[LiteraryLark]

Today I am trying nicotine patches for the first time. I still have a wanting to smoke cigarettes, although to be fair it's only been a few hours. Has this worked for anyone? Has anyone ever been able to quit through the patches? I tried the gum and it made me want to barf.

[~Christina]

Patches gave me horrible nitemares. yes I did take it off as directed , Nite mares continued. Plus the patch made me itch at the site.... I did eventually use Chantix taking only 1/4 of a regular dose.. I was smoke free in 4 days , it makes you wanna hurl if you smoke. Stayed on it for 3 weeks, never desired to smoke again ..

[sherbet]

Well the reason you still want to smoke cigarettes is that you're having nicotine, an addictive substance, pumped into your bloodstream via the patch. When you have nicotine in your bloodstream it leaves very quickly causing withdrawal, which you experience as a desire for cigarettes. This may seem very obvious to you since that is the general idea of the patch, but this is also a reason why it doesn't work for some people.

I quit several years ago by reading the Easy Way (http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Ea...s=the+easy+way). I read it in a day and stopped smoking (you don't have to read it all in one day, I just felt very ready to quit). It's a little redundant at some points but it's effective and it gives you something to think about so you can be a happier non-smoker in the long run (thereby increasing your chances of not starting up again).

I don't mean to say that you won't succeed on the patch and it's probably a little too soon to tell, but I think it might be a more difficult route. You know what's best for you, of course. Just keep the book in mind.

[LiteraryLark]

I'm having a problem with mine. I've wasted two this week. One, I put it on my arm and it rubbed off while I was shopping and trying on clothes. The second one on my thigh got ruined in the shower. Is there a specific time and place that is best to wear the patch? I'm guessing I should put it on AFTER I shower, but where is the best place to put it? The doctor told me to keep switching up where I place it because I can develop a rash if I wear it in the same spot.

[kiwi33]

Nicotine patches helped me to quit.

On my GP's recommendation, I started of on a fairly high dose and tapered off slowly over some months.

The other thing which helped me was to keep track of the money that I have saved by not smoking.

Every so often I did (and still do) give myself a reward with some of that money - a nice restaurant meal, a book or DVD that I have always wanted, etc.

That helps me to stay motivated.

[gayleggg]

The patches worked great for me. I haven't had a cigarette in 21 years, thanks to them and my GameBoy, which kept my hands busy.

[kim_johnson]

I used patches occasionally. They release the nicotine slowly, so if you only put on one once you have started craving they won't get you through the craving, particularly. It is more of a... Preventative thing.

I had best luck with the gum. It made me want to barf, as you say. The key is to stop thinking of it as gum. Try cutting a piece into 4 or even 6. You only want to chomp down on it about 3 or 4 times and then you want to park it into your cheek and forget about it. It tastes kinda metallic... A little like a dirty cigarette butt... It was a reminder to me that I did want to quit. I saved the gum for when the cravings were very persistent... LIke.... You get through one by being like 'I just need to get through the next 30 seconds and it will pass'... And 'Just give it 2 minutes'... And the cravings did pass... But would come back every couple minutes... Driving me nuts... I found the gum would help the urge pass / not come back so often.

Anyway... Gum is an acquired taste, for sure.

Electronic cigarettes were still in their ugly infancy when I was quitting... They have become a much bigger thing now... I think I would have tried those if I were quitting today.

[LiteraryLark]

Yesterday I had a mental breakdown and started smoking again, this morning I said "F it" and went back on the patch, then went to the pharmacist who recommended the gum...at a ridiculous price. So I went to CVS Pharmacy and brought up gum and lozenges and asked which one was better, and they told me the lozenges because the gum only gives bursts of nicotine which isn't all that great when you're trying to quit. It was only $5 and I suck on it whenever the cravings get too bad.

[hpark3]

I've heard stories of people getting sick from the patches, just make sure you take the right amount, I know a guy that cuts them in half. I feel like the best way to go is cold turkey, I know its hard but you can't stay on the patch forever.

[johncarrol]

Whem I wanted to stop smoking I did it without unaided