Chantix Litigation Heats Up as Lawsuits are Filed
Published: July 16th, 2008 • Comments: 28
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At least two lawsuits have recently been filed in federal court by users of the anti-smoking drug Chantix who suffered psychological side effects. The medication has been associated with an increased risk of suicide and unusual behavior, which been led to hundreds of reported deaths and severe injuries. Chantix lawyers expect that these are the first of many lawsuits that will be filed involving this drug, as other potential cases are being investigated throughout the country.
Chantix is a prescription drug manufactured by Pfizer Inc., which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2006. The unique anti smoking drug has varenicline tartrate as its active ingredient, which works by affecting nicotine receptors in the brain. This reduces nicotine cravings and helps people successfully quit smoking. However, over the past year the drug has been linked to a number of serious and potentially fatal side effects.
In November 2007, the FDA initiated a review of the medication after receiving reports of at least 39 suicide deaths among users of Chantix and nearly 500 reports of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Since that time, Pfizer has updated the warning label several times to add information about possible suicide side effects, and other psychological problems that have been associated with the drug.
The first known Chantix lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Indianapolis by Linda Collins, the widow of David Collins, who committed suicide in January 2008 after starting the medication in October 2007. Collins had no history of mental illness, and the litigation alleges that his death was caused by Pfizer’s failure to adequately warn about Chantix suicide side effects.
A second lawsuit in the emerging Chantix litigation was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Brian Kline, who was hospitalized in August 2007 as a result of an alleged drug induced manic and violent psychotic episode. He claims that Pfizer knew or should have known about the impact Chantix has on the brain, and deliberately excluded people with a history of mental illness from clinical trials.
During its first full year on the market in 2007, Chantix generated sales of $883 million and was expected to become a blockbuster medication for Pfizer. However, following the safety concerns which have emerged, many users have begun looking for safer alternatives to help them quit smoking. In addition, last month federal regulators indicated that Chantix should not be used by pilots, air traffic controllers or operators of commercial motor vehicles like trucks and buses.
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Comment by Rebecca on 14 August 2008:
Has anybody had a reaction to chantix in regards to cancer and dying??
Pingback by TV Ads for Smoking Drug Chantix Resume Despite Suicide Side Effects : AboutLawsuits.com on 15 September 2008:
[...] number of Chantix lawsuits have already been filed on behalf of people who took their own life or suffered severe injuries [...]
Comment by Runaway on 22 December 2008:
I had a manic episode that I experienced after about a month on Chantix. I lost my job, arrested, and ended up in the hospital and am still struggling with depression.
Comment by diane on 30 December 2008:
This S**T made me crazy! I will sue the ________ out of these bastards!!! DON’T TAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Kim on 21 January 2009:
I took chantrix appr. 1 yr. ago within a few months I endend up in a diabetic coma and now have full blow diabetes what a honorable disease. I now have to inject needles with medicine in myself three times a day. I am truley devistated.
Comment by Paul on 23 January 2009:
Another side effect that they don’t tell you about is seisures! I had started taking the Chantix and within just a couple of weeks I started,at first, with vivid nightmares that later lead into full grand maul seisures. I was hospitalized with uncontrolable seisures (45-50 in 24 hours). It wasn’t until I quit taking the Chantix that the seisures stopped occuring.
Comment by lisa on 5 February 2009:
i am writing on behalf of my mom. she too had experienced the side affects of this evil drug. i’m looking to see if anyone has had any luck with a lawsuit or if everyone’s just waiting for a class action suit.
Comment by vj on 24 February 2009:
This drug caused my daughter to turn mean, ruin her relationship with her fiancee’ and she had suicidal thoughts which put her in a hospital for evaluation for 3 days. This drug should be banned!!
Comment by liv on 19 March 2009:
I recently started taking this drug and within a 2 week period had become someone unrecognizable to my husband. I was mean and angry all the time. He kept saying that I was CRAZY. I could see the way I was acting was psycotic but could not stop myself. There were windows in my day where I could see this- but they were fleeting. Yesterday I took a knife from my own kitchen and slit my wrists.
Good thing I had a window of clarity and took myself to the hospital.
It was like i was looking at someonelse while i did this. When i got there and they asked if I was on any medication and I said CHAMIX(the american drug name is CHANTIX) there was a look of knowing on the Drs face. I was told- from her mouth- that they have noticed a trend starting with this drug.
