Hi,
How’s it going?
I am getting this off to you really early because I have a very busy day.
Someone who works for me actually two people REALLY have dropped that ball and now I have to take over their jobs.
It’s a major pain that’s for sure. But as you probably have seen, I started looking for two more good people that really can w.ork from home.
It’s sad but MANY people can NOT w.ork from home. They really do need a boss to stand over them and micromanage them.
It’s amazing and sad.
Anyway, let’s move on to today’s topic.
I recently came across something very disturbing, and it’s all over the internet, so I need to tell you about it, because it involves hundreds, maybe thousands of people.
It’s about CHANTIX, a stop smoking drug.
This drug is very, very dangerous for people who have bipolar disorder, and possibly you if your loved one is trying to quit smoking, or thinking about it and is taking, or thinking of taking this drug.
If they are, you need to know what to look for.
The normal side effects are: nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbance, constipation, and flatulence. The sleep disturbance they’re talking about is weird or vivid dreams.
Now, those were the “normal” (usual) side effects. They used to include migraines as well, but they don’t put that on the new package inserts, but you need to watch out for that, too, if your loved one is prone to having
migraines.
Here’s where you especially need to watch your loved one, because the package insert says (and I quote):
Adverse Reactions for Psychiatric Disorders:
“Frequent: Anxiety, Depression, Emotional disorder, Irritability, Restlessness. Infrequent: Aggression, Agitation, Disori- entation, Dissociation, Libido decreased, Mood swings, Thinking abnormal. Rare: Bradyphrenia, Euphoric mood, Hallucination, Psychotic disorder, Suicidal ideation.
In my courses/systems below:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
I list all the signs/symptoms of bipolar disorder, so you need to be watching for them anyway, but if you look at the warnings from the label for Chantix that I just quoted, you can see how closely they are related to bipolar symptoms!
Even if you don’t want to listen to me, listen to someone who went through it herself:
“Dear Dave:
I want you to warn your readers about taking Chantix to quit smoking if they have bipolar disorder. The drug people won’t tell you this, but it can cause you to go into an episode. I know, because it did it to me, and I ended up in the hospital.
I know other people who this has happened to, too. And even some people who killed themselves because of it. This is a very dangerous drug for people who have bipolar disorder. You need to tell your readers not to take it.
————————————————-
So this isn’t just coming from me. I had someone tell me they even called the drug company to complain that it doesn’t warn you on the package insert, and the man said it does tell the doctor to watch you closely if they do prescribe it.
But how many doctors read the package insert? How many have the time to read every package insert for every single drug they prescribe?
Chantix is supposed to be a good drug to help people stop smoking. And maybe it is, for most people.
But for people who have bipolar disorder, it is a very, very dangerous, even fatal drug (according to reports on the internet).
So if your loved one is trying to stop smoking and is taking Chantix, and you notice signs/symptoms of their bipolar disorder acting up, tell them to check with their doctor (who will either reduce heir dose or tell them to stop taking it), and watch them very, very closely for signs of a bipolar episode.
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Visit: http://www.bipolarcentral.com/testimonials
David Oliver is the author of the shocking guide “Bipolar Disorder—The REAL Silent Killer.” Click Here to get FREE Information sent via email on how and why bipolar disorder kills.
Post responses below.
Too late, Dave. We have tried and can confirm everything you just said. My wife went through tht Chantix program and, at first, it was like a gift from heaven. No desire to smoke for 6 weeks and steadily getting back into life. Then, suddenly, she crashed into a suicidal depression. She is smoking again as this is the one vice she has that calms her nerves.
There was nothing on the box at the time and we have been considering a lawsuit. Take this as confirmation that it is best avoided at least until these issues are addressed successfully.
In a side note, I also read that airline pilots are no longer allowed to fly if on Chantix. I think that speaks volumes right there.
Thank you for listening.
Darren
Pennsylvania
I took this medicine and had really wicked dreams on it. They were so vivid I woke up sweating with my heart pounding. They also didn’t make me aware that you could not drink with this medication (thank god i’m not a drinker). It creates violent behavior when mixed with alcohol. I see that this drug has been placed on the defictive drug list. People really should think twice before using this medication. Oh and I still smoke….
