Chantix Suicide: One Woman's Miracle of Survival

While Pfizer continues to put a positive spin on Chantix, and the risk of suicide, at least one doctor acknowledges the risk of any medication that directly targets brain chemistry, given that the latter is such an individual thing, there is little room to predict how one person will fare on a drug, when compared against another.

For example, there will be one former smoker for whom Chantix proved effective, helping them kick a habit that before then seemed to be unbreakable. It was hard, and the side effects were unpleasant but manageable, and at the end of the day it worked. This story has been told many times.

But so has the following story, this time told by a woman from Minnesota. We'll call her Delores.

Chantix Suicide: Sinking Into the Deep Hole

New marketing ads for Pfizer's Chantix will look very different from the original 'tortoise and the hare' ads of last year, now that Pfizer has to include risk for suicide.

Pfizer was forced to withdraw its ads for the much-maligned smoking cessation drug in February, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health warning pertaining to the potential risk for suicide, and a strong warning letter issued by the FDA to Pfizer, validating the potential causal link between the use of Chantix and suicidal thoughts.

The new ads are expected to be fronted by a fair amount of what is described as 'precautionary language,' and we should be seeing them soon.

Chantix Grounded by Federal Aviation Administration

It still might be okay for YOU to use the anti-smoking drug Chantix in spite of all the warnings over suicidal thoughts and potential psychosis, but as of Wednesday pilots and air traffic controllers are no longer allowed to use the drug. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just banned the use of Chantix for pilots and air traffic controllers, fearing for the safety of passengers.

Chantix, the smoking-cessation drug once considered to be a blockbuster, has lost a lot of its luster since last September after news began to surface of bizarre behavior and serious adverse reactions. The most serious, of course, have been an increasing number of reports of suicides and suicide attempts. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader, has long called for a black box warning for Chantix, which is marketed as Champix in Canada and overseas. And the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has been conducting a safety review of Chantix ever since it released a public health alert back in February.

FDA Chantix Suicide Video Disappears

In tandem with an update of safety warnings concerning Chantix by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a video presentation reportedly linking Chantix to suicide presented by the FDA and available through a link to its Patient Safety News web page, has suddenly disappeared.

As part of its service to drug consumers, the FDA has recently been providing a video service, or news show called FDA Patient Safety News. Billed as a video news show for health professionals, FDA Patient Safety News is basically the articulation of recent safety updates and concerns duly noted in text on the same web site, but presented in video form. Two professionally dressed hosts, one male and one female, sit behind a desk on a set fashioned after a typical television news show, with the FDA as a backdrop. The show appears to be a monthly production, and can be viewed as individual chunks by topic, or as a full webcast combining all of the videos, and therefore all of the updated safety alerts for that month, into one entire show.

However, a Chantix video alerting viewers to the potentiality of suicide and suicide ideation has mysteriously disappeared.

Chantix: One Man's Compelling Story

One has only to read the revealing essay by writer Derek De Koff in New York Magazine, to get a true appreciation for the risks, and the reality of Chantix--a smoking cessation medication that has resulted in thousands of adverse affect reports to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and several actual suicides.

Two deaths in particular have caught the world's attention. One was Carter Albrecht, a musician and one-time member of the band Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians (Brickell is married to musician Paul Simon). On Chantix for barely a few weeks, Albrecht turned on his girlfriend before attempting to break into a neighbor's home. The startled homeowner fired a bullet through the door, killing the musician on September 3rd, 2007.

Quitting Smoking - Chantix and the dangers even three weeks on anti-smoking drug can do

Daniel Arndt, a 44-year old father of twin boys, locked himself inside a room of the family home while everyone was away with a 12-pack of beer and two bottles of blood pressure pills. Arndt had been three weeks on Chantix, the smoking cessation drug from Pfizer that blocks nicotine from reaching key receptors in the brain.

He neatly typed an Email to his wife revealing all the computer passwords, before swallowing the contents of both pill bottles with his 12th beer.

