Probably would have to advise you to avoid it. There have been problems with people getting violent, and other side effects.

One man in Dallas/White Rock was killed, after he became violent on his first dose, and started trying to break into the next door neighbor's house at 4 am.

Drugs are not candy......you shouldn't take any drug without totally researching the side effects, no matter how much the drug is advertised as safe.

Exercise caution. Will power is still the best way to quit smoking.

Are you refering to the musician who attempted to break into the neightbors home and was shot and killed? I had not heard he was on Chantix? I was aware he was into illegal drugs and alcohol... I have researched the information well, as I am in nursing school currently. I am just currious of others success. I am aware of the potential side effects, Thanks.

I assume you've never been a smoker...thanks for your help!

Yup. His girl friend said he took his first Chantix as they were driving home, he became increasingly agitated, and after arriving home, became violent. Then something caused him to go outside, and apparently he became confused about which house was his, and he started banging on his neighbor's door at 4 am, thinking his girlfriend had locked him out. End of story.

The girlfriend thinks the drug was the cause of his unusual behavior, and there have been other reports of violence manifestations from users of the drug, as well as other side effects.

Man...I never heard any of that after the initial story hit the news. I've heard/read about strange & vivid dreams but never knew that man was on it (begining stages).
I appreciate your info...I guess I need to think about it awhile before making a decision. I don't drink - so I wouldn't be worried about that aspect, but could be certainly more to it.
Thanks agian!

Angie, you're probably thinking of Terry in our garden club. You should ask her about it. She did stop the cravings but got very sick from it.

Angie, I did watch the report on the musician just a few days ago and recorded it for my DH. He toook it back in the Spring and quit smoking within a week and a half. If anyone would have told me he could do that, I wouldn't have believed them. He went to Italy for a month and started again, just about everyone there smokes plus every student he took smoked.
He started taking it again about 4 days ago .
He didn't have any psychotic episodes, but he doesn't drink or do drugs, lol
He does have very weird dreams, every night.

I have a psycho in-la that took it and she quit smoking and I liked her real well while she was taking it, lol

Just research the heck out of it and stop taking it immediately if you start roaming the neighborhood

Lord have mercy! I haven't heard of any violent outburtsts before this. I've been taking it for a while. Kind of off and on. I think it can be turned into a crutch if you're not careful. But, it really has helped me and a few other people I know. I'm guilty of the crutch thing, but if you're really ready to give it up it may help.

One thing it did to me was to make me extremely tired. Like my limbs were made of concrete tired. I don't know if others have had the same problem.

Good luck!! My mom has a friend in the pharmaceutical busines and she keeps talking (or was talking) about a new drug that was supposed to come out in June. Don't know the name, but it is supposed to help with all addictions... smoking, drinking, drugs, and food, etc. Sounds a little suspicious to me, but might be worth investigating before you make your decision.

I only know of the musician go psycho and Carol's friend Terry getting sick. PJ

I was all gung-ho about it until I discovered the board linked below. That's some crazy stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chantix side effects.

I successfully quit smoking in January with buproprion (Wellbutrin) and a wonderful book, "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. I really recommend the book - It helped me to change the way I thought about smoking and quitting.
Melissa

I successfully quit smoking by turning into a complete psycho for around a week(without drugs I could blame it on). My DH made me promise that if I started smoking again I wouldn't try to quit again and again......and one last time I hope!!!
Cold turkey is really hard but it can be done. PJ

Well, went to the Dr today....9 employees there have used the Chantix. None have had the weird dreams or any of the negative effect listed at 1 in 1000 chances, etc. I talk to 2 of them I have know for 8 years (via that office) and feel confident that the med. is safe. I talked to my hubby about what to watch for (side effects) and I will be checking in with my Dr. weekly.
I tried Wellbutrin several years ago, patches, gums, cold turkey with no luck. I'm confident this drug has a higher succes rate. I don't drink at all - so no worries about combining the 2. I should have listend to my father who smoked 20+ years and never even played with it. I started smoking at 17 and only being 33 now, It's amazing to think I've already been smoking 16 years! Between horrible allergies and asthma...I have to get this issue resolved.
Thanks to EVERYONE...I appreciate all your information and personal exsperiences...I can't wait to call myself a non-smoker!
~Angie~

I smoked two packs of Winstons per day. Many years ago....Quit cold turkey. Took the AA way of one hour at a time, one day at a time, etc. Was not easy but I hate taking drugs of any kind. Now if I can just give up eating.

A lady on the quilting forum took it to quit smoking several months ago & never mentioned having issues with side effects....it worked for her, she quit smoking.
I went to a hypnotist about 12+ years ago to help me quit. I'd been smoking for about 25 years. I never felt like I was hypnotised and not smoking was hard to do, but I stuck with it and have been smoke free since then. Best thing I ever did for myself.
Cigarette smoke actually will make me sick now.

Carter, the muscician in question, had been on chantix for a few weeks. The mixing it with alcohol is said to be the culprit by his close friends and what not.

