Safety Concerns and Side Effects of Chantix

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Chantix WorksCommon Side EffectsSevere Side EffectsWarnings and InteractionsTalk to a Healthcare ProviderOther Methods for Quitting

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Chantix Works

Common Side Effects

Severe Side Effects

Warnings and Interactions

Talk to a Healthcare Provider

Other Methods for Quitting

What is the most important information I should know about Chantix?Some people may experience severe side effects while taking Chantix, including mental health problems, allergic reactions, seizures, cardiovascular problems, and skin reactions.Stop taking Chantix and seek medical attention if serious side effects occur.

What is the most important information I should know about Chantix?

Some people may experience severe side effects while taking Chantix, including mental health problems, allergic reactions, seizures, cardiovascular problems, and skin reactions.Stop taking Chantix and seek medical attention if serious side effects occur.

This article discusses the side effects of Chantix, how it works, and what you need to know before you take this medication.

When you smoke a cigarette, nicotine targets receptors in your brain that then producedopamine, the “feel-good” hormone. Dopamine produces pleasurable feelings, making people more likely to continue smoking in order to continue to feel these effects.

It’s recommended, however, that when you take Chantix you also use other methods of quitting smoking, such as attending a support group.

According to the manufacturer’s instructions, you begin taking Chantix one week before your quit date and continue taking it for a 12-week period. After that, you should discuss with your prescribing doctor whether an additional 12 weeks of treatment is necessary.

Safety Concerns and Side Effects of Chantix

Common Side Effects of Chantix

The most common adverse side effects of Chantix include:

Though some of these symptoms may only last a short time, speak to your prescribing doctor if they are persistent. A reduction in your dose may be necessary.

There are also more severe side effects that people have experienced when taking Chantix. These include both physical and mental health effects.

If you experience severe side effects from Chantix, stop taking Chantix immediately and contact your prescribing doctor. If your doctor isn’t readily available, go to the emergency room for immediate medical care.

Physical Side Effects

Serious physical effects include:

Several potential side effects involve skin irritation. This includes skin that is red, swollen, blistering, or peeling, blisters in the mouth, or rashes. Severe skin reactions such as mucosal legions have occurred as well as angioedema (swelling under the skin).

Some people also experience swelling in the eyes, arms, ankles, face, feet, gums, hands, legs, lips, neck, throat, or tongue.

Myocardial infarction and stroke have occurred in people who’ve taken Chantix; however, in most cases, people had pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Mental, Behavioral, and Emotional Side Effects

Other neuropsychiatric adverse events includedpsychosis,paranoia, homicidal ideation, and suicidal ideation or actions. While some people already had these or other mental health concerns when taking Chantix, others developed them several weeks after they started taking Chantix.

You may be more likely to develop adverse mental health effects from taking Chantix if you have pre-existing mental health conditions.

If you, your loved ones, or caregivers notice these symptoms, talk to a doctor right away. While some people’s symptoms went away after they stopped taking Chantix, others had a continuation of their symptoms.

Be sure to tell your prescribing doctor if you’re currently taking any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications before starting Chantix, especially if you’re taking blood thinners (anticoagulants) like Coumadin or Jantoven (warfarin) or insulin.

You should also tell your doctor if you’re taking other quit-smoking medications like Aplenzin, Forfivo,Wellbutrin,Zyban, or Contrave (bupropion) as well as anynicotine replacement therapies(NRT) such as nicotine gum, inhaler, lozenges, nasal spray, or skin patches.

Tell your doctor if you’re taking Elixophyllin, Theo-24, or Theocron (theophylline). Your doctor may need to adjust the dosage of your prescription or OTC medications prior to taking Chantix.

If you experience any of these symptoms while taking Chantix, communicate closely with your prescribing doctor.

Before you start taking Chantix, talk to a healthcare provider about your mental health history, for instance, if you’ve ever experienced depression or other mental health conditions. If you’ve experienced a worsening of mental health issues due tonicotine withdrawal, it’s best to tell the doctor about this as well.

If you have cardiovascular disease or experience somnambulism (sleepwalking), contact your doctor as Chantix should be immediately discontinued.

Both Chantix and Zyban are in a class of quit aids that alter brain chemistry. They have the potential to cause serious side effects forsomepeople. This is why they are prescription medicines. You should have a doctor involved in your care if you’re using one of these medications.If you are unable to take Chantix or Zyban, there are many otherproducts available to help you quit smoking.

