Chantix – is it really a magic pill?
Some people have found that when all other medications have failed, that Chantix was the one medication that effectively helped them to finally quit. Chantix works like a nicotine blocker, for the brain. Chantix attaches itself to the nicotine receptors within the brain, which blocks that absorption of nicotine. Over time, it lessens the desire to smoke, because there is less feel good receptors available for the nicotine to attach to, making you want a cigarette less and less.
Many people have quit using this method relatively easily, with very little withdrawal symptoms, even longtime, three pack a day, and smokers are amazed. Chantix is available only by prescription, so you need to assess in the office visit and make sure that your insurance will cover Chantix, many insurance companies are slow to cover smoking cessation medication in general. However, if your insurance happens to cover Chantax, expect it to be in a higher tier of your pharmacy co-pay.
Since Chantix contains no nicotine, it is not necessary to quit smoking when you begin the medication. You will receive a starter pack that gradually builds up the medication in your system over the next two weeks.
Is recommend that you have a quit day toward the end of the two weeks, although there are people that have extended it up to three weeks, allowing the medication to build up further in their system.
There are several side effects that have been experienced, but this can vary greatly from person to person, and are normally temporary. Extremely vivid dreams are most notable especially during the first few weeks of using the medication, as well as excessive gas, nausea and in some cases headaches.
Chantix comes with a very good, free online support system and is designed for you to start receiving support even prior to beginning medication. Daily e-mail updates are sent to your inbox, that direct you back to the site for further support with projects, designed to help you keep on track.
Chantix is not for everybody and although it is a very promising medication, some people have more of the psychological addiction to nicotine, than a physical one. In the latter case Chantix. could work very well and does offer some behavioral support. However if you have more of the psychological addiction to nicotine Chantax may not be the right medication for you and your doctor may recommend a different medication better suited to your needs.
As with any stop smoking aid, success comes only accompanied with a strong desire to stop smoking. If you don’t have the desire to finally quit smoking, there is no miracle pill out there that you can take and suddenly become a nonsmoker. All of the medications that are now in the market are designed to give us a little bit of an edge in our battle to overcome our smoking addiction, but not do it for us.
My husband used this product for about 3-4 months. The first couple of months was good. He all but stopped smoking, no withdrawals. He had the vivid dreams side effect and said it was sort of disturbing as to what he dreamed.
On the last month, he became extremely easy to anger. Was nervous and jittery and bordering on aggressive.
I finally took the medicine and threw it away. I explained to him why and what I could see happening. He really didn’t “see” what was happening but went along with me. Within a week of being off Chantix he was back to himself but the smoking was back and more.
Hi Shelley,
Yes, unfortunately we see this with a lot of pharmaceuticals. The thing is with drugs is that they can make them as powerful as they want, but ultimately all drugs seem to do is suppress things, not actually cure them. It seems to be that way with most pharmaceuticals and that is how the big drug companies make buckets of money. But that is another story.
Chris
My husband went to the doctor and got chantix to quit… I warned him I’d heard bad things about the side effects but he insisted he needed it…
The first few days he was an angry angry person, hadn’t even quit smoking yet, hadn’t even cut down… I was walking on egg shells all week, he finally mellowed out… then the dosage was upped on week two. He was a horribly angry and mean person, we had the worst argument of our lives, he said such awful things, threw food and beer cans, it was insane. I grabbed the pills ran to the bathroom locked the door and flushed them. He couldn’t see what was going on, it was like he had the worst PMS in the world. he still hadn’t cut down on cigarettes. This was all the drug. … now he is trying NRT with gum .. he’s frustrated and irritable but at least he is still himself.
Chantix was a depressant. Awful awful stuff.
Hi Erin,
Sorry to hear that, although it is not the first time we have heard about the adverse side effects of Chantix. Hence why we recommend products with natural supplements only.
Not to rain on your parade, but replacing nicotine with nicotine gum probably won\’t be the answer either, but I still wish you all the best of the luck.
Chris
I’ve been taking Chantix for two weeks now, Other then a few vivid dreams I’m doing just find. I haven’t smoked in 5 days and feel pretty good. I haven’t had any anger issues at all. I’m keeping a positive attitude about it. So far I’m very happy with Chantix…
I am a former Chantix user. It’s been about 2 years. I had no problems except for a few crazy dreams and I prespired a lot more than usual. I stayed on it for about 3 months and didn’t smoke after the first two weeks. I was highly motivated because I have COPD. About a year ago I started smoking again. I am seriously considering going back to Chantix. I guess that makes me a success. It does help.
Hi Nellie,
Chantix does work for some, I agree. However the fact that you started smoking again after a year leads me to believe that there is an educational portion missing in its use.
I wish you the best of luck in quitting again, but I would encourage you to find a more complete program as quitting multiple times does not really dictate a \’successful\’ method.
Chris