Chantix getting pulled again?

[killbilly]

Doc,

When my AME was typing up my medical, I'd mentioned that I was considering going on Chantix again to try to quit smoking. He shook his head and advised against it, because he believes very strongly that the FAA is going to revoke approval for it again. Not sure of the reasons, but wondered if you could shed some light on this.

[My Flight Surgeon]

I have seen nothing. There have been some deaths but in people who started with the full dose and did not take it as recommended by hte manufacturer.

At this time I doubt they will pull it.

[I_WANNA_BE_ATP]

Isn't there people who have hallunications while on Chantix and then drink alcohol ? I thought I read about that in one of my nursing journals.

[LoadMasterC141]

Chantix has a list of side effects a mile long. Personally, I believe a lot of these have to do with the effects of nicotine withdrawal than the drug itself, but that is just opinion.

I started taking Chantix the day I got back from Network JC in Vegas. I took the pills as prescribed, working up to full does within 7 days. By day 4, it no longer felt like a cigarette was doing anything. They also tasted like crap. I kept smoking though. No change in mood or anything, but I never had more than one beer or glass of wine in one evening (Non most of the time). Some slight feelings of nausea the first week if I did not take the pill with a good amount of food.

At the end of week 2, you are supposed to think about quitting completely, and no longer have any real urge to smoke. Well, I still had an urge to get out of my cube at work, and smoking filled it. I cut down more and more each day, eventually only smoking at work. By 3 weeks I was down to 1-3 smokes per day. At exactly 4 weeks, I quit altogether.

I started having horrible nightmares. I was grumpy as hell. Sometimes I did not sleep much.

After 2 weeks of quitting smoking, I stopped taking Chantix, thinking the problems above were caused by the drug. I was still grumpy, Could not sleep much, and had horrible nightmares when I did.

It has been almost 6 weeks since I quit completely, and 4 weeks since I got off Chantix. I still don't sleep as much. Nightmares are less frequent but still occur. I do dream more in general now though. I still have moments of grumpiness.

All of these symptoms occur when one tries to quit smoking. Chantix really helped me get past the really hard part. I still have a fleeting craving, but it passes easily. I have been *Ahem* inebriated once since beiong off Chantix and had intense cravings. I went to sleep. Don't plan on drinking much for some time.

[My Flight Surgeon]

That may be true. The only reports I have seen have been from accelerating the dosage regimen.