Both Chantix and Zyban are in a class of quit aids that alter brain chemistry. They have the potential to cause serious side effects forsomepeople. This is why they are prescription medicines. You should have a doctor involved in your care if you’re using one of these medications.

If you are unable to take Chantix or Zyban, there are many otherproducts available to help you quit smoking.

Best Non-Medical Ways to Quit Smoking

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can be helpful for quitting smoking, especially for people who have troublequitting cold turkey.

However, you may be able to use NRT to wean yourself off of smoking and then switch to using Chantix a week before your quit date. Be sure to talk to a doctor first.

You may also find it helpful to join a support group, use aquit smoking app, or sign up for a quit smoking text service to send you tips for dealing with cravings. Speaking with a therapist can also help; they can teach youhealthy coping mechanismsto cope with difficult emotions or other situations that cantrigger you to smoke.

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Varenicline.Herman AI, DeVito EE, Jensen KP, Sofuoglu M.Pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction: Role of dopamine.Pharmacogenomics. 2014;15(2):221-234. doi:10.2217/pgs.13.246Food and Drug Administration.Chantix (varenicline) tablets.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA drug safety communication: Chantix (varenicline) may increase the risk of certain cardiovascular adverse effects in patients with cardiovascular disease.Savage RL, Zekarias A, Caduff-Janosa P.Varenicline and abnormal sleep related events.Sleep. 2015;38(5):833-837. doi:10.5665/sleep.4686Wadgave U, Nagesh L.Nicotine replacement therapy: An overview.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2016;10(3):425-435.Chang PH, Chiang CH, Ho WC, Wu PZ, Tsai JS, Guo FR.Combination therapy of varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy is better than varenicline alone: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC Public Health.2015;15(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2055-0

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Varenicline.Herman AI, DeVito EE, Jensen KP, Sofuoglu M.Pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction: Role of dopamine.Pharmacogenomics. 2014;15(2):221-234. doi:10.2217/pgs.13.246Food and Drug Administration.Chantix (varenicline) tablets.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA drug safety communication: Chantix (varenicline) may increase the risk of certain cardiovascular adverse effects in patients with cardiovascular disease.Savage RL, Zekarias A, Caduff-Janosa P.Varenicline and abnormal sleep related events.Sleep. 2015;38(5):833-837. doi:10.5665/sleep.4686Wadgave U, Nagesh L.Nicotine replacement therapy: An overview.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2016;10(3):425-435.Chang PH, Chiang CH, Ho WC, Wu PZ, Tsai JS, Guo FR.Combination therapy of varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy is better than varenicline alone: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC Public Health.2015;15(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2055-0

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus.Varenicline.Herman AI, DeVito EE, Jensen KP, Sofuoglu M.Pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction: Role of dopamine.Pharmacogenomics. 2014;15(2):221-234. doi:10.2217/pgs.13.246Food and Drug Administration.Chantix (varenicline) tablets.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA drug safety communication: Chantix (varenicline) may increase the risk of certain cardiovascular adverse effects in patients with cardiovascular disease.Savage RL, Zekarias A, Caduff-Janosa P.Varenicline and abnormal sleep related events.Sleep. 2015;38(5):833-837. doi:10.5665/sleep.4686Wadgave U, Nagesh L.Nicotine replacement therapy: An overview.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2016;10(3):425-435.Chang PH, Chiang CH, Ho WC, Wu PZ, Tsai JS, Guo FR.Combination therapy of varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy is better than varenicline alone: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC Public Health.2015;15(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2055-0

MedlinePlus.Varenicline.

Herman AI, DeVito EE, Jensen KP, Sofuoglu M.Pharmacogenetics of nicotine addiction: Role of dopamine.Pharmacogenomics. 2014;15(2):221-234. doi:10.2217/pgs.13.246

Food and Drug Administration.Chantix (varenicline) tablets.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA drug safety communication: Chantix (varenicline) may increase the risk of certain cardiovascular adverse effects in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Savage RL, Zekarias A, Caduff-Janosa P.Varenicline and abnormal sleep related events.Sleep. 2015;38(5):833-837. doi:10.5665/sleep.4686

Wadgave U, Nagesh L.Nicotine replacement therapy: An overview.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2016;10(3):425-435.

Chang PH, Chiang CH, Ho WC, Wu PZ, Tsai JS, Guo FR.Combination therapy of varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy is better than varenicline alone: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC Public Health.2015;15(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2055-0

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