Using Nicoderm Patch +

[Tdraym]

I am trying to quit smoking, started using 21 mg patch 12/18/19 , my problem is I have gone 2 days without a smoke, was smoking 2+ packs a day , with the patch I am also using the gum 4 mg and the mini mints 4 mg. I have a craving for a smoke very often , So chew nicorette gum 4 mg for an hour or more 1 1/2 hrs  maybe 20 -30 minutes later will take a mini lozenge 4 mg , also using hard candy in between some of the nicotine aids. So is this going to help or harm me with the 3 aids, to much nicotine to keep me from smoking 18 hrs a day, still need to break the craving, how long who knows ? Just want to be an EX smoker

Thanks Tdraym

[Barbscloud]

Welcome to the Ex and congrats on your quit. I'm not an expert on NRT.  All the literature I just read discussed combining the patch with gum OR lozengers was ok.  I couldn't find anything about using all three.  Do you have any other tools you're using for the cravings?  Exercise, chewing on straws, drinking cold water, deep breathing, etc.  Two days is great.  You're off to a great start one day at a time.   

Barb

[Tdraym]

At this time I have not set any real relief setting , The big thing is back in August I broke my back had to have an operation on it , have been sitting home for 4 months and board smoking too much and hopefully can kick the habit since I have to much time on my hands and can work at it, Just looking for any advice that can help me solve the problem and thank you for replying, this is going to take time according to the patch and gum instructions, just hate to look at it , at 6-8 wks. of 21 mg. patch and then 14 mg. patch and so on, just hope I can get over the 3 , gum loz. and patch quicker than that. But I'll work my hardest at it

Thanks ,Tdraym 

[Barbscloud]

OMG.  I can't even image breaking my back and not being able to move.  Keeping busy is what really helped me to quit this time.  I have to commend you for taking on quitting smoking at this time.   I'm sure others will have some good suggestions for you that don't require physical activity.  One thing that helped me is video games.  I still can get lost in them and can't believe how much time has passed when there's a challenge.  You can read inspiring posts here and post you're own to keep you occupied.  I'm almost at 2 years after smoking for 50 years never thought I could do this.  But it is possible.  Stay close and reach out for support.  We're here for you!  

Barb

[Tdraym]

 Thanks for the kindness ,one thing that got me smoking more was sitting on the PC for hrs. every day, now I'm going to therpy 2 times a week and getting out a little bit and trying to keep my self busy so I'm not doing nothing, But thanks for someone to talk to and give me so more hope

Thanks Tdraym

[Barbscloud]

Try to find the positive in life.  Sometimes it's hard, but it's THERE!   Reach out to the community here--they'll support you more than you imagine.

Barb

[sweetplt]

HI and Welcome to Ex’s Tdraym 

My goodness I am so sorry about the broken back...Bless your Heart...you are doing a good thing by quitting smoking...it will help you heal.  I don’t know a lot about NRT’s, but I do know you need to follow the directions on the package along with reading at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX ... also, read the blogs here and get help and encourage other’s on this journey.  Keep busy with being and actively participating at Ex’s, do jigsaw puzzle, therapy will help, read books, go online and learn another language, etc., Remember most of all, there is always HOPE...YOU are Worth this Quit...”one step at a time”...anything worth having takes time...We are here for YOU...~ Gotcha in my heart ~ Colleen 383 DOF 

[ClearColors]

I am so sorry about your back!!

You are asking if it's too many nrt's at one time?  

If you can, I would suggest speaking to your doctor about that.

See if you are jumpy?

One of the ideas of nrt is breaking the habit... of hand to mouth.

I used the patch and a broken lozenge swished under my tongue.

I used it longer than the box said, with the approval of my doctor.

Here is an article regarding using nrts longer than the box instructs:

NYTimes -THE CONSUMER

 The Nicotine Patch Didn't Work? You May Not Have Used It Enough

 By MARY DUENWALD

 Smokers who try to give up cigarettes can double their chances of success by using patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers or nasal sprays containing nicotine. Yet 3 in 4 people who use these products do not end up quitting, in part because they use them too little or for too short a time.

