Nicorette Gum
Classification
General Sale Medicine
Dosage
Which strength of Nicorette Gum should
I use?
Nicorette Gum is available in 2mg and 4mg strengths.
Usually, the 4mg strength is recommended if you smoke
20 cigarettes or more in a day or are a smoker who
has not been able to quite smoking using the 2mg
strength. Otherwise you should use the 2mg strength.
How much Nicorette Gum should I use?
Usually,
it is recommended that a piece of Nicorette should
be used when the urge to smoke is felt. About 8-12
pieces per day, of either the 2mg or 4mg strength,
will be adequate. No more than 24 pieces should be
used daily.
Purpose/Use
How Nicorette Gum Works
Smokers have both a physical reliance on nicotine
(i.e. the body becomes dependent on nicotine) and
a psychological reliance on the smoking habit.
It is your body's dependence on nicotine, which causes
with-drawal symptoms when you suddenly stop smoking.
Nicotine is an addictive substance. Symptoms may
include irritability, restlessness, depression, weight
gain, and craving for cigarettes.
Nicorette Gum is intended to ease such withdrawal
symptoms by providing your body with nicotine. This
leaves your mind free to concentrate on overcoming
your psychological desire to smoke.
What is the Proper chewing method?
Do not chew Nicorette Gum when eating or
drinking.
This causes excessive swallowing of nicotine, reducing
the effectiveness of Nicorette. Do not drink acidic
beverages, such as coffee or soft drinks, for 15
minutes before chewing as they can interfere with
the absorption of nicotine.
To get the full effect from Nicorette Gum these steps
should be followed carefully:
1. Place one piece of Nicorette in your mouth and
chew it slowly until you feel a slight tingling sensation.
2. When you feel the tingling (usually after about
10 chews), place the piece of gum under your tongue
or between your cheek and gums until the tingling
has gone. This will take about one minute.
3. When the tingling has gone, continue to chew the
gum slowly until the tingling returns. Then again
place the gum under your tongue or between your cheek
and gums.
4. Chew each piece of nicorette in this way until
you no longer experience the tingling sensation.
Each piece of Nicorette will usually last about 30
minutes.
5. Dispose of the chewed pieces of gum neatly, e.g.
return to the bubble pack.
Why is proper chewing so important?
Nicorette Gum releases nicotine into your saliva.
This nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your
mouth and enters your bloodstream. Any nicotine that
is swallowed in saliva is broken down in your stomach.
It is therefore wasted.
So it is important to chew Nicorette Gum slowly so
that the nicotine is released a little at a time
and absorbed through the lining of the mouth.
Chewing too quickly may at
first irritate the throat or cause hiccups or make
you feel sick. So remember that if the taste is too
strong you are chewing too fast!
How long should I continue to use Nicorette
Gum To quit smoking
It is important that you use Nicorette Gum for long
enough to help overcome your dependence on cigarettes.
Normally this period will be at least 3 months. Then
you can start to slowly wean yourself from using
the gum. When you are only using 1 to 2 chewing gums
each day, you can stop the treatment.
Temporary abstinence
Nicorette chewing gum should be used during smoke-free
periods, for example in smoke free areas or in situations
when you wish to avoid smoking.
Smoking reduction:
Use Nicorette Gum between smoking episodes to prolong
smoke-free intervals and with the intention to reduce
your smoking as much as possible. If after 6 weeks
you have not reduced the number of cigarettes smoked
each day, then you should seek professional advice.
Regular use of the gum after 12 months is not recommended.
Some ex-smokers may need longer treatment to avoid
returning to smoking.
Adverse effects
Nicotine like all other medicines may cause unwanted
side effects in some people.
Seek professional advice from your doctor or pharmacist
as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you
are using Nicorette Gum. Most of the undesirable effects
reported by users of Nicorette occur during the first
weeks after beginning treatment and are most likely
due to chewing incorrectly or to the effects of nicotine.
Some are minor and temporary but others may need medical
attention.
You may notice the following:
- Headache
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Hiccups
- Sore mouth or throat
- Jaw-muscle ache
- Redness of the skin
- Hives
- Mouth ulcers.
Some effects, such as dizziness, headache and sleeplessness
may be withdrawal symptoms due to low nicotine levels.
If any of these effects do not go away, or
you have any other undesirable effects during use,
tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in Nicorette gum is nicotine-resin
complex. Each piece contains 2mg per piece.
Other ingredients are chewing gum base, xylitol,
peppermint oil, menthol, sodium carbonate anhydrous,
magnesium oxide light, and sodium hydrogen carbonate.
Precautions
When you Must not use Nicorette Gum
Do not use Nicorette Gum If:
- You are pregnant or intend to become
pregnant
- You are breast-feeding or intend to breast-feed
- You have had a recent heart attack or
stroke
- You have heart disease such as palpitations
(fast or irregular heart beats) or uncontrolled
angina (chest pain)
- You are a non-smoker
- You are under 18 Years old
- You are allergic to nicotine or sensitive
to any components of the chewing gum.
You should not use Nicorette Gum if the expiry date
printed on the carton has passed or the packaging is
torn or shows signs of tampering.
Do not give Nicorette Gum to anyone else to use as
it is recommended that they seek professional advice
prior to starting treatment.
Before you start to use Nicorette Gum
If you have had any of the following, you should ask
for your doctor or pharmacist's advice before using
Nicorette Gum.
These medical conditions may need consideration by
or discussion with your doctor or pharmacist. You and
your doctor or pharmacist can then wiegh up the risk
of using Nicorette Gum against the benefits you will
get if you stop smoking.
The medical conditions include:
- Angina (chest pain) or any other problem with
your heart or blood vessels such as pain in one
or more legs when you walk
- High Blood Pressure
- Previous Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Stomach ulcer or pain
- Hyperthyroidism (a disorder of the thryroid gland)
- Phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland)
- Diabetes
If you have dentures, dental caps or partial
bridges Nicorette Gum may stick to your dentures,
dental caps or partial bridges and therefore may cause
damage to your dental work. It is important that your
dental work is kept clean. You should stop chewing
Nicorette Gum if it is sticking to your dental work
and discuss further use of Nicorette Gum with your
doctor and dentist.
Taking Other medicines
If you are taking any other medicines, including medicines
that you buy without a prescription, in a pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop, the way these medicines
work may be affected once you stop smoking.
These medicines may include:
- Theophylline (asthma medication)
- Insulin
- Imipramine (antidepressant)
- Pentazocine (pain medication).
If you use too much (overdose) or in accidental
poisoning
Overdose of nicotine can occur if nicotine is used
excessively, either from chewing too many pieces of
Nicorette Gum at the same time or rapidly one after
the other, and/or smoking.
Symptoms of overdose or poisoning include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Salivating
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal Pain
- Cold sweats
- Weakness
- Disturbed hearing
- Headache
- Breathing difficulties
- Weak, rapid or irregular pulse
- Loss of consciousness.
Manufactured by:
Pharmacia AB, Sweden
Distributed by:
Pharmacia
14 Normanby Road
Mt Eden
Auckland
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to buy discount Nicorette Gum now!
