Champix review: 14 days on Champix ruined my life, Doc.

“Further to my post (number 87, posted in June 2009) I’m still suffering the same symptoms two and a half years down the line, I’ve been through over 2 years of tests, have lost my job, almost lost wife and children and now, the doctors finally say that they feel that it was Champix that has caused all this. In the very next breath they also said that proving it will be almost impossible and that getting any legal recourse will be even harder, so there we are – 38 years old and basically on the scrap heap until they can hopefully figure out a way to deal with my symptoms. So where do I go from here, I don’t know, the doctors don’t know either, I’ve used all my savings just to live the last couple of years and I can’t function day to day, legal action would be futile and I cant fund it, so all I can do is sit and stare out the window and watch the world go by…

Chantix Champix Reviews: How long does the suffering have to go on?

 

*Update 1: If you or a loved one has suffered a bad reaction to Champix and you are based in the U.K., you can report it to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) here. The more people do that the clearer the true picture will become. Protect others! Report it.*

 

**Update 2, 4th November 2011:

The American Food & Drug Administration (FDA) were recently reported in the Business section of the Washington Post as reassuring smokers that Chantix (known as Champix everywhere outside the USA) “does not increase psychiatric problems”, according to two small studies involving 26,000 smokers.  Since this flies in the face of everything else they know about Chantix already, it is surely irresponsible to say such a thing at this time, because the caveats added to the story further down do not carry anything like the weight of the inevitable headline.  Meanwhile, this article in the Daily Mail reports a study which states exactly the opposite.

Why?  Because the Daily Mail is not bending over backward to assist the pharmaceutical industry – even at the expense of smokers’ lives, if that’s what it takes – whereas the FDA very clearly is.  The testing and approvals system is corrupt as hell, using every possible means of dragging their feet so that Chantix/Champix stays on the market and remains ‘approved’ regardless of how many individual smokers’ lives are ruined by the drug.

The Truth Will Out Campaign has been trying to alert smokers (and doctors) to the dangers of this drug since Autumn of 2008 – so these unnecessary delays drive me pretty crazy – but just imagine the frustration of this commentator on the new Daily Mail report:

“Oh now they make this a huge statement. My mom used it in mid 2007. She ended up in a mental hospital. Thanks Champix. This stuff shouldn’t even be on the market!!! I still can’t understand why it is, with all these accounts of suicide! I read horror story’s back then after this happened to my mom about people killing themselves or having illness such as bi-polar disorder activated in them. My rule with all drugs is, if it hasn’t been on the market for more then 10 years…DO NOT take it. You never want to be the guinea pig. Sorry for all those who ended their lives because they were manipulated this drug.

– Danielle, USA,
3/11/2011 6:08”

 

***Update 3, 21st October 2012: Pfizer settle first Chantix suicide case out of court http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-18/pfizer-settles-first-chantix-suicide-case-set-for-trial.html?cmpid=yhoo

 

14 Days on Champix Ruined My Life, Doc

by hypnotherapist Chris Holmes

I just had an update from Andy, who took Champix (Chantix) for only 14 days.  That was two and a half years ago, and this update is the latest reason I believe this medication should be withdrawn immediately.   This was the original message from Andy in 2009:

“I started taking Champix on December 1st 08 and took them for 14 days, during the time I took them I felt progressively more and more ill, I contacted my doctor twice and was told its normal to feel ill on them and to keep taking them. On 14 th December 08 I was admitted to hospital with chest pains, 1 week later and a lot of tests I was discharged, no diagnosis, just sent home, since then I have been diagnosed with Diabetes and Reynauds Syndrome, have balance problems, problems with my endocrine system and have been off of work (now lost my job), so how do you go from healthy to feeling ill and being admitted to hospital in 14 days, then 6 months later have the same mystery symptoms, my guess is that as Champix works on receptors in the brain it messes with a whole lot more than just dopamine receptors.

“Can I prove this? The answer is no. I’m a layman and the doctors tell me it isn’t the case, they know because they looked on the manufacturers website, so coincidently within the 2 week period I was using champix I turned diabetic, suffered circulatory problems, endocrine system problems and lost my balance and gained vision that comes and goes as it wants, lost the ability to work, drive my car and generally do things that normal people do, also I dont know where the end of this is, nor do the doctors.. If you google Chantix lawsuit you will find that in the US there are a whole heap of people with similar problems to those I’ve suffered, and am suffering now, find another way to give up smoking, I wish I had….”

So how has Andy fared since then? Has it all worn off, is he back to his normal self? Did the advice to stop taking Champix if you suffer any ill effects save him? After all, he was only on it for 14 days. Here’s Andy again:

“Further to my post (number 87, posted in June 2009) I’m still suffering the same symptoms 2.5 years down the line, I’ve been through over 2 years of tests, have lost my job, almost lost wife and children and now, the doctors finally say that they feel that it was Champix that has caused all this.

“In the very next breath they also said that proving it will be almost impossible and that getting any legal recourse will be even harder, so there we are, 38 years old and basically on the scrap heap until they can hopefully figure out a way to deal with my symptoms.

“So where do I go from here, I dont know, the doctors dont know either, I’ve used all my savings just to live the last couple of years and I cant function day to day, legal action would be futile and I cant fund it, so all I can do is sit and stare out the window and watch the world go by, happy days 🙁 ”

So I thought that Andy’s dreadful outcome deserved a post all to itself. After all, it originally appeared on the thread of comments following my “Champix Chantix 4 – Enough Already” post back in 2008, when I was suggesting that too much suffering had already resulted from this horrible drug. Evidently Pfizer and Andy’s doctors did not agree: they had to ruin his life as well, and many others all over the world. Perhaps Andy’s doctors have finally started to get the message but it is way too late for Andy, and now they are suggesting that nothing can be done legally. Actually I beg to differ Andy, let’s not assume that. Failure to withdraw this drug immediately has to be negligence. Every single victim deserves compensation when the dangers were known YEARS AGO. Andy is not the only one to develop diabetes after taking Champix, despite being perfectly healthy beforehand. Check this little lot:

And that was published in May 2008 – six months BEFORE the drug was given to Andy. This killer drug is still being aggressively marketed and there are still doctors and “quit counsellors” handing it out with scarcely any warnings at all. It’s CRIMINAL.

Sufferers: report it. Doctors: don’t prescribe it. Smokers: don’t take it. Pharmacists: don’t stock it. BMA, NICE, MHRA, FDA… you are all responsible for this rogue drug ruining innocent people’s lives. For Christ’s sake, STOP IT NOW. Personally I think that YOU are the ones that should be sued… along with Pfizer, let’s not forget them. They know it hardly works for anyone in the long run anyway, only in the short term. 86% failure at one year. Do you think Andy would have ever taken it if he had known THAT? Do you think ANYONE would? Champix is just the latest fraudulent “wonder drug”, but in terms of the damage it is probably the worst yet. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these drug giants has another nasty little concoction all ready for the hype train that turns out to be even worse, because the testing procedures are no longer looking at the long term effects or results of any new medications now: if it shows ANYTHING that looks like a positive effect, that’s it! That’s all you need, stop the trial right there, get out the big rubber stamp of approval and off we go again.

Alarmingly quick to approve, criminally slow to withdraw – that’s the FDA and the MHRA for you, and that’s why I’m calling them all lackeys of the pharmaceutical industry. And it’s people like Andy and his family who are paying the price for this global drug profiteering.

Nothing we can do, Doc? I’ll tell you what we CAN do, for a start: lose all faith in your ill-informed ‘advice’ – which is no more than drug company hype – and don’t take the tablets. It has really come to something when it takes two years for the patient to get their own doctor to realise what is wrong with the pills, hasn’t it? For shame, Doctor.

the book that blew the whistle on the nicotine scam

safer alternative

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More smokers’ comments follow this post

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My original post on Champix Chantix April 2008, and almost 300 comments that followed

The Truth Will Out, Pfizer!

198 thoughts on “Champix review: 14 days on Champix ruined my life, Doc.”

  1. How about posting some success stories? it seems you just want to scare people off using Champix in an attempt to satisfy your hunger to damage the reputation of this drug.

    I know lots of people who have succesfully given up smoking with no serious side affects. The problems i read here is more of the poor care and monitoring recieved from doctors.

    All drugs have side affects its up to the dr to ensure you are able to take them

  2. Hi Matthew, thanks for that. If you search the Champix/Chantix blog section you will see that over the last three years I have written many posts on Champix which have drawn hundreds of comments overall. I publish all comments, good bad or indifferent. I’m glad you had a better experience, and I know that you are probably unaware of the extent of the harm this drug is doing in many people’s lives and how utterly unpredictable it actually is.

    This is partly because Pfizer have been covering it up since 2006, and if they hadn’t, it would never have been passed as if it were safe. I’ve been researching this for three years. At the beginning, I had an open mind. I certainly don’t now. This is the latest twist in this very ugly tale of corruption and horror. I never said for a moment that it affects everyone this way, but if it had caused YOUR death, or that of any of your friends, I’m damn sure the families affected would be up in arms about this.

  3. Hi Chris, I think your time would be better spent highlighting all the illnesses and suffering smoking can cause rather than this vendetta against Champix. It has worked for me. After trying all possible other methods champix has finally released me from the evil weed. I respect you as you are obviously a very clever guy. However whilst I am sure there are cases where the drug has caused misery in peoples lives the majority of people would not suffer these horryfing experiences on champix yet im sure many have been put of taking it because of your site. I would also like to add that when trying to give up smoking with willpower alone I have experienced many of the symptoms that people on this site have put down to champix ie depression (Not life threatning) emotions all over the place, mood swings and the like. I think you are doing the right thing by highlighting the risks but feel a more balanced view could be even better
    Regards Gareth

  4. Gareth, I’m glad you’re happy with it because you have stopped smoking and Champix didn’t happen to damage you or kill anyone you know personally. I refer you to my other answer above.

    Champix should be withdrawn immediately because it would never have passed the safety review if Pfizer hadn’t diverted crucial evidence through the wrong channels. In other words, it was approved for safety by mistake or by outright deception, I am not in a position to say which. That is why the French Health Minister quickly withdrew public funding for it in that country. Do you think I am making this stuff up?

    One day in the not too distant future, Matthew, Gareth and everyone else who has glanced at the odd page of this site but actually hasn’t looked into it too deeply will be watching an item on the TV news, and muttering: “Oh, shit. So Chris Holmes was right then.” Sadly many more people will be dead by then because of Champix, or will have had their lives ruined in some way.

    As for smoking, I have spent the last eleven years helping smokers quit in just 2 hours with hypnotherapy, and it has a far higher long-term success rate than Champix – as does acupuncture, and the Allen Carr method. All involve NO risk.

    Standard medical practice should be to only consider proceeding to methods that involve risk when all methods that are certainly not dangerous but do offer reasonable success rates have been tried already. It is a medical no-brainer, Doc.

    Of course I don’t bother telling smokers all about the “illnesses and suffering smoking can cause” – is there a smoker in the world that doesn’t KNOW? No, that usually what someone does before they try to sell some poor smoker Champix.

    As for a balanced view: all comments that come in here are published, just as yours was. On this particular thread I’m outnumbered 2 to 1 at this point. No matter, I’ve read all the other threads. I think everyone should, before they make a decision about whether or not to take Champix. If they then decide to try something less risky, it will be because of what the other smokers experienced with Champix, not whatever I say.

    Just common sense, really.

  5. This one came in by email:

    Claire wrote:

    “I have been taking champix had noticed nausea, muscle aching, behaving slightly irrationally until dosage increased and then following an afternoon at a pub I turned in to a psycho and walked home. Then I got in my car and drove it at 10
    miles an hour until I was finally pulled over by the police. I can not remember a thing and even the next day felt like I was in a dream. I have been driving for 30 years, clean licence and no criminal record. The only change was Champix.
    I stopped taking the tablets immediately but have now been banned from driving.

    There is no warning of the combined effect of alcohol and champix on any of the packaging. It is obvious that the average person in the street is dispensable in favour of the profits of the pharmaceutical giants. They do not care how many lives they wreck – please do not take this drug the side effects are life changing. Thankfully my employer is being supportive but it is now going to take me 2 hours to get to work each day. Despite providing evidence in court of the side effects no dispensation was given. in fact prior to my case, a guy that had been banned twice before with a higher alcohol reading received a lesser punishment!

    Just to clarify, I do not condone drink driving in any shape or form but I had references from employers and friend saying how out of character my behaviour was which made not an ounce of difference. I did not knowingly get in the car with the intention of driving: I was in lala land.”

    So, as always, I emailed back to see if I could put the message on the site. This was the response:

    “Hi Chris,

    Absolutely fine by me and if I can help someone else, then at least something positive has come out of this complete nightmare!!!.

    I am lodging an Appeal and intend to get a forensic scientist to clarify and explain the effects that this ‘medication’ can have as I am so angry about the whole episode…..on the balance of probabilities this is no coincidence there has to have been a causal link.

    Kind regards
    Claire”

    Damn right there is a causal link, Claire – same thing happened to Carter Albrecht, who ended up being shot dead by a neighbour – same thing happened to British actor Nick Williams, who attacked his girlfriend after drinking whilst on Champix. But Champix does these things to some people all by itself, without alcohol even being involved, so we shouldn’t be surprised that alcohol makes it worse in some cases.

    The key phrase that comes up again and again – and points very clearly at Champix – is “OUT OF CHARACTER”. But even now – four years after Carter Albrecht’s tragic death – it is the Champix USER that finds themselves in the dock, not the manufacturer; and that’s just wrong. Especially when Pfizer buried some of the evidence of serious side effects in the drug trials so that the FDA wouldn’t see how bad it really was. That’s evil. Even if it was a mistake, it was appalling negligence which has lead to further deaths. But Pfizer have been prosecuted for misleading people about their medications before. They should be the ones in the dock, not people like Claire and Nick.

  6. I took Champix in circ November 2010, it effected my memory and general mental health.
    I commenced taking them for 2 weeks, misplaced my tablets (how ironic), three weeks later I went back to my GP to be given another script which commenced me on full strength straight away, i took this for a further two to three weeks.
    This medication still to this day 6 months later has effected my mental health, my memory is still no good and I have a continuous feeling of mild intoxication. Due to my career and current attempt to change career I am not able to follow this up with my GP.
    My advise to anyone is NOT to take it.
    I have now been smoke free for 6 months from sheer will power alone

  7. i have been backwards and forwards to doctors and hospital suffering from chest pains, depression lack of breath can,t walk more than 20 metres before i stop for breath i,v had all types of tests they can,tfind the problem i took champix in april 2011 for 14 days yes i stoped smoking but have never been the same since i can,t do my job properly so i,m on the sick been on 4mounths and no sign of going back champix has ruind my life i have memory loss have no energy i have no idea how long i have to suffer this i wish i had never stoped smoking if this is my future

  8. I have been taking champix since january 2011…aproximately 6 months and in those six months my side affects have been naseau and fits of rage..i get angry and expect that when u quit..but this was violent. I have a weird dreams and almost feel like im still in my dream the nxt day. I have had some progress on not smoking and i even stopped drinking coffee,i can usually feel really good on champix or really emotional,it is obviousley different on evryone.

  9. I only took champix for about 2 and a half weeks. I am only 25 but I have a heart problem and need to have a serious operation so I really wanted to quit before damaging my body anymore than it already was. The only side effect I suffered from was nausea and vomiting. I understand that everyone reacts differently to different drugs but I’m happy that I have given up smoking and the nausea seemed like a reasonable sacrafice to make. Before they would even give me the prescription I was practically interrogated by my doctor to make sure I could handle it and after being given the prescription I was warned over and over to read the info leaflet and to stop taking them and go straight to the doc if my mood changed or my emotions changed and especially if I felt in anyway depressed or defeated. Because of that warning I was constantly on the look out for these symptoms but thankfully nausea and vomiting were the worst symptoms i had. I didnt finish my course…not because I had been scared off by the website but because I thought I have gotten rid of the habit and so I didnt want to put my body through anything more than I had to. I think its great that you are showing people the possible side effects of this drug but I also think it is important to point out that these are in fact just “possible” side effects and everyone does react differently to different medications. Champix helped me quit but if I thought it was impacting my mental or physical health I would have stopped straight away. Everyone is different and even though it worked for me that doesnt mean it will work for everyone… but couldnt the same be said about all medications and all types of treatments for quitting smoking… hypnotherapy and acupuncture included?! P.S. Im glad to say it has been 2 months and still no smoking or cravings.

  10. Hi Finnian, thanks for joining the debate. Did you hear about the latest independent research which indicated that Champix raised the risk of heart attack by 72%?

    Check this out.

    Looks like you were lucky, but I don’t think they should be giving Champix to people like yourself. And yes you are correct, hypnotherapy and acupuncture don’t work for everyone BUT as I have said over and over again on this blog, they involve NO RISK so it should be a medical no-brainer that everyone should be offered those services FIRST – and the only reason they’re not is because of the massive lobbying power of the drug companies on ‘medical authorities’ around the world.

    That ain’t science and that ain’t medicine. That’s basically corruption: power and money twisting everything, and people are dying as a result – and if you had died on this drug, my friend, I’m sure your loved ones would be 100% in support of the Truth Will Out Campaign.

  11. I though that I would post my view on champix here.

    I have been taking Champix now for 17 days, i used to smoke 20 a day and now am coping with just one cigarette before i go to bed, however, i have noticed (more in the last 5 days) that i have muscle twitches (especially a really annoying one in my left eyebrow) the last four days i have been sick every morning, difficulty in sleeping, and severe stomachache.

    Now i will let you decide, in one way, great i never thought i could go through a full day with just one cigarette, on the other hand, i am getting fed up with my constant stomach ache and finding a bin or somewhere in public where i am able to throw up.

    i will continue to use champix, as i think its worth it, but please think carefully what you really want before starting this drug

    thanks for listening x

  12. dont kid yourself, these things work. i have smoked up to 80 a day for 38 years and in the last 10 yrs i have tried to stop many times with no luck. even after 5 bypasses in 2001 i started again.you have to want to quit first. your mind is still going to tell you to grab a smoke, but champix seem to make it easy to say no. the craving lasts only a few seconds if you get busy. and yeh i feel like crap sometimes. ( not as bad as dead i guess ). with 9 kids and at 52 years old i gotta squeeze in as much as i can now. you can do it, but champix dont do all the work you have to help. good luck.

  13. Who’s kidding themselves, Terry? The facts are, 86% failure when you look at the results at one year. No different from Zyban, except the cases of suicide and other horrific side effects are far higher with Champix.

    I never said it doesn’t work for anyone at all. I hope it works for you. But the number of people saying “It works” when they are still on the drug is the reason Champix has a reputation for ‘success’ it doesn’t deserve, because success is not counted in temporary effects, but long term outcomes.

    Hope it doesn’t hurt you, Terry. Good luck.

  14. I doubt this post will ever see the light of day but I thought I would write it anyway.
    Chris I would have to say that you have lost the plot.
    Number 1 – Around 5.4 million deaths a year are caused by tobacco, yet you seem to be concerned about a small number of people that have died because of this drug.
    Number 2 – Over 443,000 Americans (over 18 percent of all deaths) die because of smoking each year. Second-hand smoke kills about 50,000 of them, champix does not even warrant a whole number percentage.
    Number 3 – Tobacco use will kill 1 billion people in the 21st century if current smoking trends continue. but forgive me if i am not sympathetic to the handful of people who take this drug and die even after the doctor has explained to them the long list of side effects.(death is listed as a possible side effect although it is highly unlikely)

    And let’s not forget number 4 – CHRIS you are an absolute nut job that believes almost any conspiracy theory put forward by teenagers off their basement computers. this is a quote from one of Chris’s other websites [Editors note: No it isn’t – see my comment below!] – “On why the Canadian government allows a cabal of psychopathic eugenicists and Satanists to poison Canadian citizens with high atmospheric chemtrail spraying containing neurotoxins, mood changers and cancer causings substances. Your government loves you little sheep and is planning new inoculations and poisoned foods for your enjoyment, safety and ultimate demise. Wake up you stupid people.”

