Health Centres - Nicorette gum
How does it work?
Nicorette gum contains nicotine. It is a type of medicine known as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and is used to help smokers give up the habit.
Nicotine is the addictive substance present in tobacco. Smokers who try to give up often experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and cravings for cigarettes, because they are dependent on the nicotine in tobacco. Withdrawal symptoms can include irritability, headaches, restlessness, insomnia and difficulty concentrating. These, combined with cigarette cravings, are why it is difficult for some people to give up smoking.
Nicotine replacement therapies work by giving you a small amount of nicotine, but without the dangerous effects of inhaling tobacco smoke. This helps relieve the withdrawal symptoms and cravings for a cigarette that you get when you stop smoking, and allows you to get on with breaking the psychological habit of smoking. If you are physically addicted to nicotine, using NRT has been shown to almost double your chances of successfully quitting smoking.
The nicotine released from chewing Nicorette gum is absorbed into the bloodstream from the lining of your mouth. For this to work, you don't chew the gum like normal chewing gum. Instead,you chew it slowly, for about a minute, until the taste becomes strong, and then rest it between your gums and your cheek. Every time the taste fades you repeat this, until the gum has lost its strength (after about half an hour).
Nicorette gum can be used to reduce your cravings for a cigarette after you have stopped smoking completely. You should chew the gum whenever you have an urge to smoke and this will help you to break the smoking habit and not start smoking again.
If you are not yet ready to stop smoking completely, Nicorette gum is also licensed to help you to cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke each day, by chewing the gum instead of having a cigarette. This can make it easier to eventually stop smoking completely. However, if you haven't managed to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke a day within six weeks of starting to use the gum, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. You should make a quit attempt as soon as you feel ready, but not later than six months after starting to cut down using the gum. Seek advice from your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you find this difficult.
Nicorette gum is available in two strengths. The 2mg gum is suitable for people who smoke less than 20 cigarettes a day, or whose first cigarette of the day is more than 30 minutes after waking. The 4mg gum provides a larger dose of nicotine for people who are more dependent on nicotine, ie people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day, or whose first cigarette is within 30 minutes of waking.
The number of pieces of gum you use each day will depend on how much you used to smoke and what strength your cigarettes were. You should not use more than is recommended on the packet.
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