Hi, Dave Ive been trying to apply for your positions you have open but cant find the correct website.
Thanks for the warning! My sister and I are both prone to migraines. While she does not have Bipolar (I do), this might explain her frequent migraine episodes. I will have to tell her and ask her to call her doctor.
This is not a word of caution quite as serious as that on Chantix but it’s about a danger that is real enough for people with BP and not generally unrecognized – at least, I’ll bet most doctors won’t tell you about it because it simply won’t occur to them.
What?
Simply, caffeine withdrawal.
If you want to stop taking caffeine DON’T just stop because a withdrawal symptom of doing that is depression, which will overlay whatever other mood you are in at the time.
I did it because the doc thinks I’m probably Diabetic Type 2 or Glucose intolerant. (Waiting for final confirmation but I started the diet anyway.)
I was already is a switching mild to moderate depressed state. Boy! It that withdrawal kicked me right down the stairs from Mild to Severe over night! Now, that is dangerous. Fortunately I started coming out of it by the evening, to Moderate.
So, if you decide you want to give up caffeine, or are told to do it anyway, don’t just stop drinking coffee or tea. Do it slowly.
Dave,
This doesn’t have to do with Bipolar Disorder, but you mentioned that you need someone to help you work at their home. I am equiped to do that. Please contact me. I have
talked with you in the past and would love to have that
opportunity to serve the work that you are doing.
Diana Cary
David, Were the two people you have had to let go, BP or similar?
dear dave
i am bi-polar and i took chantix. it worked well for me but i took it at 1/4th the recomended dose as it was to strong for me. by the time i was at the full 2 times a day dose i felt myself going manic and feeling ill so i just cut back to the start up dose and took that for the rest of the time and all was well for me. i live in a house where everyone else smokes and yet i have been smoke free for just over one yr. i dont know if that would work for anyonne else but it was better for me.
Dear Dave,
Thank you for the warning. As a health care professional (and prescriber) I don’t think this warning can be taken seriously enough.
While I would love to have all my patients stop smoking, I also believe that due to the addictive nature of nicotine itself and the potential side effects of withdrawal, bipolar patients need to monitored closely regardless of what smoking cessation method they use because of potential for increased anxiety and irritability, and other symptoms which are triggers for mood swings, onset of new episodes, etc. during withdrawal period. Yes, smoking cessation is advisable and can be achieved successfully, just needs to be done cautiously.
Again, thanks for the warning.
i took chantix, suppose to put nicotrine in brain, so you don’t smoke.
i did good on the low dose, then you up it. my problems, i smoked more.
it’s another false dream, like wilbrution or ziband. as far as extra dreams
and side effects that come with bi-polar were the same.
I was put on Wellbutrin, which is basically the same as Chantix. I was so irritable and had such extreme anxiety it was horrible. There has been a warning on webmd.com about suicide attempts and some people have done so while on that medication. I wanted off of it and every other antidepresant they tried with me. I am now on a mood stabilizer (trileptal) and monday will be 4 weeks. I am FINALLY feeling stabile and I am so greatfull. I had to go to into the hospital to see another doctor to get on the right meds, but I praise god that I am on that now and feeling good again! This disease is scary enough, and having to go thru so many different meds does not make it any easier. If you are not doing good on what your on, please see another doctor. It may be all you need to do!
When I first took Chantix I had ended up in the hospital hearing voices and very suicidal. I didn’t realize it was the Chantix that until I read your story just now. I had all of the symptoms you listed and more. I just assumed it was an episode of the bi-polar and didn’t connect the two.
Thank you for the warning. I was about to take it again as a preventaive to a relaps in smoking.
I am Bipolar 1 and I have tried chantex I had many of the signs agitation I couln’t sleep ect I also had my toung start itching whether this was real or not I dont know. I did not realize and neither did my doctor how close it is to wellbutren which is one of the meds I take. I take Paxil for the anxioty. Still smoke and I may never stop cause I have tried everythng and had a bad reaction to all of it, I will need to return to my doctor cause I have been unable to sleep without drugs for a month now. I hate the feeling I wake up with when I take sleeping medication.