    [Where did Brenton get this crap from? I have never written anything that sounds remotely like any of that!]

    part two of this rant – “The Canadian government is run by a hierarchy of idiots, minions, perverts, pedophiles and psychopaths, Satanists and Luciferians, Cabalists and Royalty, all ultimately controlled by Reptilians and Lunatics. And the whole lie is perpetrated by the Hasnamasses in the media of lies and deception. My goodness, what a cosmic Tale. Unfortunately, it is true.”

    These comments do not come from a man with his sanity intact. [You provided them Brenton! I didn’t.]

    And to conclude, you are a hypnotherapist who claims to be able to free the participants from their habit (ADDICTION) in one 2 hour session, I’m sure for a hefty price.

    p.s. – You even had to publish your own book.lol but I’m sure you had publishers banging down the door for this one. PLEASE DO US ALL A FAVOUR, START SMOKING SO THAT WE DONT HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS DRIBBLE FOR YEARS TO COME.

  15. Oh, it will see the light of day, Brenton. Not only that, you’ll never be able to remove it, which might prove a bit embarrassing since the mad rant you have quoted there is NOT from any website of mine! I know nothing about the Canadian government, being BRITISH.

    1). The fact that smoking kills a lot of people is not in dispute. There are a number of ways to quit smoking which do not involve the risks presented by Champix, and Champix would never have been passed as if ‘safe’ if trial data had not been submitted to the FDA “through the wrong channels”, so it got missed in a vital safety review. After that fact emerged this year, the French govt stopped funding Champix with public money because of the safety issue – NOT a conspiracy theory, boyo: FACT.

    No.2 – See answer to Point 1).

    No.3 – You haven’t read the HUNDREDS of comments from smokers and Champix users in the Champix/Chantix blog section of this site. Most of them were NOT warned, which is why I’m doing this, genius.

    No.4 – Compulsive habit, NOT addiction. The plain fact that my clients experienced NO withdrawal and no cravings whatever after a successful hypnotherapy session is what first made me realise that all that stuff about “withdrawal symptoms” must be an error, or else my clients would experience them too. Cravings are NOT withdrawal symptoms, as the book explains; but of course you won’t read it, will you? You’re too busy reading crazy conspiracy-theory sites and making crass errors about their authorship!

    £120 is what I charge, not excessive. Most smokers save it back in less than a month. I used to smoke, but I got bored of it and quit by myself before I knew anything about hypnotherapy. I’ve been a hypnotherapist for 11 years, written two books, and I have two popular websites, this and the Central Hypnotherapy one. And you have…. well, made a bit of a dick of yourself, frankly. But thanks for playing.

  16. Wow this is heated!
    I have just started Champix after smoking a pack a day for 5 years (not a long time in the scheme of things but enough for my health to suffer). I have to ask Chris have you yourself taken this drug? Have you ever been a smoker? Yes you seem to have done your research and so on but iim not sure where youve got you information from, could you put any references up to your statistics?
    I have to say that if people are stupid enough to buy medication online without a doctors prescription then thats their own fault. Something as brilliant as champix has got to have side effects (like people have said before in this blog the side effects mentioned by you can actuallly be just from quitting smoking). There is no wonder drug and there is no pain free way to get out of addiction. Unfortunately we (and I) chose to take up this habit and there are always going to be adverse reactions (its a drug!!).
    Good on you for being a hypnotherapist though and endorsing that. I think its a pretty amazing way to live life as we all have minds stronger than we think and hypnotherapy is an avenue people can use if they cant overcome a weakness.
    I do need to say though please stop scaring people away from champix. If people access it from the right avenues and have the right support around them they would know not to keep taking it after the terrible side effects. Its a personal choice and for me its an easier (but definately not easy :)) way to give up nicotine forever. Id orefer a few headaches and tears to cancer.
    Maria
    sorry should note also i have a history of depression and anxiety. I dont sugar coat and I know when something is good or bad. MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS PEOPLE!!! DONT BE SCARED OF LIFE!!!

  17. i might also add that for you to say that nicotine is not addictive is utterly ridiculous. it has been proved and proved again that nicotine can control the flow of neurochemicals (including dopamine which i surely dont have to explainto you?) which means they are either picked up or not by receptors in the brain. seriously you need to get a grip if you believe what you have writtnen about yourself. yes its the habit that keeps most of us going but after going cold turkey after 3 days i think you would realise the serious neuro chemical dysfunction that goes on,most people see this as a headache or as the “symptom” they experience but if youve ever studied neuroplasticity or even just the brain (which i have) you would take back those ridiculous comments

  18. Hi Maria! Look, I’m not going to waste time repeating the same answers to the same questions over and over – clearly this is the only post on the site you’ve read.

    I have been collecting feedback on Champix for three and a half years, and publishing it here. Many people have challenged me on various points and I have answered those points elsewhere on the site. At the end of this post is a list of links to Champix-related articles elsewhere on the site, followed by hundreds of comments from smokers.

    Maria, if you have a history of depression you were given Champix in direct contravention of the manufacturer’s guidelines, and the prescribing guidelines. I suggest you read the other comments on the site: you will see I am NOT “trying to scare people”, I’m trying to warn them because their prescriber has certainly not told them the whole story and in fact probably doesn’t even KNOW the whole story.

    re your last post: I shut down smoking habits, cravings and all, in two hours, routinely. Whatever you know, or think you know, about the brain – can YOU do that? No withdrawal, no bad moods, no desire to smoke, habit not replaced by anything else – just GONE. No reference to dopamine, nicotine receptors or any other brain chemicals! One happy non-smoker. I’ve done this with thousands of smokers over eleven years. It’s routine. Cravings are not withdrawal symptoms, and anyway we get lots of cravings, they’re not all about tobacco.

    If you cannot cure smokers in two hours, and neither can the Doc, or the pharmacist, or the drug company, or the neuroscientist – but I CAN… who’s the expert? You guys should be listening to me, not trying to tell me what’s what.

    That’s why I wrote the book. The addiction theory is WRONG: the fact is, you guys don’t know the difference between an addiction and a compulsive habit!

    I do. I’ve been an habitual smoker, drinker and drug addict. I’ve had more habits and addictions than you’ve had hot dinners and that’s probably why I’m good at what I do. I shut down coke habits, gambling habits, smoking habits, drinking habits and bad eating habits every working day of my life, and I wrote a book to explain it to everybody. You’re welcome. Brenton (and others) have tried to belittle that because it is self-published, demonstrating their complete ignorance about a) publishing history (I’m in very good company!) and b) current publishing trends, driven by technology.

    By the way, hardly anyone who has actually read the book tries to tell me I’m wrong. It is only people who haven’t read it, which is what I call “psychic reviewing”. Then there’s the research from Tel Aviv university that backs up what I’m saying anyway. The evidence you have asked for, Maria, is in the 400 page book, and there’s quite a bit more in the 300 page second volume. Either is available as a download for only £5.

  19. hi there,i used champix for 2 weeks and stopped due to mood swings, however i then had really really realy bad stomach problems basically the top of mny stomach felt like it was going to explode, not sure if anyone has had tht since taking the tablets?? the doctor even perscribed me lanzoperozole 30mg which did not help, i actually used to cry with the pain and it was always at night time its started to effect my job!! then i fell pregnant a year and half later and to my suprise i have not had these stomach pains since and hope they do not return! i feel as if my 8month old daughter has been my blessing!! i was realy just wondering if anyone else had the stomach pain at the stop of ya stomach feeling like it was going to explode?

  20. This came in by email, proving my point to Brenton that smokers are NOT being warned by doctors & NHS staff, many of them are being told Champix is perfectly safe. This begs the question “Do doctors know the truth, or are they just parroting drug company hype?”

    Hi Chris,

    I have been taking Champix for about a month now. I’m feeling alright, I think, but starting to worry a bit after reading all these articles and comments! I have lost my job recently (Friday) and I’m feeling really low at the moment, but I assume that I would have anyhow, no matter which medication I am on, due to my current circumstances… but I am starting to wonder if Champix might make it worse.

    I might not have looked thoroughly enough on your website and I apologise in advance if I’m making you repeat what you already said, but if I decide to quit taking Champix now, before the 12 weeks course I’ve been prescribed, would I get any withdrawals symptoms? Should I only reduce the amount for a while or quit cold turkey? Would I also struggle to stay off the cigarettes if I quit Champix after a month?

    Also, I need to add that when I saw the NHS people in a ‘Quit smoking’ session, I have been told that Zyban was NOT to be prescribed if I had a history of depression, but Champix was totally safe. I then read the leaflet and was amazed to find out that it has a huge warning saying it might cause suicidal thoughts nd depression! A warning from the NHS nurse would have been appreciated.

    Anyhow, I’m seeing them again this Friday, so I’ll see what they say about quitting Champix. Just wondering what your opinion is.

    Thank you for your research and your help.

    Josee

  21. Hi Vicky, hope those horrible pains don’t return… yes, others have suffered serious physical pains but not only in the stomach. This is the weird thing about Champix, it seems to cause dozens of different bad reactions in any number of places, which doesn’t help when smokers are asking for advice about it – what should we say?

    Josee, not sure what to advise you either about Champix itself, but if the NHS told you that it was “totally safe”, I would certainly be doubtful about their ‘opinion’ because it seems they are very ill-informed. It’s your health we’re talking about here, and you have no comeback on them if Champix damages you because the warnings are on the leaflet. Pfizer and all medical persons are legally covered because you are supposed to read the leaflet.

    If Champix damages you, but you didn’t read the leaflet, it’s your own fault for not reading the leaflet. They provided a warning, but you failed to take due care by reading the information so it’s not their fault. If you did read it, and decided to take Champix anyway, it’s your fault for deciding to take the risk, because they DID warn you it was dangerous.

    Catch 22, isn’t it? Conclusion: find a good hypnotherapist, try the Allen Carr approach, try acupuncture. All perfectly safe, all have better success rates than any of the drugs.

    I never take tablets nowadays, haven’t been near a doctor in years. I don’t trust any of that anymore, after what I’ve learned through all this. Scientific it AIN’T. It’s corrupt as hell, and the FDA, the MHRA, N.I.C.E. and all those drug ‘approval’ bodies seem to be totally ineffective at controlling the drug industry. Just avoid them, that’s my advice folks. Don’t trust, use or buy their products – it’s only their sales that make them more powerful than politicians. Natural therapies are more in tune with the human body anyway.

    By the way, I’m not saying that because I’m a hypnotherapist. I’d been a hypnotherapist for years before I found any of this out. Prior to that, I trusted medications and medical opinion just like anyone else.

  22. Hi Chris, hope your well.

    Started taking Champix 15/08/2011 and had my last fag on 27/08/2011 and my last champix 30/08/2011 so just over 2 weeks on the tablets.

    Today is the 15/09/2011 and I still have headaches, broken sleep, and depression. The nurse at the smoking cessation session I went to was quite clear regarding the possibility of the side effects. She also stated several times that if I have any depressive thoughts to stop the champix immediately,

    I have made an appointment with her on 21/09/2011 to discuss my feelings with her regarding the champix and why I had to come off them after only 2 weeks..

    Even though I have packed in smoking, I feel that the champix is too high a price to pay. I am quite simply not the person I was before taking the medication. I am hoping that within the next few weeks the champix will be totally out of my system and I will return to normal.

    I had packed in previously through cold turkey so know that these feelings I have are not related to not smoking.

    I would encourage anyone to pack in smoking, but please stay away from Champix unless you understand YOU WILL GET THE SIDE EFFECTS, YOU WILL GET DEPRESSED, YOUR CHARACTER WILL CHANGE AND YOU MAY HAVE LONG LASTING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS. It is no good the nurse/medical practioner saying you may, YOU WILL!!!!.

    I only experienced them for two weeks. I do not understand how you could stay on them for several months without serious issues.

    I hope through your work you’ll get Champix more effectively controlled or at least open peoples eyes to the negatives.

    Regards

    Andy

  23. Thanks for your support Andy, much appreciated!

    This one came in this morning by email, and it’s grim:

    gary lewis wrote:
    I used Champix 2 years ago and gave up smoking for 6 months but I couldnt handle
    the side effects. I was having very vivid dreams, was always feeling sick and
    getting almost unbearable pain behind my eyeballs. My friend also wanted to give
    up smoking so I suggested champix but explained the side effects that I had
    suffered. He went on a course of Champix and one evening he coughed and went
    totally blind (permanently) in his right eye. His optical nerve popped. I feel
    terrible for him and wanted to know if there are any similar cases or support
    groups to help. I look forward to your response…..Gary Lewis

    Gary, nothing would surprise me about Champix now. Any similar experiences out there? We’ve had quite a few comments about unbearable pressure or pain, in the head, in the stomach – also seizures – but this is the first case of blindness I’ve heard of so far.

    Incredible that governments all over the world ignore hypnotherapy – which is risk-free, and works far better than any medication – and instead use public money to fund this global Champix Experiment just because it keeps the drug companies happy. Corrupt as hell, aren’t they?

    Spread the word, don’t take the Suicide Pills. Truth Will Out, we’ll make sure of it!

  24. hi not to dis whatother people have suffered but i started taking champix on 31/07/11 last fag 11/08/11
    not had any side effects to talk about but stopped taking tabs last week due to all the hype not saying this medication is the answer to everyones dream of stop smoking but seems to have worked for me if we are all told we will hang our seves often enought then the odds are some people will actually do this letrs all judge on our own experiences

  25. Ah no, you see what happened was, some people taking Champix hanged themselves, THEN I decided to tell people about this because the doctors thought it best not to mention it. The suicides are not caused by suggestion, they’re caused by the drug. And by doctors handing it out to all and sundry without any hesitation.

    N.B.: Not all doctors do that, I’m not tarring them all with the same brush.

    But you know, Malky, it ain’t easy to judge anything from your own experience if you’re dangling by the neck from the rafters because nobody warned you that the drug had already had that effect on innocent, unsuspecting smokers before.

  26. Hi chris

    I am starting my first tablet tomorrow morning 21/9/11, i have been a heavy smoker for 25 years i started when i was 16/17 years old and i am now 41 years old (approx. 50 – 60 per day) with roll your own tobacco. I have tried to give up many times before with patches, chewing gum, accupunture and nothing has seemed to work for me so far. I have spoken to the quite line and they suggested champix tablets for me, so i went to the doctor today and he explained that there are possible side effects to which i might experience being from mild ones to bad ones and if any symptoms occur then i must stop taking and see him straight away (which i told him i already new about after reading different websites – which had bad reports and good reports). I have also spoken to the chemist who gave me the tablets and she told me that she took the tablets about 4 years ago and they worked perfectly well for her with no real side effects eccept for some bad dreams and i also spoke to the sales woman at woolworths shop today and she told me that she had also taken the tablets with no side effects either (she stopped smoking for 3 months untill some tradgety happened in her life and she took up smoking again). I appreciate the postings you have on your site here but i have a choice to either keep smoking and die probably within the next couple of years or to stop smoking and to become healthier and taking champix is my last resort for now and hopefully my savour even though i realise that i will probably get some of the side effects – every one is different to how they react to different drugs – some react badly and some are ok.
    I have taken Xenical weight loss tablets before and they have alot of mild to servere side effects yet i experienced none of them even though small to medium percentages of other people taking Xenical did experience them.
    So not all drugs that have side are experienced by everyone who takes them – the only experience i did have from Xenical was weight loss and i am sure that will be the case with Champix for me.

  27. Are you? Well I’m not clear how you can be sure of that in advance, but at least you’re aware that others have had problems so it’s a judgement call any smoker is free to make.

    Best of luck David. Please keep us informed of your progress?

  28. Hi Guys,

    I was on Champix at the beginning of this year and did the 12 week course…I had the usual side affects of Vivid dreams, Dry mouth and aching eyeballs. Apart from having these side affects they worked a treat…I had tried NRT in the past using patches and gum but your just replacing the cigarette Nicotine with another form which I still got addicted too and did become dependent on the NRT.

    Have been off cigarettes now for 10 months and it was all down to the Champix….Having smoked for 18 years I thought nothing would help but they were amazing!

    If NRT doesn’t work for you and you can withstand the side affects (if you get them that is) then give them a go.

    Cheers

  29. Hm. Aching eyeballs is not one of the side effects commonly mentioned, Andrew, but it was mentioned a few posts back by Gary (No.23):

    I was having very vivid dreams, was always feeling sick and
    getting almost unbearable pain behind my eyeballs. My friend also wanted to give
    up smoking so I suggested champix but explained the side effects that I had
    suffered. He went on a course of Champix and one evening he coughed and went
    totally blind (permanently) in his right eye. His optical nerve popped. I feel
    terrible for him…”

    Who could “withstand” that?

    Hypnotherapy is risk-free, doesn’t give you nightmares, no dry mouth, no searing pains anywhere, no nausea or seizures. Champix has caused all of those, and it doesn’t work as well as what I do. I seriously suggest that smokers should give hypnotherapy a go before you risk any of that physically threatening stuff.

    This isn’t advertising, by the way: the vast majority of people reading this don’t even live in the UK, let alone anywhere near Manchester, England. I just think Champix should be withdrawn because it has killed more people than any other anti-smoking medication, and smoking is more often cured by methods that haven’t.

  30. Here’s another email, this time from Stuart:

    “My name is stuart and my life is currently in tatters due to champix. I started taking it around three months ago and shortly after I got it into my mind that my sister in law was trying to wind me up in several ways, with the ultimate goal of wrecking my marriage. Over the past 3 months I have phoned her and shouted at her uncontrollably, calling her nasty names and scaring her half to death. And at the same time I was arguing with my wife trying to make her see that her sister, and eventually her whole family, were trying to split us up. I have been paraniod, constantly angry, depressed and even telling my wife I wanted to die. Then last saturday it all reached a climax where another row with my wife, again about her family being against me, resulted in me having some sort of breakdown, my wife had to take my son and leave because she was so scared and I was left switching between crying uncontrollably, having a wild rage and even uncontrollable laughter. I had to call myself an ambulance and due to it being a mental health issue the police had to attend too. I was taken to hospital but was told that because I hadn’t actually harmed myself that there was nothing they could do for me; so they took my blood pressure and sent me packing.
    Now a week later my wife is too scared to come back, my friends think I’m an arsehole and I’m left feeling lonely, abandoned, depressed and wondering how to pick up the pieces of my life.”

  31. You have Pfizer to thank for all that, Stuart. PFIZER. And they don’t care how many smokers are damaged in this way because they are making so many, many millions from Health Authorities all over the world funnelling vast sums of public money into The Great Champix Experiment that personal tragedies just don’t matter.

    Except to the French Health Authority, who stopped doing that because of the horrors that are happening to people like Stuart and his family, and the fact that Pfizer fudged it so that the FDA missed quite a lot of evidence of this sort of damage that came up in the drug trials by submitting the evidence “through the wrong channels”. Whoops! Careless, Pfizer. Or was it?

