nicotine replacement

[nicotina]

where did it go? i have been to the ex site several times but this is my first trip to the forum. i know i read an article on the site that said nicotine replacement was safe, that nicotine isn't what kills one, and that people who use nicotine replacement double their chances of success. my quit date was 2/2/08, a little over 7 months ago, no slips with smoking BUT i use nicotine gum every day. does anyone know what became of that message or if the attitude toward nicotine replacement has changed?

[nicotina]

Thanks, Barbara. I'd hate to think I'd have to give it up. From the first day I looked at it like the drug (nicotine) is what i craved and the gum was the same as the cigarette so I didn't get panicky. Have been lucky with few urges to smoke, except when people do it in movies (how weird is that?!?). Took solace in the ex message that the replacement was safe. You are right, no matter what, it still beats smoking.

[nicotina]

Thanks, Karen. I will take another look around, it's possible I missed it. Memory tells me there was a drop down on the front page with a title like Reading Room and it was in there. Read an article in the news today that made me think I shouldn't be so comfortable with this gum, went to the site to reassure myself that it was harmless. Did some internet reading. Suppose it's funny to worry about using them gum when it didn't worry me to use the cigarettes for sooo many years.

[nicotina]

Boy, that would be a scary thought, the idea that finding fault with the gum could lead back to the cigarettes. Never say never but I don't think that's where I'm headed. Been all over that site now, followed it to the Mayo Clinic site as well and can not find anything resembling what I read before. I think they have done a rewrite of the site in the last few months. I've seen physical benefits from giving up the smoking and I don't want to go back. The cravings only occur about once a week. I think I will start lowering the number of pieces of gum I use per day and see how that works. And you are right about it being better "than all that garbage going into the lungs". Carbon monoxide, anyone? Thanks for your help.

[nicotina]

Back again, went into my "sent emails" folder and found info I had copied and pasted from site and sent to a co-worker. "Reading Room CURRENT TOPICS

The Truth About Nicotine Medications “Why would I want to put nicotine in my body when I am trying to get off of it? Doesn’t nicotine cause cancer?”
Nope.
Some of our EX-smoker friends have told us that at first they didn’t want to use any kind of nicotine replacement medication. It seemed confusing to them, as if they were “using nicotine to get off nicotine.” Isn’t the point to get nicotine out of your system, they’d ask?

The answer is simple. Nicotine isn’t the part that kills smokers. It’s the tar that kills. And the arsenic. And the hydrogen cyanide. And the formaldehyde. There are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke — many of them are dangerous and over time can kill. Nicotine is what keeps you addicted to them all. Cigarettes just happen to be a very effective and dangerous nicotine-delivery device. Nicotine replacement medications deliver nicotine, but they do so in smaller amounts and much more slowly and without the bad stuff, which means they’re not as addictive as having a smoke.

Although some people are able to quit without them, nicotine replacement medications are proven to double the chances of quitting successfully."

I still have to wonder why it is no longer on the site but I'm not lighting up, really!

[edith2]

Hey, if the gum works for you, then more power to you. However, there are a few in here that are using marijuana as a nicotine replacement and saying they don't smoke. I disagree with that. It has made me unpopular with a few in here, but I stand by my opinion that smoking is smoking, no matter what it is.

[nicotina]

Well aren't you the clever one. I searched the home page but didn't look in the forum. Nice work, Karen! I still wonder why it was moved and I wondered why it only said "Dr. Hurt", like PhD or MD and where's the first name but I did find him, Dr. Richard D. Hurt, M.D. and he's affilliated with the Nicotine Dependence Center at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. OK, I'm feeling better now. I had justified my use of the nicotine gum this past weekend by citing that article and then, as you know, couldn't find it again. I'm usually a pretty good detective but if I get stuck again, I'm going to holler in your direction. Thanks again.

[nicotina]

I agree with you, Edith. I was at a party during the summer and was in the kitchen, where the food is, ya know. I opened the door to go outside and immediately shut it. Someone noticed and asked what was wrong. I told them that nothing was wrong but there were people smoking cigars out there and i t smelled pretty good. This person thought it would be OK for me to have a cigar, after all, it's not a cigarette. I told them the minute I put tobacco in my mouth and set fire to it the gig is up and I'm back at start. I've already been at start, it's not that much fun and I don't want to go back. Did my first two quit days without nicotine replacement, felt like a wind up toy, bouncing off the walls. Stick to your guns, girl. Hope you're doing well.

[martha8]

yes you saw it on the home page under the drop down re-learn addiction, then medication and mythe.

Im useing gum this time because here in the south I am so hot en swetty that the patch wont stay on. I have to use the patch in witer. But a coworker has used gum and he has been quit for a year. he says he has to reboot himself sometime because he dosent want to smoke and he was triggered, so he went back on the gum. I hope this helps you. But im prepaired to use the gum during hi stress times too. you will have to use what you have to keep from smokeing, I will probably have to use some lozengas roo, diesign your own working tools is what I feel.What ever will help you deal with the stop smoken and never go back is your design. Best Regards Martha

[edith2]

Martha, I used the lozenges when I quit. They were the Nicorette .4 mil. Those are the strongest ones. They helped me alot, plus I had a great support stystem: my son. I quit using them after a month because I was starting to get sores in my mouth from sucking on them all the time. By that time though, alot of the cravings were gone and I didn't have the triggers I once had.