I took Chantix a year and half ago and you are so right. I went into an episode and had to have medication for mania. I did quit smoking. My psychiatrist has said that they have come out with a warning to not take it if you have psychiatric issues. Wish they would have figured that out first.
Dave.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You — The Dr. put our son on Chantix and he has had so many of the reactions that you mentioned. I will not let him take it any more. In fact it did not stop him from smoking. WHAT A SHAME THAT DOCTORS CAN BE SO CARELESS. He is still “under it’s spell”.
I really appreciate you keeping us up on things like this.
Sincerely, Dolores
Dave,
In May 08 my 22 yr. old son was seeing a psychiatrist at the Inland medical Group. I was told he was a good psychiatrist but soon found out he was not. He did no testing to diagnose and not only did he prescribe my son with a laundry list of medications to choke a horse, one of them was chantix. My son only took a couple of the ‘6’ meds he was prescribed the first night and he was almost comatose. I phoned this pdoc and he assured me each week on the meds this would get better but after a few days of this he could not function! Against my judgement the pdoc also prescribed klonopin 2 mg. telling me this was the lowest dose and I learned it was the highest dose! I told this pdoc my son had a history of abusing klonopin and has addictive tendencies but he ignored this, saying we need to trust him. Of course he began abusing the klonopin and I told this pdoc he would no longer see him.
After further research for a ‘good’ doctor…I found another psychiatrist. This pdoc’s primary speciality is psychiatry, his second is Administrative Medicine. He’s also a consultant for Betty Ford, an Asst. professor at Loma Linda Unversity, an addictionologist and has a masters MPH degree. For those who don’t know what a MPH degree is here is the meaning: Master’s degree in Public Health, General (MPH, DPH): A program that generally prepares individuals to plan, manage, and evaluate public health care services and to function as public health officers. Includes instruction in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health principles, preventive medicine, health policy and regulations, health care services and related administrative functions, public health law enforcement, health economics and budgeting, public communications, and professional standards and ethics.
Finally to my point…At the 1st visit with this pdoc I gave him the list of meds from the previous pdoc and he told us he was suprised that doctor had his license. He also said THROW THE CHANTIX AWAY! Telling my son taking Chantix was worse than smoking and there are safer ways to quit. Luckily my son never started the chantix. The pdoc weaned my son off the klonopin and put him on ‘2’ medications starting at a low dose and increasing as needed each week and my son is doing better than he has in 5 years!! I learned later on this pdoc has been voted one of the top 70 psychiatrist in California many times over the last 10 years and we are blessed to have found him!!!
Moral of this story is: Never give up if you don’t think your pdoc is helping you or listening to you, find another one… and as Dave said, don’t take Chantrix! Thank you for getting the word out on Chantrix Dave!
Holy Cow!
Chantix and Bipolar Disorder Crisis
I am 50 years old. In May I had taken Chantix for 7 days. According to directions on the eight day I was to quit smoking and increase dosage. As luck would have it, on the eigth day I had a major shake up at work and totally fell apart, in the bosses office I threatened suicide and he called police. In eight years I had NEVER had a problem on the job. I loved going to work each day.
I stopped Chantix at once. It took a week of pure mania to get a referral to a shrink where I was diagnosed acute bipolar type 2 for the first time ever and began meds. It took another week to get stable enough to be left alone for short periods of time. I have never experianced anything like this. I am much better now, three months later with continued care of a shrink and meds, but feel that I will never be the same. I feel even more validated now having read your article about bipolar disorder and Chantix.
I have emailed the maker of Chantix without a response.
My son age 49 has been diagnosed BP about 2 years ago. He has been an alcoholic on and off (mostly on) for 30years. I have traced our ancestry and could not find anyone with BP disorder. Is it possible that alcohol has played a role in causing his mental condition?
This is horrible! Anyone,whether they have mental heath issue or not; will be in danger by using this drug! Is there a place,say, The Ameriican Medical Association ,that could be notified of this disasterous med? Does anyone have a thought on who would be the best bet to make contact with …that would actually care and follow up on this! I will be happy to make a lot of contacts….just imagine how this could effect anyone on medication…anything from anti-anxiety drugs to psycotropics!!?(sp?)
