on SSI the state of Kansas appointed a primary care doctor to her. Three times we went to her office, never did she see my child, only ARNP's. The first nurse "shooed" her out of the room and would not answer a list of questions that she had written down. Danielle smoked but cut down so much here, smoking is allowed only outside, so she decided she wanted to quit altogether. The second nurse wrote out not one but two prescriptions for the drug by Pfizer - CHANTIX. The nurse never told her any possible side effects and who reads all that little tiny type on the d | F | 32 | 28 days | 1/14/2009 | 1 | quit smoking | COMPLETE personality change, emotional, sadness off the charts, etc. | I quit in September of 2006 (15 MONTHS AGO)and I'm still not the person I was. I hate life. I JUST WANT TO BE ME AGAIN! If I was depressed because of withdrawals, it would be over now. I don't have insurance anymore and I can't afford doctor visits. "Chantix blocks nicotine from reaching key receptors in the brain" is how it works. Yes, it does that. But now all my key pleasure receptors are blocked - apparently forever. Even smoking again won't bring "me" back. I would have rather died from smoking. At least I would have still been "me" during life. P.S. I have no history of depression. | F | 12 weeks | 1/5/2009 | 1 | to quit smoking | VERY SEVERE ACID REFLEX!!!!!!!! Ended up in the Hospital. | After leaving the Hospital, I had quit Chantix because I wanted to feel better before going back on, not realizing it was Chantix that gave me or added to my Acid Reflux. After 2 weeks I was feeling a little better, so I went back on Chantix. A week later my Acid Reflux was just as bad as the day I went into the Hospital. Bad Chest Pain & Burning(disabling). Very Uncomfortable!! So I looked up Chantix, & I decided to stop the Drug. It's only been 2 days off, I'm hoping I will feel better soon. I was wondering if anyone else as experienced this...& did it get better? If you have Acid Reflux, don't take Chantix, it only gets WORSE!! | F | 51 | 1 months | 12/28/2008 | 1 | To quit smoking | Vivid dreams, gas, bloating, constipation, terrible abdominal pains, extreme aggressiveness, detachment at times..other times extremely emotional, lethargy, paranoia, anger and irritability, nausea, shoulder pain and joint aches, acid reflux | I started taking this medication from November, 2007-January, 2008. My doc doesn't believe all these symptoms were caused by Chantix, he's convinced it's just depression. I've had awful abdominal pains and my OB/GYN now wants to remove my ovaries...I NEVER had probs before Chantix. I'm STILL having horrid symptoms; anger, irritability, aggressiveness, detachment then over sensitivity, paranoia, anxiety. I'm just a shell of who I used to be, is there a "normal" life after taking this horrid drug? Please, email me to let me know what's helped you. Thank you!! | F | 39 | 2 months | 12/9/2008 | 1 | smoking cessation | Extreme tiredness. Messed up taste buds. Vivid dreams. Extreme anger and agitation. Gas & heartburn. | The side-effects were bearable until the day I actually decided to quit smoking(day 13) and within 12 hours of stopping I felt so agitated, and couldn't concentrate on anything to the point where I felt worried that I might do some harm. Within 16 hours of not smoking I was feeling so angry and agitated, I felt like I was going to explode. I was snapping at people for no reason. I wanted to punch holes in the walls and I felt like I could have killed somebody. I'm not usually agressive. I had a cigarette, calmed down and threw the pills in the rubbish. | F | 37 | 13 days | 11/19/2008 | 5 | Quit smoking | None | Chantix is a miracle drug. I was smoking a pack a day for 6 years. I've tried to quit many times cold turkey, also tried taking nicotine gums but I had no luck. My doctor mentioned Chantix and I accepted it, and I quit smoking. I would recommend this to everyone out there who wants to quit smoking. | M | 24 | 3 weeks | 11/16/2008 | 1 | Tried to quit smoking | Horrible panic attacks; paranoia; nausea and vomiting; vision problems | Took for two weeks, then stopped smoking for 12 hours. Had an angry outburst at work, lost the ability to perform simple tasks, went to the doctor at the urgency of co-workers. Was hysterical and in tears for no reason by the time I arrived. Doctor told me to go off Chantix. Ended up in ER for paranoid delusions and severe panic attacks the following night. Have been off Chantix for 2 months and am still having problems with vision, cognitive function, memory and anxiety. I've lost my job, still can't concentrate and wonder how I'll ever get through the rest of my life, whick is an absolute hell now. Used to be a normal, functing, happy, creative, intelligent person. I still smoke and will quit cold turkey when I am feeling better. I've done it before and it was hard for a few days, but nothing compared to the 2 month hell I've been through after taking Chantix. | F | 47 | 14 days | 11/10/2008 | 5 | Smoking Cessation | Anger and nausea | I cannot say for sure if the Chantix caused the anger issues or if it was just the lack of cigs. I tend to think it was the latter. The nausea happened every day for about 20 minutes right after taking the pill but was not too bad. I was only on the pills for 2 weeks and have been off smokes for 13 weeks now. | F | 33 | 14 days | 10/27/2008 | 1 | Smoking Cessation | Had intolerable side effects the first day and had to stop. Lost feeling in my feet and had trouble walking. Blood pressure also dropped too low. | Called the Pharmacist a few hours after taking my first pill because my feet went numb and that's never happened to me before. Peripheral S.....something is listed as an "infrequent" side effect the Pharm. said. Hypotension is also a "infrequent" side effect and I got that also. My normally low blood pressure (95/60) went into the 80/50's range and I couldn't think clearly. With the Peripheral S...