Day 9 & couple questions - Smoking Cessation Message Board

needachange · 03-16-2004, 01:56 PM

Today is my 9th day on the Nicoderm patch (14 mg). I went and saw my doctor today, and she prescribed Wellbutrin because also have some potential issues with depression. I found some research that said people with depression only succeed in quitting 6% of the time, but Wellbutrin and the patch up the percentage significantly. I'm weary of drugs, but want quitting to stick this time.

Here are my questions:

1. When you step down the patch, do you go through new withdrawal symptoms all over again? Right now, I'm getting about as much nicotine a day as when I smoked, so haven't really experienced physical withdrawal. In fact, the patch has kept me feeling balanced. I'm worried about experiencing withdrawal/irritability/depression 6-8 weeks from now when I step down and off the patch and not being able to resist smoking.

2. Do I need to stay on 14 mg for 6 weeks? The box says 14 mg for 6 weeks and 7 mg for 2 weeks, no more than 8 weeks. I've thought about doing 14 mg for 4 weeks and then 7 mg for 4 weeks.

Thanks for any feedback.

Deda · 03-16-2004, 03:48 PM

needachange...

Don't worry about how long you stay on each step. The directions in the package are just a guide. They do recommend that you stay on each patch for a certain length of time in order to achieve good results, but if you feel you need to stay on 21 mgs longer, then so be it, it's not going to harm you in any way. Most people say they don't notice much difference when they do reduce from 21 to 14 mgs, but every one of us is different. I would recommend that you go with what you feel comfortable with, and if you feel more secure being on 21 mgs a little longer, or a lot longer, so what? As long as you are NOT smoking, that's the goal, right? And don't worry right now about the day you go off of patches for good, that should be the last of your worries. Just worry about today, take this "one day at a time", and you will be fine. And the Wellbutrin does work very well for depression from quitting, and I noticed it even supressed my appetite, which was great.
Congratulations on your 9 days smoke free, and whatever you do, DON'T SMOKE!!!

Good luck...
DEDA

badbackdavid · 03-17-2004, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by needachange

Today is my 9th day on the Nicoderm patch (14 mg). I went and saw my doctor today, and she prescribed Wellbutrin because also have some potential issues with depression. I found some research that said people with depression only succeed in quitting 6% of the time, but Wellbutrin and the patch up the percentage significantly. I'm weary of drugs, but want quitting to stick this time.

Here are my questions:

1. When you step down the patch, do you go through new withdrawal symptoms all over again? Right now, I'm getting about as much nicotine a day as when I smoked, so haven't really experienced physical withdrawal. In fact, the patch has kept me feeling balanced. I'm worried about experiencing withdrawal/irritability/depression 6-8 weeks from now when I step down and off the patch and not being able to resist smoking.

2. Do I need to stay on 14 mg for 6 weeks? The box says 14 mg for 6 weeks and 7 mg for 2 weeks, no more than 8 weeks. I've thought about doing 14 mg for 4 weeks and then 7 mg for 4 weeks.

Thanks for any feedback.

You must have been a light smoker - which is a good thing. I stepped down from the 21 mg. patch to the 14 mg. version last Monday. I couldn't tell any difference and from what I hear, most people don't have any problem with it. But everyone is different.

What I would do is to try to step down to the 7 mg. after 4 weeks and see how well you tolerate it - you can always go back to the 14'er if you don't fare well. Bear in mind that these patches can be tailored to each individual.

Best of luck to you,

Dave

needachange · 03-18-2004, 03:40 PM

Thank you both for the feedback. I guess I was a light smoker in terms of how many cigarettes a day (usually about 1/2 a pack), but I've been doing that for 10+ years. Sometimes I would bing and smoke a ton at a time and then would taper off to my half a pack again. When I decided to quit, I was smoking about 10 a day so decided to go with the 14 mg patch. I tried the 21 mg patch once and it made me sick. I have tried to quit so many, many times and failed. I think I use cigarettes as a way to self-medicate. But, so far so good. It is now 11 days without smoking. This is actually the first time that I have used the patch successfully for this long. I had some mild cravings yesterday when hanging out with a friend I used to smoke with, but got through them.

This board is helping, too. I've decided if I ever really get hit out of nowhere with an emotional craving to smoke (which is what has caused relapse all the other times), I'll come to this board to distract myself.

Appreciate the support.

ABC~Mom · 03-19-2004, 02:11 AM

needachange--
congrats and keep at it!
i am not a smoker myself, but i have lost a grandmother, aunt, and a cousin (his mom was the aunt he was only 11 when he died)
the aunt and the grandmother both smoked and died of lung cancer, the cousin was exposed to second had somke and i imagine that may have possibly played into it his battle and death with cancer.
so keep it up, in addition to adding time to your life, you will add time to everyone else's around you by not smoking around them.