These may help they may not (Good Luck ILJD) (Nicorette Inhalater)

Member Name: cabletow

Product:	Nicorette Inhalater
Date:	15/05/02 (1133 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: reduce intake

Disadvantages: dont reduce reliance on nicotine

Hmm tricky thing nicotine replacement, the only people who want these things are people who want to give up smoking. Why were these then the best selling nicotine replacement over the counter for the year 2001? There cannot be that many smokers who want to give up. Perhaps there are many smokers who want to give up and they never give up giving up. I will give a personal account of my experience with them. This is not a detailed explanation of all their side effects and benefits, for that get the data sheet off the net. Try http://www.nicorette.com for a start.

Do these work? Not a lot is the answer. Perhaps that is why these sell in such great numbers, smokers like to rely on them to get over the nicotine cravings, but they don?t seem to be good at stopping people smoking.

The inhalator is a very efficient method of delivering nicotine to the system. You put a cartridge into the inhalator and inhale deeply. Within one minute the level of nicotine in your blood system is equivalent to that of a cigarette. After a couple of hours you start to be aware of the need for another hit and you can inhale the same cartridge again. So they satisfy the need for nicotine in the short term but do nothing to lessen the craving. So these are the closest thing to a cigarette substitute there is. This may explain why so many smokers take to them. They provide the hit without lessening it, they stop you smelling, you can take them at work and no one knows and when you get home you can light up without any fear that you are letting yourself down because you don't feel as if you are giving up.

Ah hah you say, so these are being abused. I don't know, they may be but it explains why these outsell every other type of nicotine replacement therapy.

What are they like? Small cartridges that you slip into a plastic inhalator that taste of nothing in particular but leave a slight tingle at the back of your throat as you inhale. Not unpleasant, but no
t really pleasant either. Until you are used to them they can leave you feeling a little nauseous

Are they effective? As I have already discussed, the answer is yes and no. They satisfy your craving but are less helpful in giving up than other forms of nicotine replacement.

Are there any restrictions in their use? Yes you are advised not to use more than 12 a day; you are advised not to use them if you are under 18 or if you have any form of medical condition. Great so anyone who really needs to use them for health reasons cannot. I think you will find that most health professionals will work around these restrictions and be a little freer in the attempt to be sensible and not over protective.

What do they cost? About £15 for 50 cartridges, the same as three and a half packets of cigarettes but 50 will last you six or seven days. So they are half price then. As a substitute this is cheap as a cigarette spacer this too is cheap (unless you are a smoker of illegally imported rolling tobacco).

Are there any side effects? For me there are two; the first I can directly attribute to the cartridges, namely sore areas at the back of my throat. Not too bad just a little tender when I use the next one for a few seconds. I suppose it could get worse or even lead to a cancerous spot but for the moment I will tolerate it. The second is a little constipation. I am not sure if this is an effect of not smoking. I used to rely on my first fag getting me going in the morning, as it were, and I do miss that. I will get over it but till then fruit and fibre and fluid are my dietary stable mates.

Are they handy? This is one of the brilliant aspects of these things. A handy plastic pack that you have to fill and refill, it is just like making sure that when I leave the house I have my cigs and lighter with me. So that part of my sad habit is satisfied, I have the toys.

Am I still smoking? Yes from time to time. This is what I mean
about them, after 3 months use I am still smoking 10 or 15 a weekend and none during the week. That is an improvement but I am not sure it is healthy to be using these great little devices as a smoking spacer. I want to stop. I find it hard and these cartridges are not really helping me get used to life without nicotine. Yes I can live a life without cigarettes but I need my nicotine hit and these are not teaching me to do without that.

I am not going to tell you how to stop smoking, largely because I don't know. I do know that for me the nicorette inhalator will not help me quit. They help me smoke less but that is not what they are for. They may be all you need however so I will advise you to give them a try. If they work, great, If not then try again. The moral of this tale is to never give up giving up, I guess it will happen to me one day.

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