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Is Nicotine replacement therapy right for me?

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.

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.

One side effect associated with using the patch is the feeling of nausea and breaking out in a cold sweat. Usually this is a sign that the dose of the patch is too high for your body to tolerate. You can either try a lower dose or consider trying a different form of nicotine replacement therapy. The patch has been used by many people successfully, but everybody's body chemistry is different and yours may not be able to adapt to this form of therapy.

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 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.

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