Clearing The Air

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Quitting smoking is not always the best advice......especially if your new crutch is Chantix

An acquaintance writes about his success in quitting smoking.......though the health effect outcome was less than desirable.

....So I quit smoking using a new drug by the name of "Chantix"; the stuff blocks the nicotine receptors in the brain, not sure how it works...So late last week I started getting thirsty. .......Then it started getting worse, I would wake up in the night to go, and thirstier than I've ever been in my life, my mouth was so dry I started getting sores on my tongue.....decided to call the nurse "on call". After telling her the symptoms she said come into the ER now. I mean NOW...."

.....sounds like high blood sugar......."So what is normal then” and she says "80 to 140". "So what is my number?” I asked again, and she answers "Um I'm not sure" Frustrated I ask, "What does the damn machine read?" I don't know, this machine only goes to 500, then it just blinks, critically high ... critically high.....

.....They run all the tests to be sure, but yup, I'm a diabetic now.......

According to this website reporting the side effects of Chantix comes this ominous warning:

Following is a list of treatment-emergent adverse events reported by patients treated with CHANTIX during all clinical trials

......METABOLISM AND NUTRITION DISORDERS. Infrequent: Diabetes mellitus, Hyperlipidemia, Hypokalemia. Rare: Hyperkalemia, Hypoglycemia......

Coincidence????........

Hopefully for Sequel, the negative side effects of Chantix are temporary......I know if I had to chose, I'd take smoking over diabetes.......but that's just me.