P.S- i previously worked in emergency services and now work in the most rational form of work that there is(insurance)- this is completely out of character for me. NO WARNING!!!!!!!!
Comment by Lisa on 17 May 2009:
I have tried taking Chantix twice. The first time i fell out in my drive way and thinking something else might of cause it i waited a couple of weeks and tried it again. I started having very vivid dreams about my husband cheating and that someone was always trying to kill my kids. I dreamed the same dreams so much they started to feel really real. I would either wake up screaming and crying thinking something had happened to my kids or wake up fighting my husband thinking he been out fooling around. As if the dreams and the depression i was going though wasn’t enough i still today have panic attacts and chest pains. I stopped taking the Chantix because I started having very heavy chest pains, sortness of beathe,dizziness,black out,depression and anxity attacts. I have been off the chantix for 4 months and still suffer from all systems. chantix makers should really have to pay for the way they have messed up peoples lifes.
Comment by Susan on 4 June 2009:
I took Chantix during Thanksgiving and Christmas and almost didn’t see the new year! Thank goodness the little voice inside me that stops insane behavior kept screaming at me to stop the thoughts of suicide……that, whatever it is, tomorrow will be better.
I knew that something was going on that I was helpless to control. I called a suicide hotline on Christmas Day and they sent a local police officer to my home who sat me down and held my hands until the desire to end my life subsided. I credit that wonderful man with saving my life. He still checks on me to make sure I’m okay.
I want so bad for someone to pay a price for the misery that I suffered. My poor family was helpless and confused. I quit smoking on my own……the old fashioned way. I just quit. No company should be able to make gueina pigs out of consumers!
Comment by Pamela on 20 July 2009:
I was prescribed Chantix to stop smoking, but was given too strong of a dosage. Once i contacted my physician, changed it to what it was supposed to be. Starter package, then an increased dosage.
While taking this medication, i could not hold anything down, was nauseated constantly and unbearable to be around. I was having very very bad mood swings and constantly thought about ending it all.
Actually, i began smoking more due to depression.
Keep in mind that i have a 14 month old son that needs his mother.
Comment by Susan on 30 July 2009:
My husband took Chantix for 4 weeks in the fall of 2007. During this time, he stopped smoking, but also experienced uncontrollable rages, constant anger and vivid nightmares. He stopped the drug before it ran it’s course, but didn’t start smoking. Believe it or not, we considered a success. He was a pack a day smoker for 25 years.
Fast foward 9 months. He started having gait problems and tripping. Took him to the ER where he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor-PCNSL.
Which brings us up to now. He’s had a year of Chemo and a stem cell transplant and is in remission.
He recently started smoking and his PCP has suggested going back on Chantix. Considering it works on the receptors in the very same part of his brain the tumor was located, I do not think that it’s a wise decision, never mind the other side effects.
I am looking for anyone else who took this drug and was diagnosed with a brain tumor during or after taking it.
Thank you!
Comment by Connie on 2 August 2009:
OMG! is the first thing to come to mind when I found this page. I began taking Chantix about August / Sept of 2007. Within a month I was a TOTAL stranger to my children and my husband, I was taken out of work on “medical leave” due to depression (and consequently lost my job over this issue). I had THE WORST vivid nightmares ! I became a total angry, snap at a pin drop raving “lunatic”! My doctors words were that I was “so close to having a nervous breakdown, it’s scary”. Ultimately it just about cost me my marriage; not to mention costing me my job. It was the SCARIEST time of my entire life! I spent almost a year overcoming the depression. And, I still smoke! This drug should be BANNED!
Comment by Michael on 8 August 2009:
This is in response to Susan’s post on July 30th 2009.
My mom was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) a week ago and she too had taken Chantix about 2yrs ago. She recently started taking it again (not sure if there’s a connection, however) after a severe headache along with gait problems as well as tripping went to the ER to be diagnosed with the brain tumor.
I would like to know the details of your husbands case to compare it to my mom’s.
Thank you.