"I was at the point where my wife would just look at me wrong and I'd get angry," he tells Christine Cox, a reporter with the South Bend Tribune in Michigan. "A couple times I got close to hitting my wife, and that's something I've never done."

Alcohol Addiction Information

Drug addiction and alcohol abuse are difficult issues that can be life threatening if not treated. This problem is also complex as people are not aware of chemical dependencies, drug treatment and alcoholism. The result of this unawareness may lead to person making improper choices and not obtaining any necessary help.

Acupuncture For Drug Detox Programs

Acupuncture is one of the most successful techniques in Traditional Chinese Medicine with proven efficacy in drug detox programs. It has been scientifically demonstrated by modern Western medical research, that acupuncture stimulates the secretion of endorphins in the brain. This accounts for its ability to relieve chronic pain, which is the main medical condition for which Western medicine utilizes acupuncture today.

Can Alcohol Really Change My Life?

If you're a social drinker or know someone who drinks "every once in a while," it's important to make sure alcohol isn't becoming the most important priority. Alcohol can change every area of your life: your performance at work will suffer, you will not want to spend as much time with family and friends and you may even experience signs of anger or depression that could hurt everyone around you. If you're not exactly sure how alcohol can change your life for the worst, here are some warning signs to look out for.

Avoiding Alcoholism

If you've seen the negative effects of alcoholism from someone you love, or if you've learned about the dangers of drinking alcohol from parents, work, or school, you know that consuming too much alcohol at any time is a bad idea. If you want to make sure that you can avoid alcoholism altogether, there are many things you can do to make sure that your life is both healthy and happy.

Types of Alcoholism Treatments

Once you've acknowledged that you have a problem with alcohol -- or if you've confronted a loved one about alcoholism -- it's time to start finding ways to treat the problem in an ideal and effective manner. Everyone's body works differently, so there are a few treatment options for alcoholism that may work for you or your family. Here are some suggestions for treatment that will help you decide which method is best for your health.

How Do I Prevent Alcohol from Taking Over My Life?

If you are trying to prevent yourself from drinking too much alcohol at social gatherings or even in your daily life, there are certain things you should know about how to live a life that is balanced and alcohol-free. Here are a few ways that you can keep your alcohol intake under control.

Narcissism, Oh Narcissism: Why Did You have to Enter My Life, Narcissism?

Do you ever feel like shouting out that question because you're married to a man who probably suffers from pathological levels of narcissism? I know I did. Sure, in the beginning, it was easy to provide the adulation that my husband needed. I used to feel so fortunate he was in my life, after all. But as the problems escalated, it seemed unauthentic and destructive to reinforce behaviors I found distasteful that coexisted with his narcissism--such as addictions and abuse.

The Alcoholic/Addict and the Codependent: A Dance Towards Destruction?

When I speak of alcoholism and the alcoholic, you undoubtedly know what I mean. But do you understand what I mean by codependency and the codependent? Do you understand how the alcoholic and codependent can engage in a dance towards destruction?

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are the most common mental illnesses affecting more than 35 million Americans each year. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are complex emotional disorders and they do not mean you are going insane. They are among the most treatable health conditions that we suffer. No specific cause for depression and anxiety has been identified. It is believed that the emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety and depression stem from a chemical imbalance that exists in the brain. Both anxiety and depression are frequently treated in much the same manner, which may explain why the two disorders are so often confused. When you're suffering the torment of stress, anxiety and depression, you want relief and you want it fast.

Stop smoking and regain your health

Did you know that you can stop smoking and within 20 minutes you will be on the right track to better health?

Within 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop and your pulse will return to normal. You will also find that the temperature in your hands and feet stabilizes.

5 Quit Smoking Facts You Should Know

When it comes to trying to quit smoking it's wise to have all your facts straight before you even make an attempt to butt out.

For starters, are you under the belief that light cigarettes are better for you than regular ones? The problem is that smokers tend to drag deeper or more often on a light cigarette in order to get their nicotine fix.