    The French Health Minister wasn’t having that, and stopped funding Champix immediately. I’d like to know why all the other Health Ministers in the world are preferring to look the other way.

  32. I’m sorry Chris, that is horrible on every level and its very unfortunate for your friend…He/you must have been horrified about what happened….there must have been some underlying problem with his eyes for it to do that when he coughed!! Everyone reacts differently to these drugs and if you take them to help you stop smoking, (They helped me) you know from the side effects mentioned within! Your doctor should talk you through all the risks involved too….Mine did and he was very clear that if I do get any of the side affects to stop them immediately!!

    If we only turned Hindsight into foresight hey?!?

    Cheers

  33. That was Gary’s friend that was partially blinded by Champix, not mine. Of course, Pfizer’s legal team would also suggest an underlying problem with the eye (the problem is the smoker, not the drug) …and you’re right, the doctor SHOULD talk each smoker through the dangers but we already know from hundreds of smokers that have commented on this since 2007 that they often don’t.

    That’s why some smokers who have had their lives wrecked are furious, and why I’m writing this blog. To warn smokers. I’d want to be warned about it, I know that. Then I’d go and try all the methods that couldn’t possibly ruin my life FIRST, because I’m a human being and human beings are intelligent. [They just need all the correct data, Doc.]

    Of course, with the most successful methods of all – hypnotherapy, the Allen Carr method and acupuncture – you don’t need to read “the leaflet within” because there are no risks. No foresight needed really. And in hindsight, just a much better idea than experimental brain-candy from the most notoriously callous drug manufacturer in the world.

    I understand your personal appreciation of Champix, Andrew, but if you read all of the accounts of the really horrible freak-outs on this drug, it would be obvious to you too that it is mind-altering for some, and they don’t realise that their mind has altered so they don’t stop taking it. The ones with suicidal thoughts genuinely believed they were perceiving things correctly – it’s insidious, it’s wildly unpredictable, it has caused both murders and suicides and it wouldn’t even be on the market at all if the safety evaluations hadn’t been screwed up by Pfizer and the FDA. Accidentally on purpose? Culpable negligence at the very least, one would have thought – but no, the drug has not had it’s safety licence pulled even now – which means that if Pfizer can pull the wool over the FDA’s eyes to begin with, they get to keep the licence even when the deception/mistake is uncovered.

    That’s not science, that’s corruption. Or as they say in the Mafia, “just business”.

  34. this is very scary I have been taking champix for 2 weeks now and I am considering stopping I have smoked for 40 years I am 48 years old I have tried everything to stop and they seam to be helping me. better than anything else has it s miraculous ,the only symptoms I am experiencing are pain behind my right eye and a bit blood shot . a slight dip of depression I have just lost 2 very close relatives and my partner has been diagnosed with M.S at the age of 34 so if anyone should be suffering depression it would be me but no I seam fine with them .after reading the comments on this page I am reluctant to take them but I know if I don’t I will start smoking again so its a tough call which is the lessor of 2 evils ? who do you trust ? I need to stop smoking as my breathing is getting worse I always feel breathless when doing anything strenuous and stopping smoking is the answer after 2 week on champix I can see an improvement in my breathing and I am more able to do things like taking the dog for a walk up the hills and cycling stairs ect I have smoked since I was 8 years old believe it or not and champix is working better than any other thing I have tried any feed back would be gratefully appreciated.on this dammed if I do and dammed if I don’t scenario ?

  35. Hi Chris….just want to say thanks for your site, I was on the verge of taking this medication only last week ( been to smoking cessation and have letter in hand to take to the docs ) The chemist did warn me about possible side effects for people who have suffered with depression, so I thought I would take the chance with them…….until I read your site!
    It appears people who have never suffered any sort of mental ill health have had quite serious episodes…that was enough to scare me off…so just wanted to say thanks for that.
    Also I think your right about the drug companies and the money involved! As smokers have become new ‘great unwashed’ they are easy targets for experiments with new money making drugs….just thought I’d have a little rant.

  36. Money is what it’s all about, April. Big business posing as ‘science’, and they couldn’t care less about the casualities because the few that ever come to court can be paid off later, it’s chicken feed to them.

    Andy, your dilemma is based on the notion that Champix is your “best hope” because it’s “working”.

    It often seems to work at first, which accounts for the hype. Long term outcome is about 14-20%, which is 80% failure. That is a poor success rate.

    Other things you’ve tried probably includes willpower and various forms of Nicotine Replacement products, which hardly help anyone quit for any length of time.

    Hypnotherapy, the Allen Carr approach and acupuncture all perform better in long-term outcomes, and they’re all completely safe. I think Champix should be banned because it is so wildly unpredictable, but even if it isn’t, it should be regarded as an absolute last resort. And proper warnings should be given, not mild warnings.

    Someone just posted on another thread that they were prescribed this with no warnings whatsoever, and commented that if the drug made you feel like killing your pharmacist or your doctor, instead of yourself, they wouldn’t be giving it anyone – which is a very sharp observation! These people are happy to recommend that you take the risk, but they’re taking no risk at all even if you do kill yourself: they’ll never be held to account for it and the damn drug STILL wouldn’t get pulled from the market!

    Who do you trust, Andy? I’d say “the people who have helped thousands of smokers quit, but never killed a single one”, which is the hypnotherapists, the Allen Carr people and acupuncturists.

  37. In December 2007 my 50 year old husband began taking Champix to give up smoking. He was supplied this through his doctor and had a support meeting once a week. After a few days he began to become moody and as we approached a couple of weeks the personality change was huge…he went from being a family man to a man who hated us all. Outbursts, rage etc from a normally very mild man. I told him to stop taking this medication as felt our family Christmas would be ruined. He did and in January 2008 he went to the doctors to explain how they made him feel suicidal and depressed. He was prescribed ZYBAN which when you google is very similiar. On day ten the day he was going to top smoking he was in a terrible mood and stormed off to be alone. He was missing for nearly two months and we his family were demented with worry. What actually happened was he went for a walk and had a massive heart attack and died. It was revealed to me that he had an enlarged heart and an irregular heartbeat. Just a month before this he had had a full medical at the doctors for his job that showed nothing like this and he had had no illness. It was one minute fine and then the next dead. I can’t prove anything but he was wrongly prescribed the second medication as the guidelines state that they should not be prescribed to someone with any signs of depression and he had told the doctors how Champix had made him feel. I do know however feel that these tablets are the cause of his death. I can’t bring him back and my children cannot have their dad back but I would seriously like to say to anyone taking them beware, anything that alters your mind is not good.

  38. I took Champix for 3 weeks and they turned me Gay. I left my wife and kids for another Man with no reasoning involved. I am an ex army fitensss guru and work on building sites and have slept with many women and no way ever a man before. I stopped taking champix and returned to my wife in disgust at myself. Have you had any other cases like this?

  39. I have to say, that’s the first time I’ve heard of that one but nothing would surprise me with regard to this weird medication – it makes some people hate and attack others in a way that’s completely out of character, so why not make someone feel ANYTHING they’ve never felt before? It messes with your brain chemistry, anything could happen.

    So don’t blame or hate yourself, Barry – blame the drug. Blame Pfizer. They know perfectly well that this drug is seriously damaging some people but they are still aggressively marketing it all around the world. Going out of their way to make sure more people are seriously harmed, killed or have their lives or bodies ruined, sometimes beyond repair.

    There are other, safer and more successful ways to quit smoking. None of this is necessary, Doc. Don’t prescribe it.

  40. Lol sounds to me like someone is angry that a drug that works is stealing business from hypnotists who make money by pretending they can hypnotize your to make you quit smoking lol…what rubbish hypnosis does not work….I’ve never been hypnotized by any so called hypnosis but still people like yourself will take their cash happily even tho it didn’t work at all..and you claim to care about what happens to people? What a joke all you care about is cash and deception shameful to take advantage of someone with false promises..you can’t stop someone smoking in 2 hours dam fraud! Your all the same lying scam artists.. I know for a fact it doesn’t work I have tried it..its rubbish you should be the one sued for fraudulent claims!

  41. hi I am just wondering has anyone had side effects such as really bad pins and needles in arms and hands all day long? or in the buttocks…. I stopped taking champix after my 3 month course was up and thats all I have felt for the last 3 days… it has gotten so bad that I went to the doctors and have to get bloods and all the tests… he is also sending me for a cat scan as he said he suspects the champix has damaged the nerve endings all over my body …. does or has anyone had this to deal with? I’m only 21 and am really scared to what the problem is … don’t get me wrong I haven’t smoked since taking champix but if this is what people have to go through I would have taken another option ….. can someone please let me know as I am killed with fright

  42. Jamie, please be reassured that most physical side effects do disappear gradually – I understand why you’re scared but you still have a good chance of a full recovery. Give it time.

    Steve, sounds to me like you’re the one who is angry, which is probably why your hypnotherapist got nowhere with you. Hypnotherapy relies on a positive mood and response from the client. Bad attitudes really don’t cut it. We can tell the client this, but we therapists do not control the client’s response or attitude. When you pay for hypnotherapy, you pay for the therapist’s time and expertise. You do not pay for an outcome. No therapist has an outcome to sell, as the actual outcome will be a combination of how the case for change is presented, AND how it is received by the client. The therapist is responsible for the first bit, but YOU are entirely responsible for the second.

    If you are telling the truth about having had a hypnotherapy session once, with some other therapist, that does NOT qualify you to state that I cannot shut down smoking habits in two hours. It does not even qualify you to state that YOUR hypnotherapist can’t. It only qualifies you to state that he/she got nowhere with you. From reading your message – which positively drips with anger and negativity – I think I know why.

  43. Today is now day 7 of week 3 of taking Champix and i actually stopped smoking on day 12 (day 5 of week 2) and so far the only side effect i have had is that i don’t smoke any more – SO CHAMPIX WORKS. I posted on this site earlier as number 26 and i was asked by you Chris to give an update. I am now loosing weight because i am exercising most days now and i am saving alot of money about $90 – $120 AUD every week which is 3 or 4 packets of roll your own tobacco @ $30 per packet. I did have a dream one time where i lit up a cigerette in it and i didn’t feel bad or good in the dream – and i have had dreams before when i have tried to give up smoking in the past so i think the dreams are only related to giving up smoking rather than the method you use for giving up smoking.

  44. i have been to see a non-smoking clinic which is run by a well know uk shop ‘not naming the shop y the way’ so i was there and we started to talk about it, and i said i have try in the past to give up smoking, but had a relaspe so because of this the person told me that i HAVE TO USE CHAMPIX, i said no i dont want to, but she would not listen and tried to force champix onto me, which resulted in me walking out. why do people do this they always tell us the upside but never say or talk about the down side. i have looked into this and due to me suffered from depression back in the mid 90’s i should consult a doctor about this which i am doing, but what concerns me is that every death and people that took they own lifes have been depressed sometime in they life like me. so why should i take this control drug, if its going to but me at risk. WHY?

  45. You don’t have to Keith. In fact it’s a very good idea not to. In truth, not everyone on Champix who has killed themselves had a prior history of depression. But some did, so the prescribing guidelines are that the drug is contra-indicated in such cases, which means that anyone suggesting Champix is doing that against the manufacturer’s own guidelines AND the medical guidelines.

    What I say is, no-one should even consider a risky option unless they have already tried the methods which work best, AND which involve NO RISK: hypnotherapy, the Allen Carr method and acupuncture.

  46. hey thanks for that chris. my girlfriend took the champix pill at the start of this year with no side effect what so ever! which i think is brillant and she has not smoke again. i have decided not to go down the path with champix, but sticking with the good old patches and stuff at least i feel better with no side effect what so ever apart from to much energy everyday which is great! anyway if the doctor say i SHOULD NOT TAKE champix then i be going to papers to blow the cover on this shop and how dangerous this champix pill is. and hopefully i can make the uk public aware of this bigger problem. 🙂

  47. I have been on chapmix now for a week and a half. Today is the first day where I dont have a splitting headache. My moods have been up and down but I know that this would be a LOT worse if I just went cold turkey. I’ve only had one strange waking dream. It had me walking around the house checking all the windows were locked n that nobody was hiding under the beds! Weird but not a first as Im sure everyone has had to convince themselves they are only dreaming at least once in their lives.
    Please dont think I am dismissing the people who have these awful experiences..but.. it is essential that you return to the doctors if you are uncomfortable in any way with the side effects. Dont take the doctors word for it if he insists it is nothing to do with the drug. Stop taking it. Its your body, only you know how you feel. And, as with any medicine, its not a good idea to drink alcohol with your medication.
    Good luck to anyone who is trying to quit or trying to stay quit. Everyone is different and no one method is the same. Choose what you think will work for you and try to stick with it. But do not mess around with medication if its making you ill!

  48. By the way, I am astounded to read that some folks are taking it for months. I live in Japan and have tried to quit “cold turkey” on numerous occasions. So my doctor suggested Champix. Explained all the possible side-effects etc etc. Anyway, Im only taking 2 week course..thats all I’m allowed. I cant imagine why some people would take it for any longer than 2 weeks…unless its a dastardly plan to put hynotherapists, accupuncturists out of business or tarnish Allen Carr! Sorry, I jest…BANG BANG! aaggh! My knees just exploded! Damn you Champiiiix!

  49. Hi Matt!

    Two hours relaxing in a comfy chair, habit gone. No stress, no weird dreams, no splitting headaches – no side effects whatsoever – habit gone.

    That’s hypnotherapy.

    So why would anyone have to “chooise a method and try to stick with it”?

    Of course, you need a hypnotherapist who specialises in smoking cessation, and you need to approach the session with a positive attitude. Oh, and don’t pay more than £150 for the session, max. Unless the therapist is in Harley Street, or somewhere like that.

    In case you’re wondering, I charge £120 for my Stop Smoking session. It’s a good deal. Acupuncture is probably cheaper, and Allen Carr’s original book (the best one, really!) is only about six quid.

    My book is NOT a quit smoking self-help book. It’s about hypnotherapy, and explains the exact differences between addictions and compulsive habits. It also explains how hypnotherapists shut down habits like smoking. You can buy the e-book for £5 through the Buy The Book option on this site.

    Matt, if Champix is a dastardly plan to put hypnotherapists and acupuncturists out of business, well… it hasn’t worked! It has been around for 5 years now, and we’re still here. My prediction is that Champix will be withdrawn on safety grounds before too long, but of course there’ll be another “wonder drug” right along after it – or a vaccine, or whatever. Watch out for the hype, it’s coming your way soon! It won’t work for most people either, and for the same reasons: it’s not a drug addiction, it’s a compulsive habit. See my book for full details: it’s called “Nicotine: The Drug That Never Was”. It’s had some very nice reviews! Unlike Champix.

  50. Well, thank you for the prompt sales pitch.
    Just to expand a little, I had the dreadful headaches everytime I went cold turkey so Im not ready to lay that one on Champix/Pfizer.
    No, I dont need a hypnotherapist (Thanks for the advice though..as biased as it may be). If I did..I would have one. I needed champix..so I took it.
    I respect your opinions, your profession and your beliefs but when it comes to treatment for the physical or mental the pharmaceutical approach will always win..wether it works or not aside..it will win. So keep up the hard work and stay positive, Chris. Pfizer et al are not out to get you! Oh, and if you like I can send you a complimentary copy of my book. Its called “How To Subtley Use A Webpage To Advertise Your Book”.

  51. Least I’m being honest, Matt!

    No Pfizer et al are not out to get me, they’re out to make money but when they advertised on British television they made it look like a short public information film. They said: “If you’re serious about stopping smoking, consult your doctor”, knowing full well that many GP’s would try prescribing the latest “wonder drug” now that they know from experience that the NRT and the Zyban don’t work for most smokers in the long term, for reasons specified IN MY BOOK, MATT!

    If not for the tiny Pfizer logo that most smokers probably wouldn’t notice down there in the left hand corner of the TV screen, no-one would guess that this “medical advice” was actually a drug advert. That’s how to Subtley Use TV To Advertise A Drug In The UK.

    This is a campaign website, stridently calling for the NHS to stop wasting money on NRT, and stop lying to smokers about 55% success rates that are actually 6% and causing them to waste valuable time and resources on a poison with NO therapeutic value whatever (nicotine), and for internet pharmacies to be made illegal and Champix withdrawn because it is sometimes lethal but smokers are not being adequately warned.

    I’m not trying to be subtle or sneaky. I’m jumping up and down, shouting and waving my arms to try to save lives, and my methods have saved hundreds of smokers – could save millions if promoted in the way Champix is by governments using public money.

    My message isn’t just aimed at you, but feel free to ignore it and keep taking Champix if you trust the slimy bastards, that’s up to you. At least you’ve been warned, it’s your call. Hope you don’t end up dead, divorced or in prison, as some people have – and oh, Matt? If Champix makes you kill yourself – stop taking it immediately and consult the person who recommended it for further “medical advice” from the manufacturer.

  52. well folks a wee update on the champixs.still on it week 5 and I feel fine I had a few small side effects ie sore head and feeling sick but other than that I am fine nothing else has ever helped me stop smoking so easy .I guess it works for some and not others .I haven’t had a cigy and I don’t want one which is miraculous in my eyes from 40 roll ups a day for 40 years to 0 . unbelievable but true .I cant help thinking some people are trying to promote the Allan car method by scaremongering champixs ? I will update after the 12 week course if I survive ?

  53. Week 5? Hypnotherapy takes 2 hours – all done, no headaches. But if you’d rather drag it out, Andy…!

    The Allen Carr method takes about 4 hours if you go to one of the clinics, maybe longer if you read one of his books – especially the ones he published later on smoking, some of which were a bit too long in my view. I still think the first one is the best.

    I have no connection with the Allen Carr lot – or any acupuncturers – but I still recommend them as well as hypnotherapy because they both have a proven success rate which is better than the meds, and are SAFE.

    Andy, just because you are not injured/killed by the medication so far doesn’t mean you’re safe. And it certainly doesn’t mean that all the reports of suicides, attacks and hospitalisations are “scaremongering”.

    It hasn’t “worked” for you. You’re still on it, and assuming a lot. Half the 44% of smokers in the drug trials who had stopped at 12 weeks had started again by 28 weeks. By 52 weeks the success rate drops to around 14%, so it’s hardly “miraculous”, is it?

    Don’t get me wrong, I hope it does stop you smoking – even though you are rude enough to suggest I’m scaremongering when actually I’m just telling smokers the truth.

    God knows, someone has to.

  54. Hi Chris (& others who are reading) I stumbled across your site after putting in the words ‘tears’ & ‘champix’ onto a search engine. I have been using Champix now for around 5/6 weeks & experienced the usual headaches & sickness from week two. These I could handle, especially as I didn’t feel the need to smoke for the first time ever in 22 years!

    But, at around 4 weeks I noticed my angry mood swings appearing & went to see my doctor, she said they’d happen to anyone coming off nicotine & it couldn’t be attributed to the champix, so I stayed on it (but reduced my does slightly)

    I’ve now hit week 5 & am experiencing insomnia (not able to get to sleep before 1am), vivid dreams every night, tears & being generally awful & snappy with my partner.

    I was worried about coming off the tablets in case this worsened my feelings, but after reading comments on here have decided to come off now something worse happens.

    I appreciate not everyone will feel like this on champix & I’m really happy for those people. But i wanted to share my experience to provide another view

    I have given up smoking, what you’ll say about starting again, but right here, right now I don’t smoke.