Mike

Angie, how is it going? I'm ready to make my doctors appointment and talk to him about this so I'm curious how you're getting along.

I was just watching the Morning Show with Mike and Juliet and they were talking about the new anti-smoking drug coming under fire. Here is a link to their website and maybe after the show is over, they'll post more information about the story they covered. They're still on talking about it as I type this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mike & Juliet Show

Just a friendly update for ya...
I started taking the Chantix on October 1st...didn't really notice any side effects..no rage, no weird dreams, etc.
I smoked my last cigarette on October 8th at 10pm....and I haven't smoked since.
I'm on day 9 (smoke-free)...and the urge to smoke is truly seldom now and fades in seconds vs. originally minutes.
A couple nights I have had a little problem with falling asleep, but can not totally blame this on the RX...could just be me thing about things to much while going to sleep.
I have noticed that anything I did in excess before Chantix - I do not do anymore.
I used to drink like 6-8 cups of coffee a day...I can't finish 1 cup now.
I've always been a big snack-er...I'm not snacking much if at all. I lost 8lbs in the 2 weeks taking the RX.
The first 2 days not smoking were a little hard - mainly after meals and in the car - because I smoked constantly while in the car before. By day 3 - instead of it crossing my mind and me thinking about it for a minute or two - taking deep breaths and trying to move on...now it crosses my mind for mere seconds and I forget. I haven't even really been eating mints/gum -except in the car.
For me in the past when I smoke the last cig. in a pack and think I'm going to quit - it has been a mental anxiety issue. So this time I just smoked my last one before bed - and never smoked again the next morning. I still have an almost full pack on my patio where I used to smoke. This has not bothered me at all...I think about it and my next thought is instinctively - I don't do that anymore and I move on -LOL
Just knowing the cigs are there and it is my choice not to smoke one or cheat, seems to help me. I even went to a Halloween party - my first outing to be around others smoking (except my hubby who smokes outside)...no problem being around them at all.
Angie

Congratulations Angie!
It's wonderful to be smoke free! Hope your husband decides to quit too.
I keep those little oyster crackers to munch on in both our vehicles.
I quit 11-12 years ago and sometimes need to do something with my fingers while driving and still munch on a few of them instead of smoking.
I didn't quit soon enough.....I just found out Mon I have emphysema. Really bums me out.

Angie - Thanks for updating this. It sounds as if you are having a very sucessful quit!
Gardenspice

I'm so sorry (((Bev))). I'm glad you quit when you did or the emphasema might be a whole heck of a lot worse.
I'm hoping you never pick up another cig Scuba!! Yeah! PJ

Angie - I am so glad that medication has worked for you. Now maybe your husband could try it . . . then your house would be smoke-free. I only suggest that because of my step father who had 4 heart attacks - the second one where he flat-lined . . . died then came back. When he got out of the hospital and was told to quit smoking, his two girls would smoke around him then he started again. That is why he kept up the smoking. Then last year he had colon cancer and more recently the doctor found a small spot on his lung, but they don't think it is lung cancer, but will keep an eye on it since it doesn't appear to be spreading. He has now stopped smoking. It took many life threatening health issues for him to stop, so I am glad to hear that the medication you are on has helped you, but down the road when you go off this stuff, if your husband is still smoking, I hope it doesn't pull you off your straight and narrow track of becoming a non-smoker.

Thanks so much everyone.
Denisew: I know exactly what you mean about my hubby smoking around me. He is cutting has been cutting down over the past 2 weeks and doing very well (mostly only smoking at work). He doesn't want to take the Rx because he doesn't want to spend the $$. He's quit before on his own - so he prefers to do it "his way"-LOL I told him it has been worth every dime of that $140.00's I spent! I'm not even dreading spending it agian this month :o)
~Angie~

Hubby started smoking again when he quit taking the Chantix. After 3 months!
Tally HO!

Day two of Chantix for me. Yesterday, I took the pill in the morning and went about business as usual.....at the end of the day I had smoked about 1/2 as much as I usually do without even thinking about it or trying.

And all I can say is....If I can put these things down for three months......I *won't* be picking them up again. I want off of these things so bad, I can almost imagine being able to smell everything again :).

Kristi

I'm with you Kristi...come hell or high water
I'm on day 33 smoke free and I'm not going to pick them up agian! Glad to hear you are doing well!

~Angie~

Over a month Angie!!!!! Good on YOU! I can't wait till I can say that. So has your sense of smell gotten more acute?? LOL.

Kristi

my smell has definatly improved...I can smell those plug in's when I walk into a room now (haha). My rose bushes smell so much stronger too...I can wait for spring flowers to smell all I've been missing!
~Angie~

I've been quiet in this since I 'cheated' for the first 2 weeks and was a little embarrassed. I had got it down to half as many smokes per day but still couldn't seem to put them down, I realized it was because I wasn't trying, I would just cave.

I've finally done it though, my last one was Tuesday night, I didn't even finish off the pack.

