Which strength nicotine patch

You should apply the patch to an area of skin that has a minimal amount of hair, such as your upper arm, hip or upper chest. The area of skin you choose should also be clean and dry before application.

After removing the protective seal, apply the patch straight away, avoiding touching the adhesive as much as possible. If the patch becomes loose or falls off, simply replace it with another. You should apply the new patch to a different area of skin, though a skin site can be reused after a period of one week. Nicotine patches only address the physical side of addiction.

A behavioural therapy app, like Quit Genius, works in conjunction with the patches to deal with the psychological part of addiction! As with any medication, some people experience side effects while using nicotine patches. Possible side effects include:.

These symptoms are usually mild, serious reactions are exceedingly rare. If you experience any signs of an allergy, such as a rash, swelling, hives or difficulty breathing, discontinue use of the patch immediately and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

You can buy them from your local pharmacy or drugstore, as well as many supermarkets and online retailers. Nicotine patches, in particular, offer a discreet and hassle-free way of combating cigarette cravings, by providing your body with a steady dose of nicotine throughout the day. Take your time and do your research, but try to decide on a method prior to your quit date, so that you can have everything in order and be completely prepared as you set out to enjoy the benefits of a healthier, happier, smoke-free life!

Addiction Solutions. A complete guide to the nicotine patches For Individuals Published. Nicotine replacement therapy NRT gives you nicotine — in the form of gum, patches, sprays, inhalers, or lozenges — but not the other harmful chemicals in tobacco. NRT can help relieve some of the physical withdrawal symptoms so that you can focus on the psychological emotional aspects of quitting. Many studies have shown using NRT can nearly double the chances of quitting smoking.

People who smoke and are significantly dependent on nicotine should consider nicotine replacement or drug therapy to help them quit. Signs of severe nicotine dependence include:. Nicotine replacement therapy NRT can help with the difficult withdrawal symptoms and cravings that most people say is their only reason for not giving up tobacco. Using NRT reduces those symptoms. Many people can quit tobacco without using NRT, but most of those who attempt quitting do not succeed on the first try.

Most people who try to quit on their own go back to smoking within the first month of quitting — often because of the withdrawal symptoms. But the good news is that many do succeed. In fact, there are now more people who formerly smoked than people who currently smoke! Together with counseling or other support, NRT may help increase the number of smokeless tobacco users who quit, too.

You can start using nicotine replacement therapy NRT as soon as you throw away your tobacco. Nicotine replacement therapy NRT only deals with the physical dependence. Use these support systems during treatment with NRT and for at least a few months after you quit.

Studies have shown that this approach — pairing NRT with a program that helps to change behavior — can improve your chances of quitting and staying quit compared to approaches that use only one method. The best time to start NRT is when you first quit.

Often people first try to quit tobacco on their own then decide to try NRT a day or more into quitting. There are many options for quitting and staying quit.

Just remember that it often takes many tries. None of these products has been FDA-approved specifically to help people quit smokeless tobacco. Still, studies are being done, and some have shown the lozenge form may help. The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality states that nicotine replacement therapy NRT is safe for all adults who want to quit smoking except pregnant women and teens. You may have medical problems that should be considered. When deciding whether to use NRT, the benefits of quitting tobacco must outweigh the potential health risks of NRT for each person.

People who are still smoking or using any other form of tobacco should not use NRT. Get the advice of a health care provider if you want to use NRT while continuing to smoke or chew. NRT has not yet been proven to help people who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes a day.

But many tobacco treatment centers do use NRT for people who are "light smokers. Note that the patch, gum, and lozenge can be purchased over the counter, while the nasal spray and inhaler require a prescription. The most important thing to do with any form of NRT is read and follow the package instructions very carefully.

Patches give a measured dose of nicotine through the skin. Many different types and strengths of patches are available, including hour and hour patches. Which patch you should use depends on how many cigarettes you smoke each day. Package instructions tell you how to use them, and list special considerations and possible side effects.

How to use nicotine patches: Depending on body size and smoking habits, most people who smoke should start using a full-strength patch mg of nicotine daily for several weeks, and then use a weaker patch mg of nicotine for another several weeks.

The patch is changed every day. It should be put on in the morning on a clean, dry area of the skin without much hair. It should be placed below the neck and above the waist — for instance, on the upper arm or chest. The FDA has approved using the patch for a total of 3 to 5 months, but using it longer is better than going back to smoking. No one has all of the side effects, and some people have none.

Some side effects, such as racing heart, may mean the dose of nicotine is too high for you. Stop using the patch and talk to your health care provider if this happens. You could also have nicotine withdrawal symptoms if your NRT dose is too low. Nicotine gum is a fast-acting form of replacement. Nicotine is taken in through the mucous membrane of the mouth.

Doses as high as 84 mg four 21 mg patches have been used successfully with patients who smoke very heavily. Significantly higher smoking cessation rates have been observed with high-dose nicotine patches more than 22 mg compared with standard dose nicotine patches less than 22 mg Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, It is recommended that the patch and other forms of replacement should be used for as long as needed to maintain or prolong abstinence.

NRT product monographs recommend approximately two to three months of use, which is the length of time these products were used in early clinical trials. Many patients are not ready to stop using NRT after three months. To prevent relapse, patients should be instructed to taper off NRT slowly.

This helps them adjust to lowering nicotine levels e. Please use those skip links to access easily : Click here to go to the navigation.

Click here to go to the content. Click here to go to the footer. Facilitating smoking cessation Overview of nicotine replacement therapy Recommending nicotine replacement therapy Other medications for smoking cessation Acupuncture and hypnosis Smoking cessation with specific populations Billing for smoking cessation treatment Smoking cessation treatment: References.

Click on the X button or press the ESC key to close this lightbox. About this asset. Click here to see the meta data of this asset. Recommending nicotine replacement therapy NRT. Rationale for recommending the NRT patch The goal in recommending the patch is to meet patients' nicotine needs, allowing them to feel, for the most part, comfortable throughout the day.

The patch will not treat sudden cravings or urges caused by environmental or emotional cues.