Nicotine / Cigarette Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Tobacco use is one of the greatest preventable cause of death and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has shown that tobacco use is a contributing risk factor for 6 of the 8 leading causes of death including lung and heart disease as well as cancer.  The benefit to health after successful smoking cessation is amazing.  After 30 minutes of stopping smoking, your heart rate would start to slow down to a healthy range.  After 3 days of stopping smoking, your breathing will get easier and your sense of smell may also improve.  After 3 years of stopping smoking, your risk of heart attack can be similar to that of people who have never smoked.

It is estimated that around 70% of people who smoke, say they want to quit or have tried to quit at least once.  However, the lack of motivation or willpower plus the withdrawal symptoms are a major barrier to successfully quitting smoking completely.  Other risk factors for failure to quit include;

• Early age when smoking started
• Heavy smoker (with more than 20 cigarettes consumed daily)
• Influence from friends or co-workers who smoke
• Pre-existing trigger factors factors such as stress or sedentary lifestyle
• High Fagerstrom’s Score

What are the common withdrawal symptoms ?

After you stop smoking completely, you may start to feel uncomfortable because your body has become dependent on nicotine to feel normal. These uncomfortable feelings are known as ‘nicotine withdrawal symptoms’ which may be mild or severe depending on different people.  These symptoms include the feeling of strong cravings for cigarettes as well as other symptoms such as feeling depressed, anxious, irritable, inability to concentrate and feeling restless.  It can also result in having dizzy spells, sleep disturbance, headaches, tremor of the hands, nausea, abdominal discomfort or constipation. 

The withdrawal symptoms are usually most intense in the first 2 to 4 days of stopping smoking but fortunately, they gradually subside within the next 2 to 4 weeks. 

How to cope with the withdrawal symptoms ?

• Chest tightness or cough.  Learn to relax by doing deep breathing (breathe in through your nose and breath out through your mouth) or drink frequent sips of water to prevent your throat from getting dry
• Constipation . Drink more fluids, eat more fruits and have a high fibre diet
• Feeling depressed. Socialise more with friends who do not smoke and do more outdoor activities like walking or sports
• Difficulty concentrating or feeling restless and irritable. Distract yourself by engaging in some hobbies like gardening
• Feeling hungry. Chew on healthy fruits or vegetables or chewing gum
• Sleep disturbance.  Avoid caffeine or learn relaxation techniques

Management

Tobacco cessation is most likely to be successful if the person undergoes a formal program which combines regular counselling and support by a therapist or counsellor together with medication therapy.

• Medication for smoking cessation aims to reduce the intensity of urges to smoke
• Counselling and behavioural education aims to provide motivational support to resist the urge to smoke

Medication Therapy Options

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is available in a variety of formulations such as lozenges, chewing gum, skin patch  and nasal spray which provide nicotine to the brain in slow and consistent small doses (which is different from quick and large doses from smoking or vaping). 

Consult your Pharmacist or Doctor about enrolling into a NRT program

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If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.