Yuma, AZCarol's doctor advised her to quit smoking, especially because she was scheduled to have back surgery, and he prescribed Chantix, but after the surgery she started having panic attacks. And she never quit smoking.
"I had never experienced a panic attack before," says Carol. "I had seen a doctor for depression but he said I was just a pessimistic person and I didn't need to take any medication. One day I was in Target shopping and had another panic attack—I felt trapped and had to get out of the store; it was scary. Now I know why people need meds for these attacks.
They got worse to the point that I couldn't even go shopping; I was able to leave the house but couldn't be around a lot of people. I went back to my doctor and now I take Atavan daily. I really believe it had to do with Chantix. When I took this drug I was on edge all the time; I was always looking over my shoulder and I couldn't make eye contact with anyone. Now I have been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.
When I first started taking Chantix, the side effects seemed minimal. The other day I was talking to my psychologist and he made a joke about me quitting smoking. 'Whatever you do don't take Chantix,' he said; he didn't know that I had taken it previously. It never crossed my mind to tell him because I had never heard about any side effects.
I took Chantix in 2007 but didn't know about the side effects until 6 months ago when I watched an ad on TV and the light came on. I was worried and angry—why would my doctor prescribe it? Then I was thankful that I hadn't killed myself. I was even hospitalized overnight—I was on the phone with a friend having an argument and I was very upset. I said something like 'Nothing matters because I won't be around tomorrow anyway'. I hung up, went for a long drive, came to my senses and went home.
My friend had called the police, saying I had threatened to commit suicide. I was arrested and taken to the hospital. I know one guy who took Chantix before me and he was the most unhappiest guy on the planet—really down about himself. He used to be the life of the party. We used to chat online but I don't know what happened to him.
I'm grateful that I got out of my funk, mainly with my husband's help. And I still smoke. I wish these side effects had been known prior to me taking it. There was nothing remotely close to a warning—it was being touted as a new medication guaranteed to quit smoking. Instead it guaranteed my panic attacks."