Question
Need some advice. I've been smoke-free for 1 month using a combination of 10-12 4my lozenges and gum per day. I didn't realize however that each cigarette contains about 1my therefore I'm effectively taking about 3 times the amount of nicotine. I was smoking about 15 per day.
Will coming off the nrt be as difficult as stopping the cigarettes?
Simon
I quit cold turkey, so I don't know first hand. We all tend to smoke more after going back after quitting. You were using more nrt than needed because you are missing that jolt of satisfaction that comes with the first drag of a cigarette. We may smoke a whole pack one night while drinking (alcohol diminishes nicotines effect which is why we chain smoke). Fortunately, we do not smoke at that rate every day after. Whether you smoke 10 or 40 cigarettes a day, 93% is gone when we wake in the morning. Even after the nicotine addiction is beat, the hardest and longest part of this journey is accepting life with never having a cigarette again." Oh my, how can I live without my crutch?"
So the good news is that while you may be taking more nicotine, nicotine in itself, while addictive is not the worst part of the cigarette. Hundreds of additives and poisons added by the companies to keep you as a customer hoping to satisfy you but not kill you too quickly to have to replace.
You have learned things to replace having a cigarette. A good habit, like exercise, communication or a mental game challenge. You have learned that you feel much better physically without the tar coating your lungs. You have build a sense of pride as you get through everyday without what you "thought" you needed.
You are winning this! Don't worry, keep course you're doing great! Remember that while you are quitting smoking, any form of nicotine is addictive. Once the mental part accepts, stepping off the nicotine addiction should pose no problem.
I should make it clear that now that you realize the strength of nicotine, you should cut back as I am sure too much nicotine is probably not good either. In short, not a great setback. Make some alterations and keep up the good work!
Hi Simon Williams.
We are very interested in the amount of NICOTINE consumed by smoking and other means.
If you have information on any person that smokes between 10 to 15 cigs a day and any person that doesnt smoke, but consumes 3 times the amount of nicotine(by NRT) per day?
We would love you to explain it further.
Always suspected NRT companies/products were supplying many times more NICOTINE than would be helpful to giving it up.
nice story
hope you can reply
Thanks for the encouragement happiness.
It's crazy that recommended amount of nicotine from lozenges for someone who smokes within 30 minutes of waking is 15x4mg per day that's the equivalent of 60 cigarettes, even if you only smoke about 10 per day! A light smoker could become a heavy smoker overnight if relapsing! The patches seem a much safer option, better still cold turkey, although nrt is to increase the first six months by 50%. Not surprising considering your usually receiving far more nicotine compared to cigarettes!
Here in the UK the stop smoking programs provide free nrt on a 12 week course. The research does show about 50% better success rates the first 6 months but no difference to the quit rates after 1 Year compared to cold turkey.
Maybe its that most people on NRT get too much Nicotine and become even more addicted to the drug. Therefore many going back to smoking after the prescribed 3 to 6 month treatment of NRT.
Also. I think that many people can not let go of that instant 'jolt' feeling of a drag from a cigarette? That one drag may have less nicotine in it compared to sucking one lozenge for say 5 minutes?
I dont actually know the facts. Maybe someone does?
here's one fact i have read ,
It's the NICORETTE INHALOR ;
One cartridge lasts 40 minutes, with around 74 t0 94 sucks or draws = 1 cigarette (like a cigg).....I wonder if there is some factual comparison with patches, nico gums or lozenges? Anyone know the concentration of nicotine that the body infuses when ingested and used?
Its interesting and Going without nicotine maybe painful for a while , but using nrt might be prolonging PAIN for longer!