Any Way To Reverse Long-term Chantix Side Effects? (Top voted first)

My mother took Chantix several years ago in an effort to quit smoking. Well, she quit for a year. During that time, however, she became unbearably depressed. She has no history of depression.

She consulted a doctor several times and tried 3 different prescriptions, 1 of them being Zoloft. She stopped because she said they made her feel like she was just in a constant haze. She hasn't been to a doctor or a psychologist since then. In the mean time, she started smoking again because she thought that it would make the depression go away. It didn't.

Because of her experience with the 3 prescriptions, she is unwilling to go back to a doctor, and dismisses any notion of going to a psychologist. Our family has pleaded with her to keep trying, even if she has to tell whoever she sees that she won't try any drug for fear of the side effects; even if her only option is therapy, we want her to at least see someone. She is reluctant.

This side effect of major depression has persisted for years now, long after she stopped taking Chantix. Does anybody have any advice, or experience with the reversal of such severe side effects? My mother, and the rest of my family, is terrified that this is permanent, and she is terrified of the possibility that another prescription will result in even worse side effects.

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Cigarettes provide a healthy dose of MAO Inhibitors ( jneurosci.org/content/25/38/8593.full ) which slow the breakdown of key neurotransmitters and are often used as antidepressants( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase_inhibitor ). Nicotene itself directly modulates the level of many major neurotransmitters including dopamine, seratonin, etc ( Figure 1 at asat.org.ar/images/comunidad/biblioteca/neurobiology_of_nicotine_addiction_implications_for.pdf ). This combination of MAO Inhibitors (which slow the clearing of neurotransmitters) and nicotene (which increases neurotransmitter levels) is a powerful one-two punch in elevating mood.

From the above, it's clear long-time smokers have been living on antidepressants for a long time. Some theorize that many smokers are, in fact, self medicating a long term problem with depression.

It's not surprising at all that long-term smokers will feel depressed after they quit; withdrawl from antidepressants is *known* to create very strong side-effects. Further, many long-time smokers may need to replace the antidepressants they've been smoking with traditional antidepressants so they can address their mood problems without having to ingest several hundred known carcinogins.

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To everyone out there who's ever tried Chantix… I recently went to the Amen Clinic to get a brain scan and the findings were absolutely incredible. I know it differs for everyone but I highly suggest if you have the money to go to the Amen Clinic and they will help you. In the last month I have had incredible improvements in my life. The doctors told me that Chantix depleted my serotonin. Which is the cause for my depression, anxiety, anger and much more. The reason antidepressants didn't work is because they were trying to rebuild my serotonin but I didn't have any serotonin to rebuild because the Chantix depleted all of it. This is only my story and I share it because I want everyone to know that there's hope. The doctor said it might take a year or two. It's just nice to know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. I've been miserable for over a year and now I can begin to live my life again, slowly, one day at a time. I wish you all the best of luck!!

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Over one year ago, I took Chantix for 9 weeks. I have been very depressed since. Although I do have a history of anxiety, I have not had issues with it in years. Since taking Chantix, I just can't shake it. Until now I've t.hought the depression was simply coincidental. But I'm just not sure any longer. Has anyone had similar experiences?

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I'm at a loss. Two years ago my once mellow, sweet husband started Chantix, two weeks in he became violent and irrational, started having blackouts, hallucinations, paranoia and seemed to be completely disassociated from reality. His personality and behavior did a 180. Within two more weeks he was in physical pain, his back and legs were cramping so badly that he was bedridden for days at a time.
He is no longer violent or having blackouts but he is always anxious, angry and irritable, doesn't find any pleasure in anything, his memory is shot and he has a hard time making simple decisions. The cramping in his legs and back isn't as bad but it's still there, his hormones are imbalanced and he now has digestive problems.
The dr that prescribed the Chantix refused to listen to me when I told him about the side effects, saying that my husband had reported to him that everything was going fine, screw the police report proving that he had a 6 hour blackout and got lost walking 100 feet home from the neighbors house. Soon after that, when my husband told him that life felt like a bad horror movie (the hallucinations combined with the disassociation) he signed off on another refill and then dismissed my husband from the practice, refusing to continue seeing him.
It's been two years, an army of dr's making guesses and handing him prescriptions and there is still no change. I would love to hear from anyone that was able to successfully recover from similar Chantix side effects.