    I have tried hypnotherapy in the past by the way & it didn’t work for me, but again I’m happy for those it does work for.

    It’d be fantastic if you could provide your book for free Chris, if it would indeed mean people would stop after 2 hours, then you could help prevent some of the pain & hurt people feel on champix – just a thought…

  55. Hi Jenny,

    Can I just make clear that my book is NOT a self-help book for quitting smoking. The two-hour quit method IS hypnotherapy – proper, one to one sessions, not a book and a CD like Paul McKenna.

    If someone came to see me to stop smoking, and I just gave them a book and a CD and went to the pub, I think they’d feel a bit short-changed! That’s NOT hypnotherapy!

    Some of my book is published free here on the site, so anyone can have a read of it and decide if they want to buy the rest of it. As the ebook only costs a fiver, it’s not exactly expensive! That’s less than a packet of cigs here in the UK!

    The book explains hypnotherapy, hypnosis, the Subconscious mind and why smoking is a compulsive habit, NOT a drug addiction – for anyone who’s interested.

  56. hi Chris Andy hear I have to apologize if you think I was being rude .To suggest that you have some sort of agenda .that was not my intention .Anyway week 8 for me and I had to come of the champix it was starting to make me think crazy thoughts so I have stopped taken them like some other people and I am3days of champix after 8 weeks on them and I am starting feel like my old self and I haven’t had a cigarette yet hallelujah .lets hope I feel like this in another 8 weeks off them eh ? I will keep you posted

  57. Hi there, I’m into week 5 of these pills now (2 and a half weeks off the cigarettes) and I can’t take anymore. I’m hardly sleeping, hardly eating, and what I eat I throw up. I’m really depressed, not got any drive…. banging headaches, mood swings, chest pains the works! Am done with it, after just throwing up again tonight… the rest of these awful pills are going in the bin! 🙁

  58. natalie are you taken champix on an empty stomach ? if so that is why you are throwing up so much if you are feeling depression from these stop taken them you will be ok in a few weeks go for long walks in the fresh air this will clear your head out and help you get to sleep .I was the same and this is what I done it works I still haven’t smoked either champix worked for me

  59. Andy: 51. Oh by the way, do you think I also wrote this? Just because the drug didn’t happen to harm you or Matt, are you really so mentally challenged to assume that it can’t possibly have harmed anyone else?

    This is a killer drug that would never have been passed anyway if Pfizer hadn’t ‘lost’ hundreds of bad reaction reports by ‘accidentally’ submitting them through the wrong channels to the FDA. And if your response to that is LOL, you’re a prick. I’m not trying to sell books, I’m trying to save lives. Now get off my blog.

  60. chris 56 .and how do you know all this ? I have stopped smoking after 40 years it worked for me that’s all I am saying its up to the individual to recognize any bad side affects if you get them you stop simple .yes your maybe right I am a bit of a prick but I am a none smoking prick .I have found your blog a good source of information with feed back from everyone on hear I wish you luck in saving peoples life’s and hope you don’t think I am being disrespectful to anyone who has come to harm with taken champix [56] one thing I cant understand how has it been approved and where do you get the info ? yours sincerely the mentally challenged none smoking prick

  61. Andy, if you go to the homepage and then look to the right column, you will see a button called “Trust me, I’m a Doctor”. Click on that, then scroll down to the article by a leading British psychiatrist on why he doesn’t trust the latest Wonder Drugs – of which Champix is one. It explains how the testing procedures have been hijacked by the drug companies in recent decades so that “approved” drugs can turn out to be seriously dangerous.

    This email came in at the same time as yours, and there are hundreds of others like it on other Champix threads on this blog. Matt suggested I was just doing all this to sell a book. Here’s why I have been fighting to get Champix banned for three years:

    “Hi there. My father and two sisters took champix with very severe side effects. First my 32 year old sister suffered agonising stomach pains to the point that doctors removed her gallbladder. My other sister was taken to hospital with appendicitis and only last week, my father had two grand mal seizures within a few hours of each other. The hospital told him to keep taking the champix! His speech was slurred and he couldn’t walk for days due to what he thought was aches from the seizures. Only now that he had the cop on to suspect the champix is he starting too feel better. Our big worry is that he now has epilepsy. Why is the health services keeping such a tight lid on what is obviously a lethal drug?”

    The fact is, they don’t know. You didn’t know. Matt didn’t know. That’s why I’m doing this, and if it had happened to someone YOU love, there’d be no fucking LOL about it.

    Sorry if I got a bit tetchy with you, clearly you are not a prick. My apologies. It’s not you I’m angry with, it’s the people who should be stopping this but won’t, because they care more about Pfizer’s business than they care about smokers’ lives. How do I know all this? Just read the other posts in the Champix section, it’s all there, mate. People’s lives are being wrecked, then they’re told they won’t even get anywhere if they sue the bastards. It’s all wrong.

  62. To tell you the truth I took Champix for two months and then quit for over a year. Yes I had side effects but in the long run the benefits heavily outweigh the risks. Stupidly I started smoking again and got myself a new prescription of Champix. Low and behold I have been smoke free for a month and this time I won’t be stupid enough to think that after a year I won’t get addicted to cigarettes again. I don’t buy all the psycho stuff people attribute to Champix. Seriously, do you really think that after being fined 2.3 billion Pfizer will take the risk of providing misleading info for a drug that doesn’t even bring in half a billion a year? All data can be found on clinicaltrials.gov so instead of creating mass hysteria and conspiracy theories go analyze the data.

  63. “I don’t buy all the psycho stuff people attribute to Champix.”

    Do you mean the fact that the manufacturer’s own label includes warnings about suicidal or aggressive behaviour and the drug has already caused murders and suicides, not to mention more reports of serious bad reactions than any other medication – and those are just the tiny proportion that actually get reported through official channels?

    Then you try to reassure us that we can trust Pfizer BECAUSE they have previously been fined a record amount of 2.3 billion for providing misleading information in drug packaging – not the first time they’ve been fined either, so fines never stopped ’em before. Seriously: you’re trying to suggest all this trouble they’ve caused is down to “a conspiracy theory” by little ol’ me?

    That evil drug has fucked your head up, man.

  64. Hi,
    I have taken 10 days of Chantix even tho I knew there were risks. I was desperate to quit and I’ve already tried the patches, gum, zyban, even laser treatments, all unsuccessfully.
    I’m not sure if I can stick out 3 months of this tho, it’s really hell. My cravings to smoke have diminished to nearly none, it’s the only reason that I’d try. I have horrible stomach aches, nausea, vomiting, headaches and then there’s the mental changes. I am ready to explode at anyone for anything, I don’t want to be spoken to ever and just can’t stand having to respond to someone or hold a conversation. I just want to be alone. I have turned into a zombie basically, I hardly ever sleep and when I do, wake up every hour or so. The dreams are constant. I feel weak and shaky. I don’t know. After smoking for 23 years, I’m just desperate for a way out.
    Do you know of any good hypnotherapists in Montreal, Quebec? I’d be willing to try that instead if you think it can work. I don’t think I can take this much longer. Thanks!

  65. ozzy I am with Chris on this one champix was screwing my head up I had to stop taken it as I was getting violent thoughts after 8 weeks I had to distance myself from my friends and family there was times I felt like I was loosing the will to live .there is problems with this drug although it worked for me it is mind altering and should be monitored very carefully I would never recommend champix to anyone its too good to be true .and corporate greed is the the devils advocate .they don’t care as long as they are making money .

  66. Hi DTQ:

    Don’t know anyone over there myself, but these folks are nearer to you and should be able to help.

    btw you’re not supposed to “stick it out” if you have side effects like that with Champix, even the manufacturer says you should STOP THE MEDICATION.

    Best to recover completely before doing the hypnotherapy, and have a look at the Read The Book section on this website (it’s free) for explanations as to why those other things you tried didn’t work!

    best wishes,
    Chris

  67. Hi, been on it for 3 weeks and yes, it really makes you almost forget that cigarettes exist. Lovely. However, the dull feeling in my head, pain in my ears, moving into my face, etc, swelling (feels like at the base of my brain) is horrible. Been to three doctors, x-rays, etc. and cannot remember all they tried to cure me with. Never had anything like this, but the very first day I tried Champix, I felt this (but only for one day). Then after three weeks, I felt like this all the time. Stopped taking it 5 Oct, but effects still the same. Will never recommend this medication to anyone and I am dreadfully sorry that I ever took it. Last specialist I saw actually agreed with me that I am not naturally ill and that Champix is causing these effects. Just want to get rid of it.

  68. This one came in by email yesterday:

    Dave wrote:
    I started taking Champix four days ago, so I’ve taken four half milligram
    tablets. I was supposed to take another one tonight, but I’ve called it quits.
    I can’t sleep more than two hours; I keep waking up after crazy dreams. I’ve
    also got this nameless anxiety going on that really has no reality-based cause.
    I’ve stopped because I can’t think straight and I’ve got a job interview on
    Monday, which I wasn’t worried about until I started taking this drug.
    This is very similar to the anxiety and paranoia I experienced while taking
    Zyban some years back. I expressed concerns about that, but the doctor told me
    that Zyban is an anti-depressant and Champix isn’t, so I wouldn’t get the same
    effects.

    Anyway, I’m off this thing before it gets worse. My question is, do you have
    any idea how long it will take for the small amount I have taken to leave my
    system/brain? I should have known better than to mess with brain chemistry like
    this. I mean I was having weird feelings and lights started looking strange
    right from day one. This is powerful stuff.

  69. Dave, your doctor’s reassurances were utter guesswork.

    I can’t give yourself or Sandra concrete reassurances either on the pace or extent of recovery. I really wish I could, but outcomes vary wildly. This is why I believe Champix/Chantix should NOT be prescribed at all, or available for sale. Those with licences to prescribe it simply don’t know enough about it, not by a long way. Champix-users are all guinea pigs in reality – and the two cases above (and many others) make a nonsense of the suggestion to “stop taking it” IF you have a bad reaction – as if everything will then be alright! That is cruelly, and sometimes tragically misleading. Some people do recover completely, we know that. But we also seem to have as many reports of symptoms persisting long after the drug has been discontinued – raising the nasty possibility of permanent damage in some cases.

    Please, if you’ve had a bad reaction to Chantix/Champix, make sure the drug is reported through the official channels. As far as Pfizer and all medical authorities are concerned, if it isn’t reported in that way then it just DIDN’T HAPPEN, which is the only reason Pfizer and the FDA have got away with it for so long. By the way, both Pfizer and the FDA are supposedly “investigating” the drug – Pfizer’s whitewash should be completed by 2016 – but these are both simply ruses to keep the drug on the market until then, by which time there’ll be another “wonder drug” ready for the hype machine. They don’t need to investigate it. If they had just filed the original trial data correctly with the FDA in the first place, it could never have been approved anyway! But then again, if the FDA were not complicit in these murky affairs, wouldn’t their “approval” have been immediately withdrawn once that fact emerged? Evil is as evil does; and if there are any “good men/women” in the FDA, well – as we all know, for evil to triumph it is only necessary for good men to do nothing. And that’s what the FDA did about that little “mistake” by Pfizer: nothing.

    Readers: none of this damage and suffering is necessary. Use the safe, non-drug therapies if you want to quit. They work better anyway (see the Evidence section on this website), but most doctors don’t know that because they have been fed nothing but slick promo from drug companies and they don’t even realise it – or else they just can’t be bothered to research it further for themselves. It’s frightening, because those global giants are among the most ruthless and unscrupulous organisations in the world. They don’t give a damn if you die, they really don’t. Neither do the FDA, the MHRA or the bloody British Medical Association, or they’d have stopped it by now. The suicides and the horrific reactions have been going on since 2006, and the bastards are still helping Pfizer to make millions by playing it down. Sick.

  70. I understand how frustrated Andy must feel and we have only had nine months of this.There is a class action being taken out in England and when i get the details i will post it so anyone who feels they have been damaged by this drug can have their say.
    We are still in the hospital loop trying to get a diagosis,I wondered if Andys doctor might like to confer with our doctor . If it ok to ask that ?
    Perhaps 2 doctors could start something to make people aware and stop this drug being prescribed or find out why certain people react so badly to it.
    I will leave it with you Chris and will let you know if I find any more on this class action. We are thinking of setting up a web site for survivors of smoking sessation drugs to have a voice for the sufferers and let everyone know they are not alone and that it is real.

  71. Much appreciated Alyson, I will help to publicise any class action or individual action against Pfizer about Champix, so yes, please let me know what you find out.

    Just as I thought that Andy’s update deserved a new blog post of it’s own, so it was with Alyson & Nick’s story, which you can read here.

    I also put it on Facebook and asked for readers/smokers to share it – or any of the posts on the Truth Will Out site because it is about time smokers were made aware of the true extent to which they are being lied to, hoodwinked and deliberately misinformed about NRT, Zyban and Champix. Please help if you do use Twitter, FB etc because otherwise the bastards will get away with ruining Nick’s life, Andy’s life and countless others. It HAS to be stopped, and fast. There are perfectly normal people all over the world who have not yet taken Champix but will end up like Andy or Nick when they do… and it’s up to us to spare them that unnecessary fate. There are much safer, more effective ways of quitting smoking.

  72. I suspect the drug may have a negative impact on those with pre-existing mental health issues (in many cases not manifest). I am taking Champix and do have nausea as a side effect but no other issues worth mentioning. I think there is a case to be made for any drug that gets people off cigarettes. Hypnotism didn’t work for me… With Champix I have no desire to smoke and have been off cigarettes for over 2 months which is a first!

  73. Billy, you’ve not read much about Champix have you? Take a bit of time to read around all the blogs about Champix horror reactions, and you’ll begin to realise that what the manufacturer is suggesting about underlying mental illness – and you are repeating here – is just a load of self-serving lies on their part, and you have simply been lucky so far, but then you’ve not been on the drug very long anyway. Many of the real horror reactions haven’t even started at the stage you’re at, Billy. Hope your early optimism doesn’t turn out to be terrifyingly misplaced.

    Where did you go for “hypnotism” then? Tell us all about it, Billy! I’d really like to hear about your experiences of that in detail, instead of just a “Hypnotism didn’t work for me…” dismissal that anyone could say even if they’d never really tried hypnotherapy at all.

    [Why am I skeptical, reader? Because of all the other pro-Champix comments that just throw that in for good measure, as if they’ve all tried it, even though we know that less than 1% of the population have ever consulted a hypnotherapist about ANYTHING! Don’t get me wrong, Billy might be telling the truth about that… but not all of them are, I’m sure of that.]

  74. So far so good with Champix. Actually tried hypnotism a few years ago in London. The ‘hypnotist’ charged me £300 for a session of listening to ‘forest’ sounds. He asked me to describe a happy place which was a bit strange to tell you the truth. I had to bite on the inside of my cheeks to avoid laughing while he started rambling. Only reason I didn’t smoke for 3 days was because I paid £300. This guy came highly recommended and wasn’t some guy I stumbled upon in an ad. Anyway – I may not know much about Champix but when I saw all the stories here I thought it was worthwhile providing some perspective as Champix seems to be working for me without any horror stories so far. I didn’t start taking Champix willy nilly but did so upon recommendation from my GP and a couple of my friends who gave up smoking with Champix. (Will not be checking this site going forward so best wishes to all those experiencing side effects!)

  75. I don’t care if he came highly recommended or not – you don’t pay £300 for a therapy session unless you’re rich and famous, or an idiot.

    Then you decided to pretend to be co-operating with the guy, but really you were laughing at him.

    So you see, Billy, you did NOT “try hypnotism”. You simply wasted his time and yours, and it cost you £300 genius. And if he came highly recommended, that does rather suggest that not everyone does that. In fact very few people do that, in my 11 years experience. But there’s always one, isn’t there?

    Billy says that he: “Will not be checking this site going forward…” Why not? You’ve only done two months, how are we going to know if Champix actually worked for you, or whether you only stopped temporarily like so many others? How will we know there were no side effects kicking in later, as with other accounts we’ve heard? Some smokers report only having side effects with the SECOND course of Champix – I mean I’m glad you’re so confident, Billy, but then you haven’t spent the last few years being told the horror stories almost every day, have you.

    I wouldn’t give that stuff to a dog.

  76. Having tried to quit smoking cold turkey before, I can say that all of the side effects of Champix are side effects of quitting with or without the drug (for me at least). But because you are taking a drug, you are quick to blame it, instead of simple withdrawal. Have you ever seen an alcoholic, or drug addict try to come clean? I have. And it wouldn’t surprise me if there were murders or suicides attached to that withdrawal too, or hey, even finding stats about quitting smoking cold turkey, and rages and crimes associated with that. There are so many stats and reports that quitting smoking, no matter how, causes depression, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, stomach upset, etc. The side effects are varied in type and severity for everyone.

    Not saying that I don’t think there’s any correlation or side effects with the drug, but I think people are too quick to lay blame solely on that. Especially people with absolutely no medical backgrounds. To say that nicotine is not an actual addiction is a complete joke. And to lay judgment for a past lawsuit in a big company, would be like holding a speeding ticket against a driver forever. Companies are run by humans, humans make mistakes and bad judgements.

    It is hard to trust any information from this site when it is clearly biased. I can’t remember the specific term, but in college we discussed how people trying to prove a point will only acknowledge and support “information” that they find that supports their argument, and ignore anything else that contradicts them.

    Anyone who posts a positive response, or anything that doesn’t support what you say, you respond by calling them negative, throwing insults or just minimizing their success and hopes by saying they must still be in the early stage and haven’t YET seen the real effect. It’s garbage.

    Yes, people should be aware of possible effects from this drug, but I for one will not be taking information or advice from a guy who seems to have a slight god complex, and does not have the medical or biological training and background to really be knowledgeable. If you look hard enough you will find everything to support any cause in the wonderful land of internet where every site, email, post, story etc is only 100% truthful, accurate and honest right?

    Seems like the latest fad these days is to jump on the conspiracy theory giant evil corporation bandwagon(not saying I think they are all wonderful, but they aren’t all evil either)………..

    Cheers

  77. Billy Chris is right I had that cocky cavalier attitude on week 5 I stopped taken champix on week 6 I have never felt so low my get up and go has got up and gone this drug is not right stop taken it will hurt you the list of bad side affects is endless my life is ruins [.WARNING] champix seriously damages your health

  78. Lisa said: “There are so many stats and reports that quitting smoking, no matter how, causes depression, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, stomach upset, etc. The side effects are varied in type and severity for everyone.”

    No matter how? Bollocks. Virtually every working day of my life I help someone quit smoking without any of that, which is how I discovered it could not possibly be a drug addiction. Have I ever SEEN anyone try to quit alcohol or drugs? Lisa, that’s not a spectator sport for me, I’ve done the lot and I really do know what I’m talking about. And I never say anything I can’t back up. Back in 2009 Channel M television here in Manchester featured my book on their live Breakfast Show, and they challenged me to stop one of their staff smoking in a single session, as I claimed. So we organised a session at my office, as per normal, and three weeks later went back on the show.

    The woman, who I had never met before, had not smoked after the session, no “withdrawal”, no weight gain, no over-eating – no problems at all. Not a single craving. Total success.

    The common use of the phrase “cold turkey” in relation to smoking is very misleading, because that expression actually refers to the shivering and goosebumps often seen in heroin withdrawal. Now that is a real drug addiction, and I’ve experienced all that too. What smokers call “withdrawal” is the stress and unpleasantness of trying to quit with no help whatever. Those are cravings, NOT withdrawal symptoms, and in hypnotherapy we can switch them off. Of course we can only do that with people who are genuinely ready to quit at that point, but if they are it’s easy. Takes about two hours, all done.

