People’s Pharmacy

Q:My husband and I decided to take Chantix to help us stop smoking. Initially, we had side effects: daily headaches at the base of the skull, very vivid dreams, talking in our sleep, severe exhaustion right after taking the pill, and sleeping for a few hours and then waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning wide awake. I had severe abdominal pain and vomiting when I took the pill with just a little food.

After the first month, we both decided to go off the medication. At that point, I had been taking only one pill in the evening, as I was too tired during the day if I took it in the morning.

The past six weeks have been awful. I no longer have side effects, but my husband is all over the place. He gets very angry, out of nowhere, and if he has consumed alcohol, look out. He had what I believe to be a psychotic episode.

Each time we would have drinks, he would flip his lid over very small things, in fact nothing at all. I was ready for legal separation after this last episode.

I can only hope that with time these reactions will disappear. Happy hour is gone, as alcohol intensifies the side effects.

We are now at 60 days without smoking. That is terrific, but the strain and anxiety have been difficult. I want my husband back, and I do not want him to feel this way. All I can say is these things did not happen before Chantix.

Answer: We have heard from more than 300 people who have posted comments about Chantix on our Web site. Although some are very pleased that they were able to stop smoking, many have complained of unpleasant side effects like yours. Others have noted rage or violent behavior associated with drinking alcohol while taking Chantix. Most of these reactions occur while taking the drug, but the Food and Drug Administration has noted that some people experience symptoms after stopping Chantix.

Q:I am convinced that hormone replacement is contributing to my hair loss along with medications for cholesterol and blood pressure. Some of my friends also are complaining that their hair is thinning. One is on Prempro, another takes natural hormones and blood-pressure medicine.

My doctor seems unconcerned, but this is a real worry. Do you have a list of medicines that cause hair loss so I can ask for a drug that is not on the list?

Answer: Hundreds of medications can contribute to hair thinning or loss. You are right that hormones such as Premarin and Prempro can trigger this problem. So can blood-pressure pills like atenolol, metoprolol and verapamil. Some cholesterol-lowering drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor) and simvastatin (Zocor) also have been linked to hair loss.

Q:Let me share my remedy for leg cramps. I find that Tums give fast relief, better than a spoonful of yellow mustard. I keep a packet at the bedside and in my purse.

Answer: You are not the only reader to report that calcium supplements such as Tums can help counter cramps.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. You can e-mail them via their Web site: http://www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.