i am starting fagends tomorrow what sort of t... - Quit Support
i am starting fagends tomorrow what sort of things will help me stop smoking its at my local pharmacy thank in advance
Hi ya Dianelouise 
A big welcome to this lovely quit site, theres loads of lovely people on here with lots of good advice to help you
Emjay is 1 of our lovely quit support advisers, and she put this blog on a few weeks ago, it might just help you
Which NRT or other therapies do I have a choice of using?
Asked by EmJay ROY CASTLE
11 Jun 2012
2 answers
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There are many different products on the market available to help smokers to quit. Many of which you can purchase yourself from your local pharmacy, supermarket or even over the internet.
However, to enable any of your local Stop Smoking Services to prescribe them to you they have to be approved and regulated by the Medical & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
Please find below a list of products available and details of the recommended dosage;
If you have any questions regarding any of these products please ask
Nicotine Replacement Therapy;
PATCHES
Treatment period:
Preferable 8 - 16 weeks (at least 4)
Dosage:
25mg, 21mg or 15mg for heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes daily)
14mg or 10mg for lighter smokers (Upto 20 cigarettes)
24 hour or 16 hour patch
Positives:
Very easy to use. Just stick it on at the same time each day (if 24 hours) or take it off just before you go to bed (if 16 hours)
24 hour patches can help with early morning cravings
Clear patch available
Negatives:
24 hour patch may cause sleep disturbance.
May cause skin reaction - worth perservering with though as normally dies down.
GUM
Treatment period:
At least 4 weeks and then whenever you feel the need
Dosage:
4mg for heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes daily)
2mg for light smokers (Upto 20 cigarettes)
10 - 15 pieces a day
Positives:
Easy to regulate dose
Can stop you over eating
Negatives:
Tricky with dentures
Need to use correctly. 'Chew and park' method Chew as and when you need it, not to be chewed as you would a normal chewing gum
NASAL SPRAY
Treatment period:
Up to 8 weeks then reduce gradually over 4 weeks
Dosage:
Once or twice an hour as required (1 spray up each nostril or 2 sprays up each nostril)
Do not use more than 64 sprays in 24 hours
Positives:
Gives fast relief to heavy smokers
Easy to adjust dosage
Negatives:
May cause nasal irritation at first
Dependence more likely
Caution when operation machinery
INHALATOR
Treatment period:
Up to 8 weeks then reduce gradually over 4 weeks
Dosage:
15mg 3-6 cartridges daily (comes in boxes of 4, 20 and 36)
Positives:
Helps keep hands busy
Easy to regulate dosage
Could help prevent over eating
Negatives:
Not so good for heavy smokers
May attract attention in public
MICROTAB
Treatment period:
At least 12 weeks then reduce gradually
Dosage:
16-24 daily for heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes daily)
8-12 daily for lighter smokers (up to 20 cigarettes daily)
Positives:
Can be used discreetly
Easy to adjust dosage
Very few side affects
Negatives:
Need to be used correctly - wasted if swallowed
LOZENGE:
Treatment period:
At least 12 weeks then reduce gradually
Dosage:
4mg for heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes daily)
1 or 2mg for lighter smokers (up to 20 cigarettes daily)
Average 8-12 lozenges daily
Maximum of 15-25 daily
Positives:
Discreet and easy to use
Sugar free
Can help reduce weight gain
Negatives:
May cause initial throat irritation
May cause indigestion
MINI LOZENGES
Treatment period:
At least 12 weeks then reduce gradually
Dosage:
4mg for heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes daily)
1.5mg for light smokers (up to 20 cigarettes daily)
Positives:
Discreet and easy to use
Sugar free
Can help reduce weight gain
Negatives:
May cause initial throat irritation
May cause indigestion
May cause hiccups
MOUTH SPRAY
Treatment period:
At least 12 weeks then reduce gradually
Dosage:
1mg - 1-2 sprays each hour
Positives:
Fast acting
Negatives:
May cause indigestion
May cause hiccups
Non-nicotine based products:
CHAMPIX
Treatment period:
12 weeks
Dosage:
Days 1-3
Take one 0.5mg white tablet ONCE daily
Days 4-7
Take one 0.5mg white tablet TWICE daily
Day 8 to end of 12 weeks treatment
Take one 1mg light blue tablet TWICE daily
Positives:
Non-nicotine drug
Discreet
Negatives:
Nausea
May cause headaches
Abnormal dreams
ZYBAN
Treatment period:
12 weeks
Dosage:
Days 1-6
Take one 150mg tablet ONCE daily
Days 7 to end of treatment
Take one 150mg tablet TWICE daily
Positives:
Non-nicotine drug
Discreet
Negatives:
Insomnia
Nausea
Headaches
Anxiety
Hi Dianelouise, welcome to our online stop smoking community :0) Congratulations on making one of the best decisions that will improve your health all round and finances too 
Did you pop along and see Fag Ends today? How did you get on?
One of the best tips I would give is to plan and prepare towards your set quit date. If you let us know how it went for you today, we'll compliment the advice given and support you all the way through your stop smoking journey :0)
Stay positive and remember that you can do this :0)
hi to you both thanks for your replys, i opted for the 24 hour patchs and the in halator and i bought myself some polo mints had my last fag at 3pm doing ok up till now, keep having a few puffs of the halanator seems to be working leaves a taste in my mouth like iv just finished a fag, also got a patch on as well, just worrying about tommorow in work im a care assistant and work nights so it can be quite stressfull, so will have to take my hal with me and nip out for a few puffs on that evey now and then, also starting slimming world tommorow so hopefully my mind will be occupied on what im allowed to eat so 6 and a half hours now smoke free im staying positive thanks again diane
Hi Diane, so that will make you erm, 9 and a half hours quit now then
Just a word about the patches, stick them in different places each day, you will probably get a red mark where it has been and may itch as well 
but in a few days your body seems to get used to them and this lessens down to nothing You may find that you lose the odd one in bed cos I did and I dont think I ever found 1 of them
Speak soon Diane and you give it your best gal
Good luck, Pete
thanks pete, did you have funny dreams with your patch on, i dreamed a gold fish was sucking on my finger and i couldnt get it off and was fighting with it but it just kept getting bigger and bigger haha, then i couldnt get back to sleep was awake from 3am till 6am so took my patch off then went back to sleep and woke up at 9am, funny stuff, i really missed my fag b4 bed but got over it thats the only one i have really missed up to now. did you ever miss a certain fag
speak soon diane
