Anyone here quit smoking with patches?

jaffacake

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I`d be really interested to hear how it went.


Did you get the awful dreams and how long were you using them for? Was it easy to stop using them?

I quit on sunday so it`s day 5 with no slip ups. Using the 24 hour patches and having some very bizarre and scary dreams. Bit of skin irritation and now have a stinking cold but the leaflet in the packet says that`s common when giving up


So what`s your experience?
 

gingersmom

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First, congrats on taking a very difficult but VERY good for you step!

Very long story, but I quit 4 1/2 years ago with the help of the patch.

I had WONDERFUL dreams while on it, very vivid and colorful, not scary at all - if it weren't for the nicotine, I'd love to use the patch again just for the dreaming entertainment!


You have to make sure to never repeat a patch spot on your skin for at least 7 days - you WILL wind up with patch "spots" on you from the adhesive, but that will go away. I had spots all over from rotating every day a different spot, a week later I'd start at the first spot again.

I COMPLETELY ignored the directions on the patches, bought the WalMart brand (same manufacturer for almost 40% lower cost) and started out using a patch and a half per day, as I smoked close to two packs a day when I quit.

One single patch did not give me enough nicotine to match my previous intake and therefore led to horrid cravings. Increasing the amount of patch took away the cravings, so all I had to fight was the physical habit part: having something in my fingers.

It took me 3 1/2 months until I was patch-free, and did that by cutting down the patch by 1/8 every two weeks. I saved the pieces I cut off the first patches so toward the end I was using the pieces I'd cut off - again, saved me money and did the trick.

First two weeks: 1 & 1/2 patch per day
2nd two weeks: 1 & 1/3 patch per day
3rd two weeks 1 & 1/4 patch per day
4th two weeks 1 & 1/8 patch per day
6th two weeks: 1 patch per day
7th two weeks: 7/8 patch per day

Etc., etc., etc.

Start date was September 25th, and I finished with the last bit of patch about a week or so after New Year's. I went from 1/4 patch down to 1/8 patch, then realized that was a bit stupid, and so I just stopped completely - no ill effects, no desire to smoke.

I only went through THREE boxes of patches in total, spending approximately the same amount for about 5 cartons of cigarettes over 3 1/2 months, whereas when I was smoking, I was going through just over a carton a week.

4 1/2 years later, still not smoking, not EVER going to do it again.

Yes, I still get an occasional craving. It will never go away completely, but my brain is able to tell my body no, we don't NEED to smoke anymore.

Best of luck to you - hope my story helps!
 
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jaffacake

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Thanks GingersMom!


Congrats on giving up for so long too!


I think the thought of giving up was a whole lot scarier than the reality. Wish I`d done it sooner.


The dreams are pretty amazing, I just wish they were nice ones
Doesn`t make for a very restful night.

They do Quit Smoking Clinics here so I go once a week and luckily qualify for free prescriptions so cost isn`t really a problem. May still cut them though to make it more gradual.

Did you just use patches? They gave me the gum too but like you said, there`s no real cravings so I`ve only had a few peices when really stressed.
The thought flashes through my head 2 or 3 times a day but no real urges.

So glad I never smoked indoors at home as I don`t have to put up with stale smoke smell. Nearly everyone at work smokes and it smells disgusting to me now! And to think I smelt like that


Thanks for sharing! That was very helpful
 

alleygirl

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I quit 6 months ago yesterday!

BIG Congrats on 5 days already!


I did not use the patches, but rather a prescription drug Chantix. However you quit, whatever you use, ITS HARD but it is SO worth it. I did have vivid weird dreams on Chantix so maybe its something to do with quitting, rather than the method? It should pass soon.

Keep up the good work!
 

miss mew

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I quit using the patch 10 years ago
At that time I had to get a precription from my doctor for them.

I did the 21 mg for 2 weeks, 14 mg/2 wks, then the 7mg for another 2 wks.

I found that the 21 mg was a little bit too strong for me, I had terrible dreams and naseau. It only lasted for the first 2-4 hours after I put a new patch on, so I dealt with it. Once I was on the lower dosage the dreams and sickness went away.

Congratulations on working towards being smoke free!
 
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jaffacake

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Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

I quit 6 months ago yesterday!

BIG Congrats on 5 days already!


I did not use the patches, but rather a prescription drug Chantix. However you quit, whatever you use, ITS HARD but it is SO worth it. I did have vivid weird dreams on Chantix so maybe its something to do with quitting, rather than the method? It should pass soon.

Keep up the good work!
Well done you!

