Nicotine Transdermal System Patch Review

As I mentioned in I am Non Smoker? I have been using the Nicotine Transdermal System Patch for about 5 days now.  This stop smoking aid is a patch that delivers nicotine through your skin and into your system utilizing a special material to control the rate of nicotine.

Great Idea. Does It Work?

The premise is a smooth rate of nicotine entering your body throughout a 24 hour day. Over time, the nicotine levels drop in order to reduce them gradually. This is to assist in reducing withdrawal symptoms; such as, nicotine cravings.  So far, so good with this. While I still have issues with the routine of smoking. As long as I can get the patch to stay on, the craving for nicotine is not as bad as it was when I tried to quit cold turkey. 

The only downside that I can see is getting the patch to stay on. I find if I move to much during the day, the patch has a tendency to come off. This reduces the effectiveness of the patch. I have found that an ace bandage can help in this area, however.

The first step is a 21 mg dose. This is used if you smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day. As I fall into this category, this is the step I am using at this time. I will admit that when it gets close to time to change the patch, I do feel a bit more grumpy and out of sorts.

Possible Side Effects:

• Rash, redness, and/or swelling in area that patch is placed. I have not had an issue with this. Although, I have had some mile itching.
• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations. This is one that worried me. So far, I have not had any problems in this area.
• Headaches. The first and second day I wore the patch I did have a headache. However, I often am plagued with headaches. Ibuprofen took care of this issue.
• Difficulty Sleeping. Well, I have difficulty sleeping all the time. However, I have not had any additional issues with sleeping.
• Nausea and Vomiting. I have not had any issues with this thankfully.
• Dizziness and Weakness. Again, I have not noticed any problems here either.

Warnings:

• Pregnant or breast-feeding mothers should not use this medicine.
• You should not use this medicine and continue using tobacco, either by smoking, chewing, or using snuff.
• Talk to your doctor is you have or have had heart disease, heart attack, or irregular heartbeat.
• Also, discuss how this medication can interact with others you may be taking with your doctor or pharmacist.

In Conclusion:

I have not had any of the severe side effects that I was worried about when using this patch. In fact, aside from a headache, I have not had any side effects. The only problem I see with this patch is the stickiness or lack thereof. I have problems getting the patch to stay on. Using an ace bandage helps with this issue, however. While quitting is not a walk in the park even using the patch, it has been much easier on me and my family than quitting cold turkey. As I have not tried other aids, I am unable to give that comparison.