    I thank God I have no medical training, for doctors cannot do any of the things I do routinely. Their training is flawed where smoking is concerned, and to be fair to GPs a lot of them know this really and don’t really want to be involved in people’s lifestyle issues, it’s not what they’re there for. The medical authorities also know they’ve got it wrong – the failure rates I’m quoting come from their own research! – they just don’t want to acknowledge it because it’s embarrassing, they’ve been banging on about “nicotine addiction” for years and it’s just wrong, which is why smokers often don’t succeed with the methods based upon that idea.

    I do not throw insults at anyone UNLESS they come on here throwing them at me, or my beloved profession. This is a CAMPAIGN WEBSITE, and I’m being very forthright because people are dying in their millions from the misinformation. That is not a “conspiracy theory” – there is no conspiracy. This situation did not arise from an evil conspiracy, but ordinary human bungling. But it suits the government to leave things as they are, and it suits the drug companies too. To hell with smokers and their families – and I say that’s WRONG.

    Maybe you don’t agree with me, Lisa. Fine. You don’t have to read any of this, and neither does anyone else.

  79. This came in by email yesterday:

    laura wrote:
    I had a horrendous experience using champix and I only used it for 7 days. I
    slept continuously, had no concentration or attention, especially when driving ,
    no motivation, was very withdrawn, almost silent, vacant, and by day 7 had
    serious concerns for my mental health as my brain was literally talking to
    itself , I was paranoid, anxious and completely freaked out. My boyfriend said I
    was a different person and begged me to stop. I didn’t take anymore after day 7
    and by day 8 I was on the phone to emergency docs begging to be seen as I
    thought I’d lost my mind. This was in august 2011. My motivation , sex drive or
    concentration have not returned at all and I spend far too much time "in my
    head" . My long term boyfriend left me tonight and said I’ve never been the
    same since taking champix and he can’t go on anymore. This drug should be
    banned. I quit smoking VIA hypno 5weeks ago and just wish I could now do
    something to undo the damage champix has done to my brain : (

  80. Lisa, after three and a half years of hearing these stories from smokers, I am campaigning – along with other individuals who feel the same way as I do – to get this drug withdrawn. Now ask yourself: how many times would you need to hear about that – and some of the stories are much worse – before you started to reconsider your present position on all this? I was open-minded about Champix to begin with. If anyone doubts that, read the final chapter in my first book, which mentions the launch of a new “wonder drug” called Champix and my exact words are: “I really hope these promising suggestions turn out to be true…”

    They’re not. It usually only works in the short-term if it works at all, and it is very unpredictable, and none of the deaths or damage so far were caused by nicotine withdrawal, don’t be ridiculous. They’re caused by Champix. And excuuuuuuse me, for trying to tell people like Laura BEFORE they take the damn stuff. Christ almighty, some of you are in blind denial, aren’t you?

  81. I started on Champix a few days ago. Nauseous in mornings but cravings have gone. I think for some people of properly subscribed this is a great drug for helping stop smoking- I have tried everything- nothing works aside from this so far. However I was drinking this weekend and felt horrendous, unsociable, did not want to be there and felt very sick. Avoid alcohol I would say on Champix

  82. I have been on Champix for 5 weeks now and I am feeling most of the symptoms described especially the depression and anger …..I am normally a very upbeat and happy go lucky person. I have decided to stop takiing them immediately, especially after reading the comments on here.

    This was my second go at taking Champix, the first was in June 2010, after taking the 3 month course, I managed to stay off the cigs for 8 1/2 months, but after going on an overseas holiday to a place where smoking is still allowed almost everywhere, I took it up again….silly me!!! The first time I can’t remember any side effects, but this time they have been awful!!!

    So as I have said, after reading the comments and experiences on here I am not going to take any more Champix and I will try the one thing I never have to give the cigs away and that is hypnotherapy 🙂

  83. Joanne, ditch the suicide pills, let it all get out of your system and return to the happy go lucky person you really are before going for hypnotherapy.

    Here’s some advice to help you to maximise your chances of success with hypnosis. As an experience, hypnotherapy is much more ordinary than anyone expects, and the better informed you are to begin with, the better the results will be.

    Best of luck!

  84. I took champix for 13 days. I quit it on day 13. I was one of the 4% with serious skin effects. Burning and severe pain which extended to pain in my joints and lower spine and neck to shoulder blades. I had depression and bouts of rage which was not normal for me. At first I thought the joint bone pain was from a new exercise regimen I started, which it was not.

    I asked my pharmacist if these were side effects when I went to refill. He looked it up and sure enough he said the skin burning was very rare but very serious. He said lower the dose. What he should have said was terminate completely. Which is what I decided to do. I read the insert again as lost the first one. And this skin disorder can be fatal! Yet I was given another batch just told lower the dose

    I did manage to quit smoking but decided to use my own resolve and determination and forgo the pills. My burning skin subsided. Comes in waves now but decreased. Depression is gone, hostility and rage is gone. Pain in bones is not gone and very intense.

    For those that say it is normal for these side effects when quitting smoking I have to say no it is not. I have quit cold turkey before and these harmful thing did not happen to me. Cranky? yes! Tired? Yes! Psycho? No! Agony? No! Wanting to jump of a bridge? No!

    I do have a way to detox my body in a safe way that does not harm my kidneys or liver. It removes toxins including prescription medications that are stored in the body tissue and liver when it can’t flush them out on it’s own. It also helps me with bone and joint pain as it removes from joints. ( we store toxins in our joints as well thus the reason we have cravings when they are partly released.) I am doing calcium bentonite clay baths three times a week and also taking it internally twice a day until this champix is out of my system and my pain is gone completely.

    I would gladly share this info in a future post if the owner of this site gives the go ahead. ( no I’m not selling anything. You can get your own for less than 10 dollars a month where ever you choose) But I do think it could seriously help those already damaged by champix.

  85. Kayla, tell us all about it by all means. I know nothing about any detox methods but as the medical profession are quite happy to let companies like Pfizer experiment upon the public at large with mad drugs like Champix, they can hardly raise a credible objection to the survivors sharing info about how to get better.

    The time-honoured challenge to doctors is: “Physician: heal thyself!” – so if you can get yourself back to health with the aid of inexpensive, easily-available non-drug methods, sure I’ll be happy for you to supply the details via this site.

    Of course I am not in a position to recommend any therapy of that sort from a professional point of view, but no-one needs me to. We all have the freedom to do what we like.

  86. Here is my story

    Me: 39 Years old, High School Teacher with spotless criminal record. I run an animal shelter and spend thousands of my own money, so I am not exactly the most greedy person.

    Within 2 months of taking Chantix, I was arrested on two counts of felony Burglary of Abandoned homes. Didn’t need the money and I dont remember doing it.

    I am now facing jail time and my career is ruined.

    Thanks Pfizer. I wont even be able to work at McDonalds now. Please send me a pill to end my life peacefully.
    (and I am not even joking about that)

  87. Cue Lisa to tell us this is “nicotine withdrawal”.

    Troy, with your spotless record what you need is a good Chantix lawyer. You’re not the only one by a long way. Get together with other victims and fight back. Clear your name. It’s Pfizer’s Directors that should be facing a court, not you.

    For some people, Chantix DID turn out to be a pill to end their life. And before some halfwit comes back on here talking YET AGAIN about how many people smoking kills, there are several quit methods that involve no risk at all, yet doctors are precribing this crazy shit instead. Since 2007, folks. This is insane.

  88. Hi – I have been smoke free for 8 weeks now after smoking heavily for the past 40 years. I took Champix and am glad I wasnt aware of all this info prior to me starting the course of Champix. Id probably have been scared off and not have quit. Im glad I had the help of Champix. Thanks

  89. So you deduce from this that I am up to no good, because nothing happened to you personally? This post came in same day as yours, on the Champix 6 thread:

    “I actually looked at this site before taking Champix to do some research etc. I thought this site was set up by a competitor source to defame the product…. Well I have taken Champix for 12 days and have thrown the rest away. I felt absolutely depressed. I used to excercise 3-4 times a week. Within 10 minutes of a workout I just can not be bothered and spiral into such a depression. Sleeping properly is impossible… The dreams were ok (actually enjoyed them) but jeez my waking life was a living hell!

    Its a dreadful situation that such a product can be released on to the market.

    John”

    So I wonder what conclusion you would have drawn about the Truth Will Out site if you hadn’t been one of the lucky ones, Sharon? I never said it makes EVERYBODY ill, or that it doesn’t help ANYONE. It’s just that most of the feedback on this site is like John’s, so after several years of that, I thought people should be warned because clearly from what you say your doctor didn’t warn YOU.

    It is also worth noting that we have been told numerous times of this drug only causing bad reactions in the second or even third course, when the smoker was not affected by the first. This, coupled with the fact that some people are seriously affected in the first few days, but others only after weeks of taking it, suggests that the majority of people would be damaged if they took it for long enough – which of course would not be clearly demonstrated on the original 12 week trials.

    Stopping clinical trials early or only running short trials has become a standard tactic in the pharmaceutical industry for minimising the risk of bad reactions showing up in the trials. It doesn’t matter so much if they show up later, because once a drug has been approved, the kill-rate required to get it withdrawn again would have to be something approaching the Black Death. They can afford the lawsuits and the individual pay-outs, because most victims don’t sue.

    Cynical, corrupt, ruthless, murderous. That’s the modern pharmaceutical industry. But if you’d rather trust them than me, Sharon, it’s your call. Congratulations on your success, by the way. Only – any decent hypnotherapist could have done that for you in two hours, with no risk whatsoever. Champix took weeks or months, and could have put you in a psychiatric hospital or a morgue. Courtesy of Pfizer.

  90. Hi, just been reading through a few scary comments on here but I am determined to quit smoking so I have been prescribed champix and have taken my first tablet tday.. Will keep posting my progress x

  91. Quite a few times on this website, on various different threads, someone says that – then we never hear from them again and we’re left wondering… did they just forget, or…

  92. Hi, just thought I’d give you an update. Symptoms actually progressed to a swelling feeling in my head (just above palate) and facial spasms. Now been to three doctors, X-ray session, one ENT specialist, one dentist and five physio sessions – still they are baffled and admit to “never seeing this before”. I am now up to two of the physicians who agree that Champix are the probable cause. It’s turning out to be the most expensive medication that I’ve ever used!! If I can just get it off my receptor and out of my body.

  93. Chris, you know what, I think that none of these “victims” actually exist.

    I know 10+ people that have used Champix and not had a problem. 3 months solid and done.

    I am beginning to think that this site was set up as a scare tactic in order to further your own ventures.

    I have used Champix in 2007 unsucessfully and now in 2012 successfully.

    Find another scare tactic Chris. All drugs have side effects and Champix are no different. It says depression etc are even a side effect of just giving up smoking alone with no help.

    As for the suicides etc, I don’t know about linking them to Champix. I am surprised Pfizer haven’t actioned a law suit against you

  94. Here you go, Nick:

    Pfizer? SUE ME. I’m serious. You’re the biggest drug company in the world, and I’m calling you MURDERERS. I am accusing you of submitting trial data through the wrong channels to the FDA so that they were missed in a crucial safety review to try to make sure that at least 150 suicides were NOT taken into account at the time, either through negligence (which is actionable, surely) or deliberately, which has to be so much worse. Once that fact became known, the French government STOPPED funding Champix. Did you think I was making all this up, Nick?

  95. Guess not. He’s gone all quiet now.

    Of course I would dearly love Pfizer to sue me, and make me the most famous therapist in the world overnight by creating a David and Goliath scenario in which millions of people would be on my side as soon as they heard the full story – but they’re not going to do that! Do you think these people are stupid, Nick? Look at it from their point of view: of all the smokers in the world, how many of them have ever seen the Truth Will Out site? Tiny proportion. Miniscule. What would happen if they sue me? Everyone in the field of smoking cessation, the medical profession and anyone involved in the pharmaceutical business, including all those shareholders that probably know nothing about the Chantix Champix horrors currently would suddenly be finding out all about it. That is exactly what Pfizer DON’T want. So they won’t be protecting their interests by suing me, they can do that far more effectively by ignoring me. (I’m speculating, here – of course they might sue me anyway.)

    But what Nick was suggesting was that I was presumably at risk of being sued because I was ‘making it all up’. What an innocent. Bless.

    Gathering more reliable evidence

    It would not be difficult to check the autopsy/inquest records of all the suicides in the last four years to see how many of them were taking Champix at any time in the twelve months before they killed themselves. That retrospective is necessary as we know from many smokers’ accounts that the awful side effects can continue for months or years, and the coroners concerned wouldn’t have known that during the last few years. I’m told by a reliable source that where known, the prescription medicines being taken by the deceased will always be recorded even if the inquest doesn’t officially link them to the suicide. Doctor’s records should provide earlier info. There are only about 4000 suicides every year in the U.K., it shouldn’t take that long to gather that information. It would be a good research project for postgraduate medical students or those training to be pharmacists.

    Pfizer’s very well-paid lawyers will always argue, of course, that a causal link is “not proven” but smokers only need to know the numbers – they can draw the conclusions for themselves. I think we all know that what can be proven in a court of law – where money plays such a key part in everything that happens (or doesn’t happen) – and the truth are quite separate things.

  96. [Editor’s note: Not me, this is a different Chris.]

    Our son took his life after two weeks on this drug. He had a new car, a beautiful fiance… he was 23, a sweet kind and caring person. All he wanted to do was improve himself by quitting smoking. Two weeks in, he completely changed. Champix killed our boy. People need to know… this is not a “side effect”, this is a direct effect. He is gone and all of us suffer now. Champix killed our boy. They murdered our son for profit.

  97. I had been taking champix for 4 weeks during this time i have had many side affects, crippling headache, blurred vision in 1 eye, weight loss (nearly 2 stone), but the worst was memory loss i believed i was going insane i couldn’t remember anything i couldn’t find anything not that it was lost i just didn’t recognise it bank cards phones etc i know it sounds crazy but thats how it was. on the plus side i quit smoking, this is my 6th day without the tablets and the 1st day i have felt anything like myself, i still have the headaches but i can handle that. just wanted to leave a message to anyone thinking about taking champix or anyone taking them about my own personal experience. it is a way to stop smoking but very nearly sent me over the edge. i didnt read much of the above so if im just going over what others have said sorry………. cheers

  98. I took Champix for 6 weeks and did quit smoking on the 2nd week of taking Champix. I had quit before cold turkey but lasted for 3 weeks. I did notice that Champix helped with the physical cravings, but I also noticed I was extremely tired all the time, slept all my free time away, dehydrated, trouble sleeping, began feeling depressed, severe body aches, had various stomache issues, and finally bladder problems. I never had these issues before Champix. I at first attributed my problems to withdrawel from nicotine and waited it out as I know withdrawel can create issues as well. When I began losing more and more control of my bladder and getting up all hours of the night having to urinate I began to worry about diabetes or kidney problems. I went to my doctor with my concerns, had lab work done and quit the Champix. Sure enough all symptoms eventually subsided. My doctor confirmed that I was allergic to Champix. Cigarettes are EVIL, but Champix did not make anything better by adding new health issues. I relapsed shortly after, smoking again when stress hit me hard one day. I now realize that cold turkey is the best way to go to ensure that what I’m going thru’ is withdrawel and not some scary side effect of medication! If Champix works for some people GREAT, more power to you; but for those who are experiencing health issues long after the nicotine is out of your system, trust your gut instinct. There is no point in giving up smoking to go thru’ other health risks caused by medication. The whole point of quitting smoking is to get healthy!

  99. You’re right about that, Constance. But everyone has been sold a big fat lie, which is making it seem terribly hard to stop smoking.

    Cravings are not withdrawal symptoms. We get lots of cravings, they’re not all about tobacco! And smoking isn’t drug-taking, which is why we’re allowed to smoke and drive cars, or even fly aircraft. Read this: Nicotine Isn’t A Drug

  100. My second time taking champix over 14months and it has been the worst experience of my life! The tiredness, crazy and vivid dreams every night, dry mouth, nausea, headaches, and moods. I wish I had taken more notice of the side effects and researched champix use with alcohol. Two hours before heading to a fuction with friends i explained my concern of using champix because i was a ball of emotions in 24hours.. Though the feeling of not craving cigarettes had me hanging in there.. I ended up in what i think was some sort of psycosis, drinking very heavily in the process, like being in a dream and out of control. Later going absolutely histerical, crying, and abusing my partner until being arrested for an assault on a police officer.. Biggest regret ever. I will never take this medicine again. I will work on will power n getting my head screwed back on with counselling as i am now dealing with criminal charges for something that i would never do. I am so grateful for this post! To know that other people have had similar experiences. Though i doubt it will help me in court:(

  101. Started using champix 15 days ago and i have been cigarette free for 5 days. I have tried so many times to give up smoking and failed miserably everytime. When i first started taking them i was suffering from terrible nausea but when i started taking my tablet about 15 mins after meals instead of along with meals i felt fine. I have been getting very vivid dreams but to be honest im quite enjoying them lol. Hardly even think about having a cigarette so champix gets a big thumbs up from me 🙂

  102. If you read the post above, Elaine, it becomes obvious that Champix doesn’t always cause serious side effects during the first 15 days. I hope it doesn’t harm you. As I’ve said many times before though, testimonials from people who are still on the drug are premature, in terms of both safety and efficacy. A great deal of the hype about Champix on the internet comes from people who naturally get excited about the drug because it seems to be working, so they tell everyone which encourages others to do the same. They don’t know at that point that around 85% of Champix users will be smoking again at the one year follow-up.

  103. You will get Amazing DREAMS!!!!!! i promise !!! 😉

    I have been on champix now for almost 4 weeks, havent had a ciggy for last 16 days…and feeling quite good…and dreams OHHH how great dreams I have 😉
    First couple of days, for up to two weeks wasn’t easy, as my body was just adjusting to champix.. starting with 0.5mg pills once a day -4 days..then going onto two 0.5mg pils… then going on twice a day 1mg pills. At start, Pills could make you feel tired, sleepy, dizzy…and when taken on empty stomach it hurts.

    my friends dad, who smoked for 35years two packs a day , managed to stop smoking with champix and he has been smoke free for more then two years now!
    So Far Im ok, taking my morning pill early so I can stay in the bed for an hour longer (to get over dizziness) if possible..and my evening pill just before going to bed… Always eat something before taking the pill.
    Dont feel the urge to smoke at all…tho going out with friends who smokes brings temptation! and my fridge is constantly empty 😉 I guess mentaly unstable people or with low blood pressure should not take this pills.

  104. and if Cris managed to scare you off Champix, be brave !!!! And put yourself together, find the WILL and selfcontrol to stop!!!! ;P

  105. Champix worked for me, dreams were fab whilst on them,if you dont want trippy dreams then take it about 4 hours before bed. you can prevent the sicky feeling by eating before you take them.

    Just remember that even if you were to go cold turkey you would suffer depression and mood swings anyway , its part and parcel of quitting cigs…

    im on month 5 now and doing well 😀

  106. I believe I have mentioned that it doesn’t harm everyone. Petra seems to think she can guarantee everyone’s safety because she’s been on it for a month. I’m not trying to scare people, I’m trying to protect them and if the drug had hospitalised you, you’d be applauding me. She says: “I guess mentaly unstable people or with low blood pressure should not take this pills.”

