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Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Will It Work For Me? |
By:
Kimberley Steffano |
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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.
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.
Now there are several forms of nicotine replacement therapy, and things have come a long way from simply just being a patch. There's nicotine gum, that I must say has improved in flavor immensely, long gone is that pepper taste it is left lingering in your mouth. Today comes in several fruit flavors that you can actually chew without feeling like you're going to throw up. You set your own dosing schedule, which is based on your own withdrawal symptoms.
Another form of nicotine replacement therapy is the lozenge, which is available in an assortment of flavors. These tablets will dissolve slowly in your mouth sending a low dose of nicotine to your body. The tablets usually work for 2 to 4 hours, but you can adjust your dosage schedule depending on your need. It's possible that you will have some type of secondary withdrawal as you slowly sever your ties to the lozenge. Being smoke free is worth it in the end.
The nicotine inhaler is also a good method for those that need to have something in their hand, which is a common problem among smokers. Again you receive low doses of nicotine, which you inhale through this device that assists you in overcoming you're cravings. And although I have personally not tried this I've spoken to several people who have found this to be really helpful.
There are nicotine replacement options available without a prescription and readily accessible at any corner drugstore or supermarket. You will still have to expect to pay quite a bit for over the counter therapy. But many of the products provide online support and forums, which help keep you in touch with other people who are trying to quit 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.
Before you purchase something see fit to check out our expert analysis of the top stop smoking means and Nicotine Replacement Therapy You can get a unique content version of this article.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article54681.html |
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