Anyone who has tried to quit smoking understands just how difficult it really is, often with numerous setbacks and attempts to conquer the nicotine addiction that plagues them, once and for all. The Federal Government has issued new advice to prescribing doctors trying to help patients kick the smoking habit, recommending the anti-smoking drug Chantix as the best quit-smoking method. The new guidelines mention the psychiatric risks, depression and suicidal thoughts, but also say the popular Pfizer, Inc. drug is the most effective at helping people quit smoking.
Chantix has only been on the market since 2006, and “is somewhat better than other therapies; on the other hand, it appears to have more risks”, says Dr. Sidney Wolfe of the watchdog group Public Citizen.
The guidelines mention other options too, and highly recommend combining counseling and medication. Doctors are encouraged to talk to all smokers who want to quit about trying medication. The guidelines say doctors should consider asking about their patients’ psychiatric history before prescribing Chantix. Doctors also should monitor patients for changes in mood and behavior while on the drug.
Serious concerns about the effectiveness and safety of using Chantix arose after the tragic death of Texas musician, Carter Albrecht, in September 2007. Closely monitoring patients using Chantix to stop smoking, asking probing questions that require detailed responses rather than a Yes or No answer, not one patient in our office reported having any problems or difficulties while taking the drug.
Derek De Koff took Chantix to stop smoking, and shares his harrowing experience while on the drug. “I swallowed my first pill the next day before work. It was a beautiful fall morning, an almost obnoxiously cinematic day to turn over a new leaf. But by the time I was halfway to the office, I started to feel a slight nausea coming on. Of course, that is a common side effect, as are constipation, gas, vomiting, and changes in dreaming. These five symptoms were emblazoned in a large font on the patient-information sheet,” he writes.
“By night four, my dreams began to take on characteristics of a David Cronenberg movie. Every time I’d drift off, I’d dream that an invisible, malevolent entity was emanating from my air conditioner, which seemed to be rattling even more than usual. I’d nap for twenty minutes or so before bolting awake with an involuntary gasp. I had the uneasy sense that I wasn’t alone.“
Quitting “cold turkey” has not proven effective for many smokers, and people who are trying to kick the habit need the assurance that the method chosen will not only be effective, but is also safe for them to take.
Have you tried to quit smoking with Chantix? What has your personal experience been using this drug?
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