Doctors’ Top Tips for Quitting Smoking

OTC medications that are safe and effective to quit smoking

Nicotine gum, lozenges, and nicotine patch on pink background



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Nicorette Gum

Our doctors agreed that nicotine patches and lozenges are the best ways to quit smoking. They’ve been proven to be most effective. Nicotine gum in particular It has been proven to be effective.Reduce cravings for smoking, even at low doses of 2mg.

Nicorette gum, and its generics, delivers nicotine without harmful chemicals. In 12 weeks, you will gradually get rid of your dependence on the chemical by chewing a piece every 1-2 hours. After six weeks, you can cut back to chewing a piece of gum every 2-4 hours. Then, it’s time to stop. The FDA can help you if you aren’t ready to quit nicotine after 12 weeks. It is safe to continue using NRTs for longer periods of time.

You can buy the gum in two mg and four mg pieces. The best dosage is from Amazon. Depends on your current smoking habits. Although you should begin with these lower doses, it is a good idea to continue. 2019 StudyIt was found that smokers who chewed higher amounts of gum (6 mg) had faster relief than those who only chewed 4mg.

Side effects of nicotine gum include mouth irritation, jaw soreness, nausea, heartburn, heartburn, heartburn, and nausea. People with TMJ and people who wear dentures might want to avoid it.

Nicorette Lozenge

Nicorette’s Lozenges are an NRT form that delivers nicotine without harmful chemicals like cigarettes. These lozenges are great for those with a dental or muscular condition, or if you don’t want to chew gum.

The lozenges can be used for up to 12 weeks, but you should gradually wean off. Although the dosage is almost identical to that of gum, you should not consume more than 20 lozenges per day (in comparison to gum’s 24-piece limit).

Side effects of Nicotine Lozenges such as nausea, heartburn, and hiccups can also be experienced. If used improperly — i.e., if you crunch the lozenge instead of letting it dissolve slowly — you may feel these side effects more severely, plus an added risk of lightheadedness.

NicoDerm CQ Patches

Transdermal nicotine patches, often just called “the patch,” are one of the most scientifically-backed over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies.

There’s Strong evidenceBehind all these NRTs over-the-counter. The nicotine patch may even offer some advantages over the rest. “The patches provide a steady stream of nicotine for most people and work over a longer period of time throughout the day,”Insider was told by Dr. Olulade.

It’s the easiest option, she says. You can just put it on and it will stay on for 24 hours. This is meant to help you quit smoking over a period of 8-10 weeks.

Our medical reviewer Dr. Jason McKnight pointed out that it’s also cheaper than NRTs. “If you chew a lot of the gum, a box only lasts about 6 days, whereas for the same cost you can get 14 days of patches.”

What’s more, ​​research out of Great Britain reportsThe combination of a nicotine patch and other fast-acting NRTs such as gum, lozenges or nasal spray can increase your chances of quitting smoking by 25%, compared to using one of these alone. Both Dr. Olulade as Dr. Sachin NagraniTelemedicine service medical director HealAlso, please support dual-use strategies.

Side effects of nicotine patches include skin inflammation, dizziness (just FYI), racing heartbeat, sleep disturbances.

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