Perhaps the Surgeon General? We have to get this and perhaps many other dangerous medications off the market. This is truely alarming and something can be done if we all pitch in and write a letter….
Thank-you for this valuable information. Donna Moir
donnamoir@comcast.net
I am able to work from home (I already do) and work diligently with no boss over my shoulder. I have been a supporter for 3 years I am invincible.
Well, damn! That’s all I have to say. I can remember telling my daughter, who is biipolar, to start the Chantix Program because it was recommended by a Nurse at my doctor’s office and she told of great results. Thank you so much. After 4 admittances into the hospital in the last 5 months, that is all we would need, another relapse.
Your site is invaluable.
Better to smoke until they stop making junk and destroying people’s lives.
I had read an article where this guy had taken Chantix, became so disoriented while sleeping, that he took his gun and went to the neighbors, woke them up, and when the man came to the door – the guy SHOT him!! There have been other examples of bizarre behavior on Chantix, such as “suicide by cop,” that scare me to death…
My therapist originally thought that it would be a help for me to take Chantix, and ask my PCP to prescribe it for me. Fortunately, I’m soooo aware of my limitations, being bipolar, that I wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole!
If there is ANY WAY we can notify the drug company that makes it (and take away their profits), or inform the psychiatric/PCP community of its VERY harmful effects – not only for bipolars, but the undiagnosed people who take it and then go psychotic, I wish someone would find it. I’ll be the first to start a petition AGAINST this horrible drug.
Just a warning: If ANY doctor prescribes Chantix for you or your supporter, run, don’t walk, away. The side effects haven’t been totally run by the medical community, and it is DEADLY.
BIG HUGS
Right now my boyfriend is happily smoking, though occasionally he has tried various methods to stop. None of them have worked so far, probably not enough willpower – he just enjoys it too much. If he should ever think of trying chantix I will remind him of this warning. His doctor is ok though maybe not perfect, but his psychiatrist is great. They usually discuss any adjustment of meds. Since his manic episode and recent hospitalisation my boyfriend has been prescribed anti-psychotics (first time) in addition to lithium and anti-depressants he has been on for years. For several weeks everything was working very well. Last weekend someone upset him and at first he seemed to show signs of going manic again – irritable, talking fast, etc. Then he went to sleep and when he got up he said he was feeling down and since then he has gone into a depressive episode. The doctors are worried that if they increase the anti-depressants he will go too high again. It seems to be really difficult to find the right balance. He has an appointment with his psych next week, who will hopefully be able to help. For a bipolar supporter mania is worse to deal with than depression. But I think for a bipolar survivor depression is worse.
I always have vivid, sometimes very strange or interesting dreams, though I have never been on any regular prescription. I take herbal supplements which are usually ok. I have a problem with circulation and low blood pressure and have tried various products. A few years ago a friend recommended ginko biloba, which she said worked wonders for her. When I tried it I had the most horrendous nightmares since childhood – several every night. It took me a week to find out what was causing them and when I stopped taking gingko, the nightmares stopped immediately. Everyone should be careful with anything they take, bipolar or not.
HI Dave,
I am a supporter and not a suffer of bipolar, but I wanted to let you know that it is not only a warning for bipolar, but for anyone! I took it and it sent me into a suicidal reaction where I was literally holding onto my front porch crying for GOD to stop me from killing myself!!! I have never had a suicidal though in my life and since stopping chantix…have never had an episode like that again!!! So, to all….Be careful!
Blessing!
Interesting but too long. All stuff from and related to your support, in my opinion, is too long. Emails too long and puts off my husband me & as have not got all day even to read gd. interesting relevant stuff. English cynics (?)where are you on this blog? English readers where are u?
Want to here of gd research on BP & from gd. Psychiatrists in England nr. us (some chance)jc
Dear Dave, In tring to quit smoking I just filled a script. for chantix. I have tried everything eals to quit. I am very dissapointed to hear that I can not take this med. I really do want to quit but cant on my own, now what. I will quit it just might take a bit longer now. But anyway thank you very much for the worning.