Comment by Trudy on 14 August 2009:
I have taken Chantix twice not until 8 weeks into the second time did I realize, after reading the adverse effects the Chantix is the cause of my problems. I have ended up in ER twice and diagnosed with acquired Von Willebrand inhibitor to factor 8 which is a rare autoimmune bleeding disorder, thyroid disorder, and severe anemia. It was so disabling my provider put me on 100mg daily steroids until I could start treatment, because he did not want me to develope a fatal bleed. Also, five months after stopping the first time, I had a gan mal seizure and was dx with b. brain tumor, since this drug changes the chemistry of your brain I think the drug is responsible
Comment by Rod on 18 August 2009:
I stopped taking Chantix after 2 weeks because it was making me very sick to my stomach, depressed, angry at the world and I started noticing I was having problems moving without severe pain. The day I stopped taking Chantix I started having pain all over my body (hands, arms, feet, legs etc.). It’s been over a month since I stopped taking Chantix and I still have this pain. I can no longer play my guitar and have pain when ever I walk or do pretty much anything that requires moving. I’m only 49 years old and had none of these problems until I took Chantix.
Comment by Tim on 26 August 2009:
Went through full course starting in June of 2007, starting getting sick with mostly respiratory problems like bronchietus, copd and pnuemonia. Diagnosed with diabetes in January 2008. I have spoken with a few lawyers and such but no luck. I feel like they are simply going to get away it. By the way, I am not dealing very will with the diabetes. Help!!!
Comment by Robert on 5 September 2009:
I wont say that I had the perfect past, quite the opposite. Severely beaten as a child, 7 stepdads each one worse than the last. I left home at 16 and Joined the army at 17. Spent 6 years and left in 88. From 88 to 95 I led a very violent and dangerous life. In 95 I put my past behind me and moved far away. I became a model citizen, got heavilly involved in my church, youth and music ministries and heavilly involved in the community. Coached Junior high travel competition basket teams. Worked street ministries helping those who sought to escape the lifestyle to do so. I have alot of sucess cases. I did this from 95 to 2008. I stopped smoking for 12 years from 96 to 2008. Yeah I fell. I went to a party, got drunk and started smoking again. Stupid most definitely. I was disappointed in myself. After smoking again for a few months and tried to quit several times I turned to my doctor who prescribed to me Chantix. I started taking Chantix in June and July of 08. July of 08 I turned in my shop where I worked as a saw filer and hit a post, not hard took a couple of steps and blacked out hitting my head quite hard on the pole I had just hit. A week later I showed up to work and found myself unable to go in the doors. I walked away from my job of 13 years. A job I seriously liked and enjoyed doing. No reason no explanation. Within a week I was seeing myself in third person. Witnessing myself doing dangerous stuff but unable to stop myself. I became severely depressed, left my wife of 17 years, and started doing things I had been doing 20 years prior. I became delusional, violent, and extremely agressive. I recognized right from wrong and wanted to do what was right. I seen so much garbage in my town and believed ion my delusional state that I could change it. Then I became paranoid, believing myself to being followed. I was quite worked up, literally looking back on it over things that I had no control over and yet I thought of myself as expendable and could put a stop to it. Hmmn. moments of grandeur I would say so. I still had my second job driving late night deliveries and on one of my runs was ran off the road by a white truck and again two hours later. I became quite paranoid and believed a hit was put on me. 3 Hours later another white truck matching the same description as the ones before flew up on me at a high rate of speed. Swerving back and forth. I drove to the curb they followed me I pulled out again and went up to 90mph they matched me. I seriously thought my life was in danger. I pulled over again and the driver jumped out of his truck and started towards me. I always carried a 9mm in my car in its case with a trigger lock. Thinking that my life was in danger I had unlocked it before pulling over. I met the driver outside of my car weapon pointed down. I ordered him back into his truck and told him to place his hands on top of his head. He complied I asked him why he was following me; he denied doing so. I then told him that he was under citizens arrest. His hands dropped quickly below the window. I raised my 9mm head level and told him to bring his hands up slowly and they had better be empty. He complied. Something in my mind was screaming dont shoot. You know he is not guilty; so I lowered my weapon. I summoned the state police and after about ten minutes of waiting for them to arrive my paranoia set back in. I ordered the driver to pull over to the side of the road and wait for the police. I left the scene but also left contact info with the police. Needless to say I was arrested a few hours later. It wasn’t until a few months ago that my wife who heard about the Chantix lawsuits asked me aint that the drug that I had been taking. I checked into it and sure enough it was. Then I started researching why there was a lawsuit and many of my symptoms listed by friends, witnesses,the victims of my episode, and the police observation were nearly word for word verbatum. For no reason I walked away from my job, my marriage, became delusional, paranoid, violent, schizophrenic. You name it I was in it. I stopped using Chantix long ago and most factors of my life are as they were. I am now rock solid, emotionally stable again, marriage is back on track and as I used to be happy again. Yet my future is now threatened by what happened. I am now facing a minimum of 15 months in prison if I accept the plea bargain. Anybody with similiar circumstances and looks like there are a few please let me know.
