Kozlowski LT, .Giovino GA, Edwards B, DiFranza J, Foulds J, Hurt R, Niaura R, Sachs DPL., Selby P, Dollar KM., Bowen D Cummings KM, Counts M, Fox B, Sweanor D, Ahern F.
Advice on using over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy- patch, gum, or lozenge- to quit smoking. Addictive Behaviors (in press).
1. NRT is one good tool to help you quit smoking. But NRT can’t do all the work for you—you have to help—and it is not the only tool to help you stop smoking.
2. Don’t worry about the safety of using NRT to stop smoking: NRT is a safe alternative to cigarettes for smokers.
3. Do be cautious about using NRT while pregnant.
4. NRT is less addictive than cigarettes and it is not creating a new addiction
5. Stop using NRT only when you feel very sure you can stay off cigarettes.
6. If the amounts of NRT you are taking do not help you stop smoking, talk with your health care provider about using (1) more NRT, (2) more than one type of NRT at the same time, (3) other smoking cessation medicines at the same time, or (4) telephone or in person advice on quitting tips.
7. If NRT helps you stop smoking, but you go back to smoking when you stop using NRT, you should seriously think about using NRT again the next time you try to stop smoking.
8. Make sure you are using the gum or lozenge in the best way:
o Chew the gum slowly – fast chewing doesn’t allow the nicotine to be absorbed from the lining of the mouth and can cause nausea.
o Don’t drink anything for 15 minutes before and nothing while you are using nicotine gum or the lozenge so your mouth can absorb the nicotine.
o Make sure you get the right amount of nicotine – people who smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day should use a 4mg piece of gum or lozenge.
9. Make sure you are using the patch in the best way:
o If you can’t stop having a few cigarettes while using the patch, it is best to keep the patch on. Don’t let a few slips with cigarettes stop you from using the patch to quit smoking.
o You may need to add nicotine gum or lozenges to help get over the hump or you may need to use more than one patch at a time. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.
10. If the price of NRT is a concern, try to find “store brand” (generic) NRT products which are often cheaper than the brand name products.
11. Do whatever it takes to get the job done—it is not a weakness to use medicine to stop smoking.
Adapted from: Kozlowski LT, .Giovino GA, Edwards B, DiFranza J, Foulds J, Hurt R, Niaura R, Sachs DPL., Selby P, Dollar KM., Bowen D Cummings KM, Counts M, Fox B, Sweanor D, Ahern F. Advice on using over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy- patch, gum, or lozenge- to quit smoking. Addictive Behaviors (in press).
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Hi Nifty.....I am a bit concerned that I still need the odd lozenge....I still think it is more pshycological than medicinal...and this article seems to say that it is nothing to worry about and you are not creating a new addiction...useful post and I find it quite reassuring...thanks for posting.
My own perspective from when I was using and subsequently stopped lozenges was that reducing was as an unpleasant experience and as it turned out was as bad as full withdrawal.
After a few times of reducing I actually reverted to a "comfortable" level until I was prepared to drop them completely. I understood the psychological part of the addiction and knew that the physical part was just a couple of weeks of chemical withdrawal I had to deal with.
Coming off the lozenges was a bit of an endurance but nothing major, 2 weeks or so and it was then no different than it had been while on them. There were trigger points and things to deal with along the way just as before and resisting them was no harder.
Very poor advise in saying you should keep the patch on if u still want a few cigs.
It can give u nicotine overdose..
Happend to a friend of mine. Had a patch on then had a cig he started to shake and he said everything went really loud.. He then when white and collapsed.. Just that one cig smoked with a patch on have him nicotine overdose
I hear or should I say "feel" what you are saying.
I have said a few times, of late, that I can actually now see the difference between my nicotine addiction and my much larger psychological associations with my x-habit.
I am beginning to feel the psychological parts dwindle and die....which I am taking as a good sign.
It's good to hear it from someone who has been there.
Very poor advise in saying you should keep the patch on if u still want a few cigs.
It can give u nicotine overdose..
Happend to a friend of mine. Had a patch on then had a cig he started to shake and he said everything went really loud.. He then when white and collapsed.. Just that one cig smoked with a patch on have him nicotine overdose
Hi Shelly
I think that kind of advice is more aimed at seriously heavy smokers.
I think the article was originally produced for Latino smokers who perhaps smoked a lot but were unsure of how to use NRT effectively, for their needs.
I do see what you mean and reckon that part might not be worded very well. None of us want to be like Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous...remember her?
20 patches on and 60 fags a day!
What happened to you friend sounds pretty severe...what happened to him?
Was feeling a bit bad about *still* needing the patch *and* gum but don't so much now.
Very poor advise in saying you should keep the patch on if u still want a few cigs.
It can give u nicotine overdose..
Happend to a friend of mine. Had a patch on then had a cig he started to shake and he said everything went really loud.. He then when white and collapsed.. Just that one cig smoked with a patch on have him nicotine overdose
It says you can on my box of patches to cut down before you stop
I haven't smoked since I stuck on my first patch but have had a few puffs on an e-cig and do use NRT gum still with it on and it's been fine!!
What happened to your friend sounds horrible though!
For some reason people seem to think there is shame in using NRT. Please let me remind you that smoking is much much worse for you than NRT, so don't knock it! As Nic says, when you are ready, you will come of the NRT .
Its great to see some positivity for NRT, as Biggrin says there seems to be shame attached for using it. But anythiung that aids stoping without harming health most surely is a plus!
There seems to be a few people afraid of being addicted to NRT. I must admit I felt the same way but there is no need to worry. I couldn't have quit without it.
It's a very long time since I stopped using NRT of any kind but a couple of weeks ago I wanted to smoke so much and I took a lozenge which put me back on track. There was absolutely no reason why it worked but my subconscious thought it did so that's all that mattered. It didn't make me want any more NRT. After almost 7 months I still haven't trained my subconscious. Perhaps once I get to NZ I'll get it under control. I'm thinking it will be easier for me there as I could cut down on my cigs whenever I'm there.
For some reason people seem to think there is shame in using NRT. Please let me remind you that smoking is much much worse for you than NRT, so don't knock it! As Nic says, when you are ready, you will come of the NRT .
It's a lifesaver - literally when you think about what smoking does.
If it wasn't for NRT, then I would probably have had a cigarette today, am not having a good day but the patch and gum are keeping me from messing up my quit because of a bad day!!
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Hi Nifty, Many thanks for posting the article just had a read, is reassuring to know, and like Cymro, I also have the odd lozenger.
As Nic says, when you are ready, you will come of the NRT .
