Nicorette works?

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Just wanted to say to fellow pilots that smokes, Nicorette works wonders.

I was a heavy smoker for 10 years and I was a bit sceptical to Nicorette.
But I have not been smoking for one month now and Nicorette helped me to stop smoking really easy.

For me it was just impossible to quit smoking. But to go from cigarettes to Nicorette and then stop Nicorette is really easy and I highly recommend this route.

When I was smoking I measured my blood pressure every second day and I had avarage 140/90 and bpm was about 90. After two days that quit smoking my blood pressure fell to avarage 115/75 and bpm 70.
People saying that smoking doesn't raise the blood pressure are dead wrong. Then only thing that is true is that the Nicotine itself is not raising the blood pressure because my blood pressure went down even when I was chewing Nicorette (My body had its daily nicotine level). So it must be something else in the cigarette that raises the blood pressure and heart rate.

Anyway if you want to stop smoking I highly recommend nicorette chewing gum.

[BelfastChild]

Nicotine replacement therapy can help, but on its own it is not usually sufficient. If all you use is NRT, chances are you will relapse. To give up for good, you need to make lifestyle/behavioural modifications. It is easy to rip that patch off when you have had a few too many beers to have "just one ciggie". Avoiding those circumstances or being aware of them in advance is probably more important than using a patch or gum.

I am not surprised that your BP improved. I remember a few people recently arguing that smoking cessation does not have much effect on BP. To them, I say again, BOLLOCKS!!!!

Keep up the good work Jimmy. :ok: But remember, NRT alone is usually not sufficient

[Re-entry]

I stopped smoking 12 yrs ago. I read a book called 'The easy way to stop smoking' by Allen Carr. I owe him a big thank you for improving my life.
I stopped cold turkey. I felt listless and spaced out for about 48 hrs after stopping, thereafter I felt normal again. In fact I quite enjoyed the feeling as I knew it was the poison leaving my system. A common phrase one hears is 'giving up smoking'. This carries the implication that it is something pleasurable, which it is not. This is the main mistake people make when trying to stop. As long as they think they are denying themselves their little pleasure,in the interest of a longer life or whatever, they are doomed to failure, and will eventually give in. After that they will smoke more than before because it has now become so valuable, like getting food after being starved.
The main thing to realise is you are vastly improving everything about your life by stopping the madness. You can breathe again, taste food , respect yourself, have money in your pocket, have the opposite sex enjoying your company and more.
I am sceptical of 'the patch' because it is trying to cure yourself of a drug addiction by giving yourself the same drug. It misses the point entirely.
BTW my mum is a life long heavy smoker who will only stop when her heart beats its last beat, and she is 75 yrs old. The point is those 75 yrs would have been much more enjoyable without being a slave to the stink sticks.

[rodthesod]

I concur with most of Re-entry's post. I stopped 'cold turkey' 14 years ago after smoking 35 years (40-60 full-tar a day for the last 15). It was much more difficult than giving up alcohol completely a few months later. Medical benefits of either/both (who knows) are fantastic. I was about to lose aircrew medical (BP & ECG problems) but didn't and was able to fly a further 12 years until my retirement 2 years ago. I'm overweight because I like eating, but my BP at 64 is 120/70 and resting 60bpm. I don't cough. I don't get colds, sore throats or tonsilitis any more. I smell better.
I took up windsurfing at 60 and kiteboarding at 63.
My friend and colleague saw the benefits I was experiencing and stopped smoking, using Nicorette, a few months after me. 14 years later I believe he's on 2 packs of the gum a day, but he doesn't smoke and he smells a lot better.

rts

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

I am not going to start smoking again. The improvment on my BP is so big that I dont want to risk it. I also feel much better. I have set my mind to enjoy the cravings for nicotine :-)

[el @]

I quit smoking about one week ago. My story is a bit strange because I had quit twice already in my life, always cold turkey. And both times I started again because hanging out with smokers and partying hard.
The first time, I had quit for three years. The second, for five years or so. Of course I agree with all the other have said so far, and because I do not really enjoy cigarettes, I think I have quite for good now.
One thing, if you party hard, and like to smoke 'something else' from time to time, pay attention, because these have been the factors that lead me to start again, twice.

[Re-entry]

Rod, I am curious about your thoughts on booze. A different beast and one I have yet to conquer.

[MarcJF]

I quit the fags for the last time in August 2005. Tried a few times before but it was always that one ciggie at a party that got me back on them. Then i had my second child, and one day it dawned on me, i want to be around to see our children grow up. I stopped that day and never looked back. Can't say it's had any effect on the BP though, have been monitored for years and it was never different before or after smoking. HOWEVER, recently met a new nurse, who persuaded me to give up salt, now THAT really did make a difference to the old BP. Try it...