 If anything, smokers should consider using nicotine replacement even more aggressively than the package instructions recommend, recent research suggests. Studies have found that using gum or a nasal spray along with a patch works better than using either product alone, and that it is beneficial to use products even after slipping back into smoking.

 Nicotine replacement therapy has been around since 1984, when the Food and Drug Administration approved Nicorette gum as a prescription medicine. The patch followed in 1992, and both smoking cessation aids have been sold without a prescription since 1996. Nicotine lozenges are now also sold over-the-counter. Inhalers and nasal sprays are available by prescription.

 Nicotine replacement products are meant to be used for three to six months, more heavily at the beginning when nicotine dependence is at its most intense. Patch users usually start with the 21-milligram dose, then switch after two weeks to a 14-milligram patch. Seven-milligram patches are also available.

 Some people cut patches in half, to get smaller doses. This is probably safe, but a cut patch may not provide a predictable dose, said Dr. Michael C. Fiore, director of the tobacco research and intervention center at the University of Wisconsin Medical School.

 A patch can also be safely worn into a sauna or a hot tub.

 "Heat dilates your blood vessels, so you might get a little more nicotine absorption," Dr. Fiore said, but it would still amount to less than a person gets from smoking.

 It's probably a good idea, however, to remove the patch before having an M.R.I. scan. A recent article in The American Journal of Nursing reported the case of a construction worker who suffered a second-degree burn on his arm during an M.R.I. The foil backing of his nicotine patch became a conductor for the energy generated by the scanner's magnets.

 Gum and lozenge users are usually told to begin by chewing a two-milligram piece every one to two hours, having an extra piece when they feel a strong craving. After six weeks, the recommended dosage drops to one piece every two to four hours, and three weeks later falls to one every four to eight hours.

 The idea is to ensure that the body has a continuous supply of nicotine. But many people use gum and lozenges only when they feel a strong craving for a cigarette, said Dr. Saul Shiffman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh who has conducted many studies of nicotine replacement therapy and is a consultant to GlaxoSmithKline, a makers of patches, gum and lozenges.

 Many would-be nonsmokers also stop nicotine therapy after a couple of weeks, Dr. Shiffman said. Price is a factor: most therapies cost $3 a day. But some people also dislike the peppery nicotine taste of gum or lozenges, which mint or orange flavoring does little to disguise. And many people stop early because they don't want to ingest any more nicotine.

 "People are unreasonably afraid of nicotine," Dr. Shiffman said. "The majority of smokers believe that nicotine causes cancer and is a big player in the harm caused by cigarettes."

 In fact, carbon monoxide, tar and the countless toxic particles in cigarette smoke are what promote illness. Although smokers may become dependent on nicotine, it does not appear to raise the risk of cancer, lung disease or heart disease.

 Early reports that people who smoked cigarettes while wearing a patch stood an increased risk of heart attack proved unfounded years ago. In fact, sticking with the patch even during a brief lapse may increase the odds of quitting. In a study not yet published, Dr. Shiffman found that people who continued to wear the patch even after smoking a cigarette or two had more than double the chance of avoiding a total relapse.

 When nicotine gum and patches first became available over the counter, some experts expressed concern that people might use them far longer than recommended. But at least one survey suggests that fewer than 5 to 8 percent of gum users continue longer than a year and 5 to 10 percent of patch wearers do, said Dr. John Hughes, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont. He added that only a small percentage of these long-term users are dependent on nicotine.

 "But it is like caffeine addiction," Dr. Hughes said. "The only harm is that you're having to pay for it."

 Continuing treatment longer than necessary may be particularly beneficial for some women, said Dr. Antonio Cepeda-Benito, an associate professor of psychology at Texas A&M University, who recently reviewed 21 controlled trials of nicotine replacement therapy and found that women were more likely than men to relapse a year after starting nicotine replacement therapy.

 Another recent study found that smokers who were white, had low to moderate dependence on cigarettes and were not obese responded better to patches, while people who were members of minorities, were heavily dependent on cigarettes or were obese did better with a nasal spray.

 Dr. Caryn Lerman, a professor of psychiatry at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, who led the study, said the spray provided a more sensory experience, which could be more rewarding for some people.

