Nicotine patches & replacements

[Darklight]

Anyone else here have any experiences with using nicotine patches for giving up cigs- especially if successful?

At first I figured it was just another dodgy way of keeping the population paying big dollars for its nicotine hit- I mean, yes patches work, but the side effects were hidjus- palpitations, anxiety, confusion, sweating, horrible nightmares. Localised muscle pain at the patch site. I'd last about ten days before going back to the cigarettes again just to keep my sanity.

SAME was helping the side effects but is so expensive I kept being tempted to miss a day with the tablets, which is a mistake. The other problem for me with SAME is that if I take it in the afternoon it keeps me awake for about 8 hrs- once I got to taking it in the morning things improved

That's when I discovered ( and its something they never tell you on television...) that you can...yes...you can cut the patches up wiv a pair of scissors- and regulate the dose to suit yourself. The patch sizes are only a recommended dose and all the side effects I was experiencing were in fact nicotine overdoses.

Even though I was a fairly heavy smoker ( packa morea day ) I only seem to need 5-7mg sized patches to combat even the worst days when you know your ability to keep away from the durries is going to be a challenge. I assumed this minimal starter dose size meant I didn't need the patches at all, and when I stopped using them, the cravings returned along with all the usual symptoms of nicotine withdrawl which had previously been absent. Is there an explanation for this or am I just a big flower?

If I take the patches off 2 hrs before bedtime the nightmares are reduced sharply, almost eliminated.

Does anyone else have any hints or experiences for treatment/ co-treatment with nicotine patches? Aside from the dearth of suggestions the search engine dragged up on giving up smoking, I'm interested in people's reactions to the patches and how they got around them to continue to use them as a successful treatment

Nicotine sprays and lollies aren't an option for me, they don't seem to work in terms of timing for cravings. Zyban isn't an option either, as I'd like to keep my friends and my sanity

[planthelper]

i think the inhaler worked within seconds, same with the nicotin gum which i also reduced in size and chewed only for seconds...,otherwise you topple up you nicotin levels maybe even higher than befor. i mean, you might not smoke any more, but are even more addicted to nicotin than befor!!

nightmare's?- yes, thats from too much nicotin!

if you didn't had them befor it means you increased you nicotin intake instead of waining youreselve of it.

but i used those things only as a psychological help! cold turkey is the way to go for me,

and i used to smoke up to 60 rolly's a day,

50g of baccy in 3 days!

the hardest part starts for me once the physical withdrawl is gone, and the psychological crapp start's,... when the inner voice is saying:

see you managed to stopp,

why don't you start again...

what i try to say is, that the psychological aspects are enormous. one has to try to change all the mentality behind the smoking thing aswell.

otherwise it creeps up onto you again via set and setting. for example if you allways smoked in the car or in front of the pc, you will get cravings even months or years later, by the "set".

that's why it's so easy to stopp,

whilst travelling or being in an other surrounding than normal.

and why the urge get's soooo strong, in all those "used to smoke whilst doing this" or that situations.

[Darklight]

planthelper:

when the inner voice is saying:

see you managed to stopp,why don't you start again...

Spot on there. I keep reminding myself while its happening addiction is a battle where the will and the mind are meshed in a constant arms race- once one gets the upper hand the other will adapt to the new 'trick' and try to circumvent it.

What is it with nico patches anyhow? I stopped using them for a week, went back to a pack a day for two of those days- incl yesterday- so I figured my tolerance was back. Put a patch-ette back on of the same size and find myself wandering the house like a zombie. I'd better look around to see whether there are different types of nicotine receptors and check them all to see if I can learn anything.

[Beaker]

Umm...

I have been getting a fair bit of smokeless tobacco sent to me. My mate has use it to give up.. here are some links if you are interested. I have ordered off these sites and they are very good. (service and product)

www.skoal.de

www.northerner.com <-- click on Swedish Snus

I believe from what I read that the Snus is a fair bit better for you than the American smokeless as you will see when you start investigating.

Just be careful that you don't use it to REPLACE your smoking addiction.

[ 20. May 2004, 17:10: Message edited by: Beaker ]

[Torsten]

Sounds like you are dosing too high. Use smaller/weaker patches and maybe put them on different areas of the body. Alternatively use chimo.

It also seems you are trying to get off too fast. I think with your personality type you should look at nicotine as your friend, but ciggies as your enemy.

I wonder how an anabasine patch would work..... nausea every time you light up

[Darklight]

Torsten:

I think with your personality type

ROTFL... just what are you implying here cob...

you should look at nicotine as your friend, but ciggies as your enemy.

Now that's not a bad idea. I don't mind being a nicotine addict, I just don't like the side effects from the long term smoke inhalation... mmmm... thinking noq

[planthelper]

pharmacies are stocking patches of different strengh use the mildes and if craving becomes too overhelming, briefly use the gum or inhaler.

try to focus on positive things:

ahh, i can smell the air it tastes great,

ahh, my nicotin stained fingers are gone,

ahh, i save so much money every day,

ahh, my lungs feel so much better now,

ahh, my dige playing has improved, because i can produce more pressure.

ahh, i simply swiched my addiction off!

and use what ever keeps you oraly satisfied,

chewing gum, food rewards...

and practice deep breathing exercises.

and keep saying positive affirmations to yourselfe (today i don't smoke, it will be easy and i am feeling good!!)the best time to do this is just after you woke up.

[mescalito]

You haven't had any naughty dreams have you?

I tried the patches before they had day and day/night patches,and started on them one afternoon.

I had the most erotic dreams ever plus some really scary ones too.(so it was a trade-off )

So then I asked the chemist about this,and he told me not to wear it to bed,especially if I've just put a new one on and to start the patches in the morning not at night.

I'd have to agree the hardest part is gunna be YOU letting go,and the more pressure you feel to give up,the harder it will be.

I have a philosophy that,I don't have any addictions that get out of hand until supplies are low...so it MUST be my choice.

If there's no beer or ciggies in the house for a day,that's when I lose it.

Not to say I overindulge often or am constantly 'on it',but the fact I don't have a choice is what freaks me out.

So the psyco-attitude is to blame here,not the substance,although I do know nicotine is quite a good anti-depressant in it's own right and prolly has an impact on this as well.

I have used the gum and then the patches before with pretty good results at the time,but I still wonder whether it was mainly my desire that stopped my smoking.

Then again I'm still smokin'

Good luck DL

[Torsten]

Originally posted by mescalito:

I'd have to agree the hardest part is gunna be YOU letting go...

what,..... and deprive her of all the attention she is getting twice a year

[Rev]

Darklight:

Does anyone else have any hints or experiences for treatment/ co-treatment with nicotine patches?

smoke them

[mescalito]

See...now they're just being mean

[Darklight]

Never mind, I will just put my teflon shoulder pads on and watch the shit slide riiiiight off :D