Hi,
I am a smoker, lucky me I heard about Chantix from you…
…………………………………………………………………………………….
I received today the 7 secrets of living with any disorder you have. And I’m such a disorderly human beeing…
I have only 1 question: why for 2008? …Because we are in 2008?
I love to talk with you, I hope I don’t make any dissatisfactions.
Bye.
My Dad stopped smoking 20 over night. He woke up, decided not to smoke anymore and three the packs away. That was it. He reckoned he didn’t “feel a thing”, that it was so easy. He’d been smoking for over 20 years when he did that.
(Sunday humour: Dad, he’s dead now. It wasn’t the ciggies that got him – but his ciggies “nearly” did for someone else. He used to drop his butt ends in bis pocked, to save littering the floor. In a play be directed during WW2, he was also “the hand” shooting a real gun at a murder victim. The gun was loaded with blanks but one of the butt ends got in the barrel. His aim was good and the butt end hit the victim full in the chest, and the actor thought a real bullet had hit him! Dad said the guy never before fell quite so realistically as he did on that night’s performance!)
Correction. “three” is meant to read “threw”. Dyslexic typist at large …
thank goodness i read this and you sent it cause i was just in the process of trying this to quit i am so glad i know now so i dont have to risk the side effects and mess up everything ive worked so hard to achieve thanks again
I think Chantix is a wicked drug.I have taken it before to quit smoking all the times i took it i quit for 6-8wks with no withdrawl symptoms for nicotine.Then once it felt good to actually just live life smoke free everything would go bad,i started to feel a little addicted to the chantix,then i got so depressed or something i laid in bed for over a month i was having dreams of family and friends getting murdered the dreams were so realistic i would wake up crying&soaked with sweat.In one dream i was shot and could actually feel the blood draining out of my body.Thats just so crazy to me cause I am not like that at all,I would never hurt anybody or anything.I am really kind and caring.Its taken alot for me to pick my self up and pull myself out of it.When i first took Chantix i was put on a new mild antidepressant and he gave me both scrips the same day he never told me not to take them toghther.I am doing wonderful now i just never wanna feel like that again.
I’m a 31 year old woman who has been living with bipolar my entire life. I do smoke, but at one point i really wanted to try and quit. My Doctor prescribed me CHANTIX and it was working great till I started having nightmares. Not about movies or events of the world, but of my own personal struggles. They were so vivid that i remembered every detail of them. Then I started to realize that the nightmares were getting more intense, and it was getting harder to destinguish between the dreams and reality. What ever my feelings were in the dream, I manifested that same feeling when I awoke. The dreams were not superficial. In fact they were dreams where i was killing members of my immediate family for various reasons ranging from betrayal to ridicule. I immediately stopped taking the medicine and instantly went back to smoking.
ok so I took CHANTIX and it worked like a charm. I didn’t have any of the side effects listed……….
I was already having major headaches before I started taking chantix and they increased when I was smoking. So I decided if I wanted the headaches to go away I should just stop smoking. By the end of the first week ciggarettes made me want to puke. Everything about them made me sick. My headaches were still there though. One night my headache got so bad that my boyfriend had to take me to the emergency room. I ended up hospitalized (in a medical hospital) for three days. It seems that the combination of my “crazy” pills and the chantix made my liver panel go whack and depleated my potassium. Needless to say since I can’t exactly pinpoint what did it I have quit taking all my meds and I love my ciggarettes once again.
This is a little off topic, but it does involve smoking. My wife found our 22 year old bipolar son smoking marijuana through a pipe last week. He said it was legal for medical use, and he had a card stating such. In CA, there is a law that permits medical use. I have never heard of using marijuana for bipolar, but perhaps some of you have. We are in a bit of shock right now and don’t know how to handle the situation. Any thoughts are appreciated.
You ARE SO VERY CORRECT…My fiance’ took chantix and had to take him off w/in the week due to suidal thoughts, he is bipolar & on meds. I have asthma and allergies and the chantix did not have that effect on me, I’m down to five cig., per day but having my fiance’ chew the gum and of course it hasn’t worked either.