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I as well am suffering from long term depression after taking Chantix. it has been 6 years of hell for me. I've lost my job, my home, motivation, creativity and the ability to enjoy anything but very stong stimulation, as soon as the stimulation is removed I fall into a dark emotionless hole. the only things that spear me pain are sleeping and smoking pot, i am not a pot head and do not receive pleasure from smoking it it just numbs me to the depression I feel. I do not offer this infomation as a solution as smoking pot does have negative side effects. so if you try this option only smoke a little, i.e. a puff or two every 6 to 8 eight hours. if you get high you've used to much and your disabilities from the depression will remain. The only thing the pot does is easy the crushing feeling of depression and allows you to start enjoying the little things again. aside from that I regret to say if you've lost the person you used to be before taking Chantix That person is at best a shadow only seen in the bright light unfortunatly we live in a very dark world so good luck on recovering. I'm approaching 7 years after Chantix and the only thing the medical professions have to offer is another pill or therapy of some sort. I refuse to take another pill because a pill caused this and therapy has yet to make any difference.

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I honestly do not believe there is a cure for the mental an physical pain we all feel from Chantix. I started Chantix Sept 23, 2011 and quit taking it in early Dec 2011. I quit talking it because I started to become seriously angry and violent. Now a year later I am still angry, violent and have been diagnosed with MDD. I've never been depressed a day in my life until Chantix. I've been on a number of meds and nothing has worked. I don't know where my hope comes from but at least I have some to get me through each day. I'm miserable and just want to be free from this depression, anxity and fog. I want to sue the maker of chantix and take them for every penny they have. This is not fair to live like this. It's a very sad way to live. It's amazing though that no one knows how to get rid of the after math effects. It completely changed the chemistry in my brain. I am a sober alcoholic an have been for the past 5 years and I do and try anything. I do wish everyone the best of luck. God bless you all.

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My father took Chantix for almost a year starting in 2008. He had no previous history of mental problems. Within a few weeks of starting the Chantix his moods completely changed. He became very angry, violent and paranoid. My mother actually feared for her life. The doctor kept prescibing the medicine to him and dismissed our concern for side effects. My father refused to admit he had changed, and would become so angry when we mentioned it, we were afraid to press the issue. All along he had still not stopped smoking. I convinced him to try acupuncture which did work. After the acupuncture, he stopped taking the Chantix. He slowly started to calm down. He is still not the person he was before. The violent behavior has stopped, but he is still constantly irrated and angry. There is NO WAY I would ever recommend Chantix to anyone. However, on a side note, the acupuncture worked wonderfully. It was $300 for 3 sessions, and he kicked a 35 year habit.

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If they let me post my email it is {edited for privacy} I study Neurobiology. Please get in touch with me.

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Hi. Your mom has one hell of a lawsuit. I don't know how this site works so I don't know how for u to contact me please write back. She has an excess of dynorphins. She has to block her Kappa receptor NOW. You can't imagine the absolute hell she and anyone else on this site. She needs buperenorphine

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All the same for me. I took in Jan 2008 after the birth of my second daughter. By May, bought a Harley, left my family and just quit showing up to work. I stopped in July of 2008 after consumption of the new script and hitting rock bottom.

I have never felt the same again. My joy for life zapped........ Seven years later, I am beginning to think that the end is the only relief. I have been on everything. Been to different doctors. I have been arrested more in the past 3 years than I care to mention but always end up in a behavioral clinic instead of being charged with anything. At glance, I am a hard working father of 4 who wakes up and goes through the motions because I don't want to be that dad.... The one I had, for a small part of my life...... Anyway, Chantix has destroyed not only my life, but everyone else's life I touch.

