Day 3 - Patches & Weird Dreams

[nsd_user663_20716]

Just started Day 3 of my non-smoking life and so far, so good..... kind of.

I've smoked for 15 years and tried quitting before and failed. Used gum and didn't work for me, then cold turkey and didn't have the willpower to overcome the cravings (they were mental). This time tried patches (Niquitin Clear 24 hr 21mg) and to my surprise I have had no cravings at all and it seems so easy. Attended an all day meeting yesterday with colleagues who smoke and was happy to go out with them (for a natter, not a smoke) during their fag break and had ZERO desire to join in. As of this minute I can't see myself ever smoking again and I haven't felt like that ever before.

On the downside, the patches are making me feel a little nausea when I put them on in the morning (not a bad thing as definitely don't want to smoke when feeling pukey!). The oddest thing however is that for the last two nights I have had very real, very vidid, weird dreams and poor sleep. Don't like the poor sleep, and the dreams I'm not sure if I like or don't like - kind of look forward to them now as they are so vivid and weird. Is this normal? Has anyone else had the same side effects? I'm thinking of taking the 24hr patches off at night but will see what happens tonight and dicide the best approach latet this week. As for the patches themselves, so far I recommend them as am quite amazed and how well they are working. p.s. I was smoking 15 to 20 a day for years so the 21mg appear to be the right dosage for me (although I am wondering if the patches are too strong - I was on Malborough Lights before). Good luck everyone!

[austinlegro 11 Years Smoke Free]

...kind of look forward to them now as they are so vivid and weird. Is this normal?

Is it normal to have the dreams, yes.

Is it normal to look forward to them, good question. If it's fun, why not?

[nsd_user663_4453]

I also used to have vidid dreams on patchs. yes taking them off before bed stoped the vidid dreams for me. I also was reading somewhere that some people use the patchs to lucid dream. Damn wish I knew that back when I was on patchs

[nsd_user663_18145]

well done for getting to day 3 your body is going through alot of different changes atm some people sleep more and others less its going to take a while to adjust as to the dreams while wearing the patches they can certainly make a difference to some people thats for sure

regards Carol

[nsd_user663_5972]

Hi and well done on day 3. It may be the pathces are too strong for you? On the back of my patch pack which I got from the nurse today ready to start tomorrow it says

'if you smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day use Step 1 21mg/24hour patch. If you smoke less than 20 cigareetes per day or have completed step 1 use the 14mg/24hour patch.

Mine are the Nicotinell 21mg/24hours ones - I was on 20-30 per day.

I don't know if that helps?

Good luck on your quit journey

[nsd_user663_17606]

The oddest thing however is that for the last two nights I have had very real, very vidid, weird dreams and poor sleep. Don't like the poor sleep, and the dreams I'm not sure if I like or don't like - kind of look forward to them now as they are so vivid and weird. Is this normal?

I don't think that the dreams are necessarily to do with the patches. I suffered with some very interesting dreams, and I used Champix to quit. Even though I stopped taking them a few weeks back, I'm still having the odd bizzare dream, and yes...I looked forward to them too

Personally I think it's down to stopping smoking, rather than any NRT or other drug. We've all been taking nicotine for years, so NRT shouldn't make us dream any more, but stopping smoking and stopping all the other nasties that we inhale with the ciggies, could.

[nsd_user663_4625]

Hi gee, welcome & congrats on your quit.

I have haad bad dreams & sleepless nights on patches & without so think it is just something to do with not inhaling all that s**t :eek:

It does settle though & when on patches took mine off before bed which did seem to help.

Gaynor

[nsd_user663_20716]

Day 4 and still going strong

Thanks for all of the advice. Am on day 4 now and have not craved a fag since I stuck my first patch on. Am out with friends on Saturday night so that will be a test, but I can't see myself craving one then either so hopefully will feel the same after a few pints. Will be telling my smoking pals to refuse me a cigarette if I do for some reason ask for one after a few drinks. Am 99%confident I won't but just in case.

Had a decent nights sleep last night (no bizarre dreams) so that was good. Still feeling nausea for a couple of hours when I put the patch on in the morning, but I can live with that. Think my 21mg patches may be too strong for me, but seeing as I have already bought 3 weeks worth I intend to carry on and hope the side affects subside once my body adjusts. Feel quite pleased with myself and positive about the future, so hopefully the next 4 days will be as good as the last.

Good luck to everyone else who is going through this.