Chantix and Bipolar Disorder

Hey, y'all --

I want to warn you - be very, very careful if you take Chantix. As a matter of fact, if there is any other way for you to quit smoking, DON'T TAKE CHANTIX IF YOU HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER!

This is coming from someone who has taken it twice. The first time was about a year ago, and it was directly before I ended up in the hospital for that manic episode. I didn't think the two were connected, because one of the side effects of Chantix is depression. But I have since read a blog where another woman said it also sent her into a really, really bad manic episode where she had to be hospitalized, too.

I did quit smoking, but I started again 6 months later. This was 6 months ago, and now I wanted to quit again (since I thought it was a fluke with the Chantix last time), so I asked my doctor for another prescription for Chantix.

About 5 days into the Chantix, I started getting depressed for no reason at all, no trigger. My personality started changing -- I was irritable, anxious, agitated, and often angry. Totally opposite my "normal" self.

Then starting the 6th day I thought I had a stomach bug. I started feeling really nauseous and wanting to vomit all the time. I couldn't eat for 2 days. I lived on ginger ale and crackers. I spent the days in bed or on the couch.

I didn't think it could be related to the Chantix, because the first time it gave me migraines, but I wasn't getting any this time. I finally took out the package insert anyway, and read it word for word. That was the big revelation, and why I'm writing this post to warn you.

The package insert says that the most frequent adverse reactions are: nausea, sleep disturbance, constipation, flatulence, and vomiting. (I had all those). The sleep disturbance they're talking about is that you have these crazy dreams.

The package insert also talks about adverse reactions directly related to psychiatric disorders, and I quote:

"Frequent: Anxiety, Depression, Emotional disorder, Irritability, Restlessness. Infrequent: Aggression, Agitation, Disorientation, Dissociation, Libido decreased, Mood swings, Thinking abnormal. Rare: Bradyphrenia, Euphoric mood, Hallucination, Psychotic disorder, Suicidal ideation.

How many of those symptoms are directly in proportion to symptoms of Bipolar Disorder??!!
And yet there is no warning NOT TO TAKE CHANTIX IF YOU HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER!!!

I called Pfizer, the drug company that makes Chantix, and spoke to their medical representative directly, and they were not exactly friendly. All they would say is that they did no clinical trials with subjects who had bipolar disorder. I told them that I did have bipolar disorder, that I had tried Chantix twice, and that I was telling them that both times it had exacerbated my bipolar symptoms -- and that I thought there should be a warning put on the pamphlet that says not to take it if you have bipolar disorder.

This man told me that there IS a warning! He says it ISN'T on the PATIENT package insert, however! It's only on the doctor and pharmacist insert. That if you have "it" (now, he didn't specify bipolar), you should be closely followed by a doctor if you take Chantix.

Well, I'm telling you, please learn from not only my experience, but the hundreds and hundreds of people who are posting on the Internet who have bipolar disorder of their bad experiences (some horrible, even suicidal) with Chantix-- and DON'T TAKE CHANTIX IF YOU HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER!

You know that I usually don't take such a hard stand on anything -- I just don't want to see you get hurt or go into a bipolar episode. One woman put it this way: "You are better off dying from smoking than taking Chantix." Now that's a strong statement.

If any of you have had any experiences with Chantix and your bipolar, please post back.

Remember that God loves you and so do I,
Michele