I was healthy, vibrant and loving life, until I decided to get even healthier by quit smoking. I asked my doctor about the new drug Chantix in December of 2006, and she prescribed it. Chantix took away any possibly gratification a cigarette could bring to s smoker. I was able to quit smoking with Chantix. At that time, Chantix only warned of side effects such as vivid dreams and nausea. No problem, I thought! But, on my 1-week follow-up visit I told my doctor that my body ached all over as if I had the flu. She checked me for Lymes, low thyroid and RA but all tests came back normal, so we just let it go.
After a few months of this chronic pain, I googled to discover that there were hundreds of people on Chantix blogging with the same complaint.
I don’t know if theirs ever subsided, but it has been a year and a 3-months since my last dose, as I have been patiently suffering and awaiting the side effects to go away, but they only get progressively worse. I can hardly walk now. Although from the waist up it just aches like the flu, my lower body is extreme chronic pain. My legs and thighs have very sore and weak muscles and the tendon under the right patella is so inflammed that I can hardly walk anymore. It feels like a knife is in my knee for 3 months now. For the past year I have been walking like a 90-year old—each step very painful, but now it’s even worse. I don’t know what to do at this point. 10-years ago I was a runner, and now I can’t get out of a chair without holding on. Doctors won’t help me because my bloodwork comes back normal. I have been living on large doses of Motrin, just to take the edge off, but they really don’t do much. Weight gain of 75 lbs from not moving to avoid pain, and depression seem to be the side effects from the side effects.
I found this site while searching for a neurologist. I have not been to a neurologist yet, an I was hoping that would be the answer. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!