Another one of those some day over the rainbow deams to come.
This winter while spending it in FL for 3 months I used Chantix to quit smoking. I was going to be a grandma in March. I found the program to work wonders for me. I had tried cold turkey….the patch….gum….but then Chantix came along. I feel that I could be a Poster Girl for it. It worked wonderfully!! I only needed the 12 weeks as well. I am still smoke free and it is now August 5th. I quit in January. I never knew of any problems for BP and Chantix. Sometimes I think we just like to create a problem for ourselves just because we are BP so we can be kept aside from the rest of the population. That is a huge mistake. Yes we have problems that we have to be constantly aware of. I know that. But what I am saying is we don’t need to add to the problems that we already face on a daily, hourly, minute by minute, second by second time.
I definately do have some comments about Chantix-and lots of the psychiatric drugs but want to start w/ abit of personal reflection so say 1 thing 1st. I am a 62 year old mom and grandmother, I don’t remember being terribly unhappy as a child and teen and not really through much of my adult despite some pretty rough times which you’ll realize in a moment. I graduated from HS at the top of my class-won scholarships to college and did even go to college som, both right out of Hs and years later. I did really well when I did attend too. I wanted to add this little bit of personal info because it’s only recently I’ve actually started remembering how great a person I am-reasonably smart, ambitious-hard working whether at a job or just life, upbeat and optimistic/hopeful, very down to earth, extremely honest and open, and most of all just really NICE. You see the last 10 yrs or so have been, if not a blur, certainly a real struggle finding myself again. I was diagnosed with multiple psychiatric disorders exactly 10 years ago. It’s more like 13 if I count the 3 yrs in treatment/therapy while fighting for SSIDbl. This was after 30+ yrs of coping w/being in and out of my marriage w/ an alcoholic-he left all the time, maybe being at least a borderline alcoholic myself-when all else failed I drank w/him for a few years. There was also extreme poverty (alot of time on welfare) raising 4 wonderful kids, and all this w/very little support from what I now know is a very dysfunctional family. They basically were ashamed of and embarrassed by me and the life I ended up in, though always vehemently denied it-or rather said the opposite-they just never lived it. I actually have a sibling who thanked people for being my friend. Somehow I was supposed to understand that every thing bad that happened in my life was my fault and a result of the stupid choices I made-my main 1 was deciding to marry who I did and keep my 1st child. Therefore I was just feeling sorry for myself and wrong to even want anyone else to feel any sympathy. The worst thing I let happen as a result of all of this, though I never realized I did it until recently, is that I absorbed their view of me. I don’t think I ever got even close to hating/disliking myself or thinking I didn’t deserve some of the love and support I wanted and needed but the main focus of my thoughts and feelings seems to have been feeling so sorry I that i did embarrass etc them. At this moment in time-in my life I feel all that stuff I said above-most of all SERENE and at peace which is something I’ve PRAYED and begged God (whatever you choose to call it) to help me find again. I won’t bore or whatever it would be, anyone who reading this w/just how I got to where I find myself at this moment in time but it’s just so wonderful-and no it isn’t just a manics exaggerated sense of well being which is the usual catch phrase the professionals, and even lay people who know a little us for us bipolars when we feel we’re actually doing goodfeel that we do, in fact, know ourselves and where were at and what’s right for us too.
