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41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It will work if you do it right, January 17, 2003
Are you tired of throwing away big money day after day for what basically amounts to a slow, painful death? Sick of coughing up phlegm when you wake up each morning? Maybe you're just tired of smelling like a casino? I smoked for over 10 years but got off the death sticks with the help of Nicorette. I tried the inhaler and hated it, felt like I was breathing hot pepper into the back of my throat. In all fairness I really didn't give it a chance as I lost it the day after I bought it after only a couple uses. Most people I know haven't been able to quit using the patches alone but your results may vary. Personally, the gum satisfies the urge to keep my mouth busy. If you're a nailbiter or you chew on pen caps, etc... you probably have the same oral fetish and the gum is your best bet. This will not take care of that strange craving your lungs get for nicotine (only smokers will understand this) but it will take care of the cravings your body gets as long as you do it right. First, quit the stupid rationalizations and realize that you ARE an addict. You can tell yourself that you can quit any day you want but we both know it's a line of B.S. If that were true, you would've have quit long ago. Nicotine is as addictive as heroin, just a lot more subtle. The more you realize that you are in a battle against an expensive drug, the more determined you will be to keep going. Second, understand that you will have to chew a lot of gum before you can quit successfully. The first time I tried to quit I got back on the smokes because I stopped the gum too early. Start with one box just to find out if this will get you off the smokes. Once you do quit, and you find Nicorette to be an acceptable substitute, then make sure you have plenty of boxes so you don't run out and immediately bum a smoke off of someone. Chewing eight pieces a day, you only have a couple weeks worth in this starter kit. Get the larger boxes of refills to save money. Third, this is important, you MUST chew at least eight pieces a day! There's a reason the box is explicit about this. Don't wait until you start craving a cigarette, keep the gum in your mouth beforehand so you don't get the cravings at all. If you do this, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to quit. Fourth, this is not regular chewing gum. The common complaint is it upsets the stomach. You don't chew it constantly like regular gum, instead you only chew it until you start to get a peppery taste in your mouth (the nicotine) then park the gum between your cheek and gums until it goes away. Chew a little more, park it, etc... until the nicotine is gone. You probably will get an upset stomach at first as your mouth is not used to the taste and is generating more saliva. This goes away quickly though. Finally, if you are a habitual smoker (i.e. first thing in the morning, while driving, right after a meal, etc...) just get used to having the Nicorette around. Instead of reaching for a cigarette first thing in the morning, chew a piece of gum first thing, and so on. All of the above are in the instructions but the steps bear repeating because they are all important. Even if you do start smoking again, don't throw away the progress you made. Just admit it was a mistake, throw away the rest of the pack and get back on the gum. Quitting smoking is not impossible, people do it every day so there's no reason you can't quit too. Just set a date and do it. Best wishes.
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