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Girlfriend of slain musician cites anti-smoking drug - from the Dallas Morning News He was taking the samedrug I took to help me quit. It has weird effects.



http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 47864.html

Wow, I wonder if perhaps mixing the drug with alcohol caused this weird effect. I believe this is the same drug Mikey used and successfully quit. He didn't seem to have any side effects or weird dreams. This might be something to watch though. Are you still taking it? Did you experience any weird side effects?

I would think you are correct Sheree and here's my reasoning.

I had all of the same side effects except the rage. I did have one that was not mentioned also, a disjointed and panicky feeling when I finally quit taking it. It just got too strange. I didn't drink much while taking it though. Gayle has standing orders to kick me in the nads if I ever get out of hand.

I don't mean to put down the drug itself but some of us really shouldn't take it and there needs to be a warning so we know before hand. They don't talk about it in the US press releases but over seas where it's called Champix they warn people like me not to take it. No such warning here in the states.

They intentionally left people who have panic attacks, bipolar (manic-depression) or unipolar depression out of the trials where the research was gathered so they knew in advance that it's a problem for some of us.

Alcohol, as mentioned in the article, can blow it all out of proportion and cause a really bad outcome.

I'm, not saying that the public needs protection from drug companies, I only want the information available so we can make an informed choice.

The panicky feeling may have been caused by the feeling that you might slip without the pill...

The drug companies have deeep pockets. They might feel that this group of people are unlikely to pose a legal threat. Funny how they can set up their trials in such a way as to exclude the people that they know will have an adverse reaction.

I think the public should be leary of the drug companies. They are way too powerful. There have never been so many disorders that a pill seems to cover. ADD, OCD, ED, PED, Restless Leg Syndrome..Gah! The list goes on and on. Have we ever in the history of time had this many disfunctions? Perhaps by labeling them (and advertising them on TV) we create a hysteria and a need for the pill. Hmmm... I dunno. The human mind is very complicated.

So often we have symptoms of something that a doctor will write out a prescription for without even thinking twice about it. Often the side effects are far worse than the disorder. We as consumers need to be very careful and study these drugs before taking them. Just because a doctor prescribed it doesn't mean it's safe.

I'm certainly not saying these disorders don't exist. But these drug companies are sure benefiting by making you think that you might suffer from a few of them.

@kicking you in the nards!

THAT's some kinda agreement!

YES!  LOL And hopefully Gayle has not recently quit smoking herself.  :shock:

I think she'd kick a BIT too much harder than usual!

So true Sheree. One of the things I have is restless leg "syndrome". I don't take any drugs for it. I take a magnesium supplement when it flares up. It's all a matter of what we can handle with or without medical help. I also have insomnia but I drink chamomile tea to get to sleep instead of laying awake in bed for two hours every night.

Drugs can be very dangerous and even worse when mixed with alcohol or other drugs. New drugs, to me, are the worst. They have less background info to go on.




She'll do it too.

I should have said this earlier. I don't mean to make lite of Carter Albrecht's death. My heart goes out to his family, his girlfriend, and her neighbor.

would you believe I have had an adverse reaction to even homeopathic stuff...
St Johns wort for instance which is supposed to be a natural anti depressive has the opposite effect. If I take that I am agressive and have panicky "flight or fight" feelings.
I went to the doc once after decideding to try it when I was doing the breakfast show on radio...was landed with a co-host that was the voice and personality from hell and because we didnt get on, I wasnt sleeping well, worried bout my show.
I was having that fluttery panicky feeling in my chest and went to ask about it.
He asked me if I was taking anything...I said yeah st johns wort tea to see if it would help me sleep.
He said to get off it...according to him st johns wort and prozac work similarly and in a small proportion of people it has the exact opposite effect, to the point of making some suicidal...nice of them to tell patients!

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Don't even try guessing until toxicology reports are released (assuming they are made public, which they likely will be due to the popularity of this newer drug and wide-spread fear now regarding counterindication and synergistic (additive)effects.  He was partying heavily, BUT Chantix slows Dopamine release, Cigarettes are also stimulants.  If he was drinking heavily and craving a sensation it's unknown whether or not he ingested other substances to satiate that void due to alcohol lowering inhibitory response, he might've taken a strong stimulant, cocaine, or something to help the craving once drunk. If that drunk his will-power would've been quite weak.   Something caused him to "snap" and just because he happened to be taking a certain med, doesn't mean that THAT'S the medication that caused him to snap..  Who knows,  maybe she told him she was screwing the neighbor for all we know...   We DON'T know what else was going on, or if when drunk he craved something, didn't want ciggies so started ingesting something dangerous.. We just don't know enough yet.  You can be sure there was more.

Until toxicology reports are released don't assume.. Certain males have had extreme increase in labido, and other cravings when a Chantix..  Testosterone, vulnerability, might've caused him to succomb to a narcotic.  It might increase a tendency towards rage, but I seriously doubt with just alcohol..  If anything he's likely not've had that type energy after a night of heavy drinking unless he was using a stimulant to help out...

Do you recall years back when similar things started happening and Prozac being the relatively new drug (during that time) was blamed to the point of "The Prozac Defense" ?   Turns out it wasn't prozac at all that caused violence..  It was often high doses of stimulants such as methamphetamine (dexedrine) alcohol and coke...  Yeah,  the people happened to be taking prozac too..

My guess is this guy was looking for a rush somehow,  was determined NOT to smoke, so likely tried to stimulate himself with a strong substance since this med slows down dopamine release, and after the initial dopamine boost alcohol gives, alcohol is a major depressant..  He likely was feeling "down" and craved a type of "high"..  PRobably the third substance which might be released during toxicology was what did him in.  