I guess it`s the same drug but the name is slightly different here. They offer you Champix or Zyban but I`m not too keen on taking meds but I would have used it if the patches didn`t work.

A lot of people seem to feel really poorly on Champix/Chantix. Glad it worked for you though!


Originally Posted by Miss Mew

I quit using the patch 10 years ago
At that time I had to get a precription from my doctor for them.

I did the 21 mg for 2 weeks, 14 mg/2 wks, then the 7mg for another 2 wks.

I found that the 21 mg was a little bit too strong for me, I had terrible dreams and naseau. It only lasted for the first 2-4 hours after I put a new patch on, so I dealt with it. Once I was on the lower dosage the dreams and sickness went away.

Congratulations on working towards being smoke free!
Thanks and congrats!


Can I ask how many you used to smoke a day? I`m on the 21mg at the moment and I used to get through 15-20 a day but it was hard to know how many really as you give some out, get a few back ( If your lucky! ).
I know they say it gives you a continual dose but I noticed I feel a bit whoozy when I put the new one on in the morning and the only times I kind of get an urge is in the evening. Hopefully I can cut down sooner than they recommend! They say to use the 21mg ones for 6 weeks!
 

gingersmom

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Originally Posted by Jaffacake

Did you just use patches? They gave me the gum too but like you said, there`s no real cravings so I`ve only had a few peices when really stressed.
The thought flashes through my head 2 or 3 times a day but no real urges.
WARNING!

Do NOT use nicotine gum in addition to the patch - just like smoking while using the patch can cause serious health issues (including heart problems) so can using additional nicotine sources.

If you are seriously craving then you need to increase the amount of the patch - stick with just ONE nicotine replacement source when trying to quit, for your own safety.

I was also taking the antidepressant Welbutrin, which is the same drug as Zyban, which has helped lots of people quit smoking.

However, the dosage I was on was approximately HALF that given for aid in quitting smoking - I was taking it in combatting PTSD and anxiety issues.

I had been about ready to come off the drug when I decided to stay on it until I was done with the cigarettes.

I can't state for sure that it helped, but I CAN say that it didn't hurt.

The biggest thing for me was cutting out the nicotine addiction - once I got on the patch and got past the first 7 days of not inhaling smoke, I was home free.

Oh - I should add here that I never used a lower mg. patch - I used the strongest one ands stayed on it, cutting it into pieces as I went down.

The instructions tell you NOT to - they tell you to buy the step downs. In reality, all that is is a marketing ploy to force you to buy more product than you really need.

Like I said, it took only THREE boxes of the patch and I was done with them. If I'd followed the direction, I may not have been successful, and I would most definitely wound up spending more on the patch than I ultimately did.

Think about it: How can a company that makes a product designed for you to only use it for a little while, then never again, continue to make money off of you? If it was about getting folks to quit smoking forever, they would make patches that equal the amounts of nicotine that smokers take in daily.

Example, if a 4 pack a day smoker tries using the strongest patch there is, they will only be delivering half to less-than-half of their normal daily intake of nicotine, which sets them up for failure from the get-go.

So if you see through the marketing, and use the product properly (NOT the way the instructions tell you) then you will buy very little of it and be done with it in a very short period of time.

But if you follow their directions, and the Step 1 patch isn't strong enough to begin with, you'll cave to your cravings, start smoking again, then come back and buy more of their product later, when you decide to "try again" having thought that your failure was YOUR fault, when in fact, it is the fault of the manufacturer for giving faulty instructions.

Does that make sense? (I'm in marketing, by the way.
)
 
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jaffacake

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( Don`t know what happened there! Was replying and POOF! It was all gone
)

Anyhoo, yes that does make sense. I`m a bit annoyed with the company that make the ones I`m using because I signed up on Sunday for their txt support where they say they will txt you every day with support and encouragement. It`s now Thursday night and I`ve received 1 txt! God knows what they are doing with my details. They sent me an e-mail that was supposed to be an action plan but it was mostly 'Buy our products and DON`T stop using them!


Will stop the gum. It`s pretty gross anyway! I know I don`t really need it and I get a lot of palpitations ( Not since I`ve stopped smoking but don`t want them again! )

Hopefully it won`t take too long to get rid of the patches
 

miss mew

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Originally Posted by Jaffacake

Can I ask how many you used to smoke a day? I`m on the 21mg at the moment and I used to get through 15-20 a day but it was hard to know how many really as you give some out, get a few back ( If your lucky! ).
I know they say it gives you a continual dose but I noticed I feel a bit whoozy when I put the new one on in the morning and the only times I kind of get an urge is in the evening. Hopefully I can cut down sooner than they recommend! They say to use the 21mg ones for 6 weeks!
Wow! The 21 mg patch for 6 weeks! I used to smoke about half a pack a day (sometimes a bit more) if you continue to feel woozy on the 21 mg...maybe you should talk to the pharmacist?
 

crazyforinfo

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Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

I quit 6 months ago yesterday!