Comment by OLIVIA on 26 September 2009:
I took Chantix for the requried amount of time. It suggested that I take it for an additional amount of time to make sure that I was smoke free. I had just lost a brother, so I knew I was depressed from that. I stopped taking for fear that the thoughts I was having were related to Chantix. (suidcidal thoughts). I soon started to break out in hives. I was thought to have leukemia. So I was hospitalied for a bone marrow test. No known reason for the hives. Was treated for several months for hives that would not go away. Still have some of the marks from the hives. Would like to know if there has been anyone else with unusual rashes they are now talking about associated with this drug
Comment by Steve on 21 November 2009:
I started taking chantrix about 2 years ago. Because of the weird nightmares and feelings that I was loosing my mind I discontinued use. The nightmares and loss of sleep did not go away immediately. It continued to taper off for about 6 months and now after two years I still have the occassional weird dream maybe 1 time a month or slightly less. From the time I quit my chnatrix I seemed to have lost the creative part of my brain. As an artist everything quit two years ago and has not returmed as of yet. My creative energy had been non stop 7 days a week for the past 20 years and then suddenly just stopped. The weird dreams still make me feel like my mind is somehow damaged. Hard to explain. Steve
Comment by vickie on 13 January 2010:
In end of September my husband started this drug, (2007) by October 11 (less than 2 weeks) he had a stroke or tia. Lost part of his vision and was out of work for several months and had to do therapy to get back to where he could walk right. He has since then been very angry and has a much “shorter fuse” sometimes the littlest thing will set him off. 2 months ago he had another small stroke. He is only 41 now. He never had a problem untill he started this.
My mother was taking it but has stopped because of the dreams and the sucide thoughs.
To me the it seems like the drug company is using us the consumers as lab rats and the bad thing is that we paid them for the right to do it.
I want to know if there is a lawsuit I want to sign up.
Comment by ben on 17 March 2010:
i am supposed to start chantix tomor morn but just decided not to after reading all this thank you you all may have just saved my life
Comment by Tiffeney on 5 April 2010:
I was on Chantix for over a year off and on. it started Sept of 07 my husband was on it also. he went off on the deep end and moved out because of a movie channel. I became extremely depressed. I cried all the time. For no reason I cried. Still taking chantix though because I really wanted to quit smoking and turn my life around. Extremely active in the gym so there should be no reason for depression. I went to my dr and she put me on Cymbalta 60 mg. Started getting better for a month or so and that was in Jan of 08. Still taking Chantix off and on. In my mind I became delusional. My insides felt so deep I just wanted to rip them out. I could not pull myself out of the stage of depression I was in. Suicide was my only answer. I was not afraid of death. I dreamed of dying in many different ways. Then I stared reading about suicides and it just became a part of my life. I was going to kill myself. I told my husband I was going to kill my self. So one day I emailed him and told him that today was going to be the last day of my life. I took about 40 ambien. I called him and told him goodbye. He did not want to leave happy hour so he ignored my cry for help. My son had switched shifts that day with a co-worker and came home early. So I was about an hour into whatever you want to call it. The rest is just a blank. Woke up in the physciatric ward in the hospital. My doctor immediatly took me off of them after finding out what has caused my problem. Had to go on a second anti-depressant and still have severe episodes of depression. I dont think I will ever get my life back
Comment by terri on 7 April 2010:
Tiffeny, I feel your pain. I really do. I could’ve written your story. Please, read mine…so, you don’t feel so alone. Know this tho…you are NOT crazy!!
I took two scripts of Chantix between Oct. ’06 and Oct. ’7. Two hospital stays in ’08.