Also, WHY in the middle of the night was he bashing on a neighbors door ?  There's more to this.

(just a guess)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steven I am proof positive that prozac can have an agressive effect...they attempted to give me prozac when they were trying to desensitize me to needles (I have a needle phobia and agreed to let the shrinks have a go at overcoming it) I seriously had those aggressive tendencies taking that stuff. in fact I told the shrink that I would get an immense feeling of satisfaction to feel my fist sink into the tissues of his face and my long nails gouge his eyes out, in fact inflicting lasting damage was very very appealing...he put on my med records I am a man hater...nothing could be further from the truth...but if you are going to try and do anything like hypnotise me, make sure you have a pleasant voice to listen to and dont feed me prozac

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

hey chuck! i just wanted to chime in and tell you that i have had absolutely no side effects whatsoever...the only side effects i might have had is the withdrawel from the nicotine and i wanted to tell you that i had a terrible case of restless leg too and it has completely stopped since i quit smoking..i took chantix by the way and i stopped taking it about a month after i started..they recommend you take it for 3 months..perhaps thats when the trouble begins. i am so delighted i quit though ..my life has improved in so many ways..however you quit, i wish you luck buddy ! one thing i do believe is pills or patches you will not quit if there is any thought in your mind about enjoying smoking. it sounds cliche, but you have got to WANT to quit..you can do this chuck !! if you need any support or have any questions for me, please pm me dude ! another help for restless leg by the way is a hot bath before bed. that always helped me..i just went back and reread the article and i will bet that mess was more illegal drug and alcholol related than they are saying..people are quick to blame the legal possibilities than expose the illegal..

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Gladly helping Kappy to become cyber immortal !!

I took Chantix successfully for two months and was a non smoker for 7 weeks. I shouldn't be so quick to condemn it.

I did have problems with it but that's just me. I seem to be sensitive to a lot of chemicals but I need to keep in mind that most people aren't.

I might even try it again next time.

BTW, thanks Mikey.

I know many people who took Chantix and it worked great for them... I would recommend it if you don't have the issues that Chuck stated above...


However.. I don't have many of his issues and I had weird things go on with me and had to weine myself off the drug....

My issue with it was this.. And it is weird....

When I would go to sleep, I would have very vivid dreams. But it was pretty much the same dream everynight. I would go to sleep and my alarm would go off for me to wake up I would go about my entire day and then go to bed and go to sleep. Then I would actually wake up.  It got to the point to where I could not tell if I was asleep or in my dream. It was very weird. I was afraid to get out of bed and be around people because I would refer to things that I thought were real but wern't because it was things that happened in my dreams.  Took me 2 days to dry out.. And I had not been taking the pil for an entire month yet. I did stay quit for about 3 months..  I am ready to quit again. O think I will do the pill again because I did have good results.. I think I will just do half the dosage....

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Sharon, you don't need any pill. You are strong enough to quit on your own......every time you get the urge to smoke.....drag Rich into the bedroom....can't hurt, and Rich will always have a smile on his face.....lick his eyebrows once or twice for me too..........seriously.....I know you can do it......  :hi5:

For the records, Chuck and Sharon both are pretty sensitive to just about any med they take. It makes life an interesting tap dance for both of them.

If we are remembering correctly, Chuck was taking Wellbutrin while he was taking Chantix. Yes, he does keep all of his medical professionals apprised of what he is taking; perhaps this one just fell through the cracks.

Oh, and Matt, I have yet to kick him in the 'nads. I have wanted to (the joys of marriage, you know...) but it hasn't happened yet.

I quit smoking earlier this year. Again. I had surgery. I can quit pretty easily and stay quit for quite a while...as in YEARS. Food is my main addiction. Oh, and sex.  

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[glow=darkorchid]Musica delenit bestiam feram[/glow]

Isis, as you know I'm not a smoker so I haven't tried to quit but from watching my parents both quit after 20+ years of smoking and other experiences perhaps you should just try to do it with no crutches, no drugs. That may sound tough but sometimes, such as in dieting, it is all the crutches we rely on to save us when in reality only we can save ourselves. It is essential to mentally focus on what the problem is and why it is a problem, and then I suggest you get MAD about it. If you are mad about it and determined and everytime the thought to smoke comes up you get p issed because you feel you are being manipulated and taken advantage of and your quality of life is suffering - then perhaps that can make the difference. I know lots of folks that have just quit when they made up their minds with no other help (my parents included). My folks have been smoke free for 30 years or so now.

The mind is a powerful thing if you choose to use it. The trick is to be able to focus it and realize that YOU are the one that will cause you to stop, and only you can prevent starting again.

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The Truth Is Out There

Chuck, I suppose I don't know anything about restless leg syndrome. For about the last 6 months I've seen the pharmaceutical ads for medication though. Sometimes, when I get in a mode where I'm not very active physically for awhile my legs may start to feel a bit restless. I'm thinking that feeling may just be our bodies saying we need to get out and walk, or run. For me whenever I do it seems I never have that feeling. Perhaps it's not the same condition, but is this possible? It seems our society is so sedentary now with so many coming down with diabetes because of being over weight. Modern medicine just wants to give us a pill to cure the symptoms, but not the disease. Aerobic exercise can nourish the cells in our body with oxygen and also flood our brain with feel good endorphins. Have you tried this approach? Is this a possibility with you (lack of enough aerobic exercise)?

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The Truth Is Out There

You know I heard good things about this stuff too some years ago, and just thought with all the work stress perhaps it might make me feel less anxious, etc. But I tried a few pills and it seems it just made me feel creepy too. Perhaps a bit more prone to anger, or more "edgy". I immediately just stopped taking it.

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The Truth Is Out There