CHampix Side effects

[kathy62]

I've been taking Champix for about a month now and I'm getting no sleep at all. I have been quit for14 days and Im proud of myself but Im a walking zombie! I wake up like 7-10 times per night...sometimes wide awake although tired. I have tons of nightmares and wild dreams. I dont mind the nightmares as much as feeling so exhausted all the time. And I feel nauseaus for like 2 hours after every pill I take.
I dont want to stop taking the meds because they do work, but I cant feel like this for 3 months. Anyone experiencing the same symptoms? How are you dealing with them? I cant sacrifice any sleep as I have 5 month old twin girls and a 7 year old so Im busy busy busy!!!!!

[stephanie45]

I have had the same problems with the nausea. I was taking phenergan for it, but it makes me so sleepy. My doctor suggested i take half dosage and that seems to work pretty well for me. I have had some trouble sleeping also, but not the nightmares. Benedryl helps and you won't be too zonked out to hear your babies if they wake in the night. If you have already made it 2 weeks, you might consider going off before 3 months, when you are a little more confident in your ability to refrain from smoking. I remember how exhausting it was with 2 in diapers,so I can just imagine what it's like with twins. You definitely need that sleep!

[SaraSmile]

Hi Kathy,
Chantix had the same effect on me. I kept taking it and once my body got used to it I stopped waking up. I actually got sick 3 days in a row too. My pharmacist said drink 8 oz. of water with each pill and make sure you eat! I found that grazing throughout the day worked best for my stomach. I've been quit for 22 days now! This pill, along with your own will power and this place does wonders! The people here are tremendous! My pre-teen son said it's just like Myspace for quitters! Keep up the good work, Kathy! Protect your quit, you'll be happy you did!

[april5]

I have experienced both the nausea and the sleep problems. Here's how I've coped... (note: this is my 2nd time on chantix...quit 7 months last time!):

Nausea - each morning I get a low-fat blueberry muffin from Dunkin Donuts on my way to work. Once I eat that I can take the chantix and only have a minor sick feeling. The feeling subsides really quick.

Sleep Problems - Initially I was taking the chantix in the morning, after breakfast and in the evening, after dinner. Problem was that I was taking it too late. I moved it up to about 3:30 and my sleep problems stopped. Also, I would say more than 50% of the time -I forget to take the evening dose. Definitely helps.

Good luck!

[gail3]

I'm on the 4th week of Chantix. I'm doing a weaning method along with it so i've been smoking. I had 4 yesterday, 6 today - which was slipping backwards because i was so tired. In fact, I need to get off this computer and get to bed. I'm about to turn into a pumpkin. But I've had to really be careful of the nausea. Forgetting to eat first has had dire results. And when i know i need to go out into public, i take a half pill with breakfast, and another a few hours later, just in case. The dreaming is so freekin' weird. I sleep ok, but probably fitfully. Next week i start school and it's a smoke-free campus. Last year all i did was worry about where and when i could catch a drag. It was a pain. So i'm hoping beyond hope that I have something going by next week. It's really enough already! Good luck to all of you. btw, did any of you seem to get other side effects like shaking and sweating? or nerves/edginess? thanks, gail - 38 yrs. smokin'

[kathy62]

I sweat alot in my sleep...actually until now I didnt really realize that it might be because of the Chantix.

[dan23]

Last year when I quit for 6 months (my longest time!), I owed it all to the Chantix. And I didn't have a single adverse effect. It worked wonders. I didn't crave, and I didn't miss. Magic beans, I swear.

But when I tried again this year, I took Chantix for a week before I started experiencing the vivid nightmares and then had anxiety attacks.

The trick with the vivid dreaming is that while you may not mind the nightmares, they are depriving you of REM sleep, that deep deep sleep that you're supposed to be rolling in and out of every 45 minutes or so. You never fall into that deep sleep and thus are never fully rested and refreshed. The profuse night-sweating that I also experienced certainly doesn't help.

But you know what did help? You're going to think I'm crazy. But a nice tall glass of wine before bed works wonders. I don't know what it was about it, but the dreams became less vivid and the nightmares less terrifying, and I slept like a widdle bebe. (Of course once I started getting the heart-pumping anxiety attacks during the day, my brief rekindled romance with Chantix was over, finito, zippidy-doo-dah done.)

[kathy62]

lol...Ya, Panic attacks are not fun...Im glad I dont get those because I couldnt handle those. Are you smoking now? Or have you found an alternative method to quit? Today is day 15 for me and I've wanted a smoke all day. But I refuse to have one. Last night I had 3 nightmares......THREE! I woke up this morning feeling like I slept an hour. I'd totally love to have a glass of wine before bed but having two babies prevents me from alot...lol...

[dan23]

Tsk, of course, how silly of me. I forget that parenting requires a sound and alert mind. Hopefully I won't have to deal with that for a while. 🙂

No, I'm not smoking, I'm a good boy. I switched to the nicotine gum, which worked for me for 10 weeks back in '06. Here's hoping it lasts a little longer this time.

[gail3]

hi, i've always had vivid dreams but these seem to go on a long time. i haven't had anxiety attacks (and thank goodness) but i'm also taking blood pressure meds so maybe that helps. and no caffiene. i might try hitting the wine. it's hard to fall asleep. thanks for the info. gail