 "We'd like to be able to identify the treatment most likely to work for individual smokers," Dr. Lerman said.

[Tdraym]

Hello ClearColors

 I read your posting and it helps me understand that I will have to back off of the nrt's at some point (gum or mini mints) but right now they are keeping me from even looking for a cig. the urge is there, but I just try to think take some gum or a mint  and maybe I won't think about it for a couple minutes longer, at this point I'm not jumpy, just afraid if I can go on another 24 hrs without a smoke, I keep telling myself I can, but there's this little voice in the background saying, "Oh don't worry about it you can always try again" or something like that which I can't stand. Sorry for the BS but have to tell someone other than just myself.

Thanks Tdraym

[ClearColors]

Tdraym‌  You are reaching out!! That's great!  We do this together

I was on the patch  a looong time...  This is not a sprint.. this is a marathon.. fasten your seatbelts.

You are normal... We are junkies.. Yup that's right we are junkies and we learn to keep strengthening our quit muscle.

I am not the most eloquent, but  I have saved posts from Quitnet (which will be closing soon) :'

Here is one Quitnet repost that is amazing. Message me anytime.

Repost - Junkie Thinking from toundra

 JUNKIE THINKING: "One Puff won't hurt"

 RESPONSE:"One puff will always hurt me, and it always will because I'm not a social smoker. One puff and I'll be smoking compulsively again."

******

 JUNKIE THINKING:"I only want one."

 RESPONSE:"I have never wanted only one. In fact, I want 20-30 a day every day. I want them all.******

 JUNKIE THINKING:I'll just be a social smoker

 RESPONSE:I'm a chronic, compulsive smoker, and once I smoke one I'll quickly be thinking about the next one. Social smokers can take it or leave it. That's not me.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING: I'm doing so well, one won't hurt me now.

 RESPONSE:The only reason I'm doing so well is because I haven't taken the first one. Yet once I do, I won't be doing well anymore. I'll be smoking again.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING: I'll just stop again.

 RESPONSE:Sounds easy, but who am I trying to kid? Look how long it too me to stop this time. And once I start, how long will it take before I get sick enough to face withdrawal again? In fact, when I'm back in the grip of compulsion, what guarantee do I have that I'll ever be able to stop again?"

******

 JUNKIE THINKING:If I slip, I'll keep trying

 RESPONSE: If I think I can get away with one little "slip" now I'll think I can get away with another little "slip" later on.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING: I need one to get me through this withdrawal

 RESPONSE: Smoking will not get me through the discomfort of not smoking. It will only get me back to smoking. One puff stops the process of withdrawal and I'll have to go through it all over again.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING:I miss smoking right now

 RESPONSE:Of course I miss something I've been doing every day for most of my life. But do I miss the chest pain right now? Do I miss the worry, the embarrassment? I'd rather be an ex-smoker with an

 occasional desire to smoke, than a smoker with a constant desire to stop doing it.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING:I really need to smoke now, I'm so upset.

 RESPONSE:Smoking is not going to fix anything. I'll still be upset, I'll just be an upset smoker. I never have to have a cigarette. Smoking is not a need, it's a want. Once the crisis is over, I'll be relieved and grateful I'm still not smoking.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING:I don't care

 RESPONSE:What is it exactly that I think that I don't care about? Can I truthfully say I don't care about chest pain? I don't care about gagging in the morning? I don't care about lung cancer? No, I care about these things very much. That's why I stopped smoking in the first place.

******

 JUNKIE THINKING:What difference does it make, anyway ?

 RESPONSE:It makes a difference in the way I breathe, the way my heart beats, the way I feel about myself. It makes a tremendous difference in every aspect of my physical and emotional health.

******

 Other Junkie Thinking:

 o Why bother?

 o We all have to die sometime

 o I deserve to smoke.

 o Cigarettes are all I've got left.

 o They get to smoke

 o It would taste so good.

 o They're smoking and it's not hurting them.

 o Smoking wasn't really so bad

 o If I don't eat something, I might smoke

 o If I don't smoke I might drink

 oThis won't count because.....

 o I know I can't smoke just one, but I hope I can

 o Do it fast before you think about