BIG Congrats on 5 days already!


I did not use the patches, but rather a prescription drug Chantix. However you quit, whatever you use, ITS HARD but it is SO worth it. I did have vivid weird dreams on Chantix so maybe its something to do with quitting, rather than the method? It should pass soon.

Keep up the good work!
Congrats. Mom is on day 4 of the Chantix. The cigs already taste disgusting to her. I am starting tomorrow.
 

isabel

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I quit, but not using the patch. I was a hardcore smoker - 2 packs a day at the end, and I had been smoking for 25 years.

Someone recommended the book The Easyway to Quit Smoking by Allan Carr. Once I read it and realized that it was more a psychological addiction than a physical one, it was super easy for me to quit. I was honestly amazed that I was able to quit with no physical withdrawal symptoms (except I ate two 1 lb bags of peanut M&Ms during the first three days).

I have an addictive personality and I guess I was totally fed up with smoking, because once I made up my mind to quit and read that book quitting wasn't that hard.

I'm so happy to be a non-smoker! It has been almost 3 years since I quit...
 

ninacaliente

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I have quit for long periods several times. (Currently planning my next quit now.
) I also had VERY vivid, loooong dreams when I was using the patch, to the point that I would feel tired in the morning when I woke up. I solved that problem by simply taking the patch off when I got into bed at night, and putting a new one on first thing in the morning. No more dreams! (Although I agree with the previous poster - some of those dreams were incredible, and I sometimes wish I'd still have them occassionally!)

Good luck with your quit!!!
 

pippy-pops

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I'm on my 5th day of Zyban and things have improved greatly! I'm not smoking nearly as much (because you are still able to smoke during your first week) and in fact have only had 10 cigarettes in 2 days!! I didn't go for the patches for 2 reasons, firstly because the first time I tried to give up I was have rather strange side effects which freaked me out (felt like I was walking on air!) and secondly because I relapsed after 3 weeks!

Well done on taking this first step... hopefully we'll be smoke free soon! Good luck!
 

twistedchick143

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I have done patches and quit for a week.... I was on Chantix for 3 months and quit but then I feel off the wagon but now Im back on chantixs and I havent smoked in awhile.... I love chantixs and it really works... Just have to hope your insurance covers it, if not it can be very expensive but well worth it.
 

alleygirl

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Originally Posted by Twistedchick143

I have done patches and quit for a week.... I was on Chantix for 3 months and quit but then I feel off the wagon but now Im back on chantixs and I havent smoked in awhile.... I love chantixs and it really works... Just have to hope your insurance covers it, if not it can be very expensive but well worth it.
Mine didn't, and it was $130
but it did help so I guess it was worth the cost!

Congrats to everyone on quitting
It seems like the 2-3 week point was really tough for me, so hang in there and keep up the great work!
 

twistedchick143

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All i have heard from other people who have used chantix is good things. I think its one of the best things out there for quiting. This is also my own opinion. My bf was taking welbutrin which he quit for awhile but fell of the wagon 2.
 
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jaffacake

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Well done guys on quitting!


I`m going to have to speak to the advisor on tuesday as I`m starting to get strong cravings in the evening. Don`t want to slip now!

Keep up the good work!
 

isabel

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Something that helped me the first few weeks also was grab a pen or a straw (anything cig shaped) and pretend like you're smoking it...it helped a little bit. I still do it once in awhile if I'm really stressed.


And keep reminding yourself that you are now a non-smoker!
Good luck!
 

glitch

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Good job guys! Ive quit before with the patches when I was pregnant, but when I went into early labor they gave me some meds to stop it and it made my heart beat so fast I thought I was going to die, so I ended up having a smoke that day... which led to smoking again! I want to quit really bad, but Im not big on being all jonesy!! Not to mention, I always gain weight! You guys are an inspiration and I hope to follow in your footsteps really soon! Ive been smoking for 15 years.... probably time to quit huh??
 

crazyforinfo

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For those who are quitting, how is it going?
Today is day 4 on Chantix and I am down from +15 smokes to 7 today. When I have one it's like smoking for the first time. I get dizzy and sick to my stomach. I smoked mostly am to early pm today which is the opposite of my habit.


You can do it!
 
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