- I couldn't walk well because my feet were numb. For me, this drug has to be a 1/5 stars. But, my Dad and one friend took it with NO side effects (but wild dreams) and they would rate it a 5/5! Both are still not smoking at 6 months and think Chantix is a miracle drug! | M | 44 | 1 days | 10/21/2008 | 4 | Quit Smoking | Nausea, happy mood,extreme thirst, frequent urination at night, palpitations, headache | I took Chantix for four weeks with no problem except for nausea. In fact, my mood was so good I didn't want to stop taking it! I Slowly tapered off smoking about week 1.5 after that it was fairly easy to quit. By week four I got a bad headache that wouldn't go away with any meds, had extreme thirst, spent the night going pee and got bad heart palpitations. I started feeling too strange so I quit the meds and went to the doctor. There, they did many blood tests and xrays and I had nothing wrong with me. (?) I did notice that one day when my palpitations were really bad I ate a banana and then felt okay. I have a suspicion that Chantix messes with body enzymes and postassium and glucose levels. Too high or low potassium levels result in many of the side effects people are describing. This said, Chantix helped me quit for sure. I suggest people make the decision to quit and take it for no longer than a month. I often took my Chantix with OTC anti-nausea meds & also vitamin D with magn | F | 32 | 1 months | 9/27/2008 | 4 | Quit Smoking | Vivid Dreams (If taken after 6), Very strong/foul urine smell, Gas and Bloat. | It took me almost a month to really quit, but I tapered my smoking after the first week. I have quit in the past (Zyban) and I know how easy it is to get hooked again. This medicine will only help you if you really want to quit. I would still love to have a cigarette, I don't think that part will ever go away. Does anyone know how long it takes to get out of your system? I am weaning myself off the drug now, taking only half the dosage (1/2 MG 2 times a day) but side effects are still there. | F | 39 | 12 weeks | 9/8/2008 | 5 | Quit smoking | Horrid gas, extreme bloating, sleep disburbance, severe shoulder/neck pain. Weight gain 12 lbs. | I would repeat it all again side effects and all. I'm smoke free after smoking 1.5 packs per day for 30 years. The bloating bothered me the most, but I am so grateful for Chantix and the ability to quit smoking. I'm on Day 43 of my quit and only on .5 pill (1/2) every two days. | F | 48 | 52 days | 7/13/2008 | 5 | Quit Smoking | A little fuzziness, very vivid dreams, serious acid reflux. | I am very happy with Chantix. After having been a pack-a-day smoker for over 25 years, I can't believe that I've been smoke free for 12 days! I won't kid anyone by telling them that this is the miracle drug, because you still have the cravings. They just aren't as bad as going cold turkey. I know I'm going to make it happen this time! My only real problem is the severe acid reflux! I'm not sure if it is from the quitting smoking or from taking the Chantix. I've discussed with my Gastro doctor, and he says it's from quitting smoking... I just hope it gets better soon... I'm very grateful that my side effects aren't as severe as most, that I've read on here. | F | 40 | 20 days | 6/12/2008 | 5 | Stop Smoking | Sleep disorder, intense irritability, depression. Sometimes felt like I was in a fog. Thought patterns were sometimes jumbled for the first couple of weeks. | Although I did experience some side effects this medication was very effective in controlling my desire to smoke and I've been smoke free since last Thanksgiving (November 07) | M | 62 | 90 days | 5/27/2008 | 4 | To stop smoking | The gas/constipation was the absolute worst side effect. I also had some stomach pains if I did not eat before taking it, and I could not sleep at night if I took the second dose after 6 p.m. The dreams were vivid. | I did not seem like myself the entire time I took Chantix. I could not think clearly and making decisions was very difficult for me. It seems like I was either laughing or crying most of the day. My husband, who is also a smoker and still smokes, was NOT happy with me but I was determined to make it work. And you know what? It did! I stopped smoking after 37 years. I can't say it was easy but I was amazed at how quickly my craving for nicotine went away. Since I was such a long-time smoker, my doctor suggested I stay on the med. for 6 months but I stopped after three months. Actually I weaned myself off the p.m. dose after 6 weeks. The most difficult part was breaking habits, and I just took those one at a time. Chantix may not be for everyone but it worked for me. | F | 55 | 12 weeks | 5/26/2008 |