Addicted to Nicorette Quickmist: Hi all... - No Smoking Day

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Addicted to Nicorette Quickmist

Shelleybean123 profile image
21 Replies

Hi all 😊😊

I successfully quit smoking 6 years ago but I am still heavily reliant on my nicorette quickmist. My addiction to this stuff has got worse over time and I literally can’t afford to keep it up anymore. I am trying to wean myself off nicotine by using patches so I’ll let you all know how I get on.

Any advice from anyone who has been through the same would be really appreciated.

Thanks Michelle

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Shelleybean123
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21 Replies
mushen profile image
mushenValued Contributor

Hello.

First off this is not uncommon, I've seen a few people who have ended up addicted to Quickmist.

Just like cigarettes, this is simply nicotine addiction and you should treat it in the same way. You can either go cold turkey or use NRT, which you are doing with the patches. Stick with it. If you were able to quit cigarettes, you will be able to quit this.

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123 in reply to mushen

Thanks Mushen, I’ll let you all know how I get on

H12345_ profile image
H12345_

I had the same problem and swapped quickmist for nicorette gum, as its easier to measure use and so reduce. I'm weaning off that now with normal chewing gum and mints. I was using the quickmist a lot, it does get expensive!

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123 in reply to H12345_

It’s nice to hear I’m not the only one that’s struggled. I think I get through 6 of them a week! It’s disgusting when I think about it. Haven’t had any puffs on it today and I haven’t struggled half as much as I thought.

Well done for getting there with the gum too. Hopefully it won’t be long before you are free x

H12345_ profile image
H12345_ in reply to Shelleybean123

Wow well done, great start! :)

Tranquilwaters profile image
Tranquilwaters

Oh wow, Shelley! I posted in another group here on HU and didn't really get too much response, but I too have become addicted to NRT which was initially prescribed by the NHS stop smoking service. The product in question for me is the Niquitin Mini Lozenges. It all came to a head when I was admitted just over a couple of weeks ago to hospital after developing severe gastritis from the lozenges. I have been on them for over a year. I am now 11 days off them cold turkey, and it's rough but I had to stop immediately on medical advice before the endoscopy I need (not sure when, but it's been marked as urgent but of course there are delays because of Covid). Happy to buddy up for mutual support seeing as how most people are quitting cigarettes, not trying to quit the NRT. Sending you a big hug, too!💜

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123 in reply to Tranquilwaters

Oh wow...really. I didn’t have any idea that NRT products could cause so much damage. I am sorry you’ve been through all of that. Bless you.

Well done on 11 days cold turkey!! That’s amazing! Withdrawal is rough isn’t it. It’s like quitting smoking all over again.

Thank you for offering your support I am happy to support you throughout this process too

We’ve got this 😁😁

andymit profile image
andymit

Hi, I am in the same boat, I just keep topping my myself up with the quickmist. I am so pleased you brought up this topic. So my plan today is to slowly extend the time between using. With an alarm on my watch. So today one dose every 30 mins. Then tomorrow 35 mins and so on. Do you think that is a good plan? Strange that I was just thinking about how do I quit this addiction to quickmist and up poped your message.

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123 in reply to andymit

Well done for creating a plan to quit and I hope it goes well for you. I did try something similar in the past but the temptation to spray was too much for me so I’m trying patches this time. I don’t seem to have much self control 🙈.

Almost on 2 weeks without a single spray now 😊😊

andymit profile image
andymit in reply to Shelleybean123

Yes, I think you are right. It is almost too easy to have a squirt . I have 2 left so I will keep you updated. Well done for your 2 weeks what stage are you on patches?

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123 in reply to andymit

Yes please do. I’d like to hear how you are getting on. Stay strong and stick to the times you have limited yourself to.

I’m on stage one of the patches, 21mg of nicotine. It’s a massive drop from what I was getting from the spray. The sprays are 1mg per spray and I was spraying it literally every 15 minutes I was awake 😑. My addiction to nicotine got worse after quitting smoking.

