We first heard about the stop-smoking drug Chantix earlier this year. A physician called our syndicated radio show in February to tell us that this pill was working miracles for his patients. He was extremely enthusiastic.
Anything that can help hard-core smokers quit is indeed wonderful. Nicotine can be one of the hardest addictions to overcome. Some people tell us that it can be more difficult to give up smoking than to kick a heroin habit.
But by September we were beginning to catch whispers of a darker side of Chantix. One reader wrote:
“I am taking Chantix to quit smoking. I have had no urge to smoke, but I am seriously depressed.
“I attempted suicide 10 years ago and was hospitalized for depression. I am concerned that my recent bout of severe depression may be a result of taking Chantix.”
Not long after that, we received dozens of similar reports to our website. One reader reported:
“I started taking Chantix 12 days ago. For the first week I had night wakefulness and vivid dreams but no other side effects. By day 9 I had a constant metallic taste in my mouth and felt exhausted and nauseated. On day 11 I was depressed and on day 12 I thought about killing myself.
“I’m 49 years old and have never taken any drugs or had any type of mental illness. Chantix did help me not want to smoke.”
Some doctors have questioned whether quitting smoking alone might be enough to trigger depression. There is no doubt that nicotine withdrawal can produce irritability and other psychological side effects.
But many people who have quit before said their reactions to Chantix were unlike previous experiences of giving up cigarettes. One woman with bipolar disorder said:
“I have stopped smoking for three or four weeks before and NEVER experienced what I did with Chantix. I think the makers of this med need to do more research on this before they just start tossing it out to people, especially the ones with a history of a mental disorder.”
Now the FDA has issued an early communication about the safety of Chantix: “FDA has received reports of suicidal thoughts and aggressive and erratic behavior in patients who have taken Chantix, a smoking cessation product…A preliminary assessment reveals that many of the cases reflect new-onset of depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and changes in emotion and behavior within days to weeks of initiating Chantix treatment.”
The agency has not determined whether Chantix is actually responsible for such symptoms, but it encourages health care professionals to “monitor patients taking Chantix for behavior and mood changes.” The FDA also recommends that “patients taking Chantix should contact their doctors if they experience behavior or mood changes.” Another part of this communication has to do with possible drowsiness impairing driving while taking Chantix.
Quitting smoking is one of the most important things a person could do for her health. It is also one of the hardest. If Chantix can help without causing devastating side effects, it is a welcome tool. But some people may not tolerate this drug. For them, other strategies will be more appropriate.
