I have lived with pretty crippling anxiety my entire life. I have tried some anti-depressants and never liked the side effects, especially if I missed a dose. I have been taking Chantix for 2 1/2 weeks now. I can't recall a time in my life where I have seen this clear. I see a bigger picture, and I can communicate. Has anyone else with an anxiety issue see big changes like this? I can explain in more detail if needed(for the first time in my life!).
Chantix - Fixed my anxiety?
Question posted by buddy_jesus on 9 Feb 2014
Last updated on 4 October 2020 by Michellinalee
56 Answers Page 2
I wanted to add-I am getting a weird rash around my lips. Happened when I first started and came back again recently. Seems to simmer w some hydrocortisone. Wondering if anyone experiences that?
I have literally been searching for months trying to find anyone who had these same results. I know this is an old thread but are there any updates on the fact that so many people experience a better mood on this drug? I have smoked on and off for a long time. Recently I used cannabis with nicotine wrappers which was what I couldn’t stop. I have used cigarettes too but have been able to quite those through the years. I also used the blunt wrappers and at times have been able to quit those but this last round I couldn’t stop. I gave in and tried chantix. I thought I needed cannabis to manage anxiety. But ever since chantix I have needed nothing. I wasn’t planning to quit cannabis. I stopped chantix for about a week or so and found myself less productive and not smoking again but thinking about it more.
I was shocked! I had some chantix left so now I have taken half the dose a couple times to see if those days were better, and they so are! I have no thoughts of smoking anything. I even tried cannabis when off the chantix but not in a wrapper. I didn’t even like it. I haven’t taken chantix consistently but the couple days I have I was in such a better mood and majorly more productive. I don’ t really want to be on chantix forever but now I have a fear of totally going off and really want to understand what it is actually doing to me. I wouldn’t say I have been depressed my whole life or anything but lately, past few years, I have been more overwhelmed. Working mom and busy husband-I thought that was it but on chantix I can manage it all. I am so confused! I was looking for any updates or recent Information.
I feel better than I ever after taking chantix for almost 2 weeks now. I've been on all sorts of anti depresents/anxiety meds and they have done nothing for me. I'm more alert, clear headed, talkative, have more confidence and am sleeping way better! I'm just worried that my Dr won't continue to prescribe long term, and if she does I don't know how I'm gonna afford $400 per box...
Have you asked your doctor yet if she will continue to prescribe it long term?
If Chantix was so much more effective than other medications for anxiety/depression, it would have been prescribed for those conditions years ago. Unfortunately, those positive effects you are experiencing do not last. If Chantix helps you to quit smoking, that will be a real victory for your future good health! Hope it works for you.
I’m finishing my last refill now and it’s true - it doesn’t last.
I’ll be switching to another med and am weaning off during my last package.
I recommend you ENJOY WHILE YOU CAN.
I sure did, too.
No drug is "approved" for off-label usage... that's why it's called off-label and any doctor can prescribe it if she/he is willing to risk the consequences of an unforeseen complication or reaction.
I hope people will at least consider the initially positive, which eventually turned negative, experiences of many former users. It works great to help someone to stop smoking, but long term, as Wildcat mentioned here, it could turn into an unforeseen complication or reaction. Good luck with finding a doctor who is willing to take the risk. Thank you Wildcat for your insightful comments!
Consider who would be first in line to sue a doctor or attempt a class action against a pharmaceutical house if they were in some way injured by an off-label prescription.
Everybody wants what they want regardless... until...
Found the posts from 2018 finally.
I had not thought about the effects of stopping Chantix much. But I noticed I really CANNOT without help from my dr when the time comes.
I’m always self-diagnosing and self medicating. I should say, I WAS for almost 50 YEARS. Now I do what my dr says AND I contact her when I decide to make a change. So OF COURSE I thought, “I’m not smoking any longer. I’ll skip my morning dose..” and I DID notice negative effects as in PRONOUNCED anxiety and depression. So that idea lasted about two hours.
I’ve since discussed it with my dr and she recommends I continue with Chantix for at least 3 more months. I told her “I notice a craving almost immediately upon missing a dose. I also think it’s been helpful for my depression.”
Definitely try to learn from my mistakes. I will have to be weaned off with dr oversight and the quest for a helpful antidepressant, guinnea pig trials again. Note: I do NOT take another antidepressant with Chantix except for an herbal SRI. The herbal antidepressant is very mild and it also says to not mix with SSRI’s. I spoke to my dr about that. She is not a fan of my herbal use. And. I’m still only able to function about 50% of the days in Winter and 65-70% of the days in Summer. Chantix does make me feel better as WELL as not smoking. I take each day ONE AT A TIME and am honest with myself about my condition and I don’t believe Chantix is a cure any more than Cymbalta or Effexor is any other “miracle drugs”. Support from loved ones as well as eating right and proper exercise along with cognitive behavioral therapy are all needed to get my full 50% of days in the month spent out of my bed.
SAME HERE. It goes away a bit after prolonged use. I plan to continue quitting smoking as long as possible.