How long ago did you quit smoking?

andymit profile image
andymit

I quit smoking about 2 years ago all nicotine etc, then went travelling in india at the end of last year beginning of this year and they still sell single cigarettes. Enough said, so can back to the uk and decided to wean myself of with spray, now I am here with that issue. Crazy addiction

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123 in reply to andymit

Well done for quitting everything 2 years ago. That’s amazing! When I quit 6 years ago I never managed to kick the nicotine.

Just remember, if you’ve done this once you can absolutely do it again! Stay strong.

Wriggleys airwaves have been helpful to me. They make you mouth tingle much like the spray.

harrylingo profile image
harrylingo

Yep, Quickmist is fiendishly addictive. I've had the same problem as you since 2015! Previously, I'd quit smoking for a few months on two occasions (once cold turkey and once using gum) but when giving it another go in 2015, I decided to use quickmist.

At first, I thought it was an absolute wonder product. It sorted my cravings so much better than the gum did - you can feel it's a much bigger dose of nicotine which hits you almost instantly. It actually feels like a more immediate and satisfying hit of nicotine than smoking a cigarette. Stopping smoking was far easier than the other occasions, I almost didn't notice I'd quit fags due to how effective I found the quickmist.

But, I became far more addicted to it than I ever was to cigarettes. I'd only been a 5 a day smoker and wouldn't have my first cigarette until early afternoon but with the quickmist, quickly deteriorated into being a complete slave to it. I'd need to top myself up pretty much every 15 minutes. I progressed from one spray at a time to two or sometimes three. I was spending nearly £50 a week on it. It was the first thing I did in the morning and the last thing I did at night. If I couldn't use for even an hour, I'd start getting horrible withdrawal symptoms.

I was careful to keep my supplies well stocked but one night when I did inadvertently run out, I drove around for an hour until I found a late night Tesco which sold it (much to my girlfriend's understandable disgust/pity). On another shameful occasion, I caused us to very almost miss our flight to go on holiday as half way to the airport, I realised I'd forgotten my supply of quickmist and was worried the Boots in the airport wouldn't have it. I pretended to my girlfriend that I'd forgotten my passport so that she'd turn the car around.

Over the last four or five years, I've tried so many things to get off it. Cold turkey, gradual tapering off of doses, replacing with other NRT, hypnotism. None of which worked. I even tried going back to smoking (!) as I knew that would then be easier to quit than the quickmist. But even that didn't work! I'd still have cravings for quickmist right after smoking a cigarette, crazy!

Anyway, not suggesting I recommend this to others, but I'm currently trying a Champix/NRT combo, which seems to working thus far. Managed to migrate from quickmist to gum on day 8 of the champix (much more easily than when I tried this previously), then gradually weaned myself off the gum and now I'm on day 15 of the champix and not using either. The champix has definitely made the cravings and withdrawal symptoms less intense. However, do have some champix side effects (insomnia and nightmares) and had to buy the champix at even greater cost than quickmist, because my GP literally laughed at me when I said I wanted to be prescribed champix even though I didn't smoke.

Sorry for the very long ramble! Bit of a cathartic rant after learning there are others with this issue. I'd presumed I was unusually weird/week. My GP said he'd never heard of anyone being addicted to NRT long term and I should just stop (thanks!). I did notice though that Nicorette are now doing a 'smart' quickmist which links to your phone and tracks how many sprays you're using. I wondered whether this was to stop people starting to use it more and more over time. So maybe we're not the only ones!

Anyway, good luck to all those addicted to this rubbish!

simonetania1990 profile image
simonetania1990 in reply to harrylingo

I know this is quite an old post but just wanted to check how you got on with quitting your Nicorette Quickmist addiction? Reading your comment it sounds almost identical to mine.

