I decided on Monday evening to stop using the 21mg 24hour patches.
Talked it through with my daughter and told her that I cant put up with this cramp any longer. Smokey Nurse says the cramp isn't caused by the patches, but how come the cramp came really, really bad on about day 3 of the patches then?
So, I just ripped it off and that was Monday and now its Wednesday and I'm fine. I thought, the worse that can happen is I feel really grumpy and then I can just stick a patch back on again.
I suppose I should have discussed it with Smokey Nurse, but she was adamant that the cramp and the patches were not connected but funnily enough, I didn't get it quite so badly last night hmmmm. Time will tell. Anyone else just stopped patches mid-way though the course and if so, why did you do so? Look forward to hearing from you.
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Well done on your quit.I have also cut short the patches mind you I had dropped down to the 5 mg ones and its only been 2 days but I dont feel any different still, good and bad times but at least I am nico free. I keep the patches and some nico gum in case I feel I want a cig that bad.
Cramp- when I smoked i used to get really bad cramp but since I ve stopped I havent had any !!
Good on you Viv, just keep the patches handy in case you find you are going to cave in. But I think you will do fine. You've got over the hard 3 weeks.
I've just cut down from the 21mg to the 14mg patch, I've only been on them 3 weeks and they suggest 6 weeks. So far so good.
I decided on Monday evening to stop using the 21mg 24hour patches.
Talked it through with my daughter and told her that I cant put up with this cramp any longer. Smokey Nurse says the cramp isn't caused by the patches, but how come the cramp came really, really bad on about day 3 of the patches then?
So, I just ripped it off and that was Monday and now its Wednesday and I'm fine. I thought, the worse that can happen is I feel really grumpy and then I can just stick a patch back on again.
I suppose I should have discussed it with Smokey Nurse, but she was adamant that the cramp and the patches were not connected but funnily enough, I didn't get it quite so badly last night hmmmm. Time will tell. Anyone else just stopped patches mid-way though the course and if so, why did you do so? Look forward to hearing from you.
I started on the 21mg patches, and used them only between 8am and 6pm for 3 weeks, i then found that i was super emotional, tetchy and grumbly rant infested, thought it may be due tothe strong continual dose of Nicotine.... after all you dont consistantly smoke a cigarette all day do you?
Sooo i started cutting them in half... half the dose, half the nicotine, all was marvellous....and i hardly noticed the drop in Nicotine, in fact i felt much better for it....
On the basis of this 2 days ago, i decided to go for another patch sabotage with my trusty scissors and have dropped down to a quarter of that same 21mg patch.... again, no huge side effects to report, i'm thinking a little more of them, but to a manageable level. i'll give it another week perhaps and then cut down to pointless strips until again i find myself wondering why i'm even bothering with those... and then its CT time...
Each transition has been planned to be as easy as possible.... and its successfull too!
Good luck with your CT!!!! You'll be absolutely fine, its mind over matter, and your strong enough most definately!!!
Back when you needed a prescription for the patches I tried to use them. When I read the insert It stated that rarely pain and/or cramps at the patch site could occur and to stop using patch. Remember nicotine is toxic. I think you did the right thing here.
Thanks for your support stumpsounder - yes I think its for the best too. The medical profession can tell us something but if you have experienced the opposite and it improves when you stop doing it, then we should follow our own instincts.
Yes I did read the contra indications on the pack, but the UK version doesn't mention cramp at all. The Smokey Nurse looked it up in a book and it wasn't listed as a problem, therefore it does not exist? :confused:
Well done Vivienne coming off the patches. You could ask your nurse where she thinks they get the side effects from, if they were never reported there wouldn't be any, so she was wrong to say what she did. My GP says the list of side efffects tend to get longer as more people report them.
Thanks Jackie, I must say I've felt more grrrrr since coming off the patches but I only have to make it to 9pm this evening and thats my 3 days and all the nicotine should be out of my system by then. Maybe I will celebrate with a drop of brandy!!
Hey Vivienne, how have the last few days been without any patches???
and did the cramps ease off??
I dropped down from the 21mg to the 14mg and must say i have noticed a few niggles and minor craves and been a little emotional, but cross fingers they have passed.
I'm fine thank you, still here ok - felt a great relief after 9pm last night but I do wonder how much of that might be psychological? I had my brandy to celebrate and that was fine.
I think the truth is I did feel a bit more grrrr than normal for those 3 days and am still a little bit fed up but never mind, am carrying on and at least I shouldn't have any nicotine in my system now, so onwards and upwards.
The cramp at night has eased off thank you, but my legs still feel a bit sore from the "beatings" they took from the really bad cramps before, dont think they have fully recovered yet. Also, the dreams have eased off - yay!! Cant have it all, can we? lol PS Also toothache much better now - double yay!!
I've been having really bad ear aches. One doctor said it was related to my teeth and to go to the dentist. I knew the ache was in my ear and not my bl...y teeth. So 2 weeks later I went to another doctor. I have been putting up with a middle ear infection. And everyone around me has been putting up with me not hearing a word they say. (not a bad idea).
Aw Smokey Bear sorry to hear that, ear ache is terribly painful, what a stupid ars. that Dr must be - makes you so cross that so-called professionals can get it so wrong. Hope you have got some anti biotics to help clear up your middle ear infection now?
I'm fine thank you, still here ok - felt a great relief after 9pm last night but I do wonder how much of that might be psychological? I had my brandy to celebrate and that was fine.
I think the truth is I did feel a bit more grrrr than normal for those 3 days and am still a little bit fed up but never mind, am carrying on and at least I shouldn't have any nicotine in my system now, so onwards and upwards.
The cramp at night has eased off thank you, but my legs still feel a bit sore from the "beatings" they took from the really bad cramps before, dont think they have fully recovered yet. Also, the dreams have eased off - yay!! Cant have it all, can we? lol PS Also toothache much better now - double yay!!
How are you doing Smoky Bear?
Zozie how you doing on the reduced patches?
Hi There, I'm now on Day 3 of CT post patchness, and i'm feeling strangely better than being patched up, apparently my moods are better, i'm less obnoxious... (hehe) although i am a bit hyper... which is better (all OH's observations) i'm definately not feeling like the world is going to end... which is a huge plus! i wonder if patches made anyone else slightly wappy? xxxx
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Only Day 2 and going crazy already!
OMG 3 wks already.
