Is Nicotine Replacement Therapy Right For Me?

By Chris James

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.

Many people have a hard time dealing with the withdrawals the second time around. Especially as that familiar edgy feeling comes back and you go through a milder form of withdrawals for the next three days. It's hard for people to prepare themselves for that second wave and often find themselves unable to let go of the nicotine replacement therapy. Those that can let go are one step closer to becoming smoke free and altering their lifestyle.

Nicotine replacement therapy comes in many varieties; the patch is the most common. Usually you will start with a higher dose and steadily decrease the dose over a 6 to 12 week period. Please note that the amount of nicotine delivered over th 24 hours often exceeds what the body can handle and can produce side affects.

Nausea and cold sweats is a common side effect of the patch. This can be an indication that the dose is to high for your system and you can try a lower dose the next day. It might be a good idea to look into another form of nicotine replacement therapy. Many people have had great success with the patch, but since the human body's chemistry varies from person to person not everyones body is able to adapt to the patch.

Nicotine replacement therapy comes in various forms, things have come a long way from just being a patch. Another form is nicotine gum, which has improved in taste over the years, you no longer have the pepper taste that would linger in your mouth. Now nicotine gum comes in fruit flavors that you can chew without feeling sick. You can control the dosage according to your own withdrawal symptoms.

Another therapy option is the nicotine lozenge, which you can find in a number of flavors. It delivers a low dose of nicotine to your system as it slowly dissolves in your mouth. You are in control of the dosage which you can adjust according to your withdrawals. Normally you can allow 2 to 4 hours in between tablets. You will experience some type of secondary withdrawal symptoms when you wean yourself off of them, but it's worth it when you know that in the end you can be smoke free.

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.

The majority of nicotine replacement therapy options is available without prescription nowadays and can easily be picked up at your corner drugstore or supermarket. The advantage would be, not having to have the added expense of going to the doctor, but you still have to expect to pay quite a bit even over the counter. And many of the products have an online support system available along with several forums, in which you can receive support from other people who are also using the product and trying to quit.

Please remember that there are some side effects that come with nicotine replacement therapy. They can vary from insomnia, to a slight headache, to more severe symptoms like nausea, diarrhea or constipation. If the symptoms are not temporary you might want to think about changing the dosage or looking into other therapy options. There are also options out there that are non-nicotine based. - 29957

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