# addicted to nicotine gum



## nameless56 (Mar 26, 2011)

.


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## Daveyboy (Jan 13, 2013)

In some published studies, people have used nicotine gum up to five years, according to Richard Hurt, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Nicotine Dependence Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "As far as we now know," he says, "there are no heart or vascular problems associated with long-term use."

http://men.webmd.com/features/addicted-to-nicorette


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## slytherin (Dec 30, 2012)

You might die from the irony of it


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

Daveyboy said:


> In some published studies, people have used nicotine gum up to five years, according to Richard Hurt, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Nicotine Dependence Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "As far as we now know," he says, "there are no heart or vascular problems associated with long-term use."
> 
> http://men.webmd.com/features/addicted-to-nicorette


I seriously doubt that statement, or "as far as we know" is taken out of context since it can mean we "we don't have direct evidence." Nicotine is what causes the cardiovascular side effects associated with smoking, so I think it would be an extreme stretch to think that taking it in another form would somehow eliminate that risk. With that said though, chewing nicotine gum is going to be the "healthier" option between the two.


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## KrustyBroccoli (Apr 19, 2013)

it's not going to give you cancer, at least. i tried the gum but i can not seem to.stick with it. i self medicate thru smoking. i.just.can't.give it up. I'm not going to beat myself up about it though, because I'm a recovering alcoholic with 9 yrs sobriety. 

the more anxious i am, the.stronger my cravings.

honestly, I'd love to.drink again, i miss it. but i allow myself to smoke which.omg i love. I'm addicted, i admit it, but when having to.choose the.one that will.destroy my life the.most, smoking will F up my lungs, but drinking will F up my life. 

I'll take my.chances with my lungs.

if you can't give the gum up right now, keep trying. we all die eventually anyways, but if you're finding the stress of quitting hard, i know a man who has chewed the him for at least 10 yrs. he's fine. 

it's part of a smoking cessation program, yes, but there aren't any laws against it. do what you have to.do to make it thru, without giving up the idea of giving it up.


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## ourwater (Jun 2, 2012)

Does it effect your appetite?


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## KrustyBroccoli (Apr 19, 2013)

ourwater said:


> Does it effect your appetite?


nicotine is an appetite suppressant. if i could.give up smoking, if prob chew the gum just FOR the appetite suppression. beats emotionally eating


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

You could try tapering off. 10% per week or so less.

But really, if you can't quit it's better than the alternative.


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## nameless56 (Mar 26, 2011)

slytherin said:


> You might die from the irony of it


maybe i should use cigarettes again to cut my nicotine gum addiction lol


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## coconutt (Jul 3, 2012)

I know someone who has been addicted to the gum for years. He had a heart attack about 6 or 7 years ago and went straight on the gum and has never went off it. He goes through a strip a day, maybe 12 sticks.


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## anonomousey (Apr 14, 2013)

the only way to quit for good is not use any props like NRT. It seems really difficult but if you can get over the psychological addiction of thinking you have to have something there like the cigarette or the chewing gum, it's quite easy to stop. Getting over the physical addiction is nothing compared to the psychological.


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## Pam (Feb 14, 2009)

The gum gives you a buzz? It must be too high of a dose then. I used lozenges to quit because I figured I would just chew the gum constantly, but with the lozenges, you stick it down on your gum and cheek for a while until it transdermalizes itself (yeah, That's not a word, but) Then spit it out. I thought you aren't really supposed to chew the gum? IDK. 

Maybe you could switch to the lozenges--they aren't as pleasant to have in your mouth and they didn't give me a buzz-just kept a steady low level of nicotine just preventing withdrawal symptoms.


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## nameless56 (Mar 26, 2011)

Pam said:


> The gum gives you a buzz? It must be too high of a dose then. I used lozenges to quit because I figured I would just chew the gum constantly, but with the lozenges, you stick it down on your gum and cheek for a while until it transdermalizes itself (yeah, That's not a word, but) Then spit it out. I thought you aren't really supposed to chew the gum? IDK.
> 
> Maybe you could switch to the lozenges--they aren't as pleasant to have in your mouth and they didn't give me a buzz-just kept a steady low level of nicotine just preventing withdrawal symptoms.


ya it gives me a buzz that cigarettes don't and i love it but i feel its too good that there might be negative consequences but i use the 4mg and when i start chewing i pretty much zone out a bit and it helps me escape stress for a bit


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

I like the 'Inhalator' thing. Why is the gum so expensive, anyway? Is it expensive to make nicotine?


