Can Chantix Cause Depression?

I have been on the Chantrix for three weeks now, however I did cut my dose in half right after I went to the 2mg/day because of negative side effects. I was then experiencing restless sleep, crazy dreams, nausea... etc.

Even at 1mg/day I am experiencing intense emotional shifts, an extremely high sensitivity to any stress, extreme irritability and sadness beyond mention.You can read more about Chantrix here.

Today has been the worst (2 weeks smoke free, 18th day of the meds). I really have felt drained, depressed and on the verge of a panic attack. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

...but I don't want to smoke either. Before I started this drug I did some research and it appeared to me (as a doctoral student and human being) that if the drug blocks the uptake of nicotine through 'pleasure' receptors in the brain--that the chances were it was going to mess with the balance of chemicals, potentially blocking other 'pleasure' from being processed normally. It was just a pre-thought then... now it is real.

I had to stop taking chantix. The side effects I was experiencing were miserable. I am not a "sensitive" person when it comes to medications. But it seems I experienced all the "common" side effects plus some other obscure ones too. I started taking Chantix with two other co-workers SIX months ago. Both are STILL on it but both still cheat every now and then--so I don't view them as "success" plus --- and I am not trying to see into their behavior --- but everyone thinks they are both now a little off. Some even joke that they need to start smoking. All of us experienced altered sense of smell and taste. And all of us experienced a sense of anxity too.

Chantix or Champix, known also as Varenicline Tartrate, is a medication prescribed to patients seeking to end their smoking addiction. It does this by reducing cravings and decreasing the pleasurable effects of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Common side effects include nausea, headache, difficulty sleeping and abnormal dreams. It is estimated that there are 3 million Americans taking Chantix now, according to Pfizer.

I started chantix about 4 weeks ago, and never stopped smoking. I cut down to half a pack (normally up to one pack a day) but beyond that I could not quit. I did not take both pills so that may be part of the reason I did not quit, but I did have some side effects and was scared to take both pills in one day. I had the strange dreams, nausea, and difficulty sleeping. There was a story on the news in Houston about a person who died and was taking chantix (I think it was a suicide?) so I am not taking it anymore.

So what does all this mean? The study authors interpreted the findings as suggesting that Chantix could be a particularly appealing treatment option for those smokers with a history of depression. Although such smokers are more likely to report common Chantix side effects and nicotine withdrawal symptoms, they had equally high quit rates without clear evidence of a worsening of mood.

So please stop smoking, whether you use a quit smoking pill, quit smoking hypnosis or another of the many quit smoking aids available today.