Within the first week of using the patch you'll notice that your nicotine withdrawal symptoms will start to diminish. As you stick with your quit plan you should find that your cravings will lessen over time. It takes a few months for breathing to get better and many people feel a little worse the first month.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help with the difficult withdrawal symptoms and cravings that most people say is their only reason for not giving up tobacco. Using NRT reduces those symptoms. Many people can quit tobacco without using NRT, but most of those who attempt quitting do not succeed on the first try.

Over time (typically after 8 to 12 weeks), you should lower the dose with the goal of stopping use of the patch completely. The nicotine patch is typically worn for 24 hours. The patch can even be worn when showering or bathing.

Mild itching, redness, burning, and stinging at the application site may occur. Stop using this product and tell your doctor if redness caused by the patch does not go away after 4 days. Nausea, dizziness, flushing, heartburn, or headache may also occur.

At 15 to 20 cigarettes per day the amount of nicotine per day is more equal to the amount of nicotine in the nicotine patches (approximately 1 milligram per cigarette compared to 21 milligrams in the initial patch).

NRT can help relieve some of the physical withdrawal symptoms so that you can focus on the psychological (emotional) aspects of quitting. Many studies have shown using NRT can nearly double the chances of quitting smoking. It hasn't been studied as much for quitting smokeless tobacco, but the NRT lozenges may help.

Determining the patch dose For most people who smoke one pack per day or less, the following is a reasonable starting point: more than 15 cigarettes per day: 21 mg patch (Step 1) seven to 15 cigarettes per day: 14 mg patch (Step 2) fewer than seven cigarettes per day: 7 mg patch (Step 3).

Nicotine is water-soluble, so drinking water will help flush out any lingering traces. Water helps flush nicotine and other chemicals out of your body. Therefore, drinking water in sufficient quantities is a must for every smoker. However, it will make you urinate more often.

Determining the patch dose For most people who smoke one pack per day or less, the following is a reasonable starting point: more than 15 cigarettes per day: 21 mg patch (Step 1) seven to 15 cigarettes per day: 14 mg patch (Step 2) fewer than seven cigarettes per day: 7 mg patch (Step 3).

Using a nicotine medicine will not cause lung disease like smoking. Using a nicotine medicine is much less likely to cause heart disease than continued smoking.

Previous studies suggest that smoking tobacco or using nicotine patches can lead to a build-up of nicotine in the gut, which has been linked to more severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This condition can lead to liver failure due to scarring and harmful inflammation resulting from high levels of fat in the organ.

Weeks 1-4: You'll wear a nicotine patch that delivers a strong dose of nicotine - for example, 15 to 21 milligrams (mg) per day. Weeks 5-8: You'll switch to a weaker patch, one that may deliver 5 to 14 mg per day.