# Over 800 complaints on Champix (Chantix in the US) reported to Health Canada



## David Baxter PhD (Feb 5, 2009)

Over 800 complaints on quit-smoking aid reported to Health Canada
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

A drug commonly used to help people quit smoking is the focus of more than 800 complaints from Canadian users, many of them reporting mood swings, depression or suicidal thoughts.

Of the 818 complaints about Champix (varenicline tartrate) Health Canada has received complaints on its adverse reaction database, 520 involved psychiatric problems.

The medication acts on sites in the brain affected by nicotine. It helps ease withdrawal symptoms and blocks the effects of nicotine if a user resumes smoking. 

The drug has been sold in Canada since April 2007. From January to November 2008, nearly 1.1 million Champix prescriptions were dispensed from Canadian retail pharmacies, according to IMS Health Canada, which tracks the pharmaceutical industry.

Each prescription comes with a long list of potential side-effects, from depression to aggression to suicidal thoughts.

One of the people to report a complaint to Health Canada, Erin Kerr of Hamilton said she was on Champix for a couple of months to try to quit smoking when she noticed dramatic changes in her personality ? she had become intolerant, argumentative, emotional, and then one day, suicidal.

"As I'm driving along the [Hamilton] mountain brow, I just thought that driving off ? would have been the easy way out at that point and would solve all my problems," Kerr said.

In the U.S., the drug is called Chantix. Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration used a video to warn doctors about the drug. 

The manufacturer, Pfizer Inc., warned the public in a commercial, telling people who develop suicidal thoughts or actions to stop taking the drug and to call their doctor right away.

*New advice coming*
But Health Canada has been slower to act, posting a warning on its website months after the FDA issued its warnings. In January, the department promised to add an even stronger warning on the label.

In an email to CBC News, Health Canada said that "new advice for health professionals and Canadians will come in the near future."

Pfizer Canada said that "based on the totality of data, Pfizer stands by the efficacy and safety profile of Champix when used as directed."

Gayle Nakamoto would like to see more testing of the drug. Her ex-husband Thom Jancewicz killed himself in early January. The 48-year-old engineer was about to start a new job, and was taking Champix to quit smoking.

Nakamoto's 14-year-old daughter Ellaina Jancewicz keeps a journal dedicated to her father, as she tries to cope with her loss.

"What will I do now? I have no father," Ellaina said, reading from the journal. "I'm here with my mother alone and my brother. I'm very confused. I'm not sure what to do."

Nakamoto said her husband had problems with depression, but they seemed to be under control. 

"I think the safer thing would be to take it off the shelf," said Nakamoto. "If there are people that are having serious side-effects ? you don't want anyone to have to go through what we're going through."


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## norahsmom (Jul 24, 2009)

I think that my husband is currently facing some of these side-effects. He is on month two of Champix, and literally overnight he has decided that he is contemplating leaving our marriage, and ran off a long list of what he perceives are problems (everywhere from me having too many shoes, to me asking where he is going if he is leaving the house). This is NOT the man I married, and I'm at a loss of what I am supposed to do. Some of his complaints are justified and can be worked on...but others seem so out of the blue, that they really caught me off guard.

He refuses to acknowledge that the Champix may be contributing to this, and also refuses to see a counselor/psychologist (either alone or as a couple).


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## Retired (Jul 24, 2009)

> refuses to see a counselor/psychologist (either alone or as a couple)



Can you speak to the prescriber of the Champix to express your concerns?


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## David Baxter PhD (Jul 24, 2009)

TSOW said:


> Can you speak to the prescriber of the Champix to express your concerns?



Or to your family doctor? or whoever prescribed the Champix?


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## Eye Stigmata (Sep 29, 2009)

WOW....

I was thinking about taking this drug starting Thursday for my quitting smoking journey...and I think now after reading all of the above...I will absolutly not be taking it.
Glad I found this in time....more depression is not what I need at all!


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## KimM (Sep 30, 2009)

norahsmom said:


> I think that my husband is currently facing some of these side-effects. He is on month two of Champix, and literally overnight he has decided that he is contemplating leaving our marriage, and ran off a long list of what he perceives are problems (everywhere from me having too many shoes, to me asking where he is going if he is leaving the house). This is NOT the man I married, and I'm at a loss of what I am supposed to do. Some of his complaints are justified and can be worked on...but others seem so out of the blue, that they really caught me off guard.
> 
> He refuses to acknowledge that the Champix may be contributing to this, and also refuses to see a counselor/psychologist (either alone or as a couple).


norahsmom 

Your story seems identical to mine. My husband took Champix from August 2008 and had side effects, headaches, backpains, scary dreams, nausia,etc... he stopped taking in in late december 08. After he stopped taking it is when i noticed a real shift in his personality and behaviour - identical to what you are describing...this resulted to him moving out- and he hasnt moved back... we have been seeing a councellor and even seeing a hoemeopath at the moment- nothing is getting better. His night horrors have come back and has been having them everynight same nightmare same time for the last month or so, his headaches have also come back (just like when he was on the champix) he also has a pain in his neck that wont go away, and not interested in sex at all. He used to worship the ground I walked on and was the most affectionate man Ive ever known, now hes saying that he cant do this anymore to me or him and that we should part our seperate ways...this is just rediculous- the whole thing! how do I fix this, how do I stop my husbands suffering? 

I am 100% sure that this is a result of him taking Champix.

norahsmom please keep me updated with whats going on with you. For me its been 9 -12 months that ive been living this hell...how much longer?


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