I came across the post about the rhodiola rosea..... couldn't hurt, after all, NOTHING else has worked.

It has been 2 weeks today. I tried the suggested 3 doses of thuja occidentalis (200ck) and took no more. I also bought a multi extract vitamin for the lack of a better word for adrenal support that included 250mg rhodiola rosea and quite a few other extracts that I will not mention due to dis sapient in product.

Day one. Felt a noticeable boost in energy, it was not so hard to motivate myself to blink. BTW, I felt when I started this that it was a waste of time and money and 8 fact took an extra 3 terrible weeks to get the stuff, so I can rule out placebo effect for the most part.

2 days later, back down. Started to get irritable again and sat back in the butt groove. Other symptoms. Quit the supplement for 2 days.

Went back and bought just Rhodiola Rosea 500 MG 5% rosavins 25mg.
Suggested 2 cap 1 -2 times daily.

Day 1. 2 caps in am. Energy back. Irritable and impatient.

Day 2. 1 cap in am. Great energy. Tapping my feet and not bad composure. 1 cap in pm....@ 5. Little irritable but not dwelling on issues as normal. Way less urge to revert back to a couple nasty ices to calm me down like I have been doing for years.

Day 3-7........ Way better mood!!!!!!!!. I wake up ready for the day. It's not a burden or "out of the way" to pick up all of the kids from school after work. I get home and am making dinner..... and cleaning up after? I don't know if I recommend this treatment anymore! I just realized I'm doing everything now. Went to dinner..... in public and stood in a mall parking lot on the coldest night of the year so far to watch Macy's put on a fireworks display to Christmas music and DAMN IT, I loved every freaking minute of it..... This is all stuff I " don't do". Even suggested a walk through the mall to look at the decorations and left my cattle prod in the truck.

Sooooooooooooo. So far so good! I know how hard this is so I will try to keep updating good and bad. I hope this is a way to help some of us if not all.

A lot of old interests are peaking again. I feel joy. Food is palatable. Time with family is already improving so there is definitely something happening here. I found out my estranged father died Sunday and have taken the news well.

I have read less is more. Start slow, because I have to admit that I really super dosed in the beginning and it was not benificial. I have seen them in 100 MG but I also read that a higher concentration of rosavins is one of the main factors. This is used for a lot of issues and I have noticed overall improvements in many areas.

Fatigue.... non existant
Energy.... moderate
Mood....Good but still on edge, could be due to no alcohol either.... But I have not had the overwhelming desire to drink so that's another plus.

Minor constipation

Appitite back

Sleeping well.

Bought everything from the vitamin shop. 20 for the Rhodiola and 10 for the thuja.

Biggest testament is that I actually took the time to post this. First time I have ever posted anything. Ever.

Good luck. I hope it helps. I think it actually does here.

