QUITTING THOSE CIGARETTES FOR A HEALTHY HEART: NICOTINE GUM

Remember that the first aspect of quitting is getting over the physical discomfort of nicotine withdrawal. Your body will crave that nicotine during the first two weeks after you quit. Nicotine gum has been developed to alleviate that physical craving by supplying nicotine during the day, with the idea of allowing the smoker to focus on the psychological aspects of tobacco addiction.

While the concept has definite merit, two things tend to lessen success. First, patients may come to think that by writing the prescription for the gum, the doctor has magically taken away responsibility for quitting. Second, physicians may not properly educate patients as to the proper use of the gum.

Nicotine is absorbed through the mucosa in the mouth, not through the stomach. The gum, then, must be chewed slowly to allow absorption, and you should not swallow the juices as you chew. Use a new gum every time you begin to think about having a cigarette; don’t wait until the desire is overwhelming. How many you’ll need during the day depends on your own addiction. Some will need 20 gums a day, others only eight or ten. Each 2 mg gum has the nicotine equivalent of a half cigarette. Don’t worry about overdosing.

The need for using nicotine gum will gradually reduce. The total time may be from six weeks to six months. Why so long? Remember that you’re not going cold turkey, cutting off all the nicotine at once. This spreads the process out. Some like that idea, others want to get it over with and will prefer to just quit and not use the gum at all.

If you do begin using the gum and you still feel severe cravings, simply chew more. Remember that you really can’t overdose. Better to chew another gum than to give in to a cigarette.

As the physical cravings subside, you can work on the idea of not fiddling with those cigarettes. Follow the suggestions I provide on page 270.

You may experience some ill effects from incorrect use of nicotine gum. Chewing too quickly can produce feelings of nausea; take an occasional bite rather than chewing as you would ordinary gum. If you still have cravings even though you’re chewing a sufficient number of gums, your physician may need to increase the prescription to 4 mg gums.

The effects of nicotine gum and cigarettes are the same in terms of heart disease and contraction of arteries. Don’t feel that you can simply chew the gum permanently. It is a temporary bridge, a crutch to help you quit entirely. Ask your doctor about the newly approved nicotine patches that deliver a regular supply of nicotine more predictably than gum.

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