I'm bipolar and have been taking 200mg
Lamictral and 25mg Seroquel for about 2
years now, with some success. Recently I
decided to quit smoking and to make it
more likely that I'd succeed I started
taking a new quit-smoking medicine, known
as Champix or Chantix.
After 5-7 days I started having the manic
trip of my life, stronger than any I had
ever experienced. I spent a month in a
state of total euphoria. And this in spite
of the fact that my mania normally
expresses itself as rage and irritability
-- this is only the second classic manic
episode I've had in my LIFE (the first was
triggered by a SSRI). Jesus was I happy!
And since I had virtually no experience
with euphoric mania, I was clueless.
Of course, everything came crashing down,
and I'm dealing with a brutal depression
and more intense suicidal ideation than I
can remember ever having. EVER. So be
warned, bipolars - avoid Champix / Chantix
like the plague. Better to smoke
yourselves to death -- you'll probably
live far longer that way. (NOTE: Of course
this drug is not contraindicated for
bipolar - it's new, and drug companies
invariably do trials on people who are
healthy in every way)
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Jake3463
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 28 Location: Allentown
Ditto Posted: 10-22-07 11:07am
Same thing happened with me. I'm on
Abilify and Lamictal. Started having
wierd dreams and than I started to get
paranoid and have racing thoughts. I
don't think they tested the drug for
interactions with bp medications.
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abnrmlmind
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 55
Posted: 10-22-07 20:05pm
i enjoy euphoric episodes but i tend to
make problems for myself. abilify...
doctors give that to people that have
schitzophrenia also. i dunno what
lamictal is, almost sounds like something
youd put up your bum. just because
champix / chantix did that to you doesnt
necessarily mean it will to others,
everyone is different.
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Jake3463
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 28 Location: Allentown
Mixxing Drugs Posted: 10-23-07 17:31pm
You mix drugs you might have a reaction.
Nothing against Chantix but I doubt the
standard round of test they did didn't
include people on bipolar medication.
Give it time and we'll be on the list of
possible interactions.
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Catecholamine
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 2
Posted: 11-13-07 09:25am
Oh, you might do well on a kappa-opioid
agonist. It down-regulates acetylcholine
receptor mRNA, inhibits the release of
both norepinephrine and acetylcholine, and
it should have an overall stabilizing
effect on your moods. It might also reduce
your chances of developing propensities
for alcoholism. No promises. I'm just a
mad sage. I wouldn't let anyone suffering
from bipolar disorder within nine yards of
Chantix, though. It would make you kids
climb the walls. I don't know why it
wasn't immediately contraindicated.
Keep the euphoric trips under control.
Whenever I let these things get out of
hand, I do an icarus, and daaaaaaaang it
hurts when I fall. I discovered a few
years ago that, if I can keep the manic
episodes in check, I can nearly altogether
escape the depression and still stay on a
constant life high. It's so great. I don't
know if I'm bipolar, though. It's
cyclothymia at the very least. Me and my
tangents.
The OP is correct. Avoid chantix like the
plague. It's wonderful for most people,
poison for someone affected with bipolar.
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puzzld
Supporter
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 249 Location: gulf coast =), USA
Thanks: 2
Thanked:1
Posted: 11-20-07 11:01am
i take chantix and a list of other meds,
for bipolar, and have no quarrel with it.
although, it does make me extremely
nauseous if i haven't eaten first. that
sucks for you.... i'm trying to quit right
now, too, with little success i'm afraid.
good luck!
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Catecholamine
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 2
Posted: 11-23-07 15:27pm
You're taking it FOR bipolar? Bah, now I'm
going to have to revise my conclusions
again. Different strokes, different folks,
I guess.
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puzzld
Supporter
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 249 Location: gulf coast =), USA
Thanks: 2
Thanked:1
Posted: 11-25-07 19:19pm
ah... no sorry mistyped... thought, brain
cloud. NOT taking chantix for bipolar; i'm
taking it to assist in my efforts to quit
smoking. i probably meant 'in conjunction
with' bipolar meds, as discussed on this
forum category topic whatever.
as i'm reading this thread again i'm
remembering taking chantix while taking
seroquel 600mg/day, lamactile 1mg/day,
cymbalta 60mg/day and ativan 6mg/day. and
i was just, 2 weeks ago, diagnosed with
bipolar 1 as a result of who knows what;
first manic episode just before a fight
with mom to panic attack to full blown
hyperventilation. BUT, i don't think
taking these meds together has caused my
ill temper and terror because i felt this
way long before chantix.
it is true... different strokes for
different folks