The Anatomy of Addiction

It is frightfully easy to stay addicted. Status quo is what the brain has become accustomed to - day in and day out.

Changing status quo disturbs the centre of the brain that deals with reactions.

You CAN break the habit, but you must be conscious about what it requires to stay away from addiction. I quit smoking in 2006, and hope you will find this useful.

Drug Detox: An Overview

Drug detox is the process of eliminating the accumulation of toxins from drugs in the body. There are many kinds of drug detox treatments available nowadays. In many cases, drug detox centers prescribe medication to the patient. This helps to keeps the patient away from the withdrawal symptoms, which is the physiological and mental readjustment occurring due to the discontinuation of the use of drugs. Withdrawal is considered as the first steps of drug detox.

The severity of the withdrawal mainly depends on the degree of drug dependency. Most drug detox center include all the aspects of the withdrawal into their treatment process. Most of the detox center usually gives counseling sessions with their detox program.The people who use alcohol, cocaine and other prescription medicines need to be regular in attending their drug detox to ensure that they stick to the program.

Constipation and its causes

Constipation can be very uncomfortable to experience, and can cause not only internal injuries but can also lead to external deterioration of the overall state of your body. But ask yourself this, why can a symtpom such as constipation be so dangerous to my health ? and how do people start to suffer from persistent constipation ?

What is a Drug Rehab Program Like

Any desire to suppress an unwanted condition forces individuals any age group to resort to drugs. Once the intake of drugs becomes habitual, it continuously affects one’s state of mind or body. Inapt use of any form of drugs results in drug abuse.

Addicted to Pain Killers

Do you know somebody who eats at least two painkillers per day? Or is that person you? Reliance on pain killers is extremely dangerous, and the physical needs for painkillers are especially worrying if your dependency is through a psychological cause rather than a genuine medical need.

Sugar Addiction

Do you like Fizzy drinks? Adore chocolates? Devour deserts? Well then in some way or other, if you haven’t already realised this, you are in fact addicted to sugar, and you should be aware of the damaging effects of sugar addiction on your personal health.

Gambling Addiction

Do you play the poker rooms online? Or are you addicted to them? Do you regularly visit online casino rooms for fun and entertainment? Or are you infact an addict who cannot help him/herself? How can you distinguish between playing for real money for fun and occasional gain, and playing for real money because of an inherit inner addiction to the games online and the simple principles of gambling addiction?

Drug Rehabilitation; The Key Component

Drug and alcohol use can be traced back to 4000 B.C., in Egypt. By the 19th century, active substances were being extracted from the raw materials, and these psychoactive substances were being sold without any regulations. By the early 1900s there were an estimated 250,000 drug addicts in the United States. The anti-war upheaval of the 1960s brought with it a dramatic increase in drug use and increased social acceptance. The 1980s saw a decline in most drug use, with a slight increase in Cocaine use. Despite this overall decline, most Americans still regard illegal drug use as one of the nation's most serious problems. Opinion polls show the public favors a variety of different approaches to the drug problem. In addition to strict laws, it is vital to effectively treat individuals already suffering from drug dependence and substance abuse, through education, therapy, medicine, and group support. Drug rehabilitation is a key component to a successful campaign against the use of illegal drugs.

White hair aged 28...

What is worse? Stress from your work, or stress from your addiction. The simple fact is that when you do not have satisfaction in your life, you do not feel piece of mind, hence, the rise of your stress levels as you become more and more agitated with your current, and deteriorating state.

Food Addiction

Guess what? i am addicted to suger! Thats sweets, chocolates, cakes, deserts and fizzy drinks. Throughout my childhood, normal food just wasnt appealing...

Why Do We get Addicted ?

Addiction can take many forms, you dont need to be addicted to an illegal substance to be considered an addict, i would say there are many people addicted to television, or some other pass time, such as football. Addiction is more so about your personality, and I think it reflects on your principles in life, and how much self control you exercise upon yourself in your daily activitiy and routine set.