Nicotine Gum

[Yorkie111]

In my journey with RLS I found that chewing nicotine gum stops my RLS attacks. I chew a piece for about 10 minutes and my legs quiet down for a couple of hours. I’ve been doing this for about 2 years but have noticed it is not as effective anymore. Has anyone else found that nicotine gum helps? I realize it is not particularly good for oral health over a long period of time but it’s hard not to choose it over RLS.

Thanks.

[Madlegs1]

There is a thing called " tolerance" which , basically means that something nice becomes not as effective over time, and needs more to be as effective as before.

You have 2 choices--

1 is to continue using the gum at increasing rates. Until you get poisoned to death. Or

2 to get off of it by reducing the amount used each time. by tiny amounts, until you have eliminated the stuff out of your body.

Meanwhile checking out alternative therapies for RLS.

If you go through most any of Sue Johnson's replies to many posts on this site, you will find good advice on coping with RLS.

Good luck.

[Joolsg]

It's been mentioned before. I tried it when augmentation hit. As I've never smoked, I was never 'addicted' to nicotine so I gained zero pleasure from the nicotine gum. It did nothing for me.Perhaps it's the pleasure you are experiencing from the gum, giving you a dopamine surge.

However, I don't think it's a good long term solution. As Madlegs points out- tolerance will develop.

Perhaps try other things that give a dopamine hit.

[SueJohnson]

Are you off the pramipexole? Are you still taking buprenorphine? Does it control your RLS?

[Yorkie111 in reply to SueJohnson]

I am still weaning off pramipexole. I have not taken buprenorphine yet as the pain hasn’t been that bad yet. I have to get up and walk around a lot in the morning and at night. And I usually have to stand up to eat dinner. But actual pain has been minimal so far. The gum stops the legs and arms from jumping.

[Kejimkujik]

just an observation that I am taking buprenorphine to control the jumping, twitching rls sensation and not necessarily for pain as I had no pain per se with the rls. The effect you may have been getting from the nicotine gum is what the buprenorphine will give you for much longer time, and what it is prescribed for not necessarily pain. You will probably find you can sit calmly to eat dinner. I could not have come off pramipexole without buprenorphine. Good luck with the withdrawal. I have had some britally tough periods with anxiety and depression. Beyond anything I imagined I might experience. I got great advice from people here on ways to manage both without adding more pharmaceuticals into the mix and the support and encouragement to hang in there was life saving, literally. So don’t suffer in silence, reach out here if you need to. By the way, my deepest gratitude to everyone who showed so much patience, understanding and support during my dark times. I do not know that I would be here now if not for this space.

[Bloodhound669 in reply to Kejimkujik]

"I do not know that I would be here now if not for this space." I felt the same way about when I stumbled upon this site. Thanks to Sue and all her work, especially.