STAY STRONG! F phizer

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IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING TAKING CHANTIX PLEASE READ THIS. I tried Chantix in September 2007. At the time, I was 44 years old and had a job heading up a research laboratory in a major Pharma company (I have a PhD and had always been professionally successful). I was divorced but had a happy 14 year old daughter, many friends and close family members. My house was clean and fairly organized. I had smoked since I was a teenager and really wanted to stop. As a teenager in the 70's I had used a number of recreational drugs and as an adult I enjoyed alcohol. Nothing prepared me for the catastrophic consequences of Chantix. I actually received two Chantix prescriptions end to end but never finished the second one. I began to lose all pleasure in normal life activities, started drinking too much and too often due to a sudden massive increase in feelings of depression, anxiety, anger and loss of motivation. It is now June of 2013. I still smoke, I have been largely unemployed since the end of 2007, my daughter moved to her father's in November of 2012 in despair, I do not talk to friends very often and do not like to go out. My house is a disaster. My financial situation is bleak. Whereas I used to have very high standards in terms of personal hygiene and maintaining my personal appearance I now usually wash my hair in the sink and mainly stay in the living room rather than go upstairs at all even to shower. Stopping drinking for over six months did not help. Given that I had experience with other drugs in my youth (even some of the real nasty ones like methamphetamine, PCP and LSD, used for alot longer than I used Chantix) and had about 25 years of succeeding in all of the areas of life essential to survival and happiness following this recreational drug use, I really believe that Chantix has permanently changed me into a different person. I am still trying to fix things but it is hard to shake the feeling that nothing matters. What I think Chantix can take away from some people is the feeling that what you do in life matters and the will to survive. I also feel that Chantix had a significant impact on my mental / intellectual function and acuity. As a scientist I would love to have a control of myself-identical experiences with the exception of Chantix exposure to truly be able to prove that this was the pivotal factor. After reading the posts in this forum I guess I will try harder to get things back on track. I appreciate all of the experiences folks have posted on this site and wish you all well.

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My husband started taking Chantix two months ago. Within a few weeks he started becoming angry. Four weeks later out of no where he decided he no longer wanted to be married and couldn't stand to be around the kids and I. He's angry, moody, crys all the time and very very depressed. It's almost like he's biopolar. He stopped taking the Chantix after the 4th week. However, he can't shake the side effects. He's gone to the doctor and was put him on Xanax. Which it seems this has not helped. Within the last 7 days he's only had maybe 8 hours of sleep. He started taking Ambien, however even with taking 3 or 4 of these, hours apart nothing helps him sleep or with his depression.
He's got this dead look in his eyes and it appears nothing seems to make him happy. Chantix completely changed him!

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My husband took chantix four years ago and he says he hasn't felt right since. He is moody-mood swings, depressed almost severly. He is not the man I married 8 yrs ago. He is confused, he is loosing weight and he is a ticking time bomb. I am to the point where I think we all should get together and do something about this. This is a mind altering drug that they don't know what it is doing to people.

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Bingo! The voice of reason. Chantix was the only thing that could help me quit. It made me feel stramge for a couple weeks but now, a year of not smoking. I feel so much better.

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You missed the point that her father had not stopped smoking.

I am having similar trouble. I took Chantix for a few weeks, which caused severe depression and anxiety. The severity lessened when I stopped Chantix, but still returns to this day on levels from minor to pretty bad.

I stopped Chantix several months ago, but the effects it had on me are persisting, and I still smoke. So it has nothing to do with NOT smoking anymore.

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Hey again, i have a solution to the problem, I have been taking a health supplement witch contains Rhodiola Rosea, this is an herb that helps to reproduce the dopamine, and helps with adrenal function, and doesnt take very long to start acting... please try it... i am starting to feel good again

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you should go to health shop and find something that contains the herb Rhodiola Rosea...
it will help the you with the feelings you have, also go see a homoeopath and see if they can give you 3 doses of Thuja 200c to be taken morning, night, morning stop... these things will keep you on the upside of life, and the thuja will deplete the effects of the champix... and Yes I am speaking of experience, contact me via {edited for privacy}

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Update!

Better everyday! :)

I am not a medical professional, just a laid off pool boy in Michigan. I can only speak from my experiences and hope to help others beat the hell I have been through. I just keep reading more and more about everything and reserve a pessimistic mind set on the matter even though I KNOW I am changing for the better. I dont want to be a victim of the placebo effect.

Before starting this "remedy" , I was suicidal, depressed and just to sum it up, a shell of a being just waiting for the end. I would hug my kids and go stand on a chair in the garage with a belt around my neck while I tried to muster up the courage to take the final step forward.

I took that step a few times but thankfully, something always happened to make the attempt for the day unsuccessful. Since 2008, I have hurt myself more and made half- hearted attempts to end my life more times than I can remember.

