Monday, May 21, 2012

http://open.salon.com/blog/xylocopa/2011/05/29/chantix_is_suicide_an_expected_eventChantix was approved by the FDA on the basis of five studies, all funded by Pfizer and published in July and August of 2006. The designers of these studies seem to have pulled out all the stops in their efforts to stack the deck in Pfizer’s favor.

As many as one-third of prospective study participants were turned away for conditions including but not limited to a history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a history of alcohol or drug abuse, major depression, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, systolic blood pressure greater than 150 or diastolic pressure greater than 95, a body mass index of less than 15 or higher than 38, weight less than 45kg, those with "clinically significant abnormalities in the screening laboratory values…” The list goes on and on. 

Monday, May 7, 2012

More Health Risks Associated with Chantix Drug

More Health Risks Associated with Chantix Drug
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/05/chantix-heart-attack-risk_n_890359.html
It all started the end of March 2011. I went to my dr. and told him I wanted to stop smoking . It was unhealthy , it was expensive , and I was just tired of the mess..lol. My dr. gladly gave me a prescription of Chantix. I put off getting the prescription filled. I am a chronic procrastinator , and honestly very unmotivated about the fact that I hopefully would not be smoking any more. Finally in may 2011 I said to myself ..."ok its time". I went and got the Chantix prescription filled. I started taking  the Chantix a day later. I thought hmmm I dont know all the hype about this medication is, I feel fine. I did get a bit of nausea  right after I took it , but honestly . I did not feel angry or suicidal or anything. I felt normal. Within 10 days ,bam... I put the cigs down and could have cared less if I ever picked them up again.

 Early June 2011 still not smoking. I was however out of breath a whole lot of the time. I thought to myself ,for goodness sake I could feel better if I smoked . I was still determined by then to stay and ex smoker. Mind you I was still popping the Chantix 2 times a day as required. I went to the dr. about my breathing . The dr. scheduled me for a stress echo cardiogram. I took the test and my heart seemed to be ok. The people giving me the echo said you get out of breath WAY too fast , but still nothing wrong with my heart. The dr. then scheduled me for a pulmonary test . You know the one you blow in the tube until your lungs are gonna explode. No sign of any lung problems, like COPD , or Chronic bronchitis.  All those  tests  came back normal. I did blood work.40 years old ,  Great cholesterol levels, every thing came back great. I was healthy as a horse ( my dr's exact words). I finally just gave up, and contributed my shortness of breath to being an ex smoker ,  and not the most athletic person in the world. I stopped the Chantix at the beginning of July, when the prescription ran out.


November 2011 . My partner and I had road out to get something to eat. I told him wow dinner really gave me heartburn. I got back home. I took some antacids. By this time my shirt , and pants were soaking wet and I was very light headed. I felt like I was up side down. I told my partner " I think we need to go to the hospital". At that moment the burning in my chest was unbearable.  I get to the ER asap. I walk in and the dr's do an EKG and see I AM HAVING A HEART ATTACK.. I was rushed up stairs and put into surgery and a stent was placed in my back heart artery. A clot had formed. A few days went by and I got out of the hospital. My cardiologist specifically told me . He was baffled by the fact I had an unexplained heart attack. He said it happens but not often. HE then asked me if I had taken any drugs. I laughed at him and said" no  I never have done illegal drugs". He said no" I mean prescription drugs." I said "yes Chantix to quit smoking , but that was months ago." My cardiologist's said" Im not saying that Chantix caused this for sure  , but that's a dangerous drug and I would not recommend ANYONE taking it".

January of 2012 I started researching Chantix heart attacks. I got a lawyer and still waiting to see what happens. Im not out to get rich , but I will never be the same. I will be on pills for the rest of my life, my heart will be damaged some what forever , and I will question the confidence I had in my body pre- heart attack. I have no scientific proof this drug did this to me , but I feel it in my gut. I am still not smoking , but was it worth it. Id like to hear any and everyone's experience.