Yes-I’m officially bipolar, the main focus of the multiple psychiatric disorders I previously mentioned being diagnosed with. My full official diagnosis is Bipolar (lowest level, I guess) w/generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive/compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and a low level of borderline personality disorder. I walked out of my 1st psychiatrist MD appt w/ 6-8 medications and the 1st couple years were rough w meds being changed or added to-1 med never worked in my system as it was supposed to but I was kept on it anyway-and an extremely BAD reaction to klonopin. It should have never been prescribed w/ 1 of my other meds. Then starting in maybe 2002 or 3 I started on a relatively smooth phase-basically on only actual wellbutrin 3x/dat and trileptal and while I probably was hypomanic alot-that’s my drs/ther opinion anyway I at least felt like I was alive and was actually taking part in life etc. Then in probably 2004 I got a new Dr. who changed my meds and I had to take a generic form of wellbutrin-hope alot of you read a recent prevention article about the negative effects of alot of generics-if you didn’t PLEASE DO SO-find and read the article. From this point on I started feeling worse and not coping too good and at the same time I began what I call my nightmare w/ doctors. I lost my family practice Dr-a man who loved having a bipolar patient and the chance to really help-he worked really close w/my psych Drs. on the psych end I started w/ a constant turnover in Drs-in Late May this year I started w/ # the 8th-yes I said 8th-in 2 and a half years and this 1 is a keeper-at least for now. When I walked in his office the 1st time my chart was open on his desk and he’d actually read it. he didn’t insist on one med i’d been being pressured into taking and listened to everything I said and felt. he sent me off that day w 1 old med and a new 1 he did ask me to try. I just happened to get sick right after that-allergy flareup and sinus infection as well as severely worsening breathing probs-I do have COPD from years of smoking and worsened by an incident of accidental chemical exposure-I was bad enough my med Dr-I recently got lucky there again too-put me through a whole battery of heart tests (were not done w/that yet and a sleep study showed I have severe sleep apnea and narcolepsy. Anyway one decision I’d made shortly before seeing the new Psych DR was that I’d never again stop 1 med 1 day and start another the next day and to never add something when I’m sick. I have always had, and still do, a problem w/ hitting spells where I just start not taking meds and I went into 1 of them in Mid May. Prior to this point I’d just been taking the wellbutrin, trileptal and some new breathing meds-including provigil for the narcolepsy and OH YES CHANTIX to help quit smoking. I’d been on it since Dec. and it was obvious to me that it would do what it was supposed to and would work-though I never did quit I was down to just a few cigs a day but at what cost I didn’t know. I took it even while sick and was more and more agitated, volatile etc but chalked it up to alot of things-then when I got sick enough in early June I eventually quit everything, (even quit my breathing meds for a week) because my feet and legs were swollen badly all the time, I developed a severe pain in my back and over the last 8 months I’ve shot up from 160’s to ultimately 198 and it isn’t alot fluid, though my med Dr has put me on a very mild diuretic. The worst emotional issue I dealt w/ was extreme rage which I didn’t recognize for quite awhile and certainly never attributed to the chantix. I happen to have 1 person in my life-an identical twin in fact-who I have an extremely stressed relationship w/and am often angeru=y or upset w/her so didn’t think much of the fact of just how angry I was w/her currently-she was at that time ripping off our elderly mother in a way and I couldn’t get anyone to see what was going on and problems like that. It all got so bad I found myself losing it over breaking a cig-I make my own-which I threw across the room and sitting on the edge of the bed pounding it w/my fists and tears pouring down my cheeks. After several weeks off all the meds except my breathing ones and the fluid pill-and occasional use of the narcolepsy med. i suddenly pieced it all together-the problem w/ the extreme rage and started doing some online research. The chantix definately could’ve been the problem and I genuinely believe that to be so. I haven’t had any real probs w/the narcolepsy med, occasionally a slight level of agitation or feeling abit wired but that’s all and I only take it when I start getting the episodes several days in a row. So in closing to any of you who get discouraged and frustrated, please don’t and esp when it comes to your meds believe your own instincts and intuitions and maybe even do something else I di-I was able to make contact w/ a couple people I feel know me really well and know just who and what I really am and they help immensely in my trusting that I’m okay or maybe not. Please all of you hang in there and I will keep each and everyone of you in my prayers, if you don’t mind.
I submitted a comment i just wrote-the 1st time i’ve done this and it showed me my whole letter-it did end up a letter and not just a comment. Does this mean it didn’t transmit wasn’t submitted whatever. There was an thing at the top that says “Donna says your comment is awaiting moderation”
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
I never bid believe in that one.