I couldn't wait to get laid off so I could go into a mental hospital and get every possible prescription to try and get better. I really thought this was the only way to go.

I started taking these adaptogens the week before I actually did get laid off thinking if it didn't work, I would finally succeed by walking a block to the freeway and jumping off the overpass. I knew exactly where I was going to go, how I would make it over the fence, time of day and chose the west bound side because traffic moved faster.

Grim accounts, but brutally honest. I feel even the most embarrassing details are warranted for the poor soles whom think they are far worse than I was.

I have added a couple other things since the start of this regimen, and also removed a lot of my addictions that I could never escape from in the past.

Before starting , I drank almost daily, smoked about an ounce of pot a week but really didn't feel high ( I could smoke joint after joint and bowl after bowl and not fall asleep or get the munchies). Also I was up to almost 2 packs of smokes a day. All of this just "helped" me get through everyday and no matter how hard I would try to quit, the overwhelming urges won every single time. I couldn't even go buy diapers without coming home with 4 24 Oz cans of the cheapest, strongest beer I could find, then after they were gone, getting in my truck to go buy just one more, 2-3 times, every time. That equals 14 ice beers almost daily! I would drink on my drive home from work, during work and believed I functioned fine. Nothing seemed to have the effect it should of. I got pulled over once for not signaling and did so good on the field sobriety check that the officer didn't make me blow into a breathalyzer because he believed I had 1 beer when I really already had 10 in me. Scary!

Every time I couldn't afford pot I would throw fits until my wife produced the money (usually taking it from a bill just to shut me up). I knew exactly how to work her. This woman has never smoked marijuana and hated that I did. She could not handle the monster I would become for more than a day or so. If she tried, I would end up with something around my neck again.

As far as cigarettes, I had never been successful. I could never beat the urge.

All of theses addictions 100% worse since 2008. That was just me. If you didn't like it, I didn't talk to you anymore. I only associated myself with people who could feed my habits and distanced myself from everyone else.

Although I am currently using an e cig, which sucks in itself, I have not had the urge to buy my beloved Pall Mall Menthol's. Not once. I don't know why, but its not even a thought anymore. I have been smoke free for a week and a half. About 9 days longer than I have EVER gone without giving in or being forced by my non smoking wife to "just go buy a pack". I would always throw the same fits every time she " made me quit" till I got what I wanted.

I don't want a beer, and no desire to smoke pot anymore after 22 years of doing it. (Habit and amount of marijuana increased 10 fold after the chantix).

I have learned that all of these addictions create a happy feeling that my brain was not producing by its self. I was a rat hitting the feeder bar, and although I didn't like whom I had became, the disgust was never enough to stop me from getting what I wanted. I had just become a huge spoiled brat that always had to have his way.

OK, so I am irritable and edgy right now with high anxiety. Going through a lot of withdrawals I know. Its all manageable though where it hasn't been in the past. I might blow up for a second here or there but its a lot easier to take a deep breath and continue on. I don't stay mad for days over issues I can not recall anymore like I did. I put myself around temptations on purpose. I still make that walk to the beer cooler when I go to the store, but now I walk right by and think it would be nice to have just one, I no longer HAVE to get it and happily, I have yet to drink.

Another long winded post, I hope you have read this far. I just want every one to know the kind of behavior I presented in the past that's only an embarrassing memory at this point.

I still have a bowl loaded up with the last of my marijuana from a week ago sitting on the fireplace with a lighter waiting for me to give in and "my guy" owes me at least an eighth of an ounce he is still waiting for me to pick up. I have a half pack of cigs from the last day I worked ( November 13th).

All of this still looks me in the face because I don't understand how or why any of this is working. No one else in my life has changed. Kids still brats at times, wife still nags all of the time, house still isn't kept to my standards and I am laid off. How is this possible that I am not going insane and reverting back to drugs and alcohol. I don't know but I am glad that a person with zero self control is feeling as great as I am. I really think I am ready to pitch all of the mentioned. This is awesome and I hope that others can be healed as well.