    Yeah, keep guessing. That’s all anyone can do – even your doctor has absolutely no idea what Champix will do to YOU, but they do know by now that any success with Champix is only temporary for about 85% of smokers.

    What shocks me slightly is how some of these people who haven’t experienced any nasty effects themselves seem to be quite unconcerned about the harm it is clearly doing to some people – even recommending that others should ignore all warnings and take it anyway. Even Pfizer don’t recommend that you should ignore all warnings – on the contrary, they advise that you should read all the warnings they have printed on their leaflet about side-effects and discuss these matters seriously with your doctor, so that if you decide to go ahead it is in full knowledge and understanding of the risks involved.

    Petra is promising you lovely dreams, success and no side effects if you just take no notice of me, whilst Nelbe is re-hashing the old suggestion that all the suffering Champix has caused is down to stopping smoking.

    I refer you to my comments above on both those platitudes.

  107. hi im 28, smoking for 13 years and have tried everything to quit,hypnosis,patches,allen carr method,cold turkey, have failed each time, just got a prescription for champix today,gonna start them tomorrow,will keep u posted,i hope im one of the lucky ones 😉

  108. People keep saying they’ll keep us posted, then I never hear from most of them again.

    Good luck Leona.

  109. Hi Chris i’m 39 been smoking Cigar’s since 18 and have tried to stop smoking for years and years but nothing seems to work. I want to stop smoking as i’m spending a fortune on Cigar’s so i started on Champix last week. I’m now on my 7th Day and tomorrow start the 1mg twice a day. Little bit worried about upping the dosage as 1 of my friends was ok until the dosage was increased.
    The comments on this page some of them have scared me and I believe if I had read them before I got my Champix then I don’t think I would of took them. Up to now I’ve had not 1 side effect( touch wood!).
    I understand and believe the Champix will effect people in different ways as like every drug you take there are side effects. This was just the last straw for me as I want to stop smoking Cigar’s desperately.

  110. If you want to stop smoking cigars desperately, then maybe you should smoke them in a more relaxed way!

    Okay that’s a bad joke. Dave, the drug doesn’t harm everyone so you might be perfectly okay. But if things change for the worse, stop taking them and find a good hypnotherapist. It works better than Champix and is absolutely safe. Best of luck!

  111. Thanks for the email Chris and Good luck trying to persuade people not to use the Champix!!

    Regards

  112. Hi. I’ve just stopped taking Champix today after a month. I got prescribed it as I went to the doctor about lumps I’d found in my neck and was understandably petrified having smoked for 16 years. The doc asked me about depression, I admitted to small mild bouts, more like down patches, but mostly linked to the fact that I didn’t want to smoke but couldn’t stop and knew the damage I was doing to myself. I got prescribed Champix and had a follow up appointment with the nurse, got weighed and had a little chat. All was fine for the first few weeks. I felt sick for about 30mins after each tablet, had some scarey dreams, felt knackered, slept a lot more, (a comical few days of extreme wind!), had a permanent dull headache and a mouth as dry as the sahara but I felt great that I wasn’t smoking. They were all managable side effects. Nearly 4 weeks in though, something changed. I hadn’t noticed before but my sleepy head just suddenly became a fuddled mess. I work in retail and I couldn’t even add 35 + 22 together. I had the shakes, my memory was scatty as hell and I just had such a vunerable “I don’t feel right” kind of thing going on. Someone said something too me that would normally just be brushed off but it flipped me into quite a dark mood. Over the course of the last few days, I behaved so irratically – bursts of rage so intense I could have punched through a wall for no real reason (never, ever, ever had anyting like that before), hysterical crying and last night after what can only be described as a minor tiff with my boyfriend, wanted my world to end. Totally psycotic. I could feel the drug in my head poisioning my brain & my body (not paranoia, just toxic feeling). Thankfully, I had enough awareness from what the nurse had said to keep telling myself it was just the champix but it’s not the greatest feeling to have to wake your boyfriend up at 4am to tell him that your petrified because you can’t stop thinking about wanting to kill yourself. I felt so euphoric for the first few weeks but there is no way I’m taking anymore of those pills. After just a day of not taking them, I feel like my old self again thank god. I’ve just seen a lot on the web about lasting effects and stuff about long term damage to memory that rattled me this morning but I think now it’s out of my system, I feel back to normal. Given my motivation to stop smoking (the lumps in my neck turned out OK following a scan) and the horrible experience I’ve just had on champix, I don’t feel in the slightest inclined to smoke again. It’s hard to know if I woul d have been able to stop without the champix. It did seem to be quite easy so I can’t be entirely negative about it’s benefits but thinking you have cancer is a pretty big motivating factor too. It was my time to stop. I just never ever want to feel like I did last night and for the past few days ever again. I can’t bring myself to smoke and I can’t bring myself to take another one of those pills. Will power for me from now on, think I will be fine. Interestingly, before I found this site, I’d thought about asking the doc if there is any holistic treatment I can get instead to keep me on track instead of one that f**ks up my brain. Have an appointment tomorrow with the nurse where I’m going to ask. No more nasty chemicals for me. Haven’t read your book. Not sure I want to dwell on this experience but wanted to share my story in case it helps anyone else who choses to take this drug. I saw memory loss and aggression on the side effects but it was never particularly highlighted to me as an issue, just the depression aspects and putting on weight. So weird too that all started off fine, I would never have guessed on Thursday that I was at risk of everything that’s happened over the past few days.

  113. JC: Even stranger, we’ve had quite a few people reporting problems developing second or third time around with Champix when those problems did not occur with the first course of the drug. It is highly unpredictable.

    Nel, sorry I can’t approve comments that are not in English, I don’t know what I’m approving. English only please folks, I’m a typical Brit I’m afraid, can’t speak any other languages!

  114. Hey there. Okay,so my dad suffers from Cerebral Ataxia. His neurologist asked him to try Champix out. He is NOT a smoker. My Mom found the whole thing a bit fishy and asked me to check this drug out online. I was shocked to see these reviews. My dad is underweight and extremely ill. I don’t know why the doctor would ask him to try such a dangerous drug..
    My Mom is looking into the matter. But I really want to know,is Champix given to people suffering from Ataxia? Has the doctor done something wrong? I’m so confused. Everywhere I read it says this drug is for smokers,but then why was it given to my dad? Help me out.
    Thanks!

  115. As far as I know, MKH, this drug has never been trialed for ataxia. It was never trialed for alcohol or drug therapy either, but there have already been suggestions coming up on the internet that it “may be” applicable for those issues too, and quite where these rumours originate is anybody’s guess. Once a drug company has a patent, naturally they would like that drug to be considered as a “treatment” for as many issues as possible, because their only motivation is to sell it, preferably in vast quantities. Whether any of this is genuinely beneficial to the human race or not is irrellevant. Doctors only know what the drug companies tell them, they don’t research this independently. If you had not looked this up on the web, you wouldn’t know about the bad reactions either, would you? So all the drug companies have to do is control the flow of information to the doctors via medical authorities by suggesting that the internet is NOT a reliable source of information – so doctors should always ignore it – that’s the PROFESSIONAL attitude to adopt – and they can get away with murder on a grand, global scale. And they do. Whether this neurologist was just experimenting independently, or whether they have received some directive to experiment with such a dangerous drug I honestly don’t know. But Champix is so totally unpredictable in the way it affects each individual, and even in the way it affects the same individual on second or third courses of the drug, we can say that every prescription of Champix issued is an experiment at the user’s risk.

  116. Worked great for me. WANTED TO QUIT…REALLY, followed the instructions properly, always took it on a full stomach, stopped after 2 weeks….continued the program, and I have had no desire to smoke for over 3 years. This website sounds like it is more for people who DON`T REALLY WANT TO QUIT. Thanks Champix.

  117. Yeah, that’s right Dave – all the problems being reported all over the world are caused by people not following the instructions properly and not really wanting to quit. Or perhaps you were just one of the lucky ones and now you are just being rude and dismissive because you haven’t bothered to look into the facts at all.

  118. Hi Chris, interesting web site and insight into Champix. I have to admit that right now I’m in the camp of those with positive experiences of the drug in terms of its ability to help me stop smoking.

    I’ve been trying to stop smoking for about 20 years. Hypnotherapy and acupuncture didn’t work, nicotine patches gave heart palpitations, and nicotine gum and lozenges gave me mouth ulcers. Zyban kind of worked (I managed to quit for 6 months) but I became completely disconnected from the world whilst on it.

    So far Champix is working; after 10 days I am not only not wanting to have a cigarette, don’t appear to have any of the side effects mentioned on your very comprehensive and informative site (although my partner did not a certain tetchiness when I first started taking it, which I put down to nicotine withdrawal and has subsided completely) . Right now I think I might be able to quit from just using the two week starter pack of the stuff.

    Personally, I have felt depressed and despairing when trying to quit by “conventional” means. But maybe that’s just me.

    Please note that I have no connection with any drug company and only actually visit a doctor once or twice a year. I don’t like going to the doctor and don’t particularly like having to take prescription medication of any kind and ask what alternatives are if a doctor attempts to prescribe me any medication.

    I guess I’m one of the lucky ones. Cheers and thanks again for the very informative site.

    cheers

  119. Hi, Just wanted to let you know how I’m feeling taking Champix. I’m now on day 8 and just started the 1mg dosage. Feeling sick and very tired, lousy headaches, but my desire to stop smoking is very encouraging. I have cut down already to 10 a day, being a 20-24 cigs a day person. I’m hoping to completly stop and would rather have a few side effects than die of a smoking related illness. Will up date further.

  120. I’ve just instigated a change in policy on this site. Anyone sending in abusive messages will not see them posted on the site.

    Little message to Dave: I have removed your former posts because you continued to send abusive messages after I warned you to stop. Your suggestion that I cannot stop you from speaking because “there is a hole internet out there” (sic) is absolutely true. There is. Now go get lost in it.

    State your case, people, you do not have to agree with me at all, but if you are abusive towards anyone, you will not appear on here at all. Thanks, Dave – and Darren – for helping me make up my mind about that one. Bye bye.

  121. Boy Chris you sure don’t like people going against the way you think. Might I suggest you ease up keep going the way you are and you may cause your self grief you do not need. Keep up the work. As long as you believe in it be it right or wrong as long as you believe it so be it. And the power that be and the world will judge. Good luck on your journey.

  122. Not so, Scott. If someone doesn’t think the way I do, I may disagree with them. I may even argue with them. I only remove people who are being abusive. Most blogs will do that. It is not unreasonable.

    This came in yesterday:

    J. wrote:
    My husband has recently died and I am sure that Champix had something to do with
    it. He was an ex miner with copd and was told to stop smoking and that this drug
    would help him succeed. He had always been an active man and was still working.
    Around Easter time he developed odema in his legs and his face and his potasium
    level dropped to a dangerous level. He went into hospital and that was the start
    of what was a nightmare they could not find the cause of the lost of potassium
    and he went in a further twice for the same problem and subsequently died on
    30th June 2012. I have asked for a postmortem and told the coroner of my
    concerns any help you can give me will be appreciated Regards J.

  123. Who will help this lady? Pfizer? No. The prescriber? No. Will the coroner list Champix as the cause of death? Almost certainly not, because it is not provable.

    There is only one way to get to the truth. There needs to be an investigation into how many smokers who have been prescribed Champix have died, killed themselves or made a serious attempt to do so, become seriously ill or violently attacked someone having never done that before, in the 18 month period after taking the drug. I believe these individual horror stories to be the tip of the iceberg, and to any smoker who has taken this drug and did not become a victim themselves, I would say this: Just because you were lucky does not give Pfizer the right to kill someone else with it.

  124. As I’m getting a little tired of people accusing me of self-interest, I’m posting this latest contribution, from a mental health nurse, and this and several other popular threads… THIS is why I’m doing all this stuff about Champix: to prevent THIS:

    “I really wish I’d found this site before I started taking Champix, I definately wouldn’t have taken it and would have saved myself so much misery!
    I started taking Champix 4 weeks ago and have had problems from week one, not realsing it was related to this evil drug. My symptoms have incliuding nausea, constipation, stomach cramps, weight gain, vision problems, sore throat and losing my voice, flu symptoms, forever tired and memory loss, both short term and long. I have had hallucinations, visual and audial, thankfully fleetingly and have also had fleeting thoughts of suicide. I am starting to feel depressed, but I think that’s because I’ve been feeling ill for these 4 weeks with no sign of recovering. My GP said it was pyschological withdrawal, gave me a script for antibiotics and told me to carry on with the good work of not smoking! I’m worried for my job too, I only started 4 months ago, have already used up all my sick leave and am not working to my potentail. Oh, I’m a Mental Health nurse and the side effects that some of these people describe frighten me to death! IT IS NOT a withdrawal from nicotine.
    For all you people who are having postive experiences using Champix, please be aware of the possible side effects and ask your nearest and dearest to keep a close eye on you.”

  125. I am going through hell because of this drug at the moment. I have flushed them down the toilet since my partner had a psychotic episode on Thursday night. He said he wanted to stab people, wanted to leave me, said he didn’t give a shit about anything any more.

    His pupils kept getting bigger and smaller, he looked at me like he didnt know me at all. He has been switching in and out of this for days now, hitting himself when I ask a simple question, he keeps trying to break up with me, he is talking about killing himself.

    I am at my wits end, I have no idea what to do. I know it’s not him, but it’s still difficult to take. I understand this drug works for alot of people, and Im glad they have not had to go through this. But it is having adverse effects on too many. It’s not good enough. I am terrified he will leave me, or killl someone, or himself. I have no idea when it will end.

  126. Hi Chris,
    i have spent considerable time reading in awe of some of the posts on this site, a friend tried Champix & less than a week freaked him out hes in HK so I,m in HK get his balance pack & buy one of my own.
    This sat in the drawer I banged my foot up on a step & my smallest toe refused to heal.
    had the xrays all good after 3 weeks & 3 docs I am being told its possible Buergers Disiese lack of blood flow, similar to symtoms of frost bite.
    So I am put on blood thinning tablests & told not to smoke, I run a lot of business & its mostly hostpitality related Drinking & smoking are the norm.
    so now faced with having to trash drinking & smoking I took out the Champex, I have done patches etc probably Zyban was the best 3.5 years off the puff & one day….

    I have been off the piss for the best part of 3 weeks & on the Champex for 14 days I dident bother with start up packs just straight to full strength my sleepimg pattern is somewhat iffy but for the rest plus the fact I.m not drinking is probably par for the course.
    can,t deprive the body of everything at once which is what I am doing.
    I have had the odd dark moment early maybe day 3 & lethargic, I have made sure I get my meals in first eating a lot of fruit 3-4 times daily.
    I have been off the ciggs since day 5 & as this was a 2 week course & today is last day I may just leave off tomorrow & go with the will power which in itself is half the battle.
    Living in South East Asia for half of my 52 years leaves me with the Knowledge that experienced doctors may not just be around the corner.
    have been a smoker 32 years.

    having weaned myself off a bad Coke habit at 24 I can tell you that Smoking is a hard one – but get the head in the right place & half the battles done.
    my battle now is to make sure I dont start having bits chopped off me.
    Having gleaned all info re Champix I finally come across info that this doesent mix with a blood thinning tablet & guess whos taking blood thinning tablets.

    the fine print, for those in the struggle get the head straight & the rest will follow mostly have faith- IN YOURSELF.
    lastly Chris thanks for the GOOD work.
    Al

    and I will keep you posted after dropping it tomorrow.

  127. i am using Champix now for 10 days, and feel terrible, i dont feel i want to vomit but i have a TERRIBLE tember, and chased a client out of my office today and also been VERY rude to people on the phone, CHAMPIX was really my last hope, as Cigarettes seem to really be my boss..
    My dr suggested that i go back to even maybe only take a courter and then build up again to 1mg per day – all i know is just that i dont feel good Mentally at ALLLLL – Wish i never started smoking..

  128. I am just about to start taking these tablets but are very scared now as I have Multiple Scerosis (MS) and as there is no explained reason why or how we get it, I am very fearful of the Champix now. I wonder how many people who have taken this drug who have had some of brain disease or disorder in which this drug has effected them? I tried the Patches a few years ago and it felt like I was relapsing and removed the patch straight away, I went back to feeling normal again. Wish I had never started smoking either!

  129. I really think that all this bad comments are left here from cigarette companys because they are going to loose alot of money if people are aware that champix actually works, i’ve been smoking for 15 year and taking champix for over 3 weeks and have not had a smoke in 11 days, the best thing is that there is no real side effects and i dont even feel like smoking.

  130. Wrong guess, Puma. Hope it doesn’t do to you what it has done to so many others. All of this is 100% genuine feedback from smokers, but I can fully understand why you really wouldn’t want to believe that, since you are actually taking the damn stuff.

    You might not get any side effects. But if you read the feedback on all the Champix blogs, you will find that some people get side effects immediately, some after a week, some two, three, four, five… and some have now told us that they didn’t get side effects until their second COURSE of Champix, having been OK on the first course, but they started smoking again after that, like so many do.

    Do your research – your Doctor hasn’t.

  131. This one came in by email yesterday:

    antony wrote:

    I took CHAMPIX for 12 days. On the 12th day I had a very bad reaction. My throat swelled and I had pins and needles in my face and hands. My tongue felt swollen and I had a rash on certain parts of my body but mainly on my head and neck. I’ve always been positive but can now say that I truly know what depression feels like. Its been several months now since I stopped taking the drug but still feel depressed and I am experiencing very black moods which is not usual for me. Do not take this drug. It will harm you people.

  132. Hi, just an update for anyone who is going though the horrible effects of this drug. My partner finally came back to me last Thursday, exactly two weeks after I flushed those things down the toilet.

    I feel so so blessed that he is back to normal, I am still reeling from the stress of the last three weeks. Apparently, the nurse (not doctor, NURSE) that prescribed the drugs to him went red and got very flustered when he told him what had happened, and tried to play it down. I will be writing a formal complaint about it – if it helps someone else and stops someone else from going through this, I’ll be very happy.

    Puma, I’m so happy it’s working for you so far – but please have someone monitor your moods. Tom only started to crack up in week 4, and when he did, he REALLY did. By the way, I quit smoking at the same time as Tom, and I didnt take Champix.

    It’s like everyone’s forgotten that it wasn’t always around! PEOPLE HAVE BEEN QUITTING SMOKING FOR YEARS! Trust me, when Tom was really bad, he’d have preferred a smokers disease than the mental torment he endured, and I think I would too.

    Good luck

  133. Dee, I’m so glad your partner has recovered so quickly. This gives some hope to others out there, although everyone is different the fact that anyone can return to normality after a relatively short time is good to hear.

    Yes, complain about the drug, formally. It is not the nurse’s fault either – or any of the doctors involved – they’re just doing what they are told to do, and if they raise questions about the drug themselves, they run the risk of being regarded as a troublemaker or a potential whistleblower, and then they would be in fear of losing their job.

    The more official complaints there are against the drug from smokers, the quicker it will be banned. Simple.

    Now: many a true word is spoken in jest, and humour can also be subversive, undermining the power of controlling authorities that are not being straight with people, for whatever reason. For all those who doubt what I’m saying about Champix (Chantix in the U.S.), I think that the fact we are seeing spoof adverts like this appearing more often now suggests that the public are beginning to become aware of the truth about this evil drug, and so I include this here with no disrespect to everyone who has suffered because of this drug – I am not making light of it, but I believe that Pfizer (the manufacturer) will be furious about this.

