Nicotine replacement therapy, will it work for me?
By: Kimberley Steffano
The whole concept of nicotine replacement therapy is that it gives your body a low dose of nicotine to help ease the cravings. By putting a small amount into your system your withdrawal symptoms are not as severe. One of the major drawbacks for nicotine replacement therapy is that you go through nicotine withdrawals twice. The first time when you initially quit smoking and the second time when you stop the nicotine replacement therapy. On the plus side you don't need to go to the doctor to get it.
This can be difficult for many people, especially if its the second time around. You'll go through a milder form of withdrawals as that familiar edgy feeling comes back. You're never prepared for that second wave of withdrawal and frequently have a hard time stopping the nicotine replacement therapy. Those that are able to move on are closer to becoming smoke free.
There are several types of nicotine replacement therapy; the most common option used is the patch. Normally you start with a higher dose and gradually work your way down over a 6 to 12 week timeframe. One of the things that should be noted, is the amount of nicotine delivered over the 24 hours is often too much for the body to handle and side effects are very common.
The feeling of nausea and breaking out in a cold sweat is one of the side effects associated with using the patch. Often, this is an indication that the dose of the patch you are wearing is too high for your system and you can either try a lower dose patch the next day or it might be wise if you to look into a different form of nicotine replacement therapy. Although many people have used this with great success, everybody's body chemistry is different and yours may not be adapted to this form of nicotine replacement therapy.
There are several forms of nicotine replacement therapy, the patch is no longer your only option. Nicotine gum now has improved in flavor and lacks that pepper taste that used to linger in your mouth. You don't have to worry about feeling sick due to the taste, because now the nicotine gum comes in fruit flavors. The dosage schedule is controlled by you depending on your withdrawal symptoms.
There are also the nicotine lozenge, which now comes in a variety of flavors. You let the tablet slowly dissolve in your mouth and it delivers a low dose of nicotine into your system. Again, you set your own dosing schedule, normally about 2 to 4 hours in between tablets, depending on your personal withdrawals. As with all nicotine replacement therapy you will experience some form of secondary withdrawal symptoms when you wean yourself off of them but that is a very small price to pay compared to continuing to smoke.
Another method of nicotine replacement therapy is the nicotine inhaler. It is a good method for anyone who needs to have something in their hand, a common problem among smokers. The inhaler sends a low dose of nicotine to your system which helps deter the cravings. I do not have first hand experience with the inhaler, but I have heard from several people who have been successful with it.
Most nicotine replacement therapy options are available over the counter, helping you avoid any added expense that seeing a doctor would create. You will also benefit from the online support that many of the products provide, along with several forums in which you can receive support from your peers that are also trying to stop smoking.
The side effects of nicotine replacement therapy can vary from insomnia to headache to nausea, diarrhea, or constipation. Some of these side effects can be temporary, but if they are too much for you, you should consider lowering your dosage or changing to another form of nicotine replacement therapy. You might also want to try a non-nicotine based medication.
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