If only I knew about this stuff before my mom died at 52 with all of the problem that she had. I used to be in pain, everywhere, every day. Back, knees, shoulders and no strength. Most pains have subsided. I am eating again, sleeping great and can just do the daily mundane crap that life entails without the sense of doom that hung over my head.

So this is what I have been doing, again, not a doctor, this is not a prescription, take all necessary precautions and educate your self a little as I have. I will post any negatives as well as update with a shorter post in a week or two. Good Luck! You deserve life, I hope you all get it back as I have seemed to.

Still no visits to the doctor or prescription medication. I no longer feel like that's the only answer.

I am taking at this time........ I am still adjusting schedules to determine whats best for me.... Do the same for yourself. There are many different products and strengths. I have a habit of over doing things to get an immediate benefit but am starting to realize that sometimes less is more in this case. Trial and error.

AM:
Rhodiola extract 340mg (3% rosavins= 10.2mg) 1 capsule
St. Johns Wort 300mg 0.3% hypericin 1 Capsule
B-12 5000 mcg 1 quick dissolve tab with a glass of Naked Green Machine Juice. ( I don't eat vegetables or fruit much so this helps me get the other stuff I need)
Fish oil 1200mg 1 Capsule

@12pm. Fish oil and another St johns Wort

@5pm Fish oil, Rhodiola, more juice.

A couple hours before bed:
Ashwagandha extract 470mg
5-HTP 200mg 1 time release tablet
St. Johns Wort

Then I fall asleep and actually dream waking up feeling great and energized to get on with my daily routine. I also make sure to wake up at the same time everyday for I read this is important. 6.5 hours of sleep has seemed better than 8, But I still like to sleep, so I try to go to bed by 10 or 10:30. Its not hard, the 5-HTP really relaxes me and I am not forcing myself to turn in.

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hi Reigan, u seem to no brain hysiology. That was good advice on the rhodiolia and it leads me to think you are aware of the endogenous opioid peptide dormancy in the DNA genome 11. The crimes against humanity that the pharmaceutical industrial complex and our government and psychiatric industry have condemned a large part of the population to a fate worst than death, to suffer in abject misery a disconnect from self. soul self. This is "biblical" Regain, not in a christian king james bible biblical but in an ancient "mystic" gnostic, vedic, upishands, meister eckhart, sufi, zoraster, zohar truth kind of biblical. The endocrine system, is the chakra system. The pineal gland is the "seat of the soul" and I have gratitude every day for the wisdom of rene'descartes. please contact me as I would love to share what information I have come to in 8 years of scientific research, and 8 months of graced gnosis. just the fact that ssri's and ni's have the inability to reach organism should be clue enough to the disconnect. Prozac is 30% fluoride. The monoamine hypothesis has been debunked a thousand times over and MAOI'b's have no FOOD INTERACTION.
I am sorry if this is rushed and not cohesive. google barbara S. stanley, antonia S. new...;Borderline personality disorder; toward a neuropeptide model. Evil cow she is dr stanley. They have known "mental illness" is physiological, endocrinological, biological interfacing between p[9ep[9tides, neurons, and receptors manifesting as behavior deemed "mentally ill, impulsive, drug addicited alcoholic , lest we not forget the root cause of these is existing in a state of "learned helplessness", which is not behavioral at all, but an inability to access self. the you "god" whoever she is :), that is a joke, its half male too! designed and created you to be. But due to DNA menthylation and cellular imprinting causing the "mommy" gene to be dormant, causing the god particles, oxytocin, beta endorphin, vasopressin, homeostatic interp[9lay with the melatonin in the p[9ineal gland to be non existant. HOMEOSTASIS homeo ,human stasis , stable

Thank you

Laura
research scientist/advocate

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Get a life Monty

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