Note: I found the side effects to be equally awful as antidepressants for the first 3 weeks. Nausea, headaches, etc.
Too bad it’s not approved for off-label use. Leave it to big pharma and the FDA to disallow actual helpful chemicals be available for those of us who have given UP on the current options. I’m also using an herbal SRI to manage my symptoms. It’s still not a fix, but I’m having at least 50% of my days are fully enjoyable versus NONE.
My chiropractor said my muscles are not as rigid either. But they’ve tensed back up with regular Chantix use. I still congratulate you and suggest you look around on this website because I found many people posting recently with similar comments that might interest you.
Now I see your comments are from 4 years ago and the alert posted to my inbox today?! Weird. I’ll post ANYWAY
Using Chantix has definitely worked for me to quit smoking! I am taking Paxil for extreme social anxiety disorder. Paxil works well, but I've found my anxiety and overall mood and thinking has improved while taking Chantix. I am trying to get my doctor to prescribe chantix long term for my anxiety disorder. I hope that he will.
Doesn't anyone who has had this "too good to be true" experience with Chantix wonder if is too good to be true? The downside is not pretty... After discontinuation, it can cause a pretty substantial "crash" involving the opposite of all those euphoric experiences reported by recent users. The delayed discontinuation syndrome can be brutal!
There is a reason why this medication is not prescribed long term to treat anxiety/depression. It does not last! The purpose of Chantix is to help someone who is trying to quit smoking to overcome nicotine cravings. But until it is prescribed typically for anxiety/depression, there is reason to question why it is not prescribed foremost for that condition, and for anything other than smoking cessation ! Chantix is made to take short term, 2 or 3 months max, to help someone with nicotine cravings to quit smoking. The "seeing clearly, better communication, euphoric, seeing the world through rose colored glasses", is short lived. Many times this wonderful state of being is followed by a "crash". That is why doctors prescribe other medication that can be taken long term to help people with these other issues besides nicotine dependence.
Yes. The same thing happened to me! Since I was also quitting chain vaping, it was odd to be SO MELLOW. People liked me more. My chiropractor was shocked at how easy I was to adjust after 3 yrs! But. It wore off. That benefit.
I’m in my third month of Chantix now and done with esmoking except for occasional vaping CBD oil.
I’m my old self again and now weaning off the Chantix.
It was a gift from God for about 6 weeks, headaches and nausea still included at that point!
I was all ready to ask my dr for a prescription for it as my new antidepressant. Until it stopped working that way. It still helps with nicotine cravings, but I’m no longer enjoying those side effects.
I hope you’ll consider posting again. Maybe it IS the right medication and not the right dose or something. The most benefit was in the beginning when the headaches, gas and nausea were severe. Tolerance has taken those away (except the gas
I think it’s worth the crash. I’ve crashed from so many other guinnea pig trials with antidepressants and they went from negative to start, got worse, then depression was EVEN WORSE. I sometimes wonder if the FDA is working for the people or Big Pharma. They appear to be one entity motivated by greed. Nobody researches CURES in those political arenas. Symptom relief is the best science we have in 2018?!
I have had a similar experience on Chantix. I have only smoked for about 4 years, but I have struggled with forms of anxiety and depression my whole life. When I’m on Chantix, I am happy, get things done quickly, eat healthy, maintain relationships, organize my life, and workout consistently.
From what I have researched, Chantix alters our brain’s reward receptors, changing the way our brain reacts to certain stimuli. This could help explain why there is a positive affect on other behaviors not associated with smoking.
I am not a doctor, but I am extremely interested in learning more about our brain’s reward receptors. I personally think there’s a bigger thing going on here with brain development/reward stimulation.
I’m just now finding this med works miracles for me. You still taking it?
When I was on Chantix I felt real good. It stopped my anxiety & depression. I would love to stay on this med. For these reasons. I don't understand why I can't stay on it longer when it works great for these problems. If I take any anti-depressants it dosen't work anywhere close to Chantix. I ended up smoking again because of my anxiety and I'm still depressed.
It has helped my anxiety immensely (and my urge to smoke has decreased drastically :) ). I take 200 mg zoloft and 1 mg of chantix, upsets my stomach if I take more. This stuff is pretty awesome! It helps me sleep which is how I can tell that chantix really works, if I run out - even though I'm taking zoloft - it's hard to get to sleep even with me taking benadryl.
I thought t was just me whoa!. I read all the inserts about side effects with anxiety, crazy thoughts etc. Im experiencing the opposite. My anxiety is gone, my head is clear and I feel so much better on this med. So glad to hear of others with this experience. I have about a 60 days supply to quit smoking. Plus a one month refill if I need it. To date it still doesnt look approved for long term use. Bummer.
I had the same result. I don't drink alcohol and didn't have side effects. Is there a med out there that works like Chantix?
Related topics
chantix, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, side effect, dosage, antidepressant
Further information
- Chantix uses and safety info
- Chantix prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Chantix (detailed)
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