Chantix - The Stop Smoking Pill

[Kimberland30]

I know this should probably be posted in the Health and Beauty forum, but this seems to get more traffic and I need some opinions.

I have been prescribed Chantix (http://www.chantix.com/content/Chantix_Branded_Homepage.jsp?setShowOn=../content/Chantix_Branded_Homepage.jsp&setShowHighlightOn=../content/Chantix_Branded_Homepage.jsp&source=google&HBX_PK=s_chantix&HBX_OU=50&o=%25epid!|%25eaid!|%) by my Pulmonary Specialist so that I can quit smoking. I've tried the patch (they won't stay on my skin), the gum (ewwww!) and cold turkey. I went a month without smoking and started back up because I'm just not ready. Honestly, I don't WANT to quit, but NEED to quit. Hence the script for Chantix.

I've received mix reviews about it. Some people have done great, others not so much. At $100 a month for the pills (which insurance will not cover), I don't want to invest in this unless it works.

If anyone has first hand experience with this drug, or knows of someone who has, could you provide me with how you/they did? Is it still working for you/them? I believe this is a 4-month process and I'm eager to get started, but need more information before spending the $$.

TIA!

[AttyGrl74]

My mom (30+ year smoker) is on it now and is doing very well on it.

I don't have any of the details, but I think that the cost of it overrides a lifelong smoking habit and the possiblity of resulting medical costs down the road.

[MrsD108]

My best friend started it about a month ago and has not smoked in over 2 weeks. She said she no longer has an urge but she has been playing with a pencil everyday to keep her hands busy. She like it alot better than the patch and said it was much easier. She paid $30 to start and then it was $119.

[MichelleRenee]

Well, I am assuming you want the truth... good and bad. My sister was on it. It helped her not to smoke but within 2 weeks she had to quit taking it because it made her throw up a lot. As with any medication I am sure it affects different people in different ways but she said she would rather do it cold turkey than take those pills again.

I was very disappointed when she had to stop taking them. :(

[tenofcups]

DH and I have been seriously discussing it. We know several people who have gone on it and quit. They've all been smokers for something like 20 years and pretty heavy smokers at that -- and to a person, they say quitting has literally been EASY for them with this pill. I don't actually understand the process, but something in this pill apparently makes you actively not want to smoke. (Apparently one of the women wanted to prove that she *could* smoke even when on it, so insisted on having one cigarette--according to her husband, she clearly wasn't enjoying it and didn't really want it, but kept on only to prove she could...)

I also discussed it with my doctor, who highly recommended it. I forget the exact figures she gave me, but it was a pretty high percentage of people who were still not smoking a year later, far higher than with any other method.

I'm fairly sure DH and I will go ahead and do this together. There's currently a major crisis in my family right now, so this is not a good time for me to try to quit, but I'm envisioning that we'll probably move foward with it in a few months.

[May27JnJ]

My DH wants to take them. We've heard that it causes vivid dreams and the squirts. Ew.

[Kimberland30]

Well from the website, Chatix works by like this...

There are receptors for nicotine in the brain. When smoke is inhaled, nicotine attaches to these receptors. This sends a message to a different part of the brain to release a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine gives a feeling of pleasure. But it only lasts for a short time. The body wants to repeat this feeling. Based on research, it is believed that CHANTIX™ (varenicline) works by activating these receptors and blocking nicotine from attaching to them. However, CHANTIX does not contain nicotine.

My DH wants to take them. We've heard that it causes vivid dreams and the squirts. Ew.

This almost made me spit strawberry yogurt all over my screen. I can deal with squirts (better than lung cancer right?), but not while sleeping and having vivid dreams. :) :)

[Kimberland30]

Well, I am assuming you want the truth... good and bad. My sister was on it. It helped her not to smoke but within 2 weeks she had to quit taking it because it made her throw up a lot. As with any medication I am sure it affects different people in different ways but she said she would rather do it cold turkey than take those pills again.

I was very disappointed when she had to stop taking them. :(

Yeah, unfortunately nausea and throwing up are side effects, as well as constipation, gas and sleeping...none of which I hope I have if I decide to take this med.

[Neen]

My father in law has been taking this since late February. He was a heavy smoker (2 1/2 packs a day) and had smoked for probibly close to 40 years. He hasn't smoked a cig since mid-march. His lung capacity has improved greatly (when he started he had the lung capacity of a 98 year old man, he's now back down close to what his age is, he's in his sixty's). The expense has been the only problem he's had, but he's kept with it.

I'm really glad he doesn't smoke anymore because he moved in with us in February (after a bad bout with pneumonia and a hospital stay)!

[kk junebug]

My father was a long-time smoker. In my 31 years of life, he has always smoked.
He started Chantix March.1st and hasn't had a cigarette since. He tried everything before this, and nothing stuck.

I don't know about any side effects he has had. But he said that in the beginning it was hard, but he kept himself busy so as not to smoke out of habit. and he's been taking one day at a time. some days are harder than others (like with any addiction, really) but for once in his life he feels like he can keep going w/out the meds and w/out smoking.

i believe he went thru 2 rounds (or so) of the 'script just to keep it safe. and he is still smoke free. the cost is high, but it probably evens out w/the amount of money one would spend on cigarettes every day/week. plus, the intent is not to be on the meds forever.

i wish you and anyone else all the luck with this!

[tenofcups]

My doctor did mention stomach issues as a possible side effect. I don't know what percentage of people experience those problems. She didn't say anything about vivid dreams and I haven't heard anyone else mention that either, but now that I've heard about it, I'll ask next time I see the people I know who've used it.

[Dotsie]

One of my best friends started the pill last Monday. She hasn't had a cigarette in 3 days. She doesn't think she will continue with another month of the prescription. She doesn't think she'll need it. She has no side effects at all. She keeps expecting them to pop up.
Good Luck!!

[May27JnJ]

We have a couple friends who have taken it, along with a local radio DJ and they said they had vivid dreams pretty much every night. None of them finished their script.