  134. i was on champix for four weeks. gave up smoking after five days. omg i was happy after smoking for 38 yrs. but last sunday i slashed my wrist and was taken to hospital. i did then and do now still feel like i want too die. doctor wanted to section me but i have to hurt another person first. i did not realise such a thing could ever happen to me while trying to give up smoking. im sorry to say i would rather carry on smoking tham kill myself over these tablets……………

  135. my heart and soul goes out to everyone that has suffered because of these pills, i know how everyone feels xx

  136. there is clearly a group of people who should steer well clear of stuff like this. Over-thinkers, bloggers, depressives, people with a history or family history of mental illness.

    I don’t over analyze these things, i just got on with it.. i’ve now gone 6 days without a cigarette – to me thats like climbing 6 mountains. Champix is a miracle. Thank you thank you thank you!

    Sorry if you’ve had a bad time, but you only tend to hear the bad stuff on the internet. I have yet to meet anyone in “real life” who failed with it.

  137. Bloggers?

    Dan says: “I don’t over analyze these things, I just got on with it…”

    Dan, you just believed what you were told and took the tablets like a good little patient, and you’ve gone six days without a cigarette. All well and good, but that hardly gives you the right to dismiss the experiences of everyone else as just down to over-analysing or having a history of mental illness. I wouldn’t wish the horrific effects of serious Champix reactions on anyone, but if they DID happen to you – and they still could, quite a lot of sufferers were okay on the drug at first, so don’t be complacent – you would then look back on your comments here as being ignorant, smug and dismissive. This drug has ruined some people’s lives, and all they did was what YOU did: trust their doctor and asssume the drug is safe. It isn’t, and it is wildly unpredictable as well, so – good luck.

  138. This is ridiculous… I have a very hard time believing half the stuff on here.. You are calling Champix a “murderer” but now I wonder how many people your website scared, and now will just continue smoking, and possible develop cancer or some other deathly disease. To be honest, I got the prescription today, and you have made me second guess it.. what am I supposed to do now? I was excited to be a non-smoker, and you have ruined it with this crap. I just find it pretty shitty that you would do all of this, and turn people against possibly finally quitting smoking just to promote your hypnotherapy garbage.

  139. I wonder how many of these posts are just Chris, pretending to be different people. I highly doubt someone “coughed and then became permanantly blind”
    Doctors would not recommend this drug if chances are you are going to go blind, kill yourself, attack your wife… pretty sure those people are taking some other drugs that they are not admitting too…
    “i smoke crack and bath salts, but it HAD to have been the champix that made me try to stab my wife”
    lol… its nonsense

  140. I’m not making it up, Rachel – were you warned by your prescriber? And if not – why not? Don’t they know? Or did they know, but didn’t tell you? Look at this.

    The study found that 90 percent of suicidal behavior or depression reported to the FDA were related to Chantix

    And check the last paragraph: “A year after taking the drug, only 10% of users were still not smoking” – it has a rubbish long-term success rate anyway, so it’s just not worth the risk. If you don’t believe ME (because I’m a hypnotherapist, presumably) then do more research, read around everywhere, but don’t believe the hype. I stop people smoking every day of the week, no risk!

  141. Re: Rachel post #140 Augst 20th 2012, please go back and read my original post #83 21st December 2011. I am a real person and the symptoms I described in that post were very very real, thankfully I am back to being my normal self now 🙂

    Chris, I just thought you might like to know this little snippet of info 🙂 In the office I work in we have the radio on all day and at almost EVERY ad break between songs this particular ad comes on with a group of men and women urging people to see their doctor if they want to give up smoking. It does not mention how this will be achieved, but at the very end of the ad the narrator says ‘this message is brought to you by Pfizer”………… I laugh every time I hear it as there is definitely no guess work needed to realise what they are ACTUALLY advertising 😉

  142. If anyone is inclined to doubt what they read here, or imagine (Like Rachel #140) that I have nothing better to do than make all this up, the obvious course of action couldn’t be clearer: read around. Rachel’s blind faith that “Doctors would not recommend this drug” if all this were true is sadly naive. It SHOULD be true, but the fact is THEY DON’T KNOW. They only know what they’re told through official channels, and guess who is controlling the official channels these days, the feed of marketing information? The very companies that make the drugs. But anyone who found this site must have a search engine: search “Champix reviews” and read what your prescribing nurse or doctor has never read: the hundreds of horror stories of lives and family lives shattered by this evil drug. The fact that it doesn’t do that to everyone isn’t the point. Each of those cases is a tragedy not just for that smoker but everyone close to them, and if they’d known they would never have taken it. Sadly we have reached the stage where patients have to educate their doctor as to the hazards of the drug they are innocently recommending!

  143. I am on day 10 of champix, i have severe headaches and feel disorientated. Do you think champix is the cause of this?

  144. Yes. In my opinion this is a very dangerous and completely unpredictable drug, and the advice of the manufacturer is to cease taking it if you experience side effects like this. This advice is to protect themselves, because if you keep taking it and the drug ends up making you seriously ill, they are not legally liable because they told you to stop taking it if you noticed anything like this but you carried on.

    This drug has about a ten percent success rate when the results are reviewed at one year. All the hype has been about short term effects, which has made Champix appear to be way more successful than it actually is. The risks outweight the very modest benefits by a long way if you’re one of the unlucky ones.

    The prescribing doctor should take you off the drug immediately and report the bad reaction through the official channels.

  145. I stopped the drug on Tuesday , I feel slightly better today still abit of headaches

    PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG

  146. I stopped the drug on Tuesday , I feel slightly better today still abit of headaches, anyone have any idea when will i be 100% ok

    PLEASE LEAVE THIS DRUG if you get any of the symptoms , it can become ones worst nightmare.

    I will stop smoking without this drug it is mind of matter, i was smoking 30 per day and now i am on 10 a day a gradually will reduce to 0

  147. Was prescribed champix yesterday by the doctor!! After reading these comments, I have thrown them in the bin. Not worth the risk, so going cold turkey it is :/

  148. Well done Collette! They usually don’t work anyway. If willpower doesn’t work find a good hypnotherapist specialising in smoking cessation. Then it’s a doddle, ‘cos it shuts the cravings down AND prevents weight gain.

    Hypnosis is not at all what most people think it is. A lot of people think they are going to be asleep or unconscious, or under someone else’s power, which is rubbish! It is simply a communication process, a way of getting information to the Subconscious part of the mind, which controls the craving system and all habitual behaviour. Already, your Subconscious mind switches the smoking habit on and off like a light, depending on where you are and what you’re doing: it shuts it down at night, and during the day whenever you go somewhere where no-one can smoke, such as a bus or train, a cinema, a hospital or your place of work. As long as the smoker accepts these restrictions, they will be comfortable – as will any smoker who is playing a sport, or gardening. Some smokers don’t smoke outside, so if they are out and about, they don’t want one. My role as a hypnotherapist is to explain to the client’s Subconscious mind that they want the craving signals shut down altogether, and why. I also have to explain to that part of the mind that tobacco is not a stress-reliever, nor is it truly a pleasure, it’s just breathing poisonous gases in and out really. There’s no high.

    I’ve put together a few tips here for anyone who wants to try hypnotherapy themselves or is considering it. Reading this information will greatly increase your chances of getting immediate success with any hypnotherapist who knows what they’re doing with the smoking issue.

  149. Hi Chris,
    My partner took a course of Champix 8 months ago which proved very successful and he was over the moon about being able to kick the habit. But ever since he (my partner) he has had nothing but horrible stomach issues which he never ever suffered from.
    Initially we thought he had developed an allergy to a type of food and so we eliminated those foods from his diet but it made no difference.
    He feels like crap every day and it is horrible for him and awful for me as I try to understand and live with his dilema.
    Do you have any suggestions……?
    Thanks Gary and. Steve

  150. Hi Gary,

    Most Champix side effects gradually fade away, but there may be a quicker way to get rid of this one if it is what I suspect it may be… if you go to the Contact Us part of the site and send me a private email with more details of the symptoms, that should give me enough info to tell if this is possibly fixable right away.

  151. around 5 yrs ago I was casually prescribed Champix by trainee GP. Thought it was great – took for 8 weeks and gave up 45 yr. 40+ day habit with such ease I was singing it’s praises to anyone who’d listen UNTIL wrecked my car in an accident which luckily hurt no one. That night I almost committed suicide.
    I cannot describe the blackness which totally consumed me. I cannot prove that the wreck of a person I was that night had never existed in me before and was created by mind destroying power of champix – but that is what I know to be true. I have filled in Yellow card/ told every doctor I come across but get little feeling that anyone in the NHS or pharm industry wants to know.

  152. What you discovered there, Pauline, is what one contributor to this blog expressed as: “No-one has your back. No-one.” Don’t we all assume that if something that the doctor gives you makes you ill, they would leap to your assistance and be deeply concerned for your welfare? Not a bit of it. They don’t want to know. They’ve got their heads stuck firmly in the sand and they just believe what the bloody drug company tells ’em.

    How are you now, Pauline? Have you recovered? Did you manage not to start smoking again? That’s the other thing they don’t tell you – most people only stop temporarily anyway with Champix.

  153. Not everybody is affected, Annette. Try reading some of the above about the drug you “wud highley reccomend.”

    I’ve sent Pfizer an email of your testimonial, as I think they’ll want to use “Champix tablets r great!” as their next advertising slogan. That’s if Kellogs Frosties have finished with it.

  154. Hi Chris. I am a smoker and have just been away for a weekend with a friend of mine who has been taking Champix and she is very impressed with it so much so that I was interested in trying it myself. She told me it would be very unlikely that I would be prescribed it as I have suffered from depression in the past. She mentioned the feelings of nausea and how she was also ‘off’ alcohol.
    She seemed ok one minute but then would be snappy and irritable the next. I was wondering what on earth I had done to irritate her so much.
    Now having read the various negative statements I am beginning to wonder if Champix might have something to do with her mood swings.
    Needless to say, I’m not going to bother. I’ll stick to good old fashioned will-power.

  155. Woah, scary! I’m guessing she didn’t seem to realise she was behaving oddly? Which makes a nonsense of the standard advice to stop taking the drug if your personality starts changing – they don’t know it is! Which makes Champix users capable of anything – even murder, as we have already seen.

    If willlpower doesn’t do it Ann, find a decent smoking cessation hypnotherapist and they’ll do it for you. Just don’t pay anything over £200, unless they’re in Harley Street. Usual going rate is about £150, much less in some areas. It’s perfectly safe and you’ll save it back in a month.

  156. Thanks for the advice Chris. I have started looking at hypnotherapists in my area. Will let you know how I get on.

  157. Hi Chris,
    I have been a smoker for well over 18 years, i tried Champix in March and can proudly say am now a non smoker. The reason for this post is that it annoys me that you put this drug down so much. I understand there are a few adverse side effects to it but there isn’t a drug on the market that is 100% safe.

    In almost all of your posts you big up hypnotism as a 100% safe and works 100% of the time. I tried Hypnotherapy 3 times from highly successful hypnotherapists (Paul Mckenna being one of them). Hypno therapy DID NOT work for me, i gave up for 2 or 3 hours after each session. With Champix i gave up straight away.

    For every 100 people champix affects or kills you have about 1 million people that smoking kills, through cancer, heart problems etc. Think of the families of those millions of people that it affects.

    I do feel sorry for the people affected but to anyone reading this PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO CHRIS, the pros of champix far outweighs the cons. if you carry on smoking then you will die anyway the the chances you will get affected as much as chris says are about 100,000 – 1. id say those are pretty good odds.

    Good luck people and i hope champix helped you as much as it helps me 🙂

  158. 1) Paul McKenna is a TV personality and a stage hypnotist. He has never had a therapy practice where ordinary people go and have a session to stop smoking! 2) I have never said hypnotherapy works 100% of the time, you are lying. 3) “There isn’t a drug on the market that is 100% safe” is a SHAMEFUL apology for the most dangerous and unpredictable drug currently available. Pfizer misled the FDA about the trial data, and if they hadn’t, the drug would not be on the market. They should be prosecuted and the drug withdrawn immediately. 4) Pfizer have been prosecuted before for fraudulent marketing, and fined record amounts as punishment, so they are liars too. 5) This report proves you wrong.

  159. I have just read Ryan’s account of his experience with Champix.
    It’s good that Champix has worked for him. But to state that the pros’s outweigh the con’s with regards to everyone else is naive.
    Yes Ryan, it worked for you and did no harm. I am intrigued to know what brought you to this site. I looked it up because I was concerned about a friends change in behaviour and was looking for some answers.
    It seems to me that a happy Champix camper would have no reason to be here unless they were directed here for some reason or another.

  160. hi i have read alot of the comments made, and im not sure wat to believe so far, i have been taking champix for a month, not had a smoke for 2 weeks, had the normal symptoms of nausia and vomiting, but the last couple of days i have had low blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, I have noticed a bit of depression, and temper. I think each to there own, everybody is different, read your leaflet on sideffects, if you think it is harming you just stop taking them, and talk to your docter. I hope that no one does suffer long term side effects from champix, but people are not wrong when they say smoking is worse and kills alot more people. All people can do is take in every that has been said about champix good and bad and make there own decsision about it. I will continue taking champix, cause so far it is working,

  161. I know one person that quit on champix he said he had alot of side effect too. But still quit with his wife and they havent smoked since, that is why i am trying it as well, if i feel like the side effects are getting to much i will stop using them, my partner tried it and he went sycho on them, so he stopped using them, he fine now. Take at your own risk. either way smoking can kill ya, and champix can do the same. you take the risk smoking, why not take the risk to quit. Just know your body, keep note of your symptoms, let family and friends no wat ur doing and the side effect you might have, so that someone can keep an eye on you as well as a doctor.

  162. Smoking kills a lot of people: fact. There are several methods of stopping smoking that perform better than any medication – including Champix – which involve no risk: fact. They are: hypnotherapy, the Allen Carr approach and acupuncture.

    No-one should be encouraged by a doctor or any medical operative to try a risky option until all the safe options have been tried already. It’s a no-brainer, Doc. First, do no harm. Champix is doing terrible harm, completely at random and it’s effects are usually only short term anyway. Some of the side effects are horribly permanent.

    I’m not trying to scare people. I’m trying to protect them, which is what the medical profession should be doing but they’re just acting like blind, deaf, dumb delivery monkeys for Pfizer. WAKE UP, DOC!

  163. hi there,

    just to say we are all chemically different individuals and what works for some won’t work for others and vice verse.
    i had only positive experience with champix (currently on it), and can say that is one of most painless ways to quit smoking,

    cheers

  164. Er… I don’t think anyone would have a problem with Champix if it were just a matter of whether it works or not Romana. I’m glad it doesn’t seem to be harming you so far, but then we’ve had plenty of reports now from people who had been on it for weeks before they started suffering, or only had a bad reaction on their second or third course of Champix, or when they stopped taking it. So – as you are still on the medication – it is simply to early to say what your long-term outcome will be.

    Keep us posted? And good luck!

  165. I smoked 30 a day for 28 years and took Champix in 2010 and have not touched a cigarette since. Hypnosis does not work for everyone and I suspect that the author of this thread is losing money as more and more people choose Champix over other traditional methods such as hypnosis and accupuncture. Why pay £120 for a hypnosis session and £5 for a 400 page book!! when you can get Champix for nothing on prescription. Anyone who does mad things when on Champix must have mental health problems to start with.

  166. Hiya,I started hating this brainwasher CHAMPIX…..I’m on 12th day now and I’ve noticed terrible mood swings,depression+scary dreams.I just have 1 a day,sometimes non at all.Do u think I can quit cold turkey?But these pills damage ur brain for defo.

  167. Josh, that is just a cheap insult to all the people who have been damaged or killed by this drug when there was nothing wrong with them to start with. You are just ignorant of the facts and don’t care because it didn’t happen to you personally or anyone you love. Nice.

    Hanna, the manufacturer’s advice (and therefore medical advice too) is to STOP TAKING THE DRUG IMMEDIATELY if you are experiencing symptoms like that. Also make sure that the prescribing doctor reports the bad side effects through the official channels.

    What Josh has not taken into consideration is that I routinely recommend the Allen Carr book and acupuncture AS WELL AS hypnosis – if all I cared about was my income, why would I do that, genius? I make no money from either of those. No, I must just be HONEST. Champix kills. Google it: Champix reviews. I’m not making this shit up. It’s one heartbreaking tragedy after another, one horror story after another. Blame the victims? You should go for a job at Pfizer, they’d employ you like a shot.

  168. my husband has been taking champix now for 4 weeks and his mood has been all over the place. On New Years Eve we were drinking at home with a few friends and my husband snapped.. He put his hands on me, smashed up our home and terrified our children and our friends children. He was in a total rage, the things he were saying were terrible and he has no recollection of this, i have never seen anything like it. We have been together for over 16 yrs and i have never seen anything close to this behavior, i have to say it is a direct result of the drug and have an appointment to see the doctor who prescribed it. This has caused serious problems in our marriage and our family life, if we had been told of these effects before it was prescribed we would probably have thought twice before taking it. I also have given up smoking cold turkey for the same amount of time as the champix makes me vomit and have migraines, and my mood has been up and down but nothing compared to this. I think the drug companies need to reevaluate this product before more people are hurt or killed.

  169. Hi guys.

    Been doign alot of research ont his stuff before i took a shto at kickign my habit!

    Im now 3 days into the cycle and havnt even though of a cig. Had a massive headache today, no proof its to do with champix though. Obviously im on the lookout for anything abnormal and so is my partner. I also noticed i did something at work today which i have no recollection of doing which is rather weird. Again, not sure if its the drug or not….I definatley feel “weird” though…Will report any findings.

  170. Hello…..

    I am about to take my first champix. I was quite casually reading through this site happily open to all suggestions.. untill I read this comment and YOUR response, then it became clear to me that the originator of this post is clearly obsessed over this matter and is conspiring against it.

    Finnian, on August 4th, 2011 at 12:28 am Said:

    I only took champix for about 2 and a half weeks. I am only 25 but I have a heart problem and need to have a serious operation so I really wanted to quit before damaging my body anymore than it already was. The only side effect I suffered from was nausea and vomiting. I understand that everyone reacts differently to different drugs but I’m happy that I have given up smoking and the nausea seemed like a reasonable sacrafice to make. Before they would even give me the prescription I was practically interrogated by my doctor to make sure I could handle it and after being given the prescription I was warned over and over to read the info leaflet and to stop taking them and go straight to the doc if my mood changed or my emotions changed and especially if I felt in anyway depressed or defeated. Because of that warning I was constantly on the look out for these symptoms but thankfully nausea and vomiting were the worst symptoms i had. I didnt finish my course…not because I had been scared off by the website but because I thought I have gotten rid of the habit and so I didnt want to put my body through anything more than I had to. I think its great that you are showing people the possible side effects of this drug but I also think it is important to point out that these are in fact just “possible” side effects and everyone does react differently to different medications. Champix helped me quit but if I thought it was impacting my mental or physical health I would have stopped straight away. Everyone is different and even though it worked for me that doesnt mean it will work for everyone… but couldnt the same be said about all medications and all types of treatments for quitting smoking… hypnotherapy and acupuncture included?! P.S. Im glad to say it has been 2 months and still no smoking or cravings.

    10.
    Chris, on August 4th, 2011 at 2:41 am Said:

    Hi Finnian, thanks for joining the debate. Did you hear about the latest independent research which indicated that Champix raised the risk of heart attack by 72%?