I have been on the Quickmist for about 5 years after quitting smokes on a whim with no problems at all. The spray has become such a habit that I can have a cigarette and feel like a spray immediately after. I started with 1 spray and then went up to 2 and sometimes 3. There are times I have it so often it actually makes me feel sick. If I can't find my spray immediately when I feel like one I start having a mild anxiety attack. I feel without it I can't socialise, I feel on edge and feel different to my normal self. It's become my security blanket and I practically sleep with it in my hand. This is bad!

I sought help from the doctor and she just recommended me to a psychiatrist 😂

Tell me there is hope in quitting this horrid addiction.

Shelleybean123 profile image
Shelleybean123

Hi everyone. Just to let you all know I have made it to the final week of patches. I have about 4 7mg patches left and I will be nicotine free 😀. My experience has been ok, not too bad. The first 2 weeks were quite difficult. I kept going to pick up the spray and it wasn’t there 🙈.

Nicotine withdrawal caused my skin to become quite bad too. I can only assume that’s down to the changes in hormones. It does seem to be getting better.

Confident I will make it to the end and finally be nicotine free x

mushen profile image
mushenValued Contributor

Everybody: do not buy medicine of any shape or form online unless from a reputable source. You have no idea what you're buying.

I've reported this comment.

Puddy79 profile image
Puddy79

Totally understand, can't do without quick mist!

QuickMister profile image
QuickMister

I been on Nicorette Quickmist for 10 odd years, smoke free for the last 5 years. Unfortunately I can relate with you guys especially the level of anxiety after a couple hours of not having in my presence.I've tried everything even putting it in my car and leaving there, having to go out to my car to use it. It works for little while but it gets annoying and too hard to keep it up.

I even have taped it up just so I don't use it unconsciously, so I can limit my amounts. I've tried lots of things.

The novelty wears off and then suddenly I'm playing catch up on what ive missed out on.

I will say, if you do find a way, you can easily go with a bit of strength go 2 hours without having it. This is coming from a one device a day user when I have tried I can easily go 2 hours without having it before a level of anxiety hits

Has anyone read the "Alan Carr easy way to quit smoking?

One thing that really stuck with me in that book was what he said about addiction and sleeping

If you were truly addicted you would wake up by the hour to use it.

The best time to cut down is in the morning, when we first woke up as we have already easily gone 4 to 12 hours of sleep without it.

If we could work on when we have our first spray I think maybe it's a great start.

I've tested many times the anxiety will start after 2 to 3 hours I'm interested to know your results? How long can you go before the buzzy feelings start?

Has anybody ever looked up the ingredients?

Its not great,

Especially the sweetener that is in it.

Is much worse than sugar and highly addictive too. So it's not just the Nicotine that has us hooked.

Its tough this addiction, I feel for all of us. They're super expensive much better than smoking but still not great for our health.

Let us all know what your plans are to stop the pesky device.

Buntingbabe profile image
Buntingbabe

I was addicted to Quickmist for two years I have posted here about it a few years ago when I was desperate for help..my dentist also told me it causes mouth cancer. I was infinitely more addicted than cigarettes, I would sleep with it under my pillow. Emotionally i felt I could never be without my spray. Cutting down felt torturous because it made me think about the spray even more.

I decided the only way I could stop was cold turkey. It was a full week of sickness, nausea , blurred vision, sleeping, unable to sleep, unsteady on feet, depression, anger. I had to just go to bed. I was surprised at the severity of the physical withdrawal. But it did pass and with my new freedom I was freed from my crushing anxiety that I have had all my life. I realised the nicotine caused the physical anxiety and I had been trying to relive it with every puff/spray. I am so glad I went cold Turkey, ripped off the plaster, cut the Quickmist out of my life. Never going back.

Good luck with quitting, you will do it.

Rachover30sSkater profile image
Rachover30sSkater in reply to Buntingbabe

Hello!! How is it going are you still off the quickmist? I'm writing right now as I'm running out and don't get paid until Thursday and I'm stressing about tomorrow. I hate what this spray has turned me into 😢 😭

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