Congrats Angie & Kristi, thanks for letting me say "If they can do it, so can I!" Keep up the good work!

Carrie in San Angelo

Well Carrie, I'm still smoking on it too. My quit date is the 22nd. But I'm still smoking only 1/2 of what I used to and sometimes I can even imagine not picking up another one. Yesterday was the first day on a full mg twice a day. I'm so dang sensitive to drugs (2 tylenol and it's lights out!) that I was a little concerned about the jump from 1mg to 2, but I did fine.

Congratulations on putting them down and here's best wishes on your continued success :).

Angie, good for you too! I am also looking very much forward to spring and being able to smell everything in the garden so much better. I think my real test will be Thanksgiving. Quitting on the 22nd then the entire family at my place for Thanksgiving, Yikes! Keep your fingers crossed for me :).

Kristi

You are both in my prayers. I know you can make it on Thanksgiving Kristi!!! Even now I still think about it - I just don't dwell on it like before...it leaves my head as fast as it gets there. My dad quit smoking about 15years ago - but to this day he says if he ever finds out he's dying - he's gonna smoke agian (LOL) I'm with him on that :o)

~Angie~

Here's mine, I'm not saving any money because of the Chantix, but it's nice to see how many I haven't had

QuitMeter Counter courtesy of www.quitmeter.com.

Here's my update :). I had set my quit date for the 22nd, but on the 19th I was feelin' strong! So I just quit on the 19th. Haven't had one since and for me, I just gotta tell you, this is like a miracle. There have been cravings but they are more like when I had quit twice in the past, before I was addicted to the nicotine (once for 2 years and once for 6 years). When I get a craving now, I just say "Oh yeah, I don't smoke anymore." Doesn't make the craving go away, but I just get busy with something and work through it.

I was dreading yesterday with the stress of preparing the whole dinner for everyone....but it's kind of weird. It was one of the easiest days for me. My mind was occupied with trying to get everything ready at the same time and making sure I did everything right on the new recipes I tried, it was like I didn't have time to think about smoking. I hope eveyone else is enjoying continued success and that your Thanksgiving celebrations were as stress free as mine was. Stay strong!

Kristi

Kristi I am so glad to hear your doing so well. I can totally identify with everything you said...the thoughts are there, they just really pass fast. I'm on day 47 - the holiday was a bit hard - mainly because my hubby is still smoking and home alot right now - can't wait till he goes back to work - LOL

Well, it's working pretty good with DH! No smokes since before Thanksgiving and he had been smoking about half a century. I don't know what happened with the musician, but I read somewhere that he had been drinking. There was a similar case in this area where a guy was drunk when he broke into a nearby house and was shot and killed by the homeowner. DH no longer drinks, so that won't be a problem. He did have one slightly unusual dream, but no off-the-wall behavior at all.

I stopped in 2001. Picked them back up last May and tossed them permanently in October.
Cold turkey and yes, I did a fine impression of the girl in the Exorist!
Important Lesson: Can't have just one.

Congratulations to all of you (and your other-halves) for quitting!

When you feel like smacking somebody - go for a nice long walk.
Take one day at a time and keep breathing, it will pass!

Well, had my last cigarette on November 19th. Took my last Chantix pill on December 18th. I did get another prescription for it filled and finished 1 1/2 weeks of that month, then decided I wanted to try without them. So far so good. It's still weird thinking of myself as a non-smoker but I like it :). I did dream vividly on Chantix but they weren't weird or creepy dreams. Mostly dreams of people I haven't even thought about in years and years so that was kind of interesting.

I'm still a little bit chicken about some things.....Like I decided against driving to Houston by myself cause smoking in the truck was second nature especially on a long trip by myself.

But I find it easier to think of myself as quitting BUYING cigarettes rather than quitting smoking them. If I can keep myself from buying them, then I can't smoke them and quitting BUYING is a LOT easier than quitting smoking.

Well......that probably sounds like the ranting of a nicotine starved maniac :). But it's working for me and I am so thankful. Great way to start the new year.

I can't imagine trying to do it with another smoker in the house! You are my hero!!!

Kristi

I'm am on day 91 smoke-free! Says I've saved $542.00 not buying them?!? I only took the medicine 7weeks and didn fine moving on without it.

Glad everyone is doing well!
Angie

and?....... C'mon, girls, how are you doing so far?

Omar

Twelve weeks, 1 day and eighteen hours as per the "Quitmeter". It's hard to believe it's been that long. 3,430 cigarettes I HAVEN'T smoked and $900.38 that I haven't spent on cigarettes.

It's a very rare occasion now if I even think about smoking. I've seen additional negative press about Chantix and I'm glad I didn't have to take it for very long. I'm also VERY glad it worked for me. Hope the rest of you are enjoying continued success with your efforts.

Oh yeah, I've started going back to the YMCA too :).

Kristi

Kristi, just opened this, and I am so proud of ALL of you who kicked the habit. It is not easy, and a great and healthy accomplishment. Way to go !!!!!!