Quitting smoking is hard. Many people who try are ultimately unsuccessful, taking up smoking again days, weeks, months, or years after they attempted to stop. Quit rates are quite low even with nicotine replacement therapy, but incorporating it into your quitting strategies does, research shows, double your odds of success.
What are nicotine patches?
Nicotine patches are transdermal patches, meaning they're "stuck" to the skin, that deliver consistent doses of nicotine for 16 hours (in which can you take the patch off before bed) to 24 hours a day. Using a nicotine patch, you're gradually eased off the main addictive substance in cigarettes, but without exposure to the thousands of other harmful chemicals that are also present in cigarettes.
People who are trying to stop smoking can apply them to a hairless or shaven area of skin, on their upper arm, leg, chest, or hips. To avoid irritating your skin, don't apply the patches somewhere with scarring, small injuries, or rashes. Don't apply the patch to the same spot two days in a row.
The patches are available over-the-counter, and they come in different doses. Doses of 21 mg, 14 mg, and 7 are common, but higher doses are available, by using multiple patches at once. The idea is to start off with a higher dose, which should be determined on the basis of how many cigarettes you used to smoke every day, and then gradually taper down to avoid nicotine withdrawal symptoms and make quitting smoking easier. Manufacturers provide detailed instructions.
What do I need to know about nicotine patches?
- Do not smoke while using nicotine patches unless it is part of a program your doctor has recommended — you may receive an overdose of nicotine that can make you quite sick.
- Nicotine patches can have side effects — some of the same ones associated with smoking. They include nausea, headaches, feeling dizzy, and diarrhea. There may also be some redness on the portion of skin where you place the patch. Rare side effects include serious skin rashes, arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat), breathing trouble, and seizures. Seek immediate medical assistance if you encounter any of these symptoms.
- Another good reason to consult with your doctor before using nicotine patches is that they may interact with other medications you are taking, as well as that they aren't recommended for pregnant women and people with heart disease (though they may still be safer than smoking).
- Nicotine patches can be used for a duration of between six and 20 weeks. After that, you should be completely nicotine free.
Do nicotine patches work?
Nicotine replacement therapy, which can be delivered in multiple ways including through patches, can and does help people overcome their nicotine addictions. It about doubles your chance of successfully quitting smoking, in fact, with the caveat that to be successful, you do have to be motivated to quit smoking. What's more, most people don't become addicted to nicotine replacement therapy, instead. Only five percent uses it for longer than planned.
Research has further discovered that combining two different modes of nicotine replacement therapy — like nicotine patches combined with nicotine inhalers — can increase success rates by 15 percent. Since nicotine inhalers and nasal sprays are prescription-only, talking to your doctor about this option can really help.
What pitfalls should you watch out for to turn your quit attempt into success?
Quitters using nicotine patches would do well to still:
- Discard all their cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia, such as ashtrays and lighters.
- Find something to replace the oral satisfaction smoking gives, like drinking more water, chewing gum, or sucking lollipops.
- Tell everyone they are quitting smoking. Avoid smoking triggers like spending time in bars with friends who smoke. You can change your routine up some. Instead of sitting down for a morning coffee, which would normally be accompanied by a smoke, when you wake up, shower first and then go for a run before grabbing a coffee on the go.
- Join an in-person or online quitting accountability group.
- Constantly remind yourself why you are quitting.