Nicotine patches and their doses

There is a reason for prescribing doses whenever you are asked to take a medication. Doctors and medical experts want to guide you and protect your organs. Also, they are looking for a way to strike a balance between underperformance and over performance of a drug.

If a doctor gives you a prescription or advice on how to take a medication, you will be doing yourself a great disservice if you do not obey the recommendation. The chemical components of a drug are specially formulated to be active over a period of time and after a certain amount of the drug have been taken. So, disobedience means you are hurting yourself.

In the same vein, nicotine patches have doses. The three doses are the 21mg nicotine patch, 14mg nicotine patch, and the 7mg nicotine patch. They all have their usefulness and importance. There is a reason for differentiating nicotine patches based on their abilities and the amount of nicotine contents they have. Just so you know, a nicotine patch helps you quit smoking gradually and strategically. It is worn on the skin and it passes nicotine into the bloodstream from time to time. This means that you do not have to smoke or inhale harmful substances to give your brain and body the nicotine it desperately craves.

The 21mg nicotine patch is the most powerful and it contains more nicotine contents than other doses. This is where the habitual smokers start from. The 21mg nicotine patch is equivalent to a daily dose of 15 sticks of cigarettes. The patch is worn on a dry skin. Any attempt to wear the patch on an oily surface or hairy surface may prove counterproductive and cause irritations and discomforts.

The 14mg nicotine patch is ideal for people that smoke less than 15 sticks of cigarettes every day. It is the intermediate dose and downward movement from the 21mg dose to the 14mg dose means you are gradually progressing in your attempt to withdraw from nicotine and quit smoking.

The 7mg nicotine patch is the lowest dose. A person that moves from the 21mg patch to the 14mg patch and then the 7mg patch has improved remarkably. This means, to a certain extent, the person’s brain is adjusting to been able to function without nicotine. Usually, the nicotine replacement therapy takes about 12 weeks or 3 months to complete.

Are there side effects of any of these doses of nicotine patch?

Yes, there are a few side effects. They include

• Dizziness
• Diarrhoea
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Skin irritation or redness
• Severe rash
• Seizures
• Abnormal heartbeat

If you experience of the side effects mentioned above, make sure you reach out to your doctor immediately.

Before using the 21mg, 14mg, or 7mg nicotine patch, do the following

1. Discuss your allergies with your doctor. Some people are allergic to having tapes on their skin. So, such a person may explore other alternatives such as nicotine gums, lozenges, and nicotine inhalers.
2. If you are taking some drugs presently, let your doctor know about it.

• If you have experienced unpleasant health conditions such as ulcer, heart attack, chest pain, and high blood pressure. Make sure you tell your doctor. This will help him in his decision making process.