Stop-Smoking Drug, Chantix, Causes 34 Deaths

Well 34 people did quit smoking, as advertised, but it didn't help their health much because they committed suicide from the side effects. This is the news about Chantix. We again have a drug prescribed to patients that is worse than the disease it was prescribed for. This happens over and over.

Chantix (varenicline) was advertised as the miracle drug to stop smoking in 2006. Pfizer expected sales to reach over 2 billion by 2012. It was looking real good until 34 users committed suicide. That turned out to be only the tip of the iceberg as more and more dangerous side effects were reported both to doctors and the FDA.

Even with 34 deaths to its credit, Chantix is still being prescribed. In fact it has been prescribed to over 4 million people in the US since 2006 according to the company. It was put out in the marketplace before the deaths and other side effect symptoms were recorded. All the FDA has done about it, despite objections from many levels, is put a stronger warning label on the drug. If it had been an herb causing these deaths and side effects, it would have been taken off the market in days. The FDA says it is reviewing its safety after the report of these continuing side effects. While they are taking their sweet time about acting on these reports, this dangerous drug is being prescribed and left in the marketplace.

Chantix Side Effects: severe neuropsychiatric symptoms including suicidal thoughts, new-onset of depression; worsening of depression; changes in mood and behavior ; heart-rhythm disorders; movement disorders; dizziness; disturbance in attention; sensory disturbances; glycemic problems including diabetes; traffic accidents; falls. Recurrent nightmares that begin when taking a drug like Chantix is considered a predictor of suicide in some new research. If you are taking this drug, and begin to have nightmares, see a doctor. These dangerous side effects listed above do not always go away when the drug is stopped. These effects can go on for days or weeks afterward. Blogs report that many smokers return to smoking after taking Chantix. So you are taking a dangerous drug that does not work about 40 percent of the time.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices warned consumers about this medicine when it first came out in 2006. In 2008 there were 988 serious incidents linked to Chantix just in the last quarter of the year. There were more complaints for this drug than any other medication. The FAA has banned the drug for their pilots and air-traffic controllers.

Steps To Use To Quit Smoking: Prepare yourself mentally first:

1. Select the date to stop smoking and the reasons why you need to stop smoking. Read that list over again when you are craving a cigarette.

2. Before you quit, try to begin by purposely not smoking at times when you normally would. This might be when you have coffee, read the paper, or after sex.

3. Select an activity such as lifting weights, jogging, biking, or playing racketball that you can do when you want a cigarette.

4. Once on the stop-smoking program, try to avoid people who smoke and places where there is smoke.

5. Chew gum at times when you need to smoke. That works with some smokers.

Stop-smoking alternatives;

Hypnosis: Hypnosis was approved by the AMA many years ago. There was a study published in the 1968 edition of The Journal of Clinical Hypnosis that followed 1000 serious smokers. They were given hypnosis and followed up on after 18 months. Of that 1000, 94% had remained non-smokers. It is known that half of the problem in stopping smoking is mental addictiveness. The other half is physical. Hypnosis is very successful with a lot of patients.

Herbal stop-smoking products. An example of one herbal blend includes eleuthero root, passion flower, lobelia herb, peppermint leaf, sarsaparilla, skullcap herb, safflower, and ginger root. There is a site called Product-critic.com which gives some comparisons on the different herbal stop-smoking products. This site would definitely be worth your review and consideration. Any one of them would be safer than Chantix.

References:

http://www.stop-smoking-tips.com/stop-smoking-hypnosis.html

http://www.hypnosis-and-health.com/stop-smoking.html

http://www.product-critic.com/stop-smoking/nicodyne.html

http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/3147

http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/07/01/chantix-zyban-users-warned-of-risk-of-suicide-depression/6861.html

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/01/18/pfizer-strengthens-warnings-on-chantix/1808.html

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/01/18/pfizer-strengthens-warnings-on-chantix/1808.html

http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/06/09/nightmares-may-predict-increased-suicidal-risk/6395.html

:http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/05/chantix.html#ixzz0eiGoYSuN

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/05/chantix.html

http://worstpills.org/