Quit Smoking With Nicotine Patches

Nicorette Patch 5mg/10mg/15mg From $10.49	Habitrol Patch 7mg/14mg/21mg From $8.36	Nicabate Patch 7mg/14mg/21mg From $12.45

transdermal nicotine replacement therapy

Nicotine patches are an ever increasingly popular method for people to stop smoking.They are quite simple to use, help prevent weight gain, cravings, and nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

The total dose of nicotine in the patch does not correlate at a milligram to milligram equivalency to the dose delivered to the bloodstream. The drug delivery system of the patch ensures that nicotine is transported thru the skin at a constant rate, and each manufacturer uses a different patented technology to do this. Only a portion of the total nicotine contained in the patch is transported thru the skin. Individual differences in skin thickness, location of the applied patch, and other related factors play a role in the total dose delivered.

3 Step Tapering Method of using the stop smoking patch

All the brands use a similar 3 step system for using nicotine patches to stop smoking.

Step 1: The high strength (15mg/21mg) is worn daily for 6-8 weeks for quitters who smoked an average of 1 packet per day( 2 packets per day quitters may require 2 patches to alleviate cravings and withdrawal symptoms)

Step 2: The medium strength (10mg/14mg) patch is then worn daily for the next 2 to 4 weeks if the ex smoker remains confident in his or her ability to not smoke and if urges or cravings to smoke are controlled.

Step 3: The low strength (5mg/7mg) patch is then worn for 2-4 weeks if the same criteria as above are met.

In the absence of cravings and urge to smoke the patch is then stopped entirely.

It is important to individualize the tapering method...Some people require longer periods of use, others shorter. If cravings intensify, return to the next higher dose of the patch.