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Nicotine Patches: My experience

D

DurocShark

Lifer
Ok, in mid-December I decided to quit smoking using nicotine patches (the generic WallyWorld ones for $32 for 14 21mg patches).

Made it through Jan with no problems. In Feb I got really sick, and kept cheating (no willpower when you're running a fever...). I also at this time tried to switch to the 16mg patches.

Since then I've been cheating horribly. My determination went to poop. Zero willpower, etc. Ok, I've been here before....

But this post is about the patches themselves. If you read the fineprint on the boxes, there's a line that says not to use the patches for more than 8 weeks. I thought there was some medical reason for that... Maybe the carrier that gets the nicotine through your skin had some side effect or something.... But I figured it was still better than smoking.

But I discovered the truth.

You become ADDICTED to the patches themselves! I finally gave up this weekend and stopped wearing them, and started smoking again. But even immediately after smoking a cigarette I would still be having a nicotine fit. :Q WTF? I was confused until I started thinking about wearing a patch (the way I would think about a cigarette when I was quitting). Then it clicked.

Needless to say, I'll not be wearing patches again anytime soon. I'm addicted to enough things.
 
wtf that is so sad


you start smoking to get off your patch addiction?????



wtgdh I am never going to let a cigarette touch my lips (19 and counting)


edit:

That sounded harsh, didn't mean it to be (so sad that there's no way to stop)

good luck dude
 
hmmm... next time try Zyban or Zolaff? One of my friends used a drug and she hasn't smoked in almost a year. It was an antidepressant.
 
Originally posted by: azazyel
hmmm... next time try Zyban or Zolaff? One of my friends used a drug and she hasn't smoked in almost a year. It was an antidepressant.
Click to expand...

I tried, but my Dr is old school and doesn't believe in behavioral modification drugs. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: se7enty7
wtf that is so sad


you start smoking to get off your patch addiction?????



wtgdh I am never going to let a cigarette touch my lips (19 and counting)


edit:

That sounded harsh, didn't mean it to be (so sad that there's no way to stop)

good luck dude
Click to expand...

Good idea, starting smoking was probably the worst thing I have ever done.
 
Originally posted by: DurocShark
Originally posted by: azazyel
hmmm... next time try Zyban or Zolaff? One of my friends used a drug and she hasn't smoked in almost a year. It was an antidepressant.
Click to expand...

I tried, but my Dr is old school and doesn't believe in behavioral modification drugs. 🙁
Click to expand...

I can't say I blame him, my friend was pretty lethargic for awhile. The things that normally pissed her off didn't anymore and it was pretty weird. What I would recommend as I have heard this works (for alcoholics as well) is to carry around with you a pack with only one cig in it. Take it every where you go and remember that, that one cig is the one you didn't smoke. As long as you don't smoke the one in the pack you have won.


Edit 4 spelling
 
I used the nicotine lozenges to quit smoking. i only smoked half a pack a day or so. After not smoking for 2 months I got off the lozenges and now smoke 1 or 2 cigs a day (if that)
 
Seeing how I've never really been addicted to anything (besides computer games) in my life...including cigs, despite the fact I smoked fairly frequently for about half a year my advice probably isn't worth much. But I would just try to cut back on them...try to get down to one a day, one every other day, one a week.

Of course, I'm sure you've already thought of and tried that. 🙂
 
You become ADDICTED to the patches themselves! I finally gave up this weekend and stopped wearing them, and started smoking again. But even immediately after smoking a cigarette I would still be having a nicotine fit. WTF? I was confused until I started thinking about wearing a patch (the way I would think about a cigarette when I was quitting). Then it clicked.
Click to expand...
They have nicotine in them. Of course you can get addicted!
 
Originally posted by: DurocShark
Originally posted by: azazyel
hmmm... next time try Zyban or Zolaff? One of my friends used a drug and she hasn't smoked in almost a year. It was an antidepressant.
Click to expand...

I tried, but my Dr is old school and doesn't believe in behavioral modification drugs. 🙁
Click to expand...
That's so wonderful for him. Find a new doctor 😀

 
I have seen Zyban work like a charm in several cases. The user simply loses interest in cigarettes after about 2 weeks...
 
Naturally you will become addicted to the patches. I used the patch to quit about two years ago. The hint I give people is, DON'T follow the directions on the box. I think they designed them to have a higher chance of people becoming addicted to the patch... Use the 21mg for two weeks, the 14mg for two weeks and if you feel you need them more after that, use the 7 or do another week of the 14 until you feel you've beat it.

The patch will not make you quit. It is just supplanting the nicotine delivery system of cigarettes with patches. YOU HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT. Period. The patch is a crutch, it helps. Took away the shortness and watery-brain feeling I used to get when I quit cold turkey.

 
When you smoke cigarettes, the nicotine level in your body shoots up after smoking, then decreases. When the level is low, you get the shakes and look for the nicotine. Then you smoke, and the level shoots up again. Then decreases, and so on.

The patches or gum are designed to give you nicotine in a constant low rate. That keeps you from having the shakes and cravings. Without the shakes, you can easily break the habit of sucking air after meals. Then you taper off on the patches or gum until you are completely done with nicotine.

If you smoke while using the patch or gum, you raise your nicotine level higher than you were used to. Then the shakes come quicker and stronger. The same thing happens if you are not consistent with the patch or gum. You forget to take your dose and the nicotine level drops.

The short answer is... Keep your nicotine level constant. Then taper it off slowly.

 
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