Jan. ’08 – - taken by ambulance in middle of nite w/horrific headache, throbbing chest pain, stomach spasms that felt like contractions, fever and couldn’t catch my breath. Was put on oxygen, morphine and antibiotic 24/7 for a little over a week. Released w/diagnosis – - possible virus.
Had dreams so real, I could no longer decipher if I was awake or not!! Deceased loved ones came to my room at nite and tried to convince me to come w/them. They described heaven in such a beautiful way I was ready!! We laughed, hugged, they were sooo happy. And, I….I was just plain tired of living. Wasn’t sad, glad, mad…nothing, just flat. I hated my husband w/a vengeance. Wanted to just put a pillow over his face for 5 minutes…and put him out of my misery. I begged for a divorce. He took up residence in spare bedroom.
So, ‘m married to the love of my life for 36 years…proud mom of 2 daughters and most proud of being na na to my six loves.
May ’08 – - took drive to rural area. Parked on closed used car parking lot…downed 240 sleeping pills, cut self w/mini razors, woke up six days later in ICU surrounded by family and a priest. Woke up as I was being taken off life support.
My family was horrified. Babysitting rights revoked. No one could believe I was capable of doing something so outrageous. They wanted answers!! Spent time in psyche unit, have spent past two years in intense out-patient therapy, individual and group therapy, psyciatrist and therapist. My job, which I’ve loved for 23 years, thank God is mine again. My computer had been confiscated and checked over…I had been online “searching” suicide methods for 6 months prior to attempt….
What am I trying to say, here, Tiff??? I want you to know I DO KNOW first hand what you went thru….cause I was THERE!! Look up the history of varenciline tartrate – - cytosine…you will see that Pfizer KNEW years before they rushed it to market….that this drug is TRULY…A LOBOTOMY BY MOUTH. Forgive yourself, Tiff. You were not in your right mind. Chantix owned you as well as it did thousands of others. It wasn’t our fault. You’ll see. Our day of vindication awaits. God bless you.
Comment by Theresa on 13 June 2010:
Hi, my name is Theresa. I started taking chantix in late 2007, i was 42 yrs old. Like other comments of people who had terribe side effects of this medication, I too became out of control with my manic episodes. I attemted suicide in march 2008, luckily my son found me & I was sent to the ER only for them to put me on the 3rd floor pysch unit for 3 days. I missed out on my family life, my grandchildren didnt understand why they couldn’t come & see Nana, Then I developed diabetes, a heart condition (mitral valve prolapse) & numbness on the right side of my body (even my eyelids & lips) & tingling in my toes & fingers. My coordination is not like it used to be, I sometimes walk like I am drunk, & have fallen on several occasions, the worse on was this past fall 2009, I fell & broke 3 ribs, my speach still gets slurred, my memory is shot, I get so confused sometimes that i cant remember my grandchildrens names or birthdates. My very vivid nightmares continue, I have severe headaches ( i never had a headache before this unless i had a sinus infection, which wasn’t very often) While I nap or sleep, I am suddenly awakened by uncontrolable jerking of my limbs. I used to be a nurse, but I am now on disability, my muscles & joints ache constantly, My feet & hands go into spasms & cramp up. I can barely walk, & when I do it is only for a VERY short distance. I have begun to have calcium build-up in my kidneys, blood vessels & lord only knows where else. everytime I see my Dr. which is usually monthly (sometimes more often) the pain got so severe in my back that I had my nerves burnt into twice, the would not do it the third time because it would only last for a couple of months. I have had cortisone shots in every place imagineable(shoulders, knees, hips, hands, heels, even my tailbone) but the relief was only minimal & didnt last long. Now they say I have spinal stenosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia & countless other diagnosis. I live on pain meds just to help me get thru the day. But my worst point was in mid 2008 when I COULD NOT walk. I had to be carried everywhere, could not clen myself after using the bathroom, & surely could not take a bath or get dressed on my own (thank god for a daughter in law that is a CNA, & a son that is an EMT. I expect these things will only get worse over the years, The goverment should not allow these to be marketed without more controlled experimental testing by volenteers that are studied for a greated period of time especially after the drug has been stopped. Because that is when most of the longterm effects happen…God bless all of us guinea pigs that have no knowledge of the most life threatening side effects…