As you know I've been suffering major cravings the past 2/3 days.
I started my quit on the 21mg NiQuitin patch, which was great at killing the cravings, but wouldn't stick to me at all - I thought about buying shares in Micropore!
At my last smoking clinic it was suggested to try Nicorette patches, and as I was worried about going up to 25mg I opted to try 15mg which I started using last Friday when my prescription was ready.
Just been to my clinic and told them exactly how I am feeling, and they have suggested that I go up to the 25mg and see if that helps at all. They said that if I craving this much then eventually the craving will win. I do agree with that, I think it will.
I have concerns for the future though when I am meant to come back down to the 15mg that I will have the same problems then. Perhaps I should stop worrying about that until the time comes, I have enough trouble getting through each day at the moment!
So, we shall see what happens. Friday will be the earliest I will have a 25mg patch on, so will just stay strong through until then.
Day 16 and counting!
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My two friends (husband and wife) who are still not smoking after 2 years...used to cut down on their patches more slowly than what the course suggests.
i.e. they would be on max strength (21mg Niquitin patches) for 6 weeks. Then step down and put on a 14mg patch but also cut a 14mg patch into quarters and stick on one quarter as well. So instead of dropping from 21mg to 14mg all of a sudden they went to about 18mg. They did that for 3 weeks THEN dropped down to 14mg for 3 weeks. I hope you get what I mean. The cut up quarter patches were a pain but they didn't feel the craves as bad as dropping the dosage so severely.
Marie I know you are getting cravings, but the point is, you are getting through them If you are on the 15mg patch at the moment then however hard it is I really don't see the point in going back up to a 25mg patch on Friday and increasing your nicotine intake by 10mg, thats like telling an alcoholic with the shakes to drink an extra half bottle of vodka, i.e. only solving the problem temporarily. And by Friday the cravings might have reduced anyway, Week 3 is a bit of a tricky one.
As you know, I had a blip at the weekend :rolleyes: so today I have been carrying a nicotine inhalator around with me, just in case, but I haven't used it as I think that putting anymore nicotine into my system is asking for trouble.
Just my thoughts, though, maybe one of the NRT users will be more helpful
I did say that to the advisors, asked if the cravings had subsided by then should I still go up and they said yes.
I'm really torn on this one. I want to be successful in my quit, but at the same time I agree that going up by 10mg is like having an extra 10 cigarettes in a day.
I do agree with your no smoking advisors though Marie, everytime I tried to step down with NRT I always started smoking again (I've tried to quit many, many times using patches (well into double figures)). That's why I went cold turkey in the end as personally I was constantly craving for more nicotine everytime I stepped down, I craved and craved for the higher dose and ended up smoking. Many times I smoked and used the patches as well With cold turkey the witdrawal is over in 3 days and then it's all psychological. I never tried cutting the patches up though and have a more slower, reduced stepping down. So if cold turkey freaks you out you could give it a whirl. Didn't mean to freak you out, this is just my experience and everyone is different.
Do you know if these stop smoking advisors are ex-smokers or not?? Cos it sounds to me as if they are talking doodlysquat, excuse the expression When I was going to clinic my advisor said that if I hadn't been on Champix she would have had me on full strength patches AND an inhalator, in which case I would have sent her a postcard from A&E as full strength patches give me heart palpitations, which is why I tried Champix.
If I were you I would trust your own instincts, if you feel better by Friday then stay with the 15mg. The less you feed the nicotine addiction the sooner it goes away, trust me. I haven't used anything today, not even Champix, and I feel fine now
Marie if I were you, I would stay on the 15mg patches if you can. You could always buy an inhalator and use it for backup if you need it. I know that sounds like I am contradicting what I said earlier, but an occasional puff on an inhalator is still better than an extra 10mg on the patch, which, as you say equals 10 cigarettes
Do what you feel best for you Marie....if you desperately come to feel like you are gonna smoke, slap that higher dose patch on....rather that than smoke. Then deal with coming down fron the higher patch at a later date. It ain't easy mate but we're all there for you xxxx
Ooops sounds like Zoe and I are contradicting one another in our advice. Sorry must be really confusing. I'll stop with this thread, I can only go on what I've been through with the patches. X
I have enough 15mg patches to see me through to a week Friday, so I might just continue with them and if I'm ok then when I go to the clinic next Tues I can get a prescription for more 15mg to cover from that Friday if you see what I mean.
But I will collect the 25mg on Friday this week just in case I need them.
This prescription also has 2 mouthsprays on it or I'd just ignore it and ask for another 15mg prescription instead.
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