Chantix and driving: my experience
September 27th, 2008 by Kurt Niland
Yesterday I wrote about the non-psychiatric side effects of Chantix and how studies are beginning to reveal how those side effects can adversely affect one’s driving. Loss of consciousness, dizziness, confusion, aggression, and muscle spasms can all happen to a Chantix user who is behind the wheel. I don’t mean to sound alarmist, but I have had enough first-hand experience with Chantix to know these newest warnings are worth emphasizing.
Right after I read that Chantix was the culprit in several motor vehicle accidents, a couple of incidents that happened to me while I was taking Chantix and driving suddenly made sense. Last year I had been taking Chantix for a couple months when I did a couple of really dumb things behind the wheel.
First, let me explain that I strongly believe that Chantix caused the incidents, but I cannot make that claim with absolute authority. Second, I avoided alcohol completely while taking Chantix and I was not taking any other medications. Third, in my 24 years of driving I’ve had just one speeding ticket, and I’ve received a good-driver discount from my car insurance company for nearly 15 years. Now, with those disclaimers made, I’ll continue …
Incident number one occurred as I was approaching a stop sign on my way home from work. The stop sign was on a road that ran perpendicular to a busy one-way street in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. Since it was not a four-way stop, the routine was to stop at the sign, obviously, look to the right to see if any cars were coming, look quickly to the left to make sure nobody was driving the wrong way, and then right again before crossing the street. This one night, however, it’s as if I had forgotten there was a stop sign at the intersection. My business partner, who was a passenger, began beating the dashboard in a dramatic effort to make me stop. I had no idea what he was doing. At first I thought he was exaggerating playing the drums along to the radio, which would have been completely uncharacteristic of him. It wasn’t until I was right on the sign that he yelled “STOP!” I stepped on the brake and brought my truck to a head jerking, tire screeching stop.
Even worse, instead of looking to my right for traffic barreling down the one-way street, I looked to my left, where there would have been no oncoming traffic. Only “passed” traffic. Just as I began to cross the street with my attention fixed in the wrong direction, my partner yelled “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”
“Good question,” I mumbled because I felt like a freak. I thought “What IS wrong with me?” as I continued on.
A few days later, on the same route home from work, alone, I came to a red light at a 4-way stop. A jeep pulled up beside me in the right lane. I sat at the light, waiting for it to turn. Meanwhile, I stared blankly at a traffic light far off in the distance. When I saw the lights turn green 3 intersections ahead of me, I proceeded to go even though my light was still red. The car next to me blared its horn, but I didn’t know why until I looked back and noticed that he was still sitting at a red light. Luckily, no cars were traveling across my line of traffic.
As I drove on, I was very startled that I had done yet another really stupid thing. The idea that I was losing my mind and driving like an idiot as a result made me panic. For some reason, it never occurred to me that Chantix might be the culprit.
Which underscores my point. I was taking Chantix in late 2007 – early 2008, just as warnings about suicide and depression began to emerge. Luckily, I never experienced those symptoms to any degree higher than an occasional but brief pity party or bout of negative thinking. A couple friends told me that I seemed quieter than usual, and I do think that Chantix made me feel somewhat antisocial at times, but thankfully I never experienced long, deep bouts of depression. Had the warnings on the label indicated that I could experience mood swings, moments of confusion, and disorientation, I would have been much, much more cautious about when and how I used Chantix.
I took Chantix for 16 weeks – a month longer than the FDA-recommended 12 weeks. Immediately after my final prescription ran out, I felt dramatically better. I had more clarity and focus and loads more energy. It was easier to wake up in the morning and wake up in a good mood. The side effects of Chantix had crept up on me so subtly and gradually that I had forgotten what it was like to be myself. I have not had any unusual or uncharacteristic driving experiences since I stopped taking Chantix. I haven’t become confused or suffered any lapses in judgment behind the wheel. In short, I became normal again.
So, to any potential Chantix users out there, pay very close attention to how you feel if you decide to try it. If you catch yourself feeling unlike yourself, becoming confused, feeling “foggy,” or just doing stupid things like leaving your car keys in the refrigerator, consult with your doctor! He may have suggestions for improving your experience with Chantix. Just knowing about these dangers may be enough to help prevent some mishaps from occurring.