I had never been diagnosed with any mental illness until after my last attempt at quitting using chantix (feb 2008 sucessful x's 6 months, Fall of 2009-GI side effects and feb 2010). I took chantix for 10 days flew into a rage destroyed my kitchen and said terrible things to my family. I would have killed (or seriously maimed) my spouse that night if I had had access to a knife. I was manic for about 6 days with major changes in my moods then I dropped into the land of numbness (alive physically but dead emotionally) on March 7th I was going to commit suicide by taking a bottle of pills. Fortunately, a friend came to my home in time to save me. I have battled the mental side effects despite not having taken chantix since March 3rd. Now I carry the diagnosis of bipolar 1 and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) I take approximately 20 pills per day to be "normal" whatever that is. I feel like chantix has taken a part of my life that I may never get back. Sure I hope to one day be my old self but I am losing faith that I will ever be the same. Anyone else have similar issues?
Wasn't there an actress that had a manic episode from taking a drug in the ER? There was a big fluff about it. Unlike you, though, the potential bipolar condition just went away *poof* when she detoxed from the offending drug. What does your psychiatrist say? Perhaps the daddy of anti-manic drugs - depakote - is worth a shot.