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Is it safe to take Chantix (smoking cessation drug) and Meridia simultaneously?
Question : Is it safe to take Chantix (smoking cessation drug) and Meridia simultaneously?
Is it safe to take Chantix (smoking cessation drug) and Meridia simultaneously? I am on Chantix (beginning week 4 tomorrow, should be on it 12 weeks) and have a prescription for Meridia. They both affect the brain. Chantix blocks receptors that give you a dopamine reward when you smoke and Meridia is said to “affect appetite control centers of the brain”.
smoking cessation
Best answer:
Answer by rufus_trotman
I’m not too convinced that it’s safe to take Chantix on its own, never mind with anything else.
Have a look here: http://www.lawyersusaonline.com/index.cfm/archive/view/id/431683 and here: http://ismp.org/QuarterWatch/2008Q1.pdf
Meridia is among other things a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, and also affects some other neurotransmitters the activity of which could also potentially be affected by Chantix. There is also some possibility that Meridia, like other SSRI’s, causes suicidal ideation, which is a known problem with Chantix. It seems to me that you should consult your doctor and pharmacist before combining the drugs and if your doctor agrees consider waiting until you’ve finished the Chantix to start on the Meridia. I’ve used Chantix myself and know that it does some weird things, no reason to push things if you don’t have to.