Nicotine Replacement Chewing Gum

[nailit]

How safe is it to use nicotine replacement chewing gum long term?
I gave up smoking at the start of the new year and replaced cigs with nicotine gum. I thought that by now (nearly 6 months on) that I would be nicotine free but Im finding it difficult to drop down the dose and chewing for England at the moment. Tried dropping down from the 4 mill to the 2 mill but almost succumed to buying a pack of cigs so went back to the 4 mill.
Feel like ive swapped one vice for another.
Obviously not smoking is better than smoking but just wondered about the long term risks of chewing nicotine gum. (mouth cancer etc)
I just want to be rid of my vices...
Thank you.

(BTW... My smoking habits used to consist of 1/2 ounce of tobacco every 2-3 days. I'm now getting through 12, 4 mill chewing gum a day. Is that more or less nicotine than I was getting in 1/2 ounce of tobbaco, thanks)

[ToraToraTora]

you are still an addict mate, sorry but you are going to have to go cold turkey, well done for giving up the cigs but really you've simply changed your source of nicotine. I know it must be hard I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like but I do have friends who have given up and they all did it cold turkey. I have never know anyone quit any other way. Good luck.

[Pete65]

I stopped smoking cigarettes 8 years ago.
I went to GP and he suggested nicotine patches for quite a few weeks while I was cutting down.
I wore patches for around 7 days and have never smoked since.
I honestly did not find it difficult, but I understand that many do.
I smoked 20 Dunhill a day.

[nailit]

3T, 'you are still an addict mate, sorry ' No need to apologise m8, Im aware of that. I know that Ive replaced one source of nicotine for another, just wanted to know if my nicotine intake is less or more with gum. Thanks for your good luck.

pete, thanks, I did the patches before and went 12 month without. (about 3 month on patches and 9 month with nothing....and then I had a cigar at xmas...)

[Pete65]

Have another go, Nailit!
Many of us took several attempts.
Good idea to get GP support, I think.

[Tilly2]

Maybe E cigarettes would suit you better, nailit.

[ToraToraTora]

sounds like more with he gum, but still safe than actually smoking.

[Elina]

nailit, this link is American I think but probably all nicotine replacement gum works in the same way. If you scroll down to where it says .. gum, lozenge, mouth spray then click on gum .. takes you to a download ... then to page 3 (how does gum work) http://www.quit.org.au/preparing-to-quit/choosing-best-way-to-quit/nicotine-replacement-products

[nailit]

Hey, Tilly.How are you? Had a go of those E cigs. Horrible things!
Pete, I'll keep on keeping on. Thank you

[nailit]

will have a look elina, thanks

[ToraToraTora]

ah the old, "cigar at xmas" - lethal, if you stop you cannot ever ever have another smoke, or you're back on it. Very few people can smoke socially.

[nailit]

^^ too true^^ 3T
Learnt my lesson there

[ladyalex]

Have you tried the 'wait five minutes' technique nailit?
When you want a chew, look at the clock and tell yourself you can have one in five minutes. Then do something else. If after five minutes you still want one, have one. Keep this up for a day or two.
Then make yourself wait ten minutes before you have one.
Then twenty and so on.
The idea is that stopping 'forever' is a very big ask.
Stopping for five minutes is possible, then whenyou have done five minutes, ten is possible and so on.
Might be worth a try and even if you don't get to 'stop' at least you might reduce the amount you are chomping.
Good luck. Kicking an addiction is really really hard...but you know that.

[tamborine]

Gum goes into stomach & not as harmful as smoke in lungs that reduce oxygen in blood. Vapor in lungs no better imo.

Stay with gum or like me, extra strong mints. BOLuck

[twix123]

I gave up smoking 18 months ago; from a 40 a day habit down to zero within a few weeks. But I decided that the cost of nicotine gum was exorbitant compared with ordinary gum, and I also found the taste not to my liking, so I changed to ordinary gum. Now I may chew one piece of ordinary gum a week and the money saved all round is being put away separately and quickly mounting.

[vulcan42]

nailit,I stopped smoking in 1984 and used the nicotine gum for four years before changing to ordinary chewing gum for one year and I've now been off nicorette for twenty-seven years. My dentist can find nothing wrong in my mouth and I can't remember even having an ulcer. Some people might react differently to the nicorette but I've not had any problems with it.
Keep persevering, it will be worth it in the end.

[nailit]

Many thanks for all replies, very helpful.

[dannyk13]

Try alternating with normal chewing gum.It worked for me.

[nailit]

Thanks danny, will have to try that I think.