OMG!!! IT ALMOST KILLED ME & STILL MIGHT!!! 1st week was ok ,then came the increase..Unfortunatly I was unaware that I was BIPOLAR, & from what tid bits I’m remembering my episodes were very severe. I knew I was going thrue a long depression stage, a few years, but I really had somehow put the bipolar behind me.My family apparently felt it was a no no to talk about & let me believe some of my delusions were true. I’m 52 & I started Chantix took it for 3 weeks, like I said 1st week not bad, then I was the most miserable person on earth, I see this earth as a God forsaken wasteland not fit for life , It’s like living in a rotting cave pit like hell. These are just some of the feelings I ‘ve had from the drug, I daily thought of suicide , almost a compulsion & the only reason why not is my 16 year old , but I ust admit the thoughts still creep in.
I did take my neighbors advice & see a shrink & was weanned off the chantix plus given a mood stableizer. I’m shifting back And forth 3-4 times a day from crying to hugh energy burst. Sleeping about an hour to 2 hours a night at most & wondering when this hell will ever end. I wouldn’t give CHANTIX to my worst enemy.
ok… i have read this ENTIRE post….and not to be offensive to those fellow bp title holders out there but everyone who seems to have had reactions in a horrible way have been on there medication…. has anyone stoped to think that its maybe the combination fo the antisyc meds and the chantix? my mother aunt grandma and my mothers best frend all took chantix my mother is severly bp like myself… her freind and my grandmother are manic depressive… they had no bad reactions from this medication other then the normal side effects listed like vivid dreams and such. i just filled my prescription today and fully intend on takein it. in hopes that my intuition is correct and that it is the combination of the syc meds and the chantix and not just the chantix alone… since i am unmedicated for over a year now i hope all will go well . and ill continute to prey for those fellow bp title holders that it did effect negitivly. and ill keep ya’ll posted on my progresse. or feel free to email me
I’m taking Chmpix (in UK) for the secong time and three weeks into it. So far I’ve not had any emotional side effects – just nausea, which I attribute to it’s interaction with my other meds. They all cause nausea! For me it’s been a godsend, as I’ve never been able to quit before. I wasn’t aware that you weren’t meant to drink on it, however.
I know this is a really old post, but I had to respond to it. I have bipolar disorder and suffer from migraines. I took Chantix twice (quitting successfully the second time). I did not suffer a single migraine or have symptoms of an episode – depressive, psychotic or manic. The only side effect I had were vivid dreams, but they were not unpleasant. I thought they were kind of interesting.
My Husband took Chantix and it worked great for him and he has been smoke free for 18 months. He is not bipolar however. He wants me to take it as well because I really want to quit smoking and have tried everything else and I can’t seem to quit. I was planning to give it a try until I ran across this post. I had no idea it could be so harmful to people with Bipolar. Well it is not worth the risk. Thank you for posting this. I am glad I found it before I took that medication. I have been doing great on a new medication for the past 3 years and I certainly do not want to jeopardize that for anything. Thank you again. I am dissappointed though because I was hoping I could quit smoking with the Chantix. Now I don’t know what to try next.
Hi, I’ve had depression since the age of 14 (the age of my 1st suicidal thoughts) I was diagnosed Bipolar 2 at a stay in the hospital 8 yrs ago for what felt like a total break down. My mother & 2 sisters also had bipolar. I started chantix 4wks ago yesterday at work I had a full blown anxiety attack & couldn’t stop hysterically crying, also having bad thoughts about myself, like what a horrible useless person I am it would be better if I was just dead. I immediately went to see my PCP who believed 100% that the Chantix is what caused the break down. He wanted to write me off of work for the rest of the wk. I’m so depressed now no motivation to even get in the shower & still having bad thoughts about myself. I’m so embarrassed of my behavior at work, I shared with my boss 2 wks ago that I was bipolar becuz of my poor attendance her response was I understand but I don’t feel sorry for u, and it’s all about motivating yourself; to say the least I regret telling her. I feel like I should listen to my Dr & take the rest of the wk off but I know my boss & coworkers will be mad at me. I think I should probably seek out some mental health help I haven’t had an episode like this in 8yrs I really believe the Chantix has caused it. Can anyone give me some advice I’m so embarrassed of my behavior at work, I want to go back today so I don’t make it worse, but I feel like it might not be the best thing for me..