    What kind of an answer is that???

  171. “Conspiring” against it? No CAMPAIGNING against it. It is clear from Finnian’s account that although he was warned to look out for mood changes or emotional changes, no-one mentioned his heart condition or any risk to his heart. Therefore I was asking him if he had seen the reports about that or been told about them by the people prescribing the drug. If not, then the safety precautions were not as rigorous as he thought they were.

    Since he was already off the drug, it is hardly scaremongering to bring the subject up. I understand that this subject is new to you, Stephen, but I’ve been receiving truly heartbreaking stories from smokers who were not properly warned, and some that were but decided to risk it, since 2008, and many of them saying this drug should be banned based on their personal experience.

    I am very well-informed about this subject after nearly five years collecting feedback, researching and writing about it. I am doing this to warn and protect people. I am, now, an outright denouncer of this horrible killer drug and the manufacturer, Pfizer, who are already settling suicide cases out of court to buy off the prosecutions like drug companies usually do. They don’t care about human lives or suffering. Champix WILL be withdrawn in the end, but they’ll drag the process out as long as possible, helped by the FDA who are colluding to a sickening degree. Champix should never have been approved and if Pfizer hadn’t ‘lost’ the details of hundreds of bad reactions including 150 suicides before a key safety review, it would have been stopped earlier, thus saving countless lives, marriages, hospitalisations and ruined careers.

    “Obsessed”? No. Committed. Hope it doesn’t harm you.

  172. I took Champix to quit smoking in June 2007. It was a 14 day course (I didn’t want to take it longer than I needed to), and I successfully quit smoking because of it.

    A year later I was suffering with pain in my kidney area. The doctor ran a gamut of tests on me and was unable to find anything as to the cause. Finally, they ran a bank of blood tests and spotted an issue. After a second fasting blood test, I was found to have type 2 diabetes. By the time I was finally diagnosed, it had taken 2 years.

    When I asked how this could be the case (there is no family history of diabetes), and how long had I been diabetic, the doctor replied that he didn’t know, but that I had been diabetic for about 2 years.

    That, for me, tied into the period of time I took Champix, and on re-examination of the side effects document, I was shocked to note the line:

    “May cause a loss of blood sugar control” in extremely small writing. Having discussed this with the doctor, they clearly weren’t aware of this factoid, and now I’m a diabetic, I now understand fully what that line actually means. As a previous layman, I didn’t stand a bloody chance.

    Now, here’s the kicker. About 2 years ago I restarted smoking and found that my blood sugars went too low (for those who do not know, type 2 is related to HYPERglycemia (high sugars), and type 1 is HYPOglycemia (low sugars)). At one point I was close to a hypo episode which can lead to unconsciousness, coma and potentially death if not caught quickly enough.

    I stopped taking the raft of pills that I had been (Metformin, Sitagliptin and others), and my bloods stabilised.

    For more than a year, I have not taken a single diabetes controlling tablet, and yet my sugars appear normal (although still slightly higher than a non-diabetic person). This confuses the bejesus out of my doctor, but I am convinced more now than ever that Champix is the cause of the diabetes that I am suffering with (and the associated side effects that entails), and would dearly love to sue the ass of Pfizer for screwing my life up more than it already was.

    I warn everybody about this. If I overhear a stranger in the street, I advise they read the list of side effects closely, and decide if they could potentially live with diabetes going forward. It’s not good, it’s not fun, and it’s bloody criminal that they can get away with screwing people over like this.

    The above is an overview of what’s happened to me. Unfortunately, there is more in relation to the diabetes, but I shan’t delve deeper into that – just know that it’s no picnic.

    I will say this though. Just because you didn’t notice any immediate side effect after using Champix, be prepared to receive a rude awakening years down the line, as I and many others have now done.

  173. you are right chris!! “money is the reason”
    for why they make champix but it is also the reason for why you have made this website i have noticed you continually promoting you hypnotheropy throughout the page, i guess the more people taking champix the less people who want hyponotheopy. how many lives are you saving with this page? my guess is majority of people who where thinking of quiting with champix then read this page and where scared away from it will continue on smoking harming themselves and there children, majority of champix users have no or minor symptoms, maybe you should have a think weather you are doing more good then bad with this page? in my opinion you are harming more people then helping!

  174. For all those who are claiming that it ruined your lives, and demanding it be taken off the market; you are all RIDICULOUS. I’ve been using Champix for 2 months now, and it has done nothing but help me QUIT SMOKING. Clearly if you’re mentally unstable in the first place, you shouldn’t take it, just like you shouldn’t take any other medication.

    GET OVER IT PEOPLE. It works wonders for the best of us!

  175. I agree with Jordan on this one. I used champix a few years ago, and believe it’s rather ignorant how many of you are blaming Champix entirely on your problems. It helped me quit after 30 days of medicating, and have received no ill side effects since.

    Everyone has adverse side effects resulting from using drugs, it doesn’t mean they aren’t useful and efficient for some people.

  176. Champix is brilliant.. finally managed to quit a 30 year old habit, after many tries. Although sadly some people may have adverse effects, it should not be withdrawn, rather more closely monitered for the first few days/ weeks.

  177. Hi Chris, I am on my 7th day of taking Champix and already I am starting to experience extreme nausea, tiredness, headaches, lightheaded-ness, increased anger and the feeling as though my skin has been dipped in diluted menthol and placed infront of a fan.

    My Dr. didn’t give me any warning or advice… there wasn’t even an information sheet or slip inside the box. This isn’t uncharacteristic of her mind you, as she has always been a little docile- but the effects of this drug seem to me, to be more aggressive than most and definitely warrent a warning.

    todays ‘blue pill’ will be the last one I take- because though many people make a point to say that “a few side effects are better than cancer”- that truly depends on the side-effects and outcome.

    And I deffinitely agree with you Chris that cigerettes are not an addiction- they are a habit or as in my case a coping strategy.

    I am a young mother (I did not smoke during pregnancy and never smoke around my daughter) of an active two year old- I also have (self-managed) depression and high stress levels….

    Had I known the possible side effects of Champix and how likely they would be- I would have found an alternative. I do not have the time or energy to feel like this.

    *Also for those reading who might be curious (as I usually am). I am in my 20s, I do not drink, have only had about 7 smokes since I started and do not take any other medications or tablets (beside the occasional panadol). I am also not one to get sick easily. My point is that the effect this drug has had on me already, is not being fuelled by or reacting to anything else.

    I am sure this drug works for alot of people, and I envy those who are able to handle the effects- but it is definitely not for me..

  178. I’m not surprised ‘Ben’ agrees with ‘Jordan’ – the messages come from the same email address and just are 4 minutes apart! Jordan, using Champix for 2 months has apparently resulted in the creation of an alter ego of the opposite sex – but at least you are getting on well at the moment. If ‘Ben’ starts getting nasty, though, stop taking this mind-bending drug immediately.

    Meg, the reason I made this website was to blow the whistle on the “therapeutic nicotine” scam. Look at the homepage: I was telling all the world’s smokers that NRT doesn’t work any better than willpower, they are being lied to by medical authorities and health departments everywhere.

    I launched this website in March 2008. In January 2012 Harvard University published a study which proved I was right: NRT doesn’t help smokers at all.

    I am simply trying to tell smokers the truth: NRT is a scam which wastes their time and the delay could result in them contracting a fatal illness. Champix has about a 15% success rate and could kill them, hospitalise them or make them attack someone.

    Hypnotherapy works better than any other method (see Evidence) and never harmed anyone.

  179. Chris I totally agree with many of the comments that writers have discussed about the ill effects of tobacco and the millions who suffer from second hand smoking.

    I recall when Viagra aka Sildenafil Citrate another one of Pfizer products came out on the market. There were more negative reviews than positive even that of a 65 year old man dying after taking viagra. The truth is the dear man did have a heart problem and like all medications they come with side effects. Again I know of a gentleman in his 50’s, severe diabetic he takes viagra due to erectile dysfunction, no ill effects other than a pounding heart at times but put this down to the art of sex. I work with a lady who was smoking over 40 cigarettes per day, she was nearly fired from her job for smoking on hospital property. She attended HR and was sent to occupational health, prescribed Champix and highlighted she was told about the side effects, got herself worked up, waited for the depression to start, up to date nothing, that was 2 years ago, lets do more positive than negative work here. That being all medication has side effects!!!!!!!!

  180. As with many drugs there is always the risk of side effects. Unfortunately with this drug, there seems to be very serious ones. I agree that patients should be closely monitored in the first few weeks of taking it. I do think though, that people should be responsible for themselves. Who doesn’t read up on a medical condition, or in this case a new drug which they may be taking these days? They will read the side effects, and would have probably been told them by their doctor/nurse. As soon as they stat to feel ‘off’ they should stop them and seek medical help.

    I do think that this website though is completely bias to rubbishing the drug. Chris does not like opinions or comments which contradict his own views, and he has even resorted to bullying tactics. I believe I saw a comment he made taking the p**s out of a girls grammar and spelling. If he is really trying to make a valid point, and be taken seriously, is this the kind of behavior you would expect?

    I am taking champix. So far, apart from nausea, I am feeling fine. If this changes, which I hope it doesn’t, I will stop the drug, and try something else, putting it down to it not being suitable to me. That doesn’t mean it is not suitable for other people!!

  181. Virginia, this drug is causing a lot of suicides and most drugs don’t. I don’t think you are aware of the extent of the problem. The fact that it doesn’t do that to everyone is irrelevant: it shouldn’t kill anyone. My point is that there are much SAFER ways to stop smoking that are also more EFFECTIVE, and I have produced the evidence to back this up.

    Jen, this is a CAMPAIGNING WEBSITE. I am calling for Champix to be banned. It is causing devastation in thousands of people’s lives. If you think that’s all right, that’s up to you. I disagree.

    I did not post your other comments because it all got a bit personal. I stand by everything I have said on this website. If you can point to anything specific that you believe is a lie or incorrect, do so.

    You are currently taking Champix. I understand that you don’t want to hear about any of this. If you don’t like me or what I say, ignore me and just read what the smokers say. Then go on other blogs and see what they say there.

    I am campaigning against Champix because of what they say. This drug has a poor long-term outcome of about 15% success, and smokers have been told it’s a wonder drug. LIES. It is causing random heartbreak and suffering all over the world, and most smokers by their own accounts were only warned about nausea and bad dreams.

    For far too many people, Champix turned into a nightmare from which they will never wake up. I sincerely hope it doesn’t do that to you. I’m going out of my way to save lives here, and for that you suggest I am bringing my profession into disrepute?

  182. I recently started taking this drug I have tried everything to quit and have been unsuccessful (I am not susceptible to hypnosis).

    It has not started working yet as it is day 3 and I am still smoking. I up the dose tomorrow.

    On the second day I ended up in hospital due to severe temporary sternum pain I have also had severe stomach pain and that has settled today (not sure if it will return when I up my dose?)

    Also I was slightly light headed at first. I am counting on this drug to quit smoking as my health has deteriorated. I don’t want to die.

    What should I do? There are so many for and againsts in terms of taking the drug.

    Are the symptoms I have now going to go away after I stop the tablet or will they be there forever?

    After reading the comments I feel confused now

  183. Hi I have spent an interesting hour or so reading all these comments and just wanted to put my own thoughts down. I have been taking Champix for just over 2 weeks now, I have had the nausea and dizziness and a couple of strange mood swings, however I can honestly say that the few times I tried quitting cigarettes on my own, I had the exact same feelings as the nicotine wore off. However, I am very inclined to believe that the drug can have serious adverse effects on some people. And this is why.
    In the mid 90s I took a then new anti depressant, similar to Prozac, called Seroxat. I took it very successfully, had no side effects and after a 9 month course I came off them with no problems and was happy as Larry ever since. Until 2001 when I developed post-natal depression after having my second child, I was then prescribed Seroxat which I happily took, bearing in mind the success I had had with it before.
    This time however, within a few very short weeks I was in a living nightmare, I had blackouts, mood swings, my personality completely changed and I apparently started doing some very strange things, including drinking alcohol very heavily, which I had never done before. I immediately stopped the seroxat and had a month and a half of horrific withdrawal symptoms including insomnia and “head zaps”. Since then, I have had alcohol cravings for the past 10 years, not enough to make me into a serious alcoholic but definitely more than social drinking at times. I also have not touched any drugs of any kind in the last 12 years, but I so desperately wanted to give up smoking that I am now on champix.
    I know myself quite well so I’m keeping tabs on my moods and feelings, but what I really want to know is this – bearing in mind that most people – including myself – usually stops smoking completely within two weeks of taking the tablets, I have now not had a cigarette for over 5 days. The nurse told me that nicotine leaves the system within 48 hours so I am assuming that I am no longer a nicotine addict and will not crave a cigarette, so why is the champix course so long? If stopping taking them now, which i am tempted to do now after reading these horror stories (again, i must reiterate that I believe them all after my seroxat experience) will I suddenly want to light up a fag? I would be interested to know how many people who do stop smoking but dont finish the course, start to smoke again I would rather have the symptoms I have now than begin smoking again and definitely damage my health permanently.
    Thanks for the opportunity to speak out! Good luck with the campaign, I know some people have issues with people like yourself drawing attention to something a lot of people have found success with, but when I was going through seroxat withdrawal I was quite literally saved by a site like yours with a forum that helped me.
    Lisa x

  184. I have taken champix for 7 weeks, have not smoked for 5 weeks, I became very ill a few days ago and blame it on the medication, indigestion, vomiting, aches and pains, so I have now stopped taking the champix and pray I am strong enough to say no to nicotine .

  185. during the fall of 2008, Chantix ruined my life. i became someone else. lost my job, almost lost my fiancee & started doing crazy things, was very suicidal. i wrote a song called “Chantix” for my band’s new album. you can hear it for free here:
    http://weareinenvelopes.bandcamp.com/track/chantix

    i have gotten a little better over the years since i stopped taking chantix, but i still get panic attacks a couple times a month.

  186. jen i just read your blogg and feel i have to let you know that if it had not been for this site i would probably not be here today. my life on champix was turned upside down. i have two lovely children that had to watch their mother turn into a complete wreak.thesheer panic i experinced was unbelievable i was so scared every day i had extreme panic attacks over nothing . ijust wanted to die. i did stop smoking for six months but i was crazy . i had to see the mental health team who put me on anti deppresants which im stillon now . its 12months now since i first took champix ,my head isent fuzzy anymore and i can think straight but i still get panic attacks. i have started running and swimmming which help me focus and make me feel normal. inow smoke 10 cigs a day and im happy with that. champix is evil it should be taken off the market it wreaks peoples lives

  187. I am a single mum with one beautiful 5yr old boy, I’m into my 6th week on champix, and am currently still taking them. My moods have been so crazy and psycotic at some times and the lack of control I have over my moods has made me sooOoo depressed. My doctor yas doubled my dose of anti depressants, and refuses to prescribe me any calmative pills (such as valium etc) as they are addictive but I really need some as I have severe panic attacks daily. I have lost some of my closest friends including my best friend since being on champix. I feel so low and almost suicidal, but have managed to stay strong enough for my son. I miss my old self very very much, I am debating whether quitting smoking was a wise choice. Why is there so ittle help to assist people to quit

  188. Cont from my above comment, I am so depressed, un motivated and lots of other things, my memory has degraded as has my life. I want to quit smoking to better my future, and champix does work to stop the craving for smoking but it f*#ks every thing else up. I have seen a counsellor for my psycotic rages and depression, but they just wanted me to stop taking the pills, I’m scared to do that as I do not want to go back to smoking -as everything I have been through will have been all for nothing.
    I am proud to have come this far, but I just hope its worth it. I would reccomend this pill to NO ONE!!! It’s got nasty side affects. To the point where i don’t think I will ever have my old life back. :0(,,,

  189. i took champrix about 7 yrs ago ,had to stop taking them because of scary dreams,dreams that were that bad i thought i was dying when i woke up.I did have a heart attack about that time and had to have a stent fitted to an artery,i had never any problems before that.I have just quit smoking by using e-cigs.

  190. Hi

    I really don’t know how to describe what I feel . Specially that English is my second language .
    I am on champix in week 6. And yes there are really noticeable side effects as, sleeping problems , weird dreams ,
    headache from time to time.

    Im here not to take sides however I have to say that I “WAS” a heavy smoker for 17 years! Again…. WAS!!!

    So Champix does some good!!! After all.

    My advice is , if you feel ill and have bad side affects ,than stop and remember that you are already “HAPPY NON SMOKER” 🙂

    One think I know for sure! Sites as this one don’t do any harm but don’t do any good either !!!! I am writing this because all this bad reviews stop my wife from trying!

    I read almost all reviews in here and guess what 80% of them are bad!! So how come I know 8 people who quit smoking and all did it using champix ? 5 of them did it much over 1 year ago ,2 from this five stopped over 3 years ago? Coincidence??? Is champix really that bad?

    After all this years smoking 40 a day and recently spending £400 per month, I released that will be better to take my chances or die trying. I rather my children see me trying than see my die on smoke related illness .
    I will come back here witheen year to tall you how that story ends 🙂

    All the Best
    Jack

  191. This site promotes methods that never harm anyone, and suggests Champix should be a last resort because it can cause harm.

    Reasonable enough, I think.

    8 out of 8 long-term successes would suggest a 100% success rate. All feedback sent in gets posted, and 80% is negative? Go figure.

  192. Hey all ,I took champix for 2 weeks and got mild anxiety while driving went to the doc he said its normal so keepd taking them .after 4 weeks I had a extreme panic attack while driving back from a job 3 hours from home. I thought I was having a stroke I did not know what was going on I thought I was going to die and this went on day in day out for the next 2 months.That was 4 months ago so to cut a long story short I now see a psychologist regularly am on long term depression drugs and have only just started driving again.im 34 years old no history of any mental health problems got 2 kids and have been in the same job for 18 years ..keep up the good work chris I would love to hear anything else u find out about this horrible drug. It definitely does help to get off the smokes but id much rather be a smoker than live the rest of my life feeling the way I do.

  193. Hi been on champix for 2 weeks now.day 17.so far i have reduced smoking or the way to say it is the urge pf smoking has reduced.only left with the habit of daily routines which i think i think i have to do some lifestyle changes.. well this cigratte has been a loyal companiaon for 15years with me.

    And for side effects : sleep disturbance and weird dreams which i would gladly endure than dying from some stupid cancer or other disease caused by smoking!!…

    Good luck to those who has succeeded and those who are going to.

  194. I took Chantix for about a month. While on Chantix I was moody, and a blackout drunk after 3 beers. At the time I weighed 240pounds at 6’4″. I had the dreams and complete cessation of desire to smoke. I got scared after the blackouts related to as few as 3 beers and quit Chantix. My willpower crumbled and I started smoking again. The blackouts became less frequent related to alcohol but certainly continued. I also became a compulsive gambler within months of stopping. I felt like a different person. I was in a cloud of despair and confusion. I managed to kick the drink for the last 8 months, now that I cannot consume any amount of alcohol without fear of blackout. Currently battling gambling. Thanks Chantix I’m now an irresponsible child.

  195. About 9 years ago I took Champix for 3 days. I stopped because I did not like how it made me feel. It gave me a feeling of vertigo. After two years of doctor appointments a CT scan on my brain etc and not knowing what the heck was happening. I was finally diagnosed with PAD. THREE days on this drug and I now need to take meds for the rest of my life . Oh and I still smoke. So why this drug may work for some please think very hard about taking it and do alot of research

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