Nicotine replacement therapy

It is necessary to point out that the nicotine replacement therapy is not a quick-fix solution. The essential prerequisite for a successful withdrawal is your decision to stop smoking. Keep in mind that there is no miraculous and easy method. It always needs a firm decision, perseverance and will to stop smoking. It is a long term task. The nicotine replacement therapy can help you through.

Nicotine replacement therapy is currently the most preferred and most efficient therapy.    It minimizes abstinence symptomes due to the lack of nicotine by supplying pure nicotine to the body at the time of withdrawal. Thus the unpleasant symptomes are weakened.     The nicotine dosage is being gradually lowered until it is no more necessary.

There is a lot of medicaments used for nicotine replacement therapy, so that everybody can choose a form and dosage that suits him best. In pharmacies, chewing gums, patches, inhalators or micropills containing nicotine are available without prescription.

Abstinence symptoms

-         Abstinence symptoms manifest themselves in about hours after the last cigarette.

-         Their intensity is individual. The time for which these problems persist is various, individual and cannot be predicted (most smokers suffer only from some of them).

-         As a rule, the first three weeks are the worst; average time of these problems being usually from 3 weeks to 3 months.

-         In any case, sooner or later, all of these problems will cease, and by a proper therapy they can be suppressed or significantly minimized.

Symptoms:

-         an uncontrollable, obsessive craving for a cigarette

-         irritability, nervousness, restlessness, impatience

-         anxiety, fear, depression

-         incapability to concentrate

-         insomnia

-         decrease in heartbeat and blood pressure

-         increased appetite, putting on weight