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

I used to like the gum but I developed a repetitive strain problem with my jaw - not joking. So I moved onto the lozenges that dissolve slowly in the mouth. They are OK. I have wondered, I know it is the nasty chemicals in tobacco that cause oral problems not necessarily the nicotine, but could lozenges and gum, etc., cause gum problems? I'm thinking about the vasoconstriction in particular.


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

Steve300 said:


> I like the 'Inhalator' thing. Why is the gum so expensive, anyway? Is it expensive to make nicotine?


It's really not.

A cigarette only gives you about 1 mg of absorbed nicotine. For $5 a pack it comes out to $0.5/mg. You can buy Nicorette with 320 mg of nicotine for $68. That comes out to about $0.2/mg. Which is quite a bit cheaper, actually. Even if you only absorbed 1 mg from each piece of gum, that's still $0.4/mg.


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## gumzomg (Jul 2, 2013)

Hi; I've been addicted to nicotine gum since 2005.
I have gone back to smoking cigarettes a few times between then and now, mostly when traveling or on vacation, but it is not the same....the gum is just way better imho....maybe because it's more powerful and doesn't taste like smoke? 

Anyway...I started out on 6-8 pieces of 4MG gum per day.
I'm now at 3-4 pieces of 2MG gum per day...I was able to cut down by cutting the 4MG pieces in half, and eventually I was able to switch to the 2MG pieces and cut those in half.

I've been trying to quit entirely or taper off for the past 3-4 years and I can't seem to do it. I've found though, that by substituting non nicotine gum (ie. orbits) that is not the same flavor of gum that I like (cinnamon for example is my fave in nicotine gum, walgreens brand, so I used mint orbits), I was able to get down to 2 pcs of 2MG per day.

To say the gum is not harmful is inaccurate. The problem almost everyone has with it (including me) is TMJ because your jaw muscles are constantly chomping 24/7. Another thing can be tooth problems; I myself have not had any teeth problems (yet) personally but I know people who have. I dunno..I brush and floss twice a day, maybe that has some positive effect. Another thing of course is that nicotine can cause heart problems as mentioned.

I have a bad oral fixation now after chewing the gum for so long too...like I chew ice cubes and stuff like that :| I think I want to switch to an e-cig or a patch just so I can get rid of this oral fixation stuff...

Anyway my point is that yeah it's nowhere near as dangerous as smoking tobacco is but there are still problems associated with chewing gum all the time. You will hear stories of people who go nuts and chew like 18 pieces of the 4MG gum each day too...that to me is insane.


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## nameless56 (Mar 26, 2011)

wow i tried going for a day after getting back from vacation told myself i was done with it after i get back home didnt even last an hour this is going to be tough i owe my mom about 200 in nicotine gum although i always pay her back i feel too dependent on these things


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## Damianstephen (Oct 28, 2013)

*Nicotine gum*

:afr. I chewed h nicotine gum for 5 months and 3 weeks.
Heard all kinds of horror stories about how hard it was to get off of.
I was concerned bc I didn't want to lose hair and teeth just to chew this stupid gum.
So I tossed my stash in the middle of the afternoon.
That was 8 days ago. I had ONE physical craving on day 4. That's it.
It can be done and quite easily.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

lonelyjew said:


> I seriously doubt that statement, or "as far as we know" is taken out of context since it can mean we "we don't have direct evidence." Nicotine is what causes the cardiovascular side effects associated with smoking, so I think it would be an extreme stretch to think that taking it in another form would somehow eliminate that risk. With that said though, chewing nicotine gum is going to be the "healthier" option between the two.


I dunno. I want to have fun shaving those hours off my life. Live dangerously and breathe the second hand smoke as you walk by those smokers. Take a walk on the wild side and chew that nicotine gum.


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## jimmythekid (Apr 26, 2010)

Maybe switching to patches would be a way to get off the gum. Because you only apply it once a day and your blood level is steadier, it won't be as addictive. Gum is more like, "I feel bad, chew some gum" 12X a day. Which is much more likely to become a habit that wearing a patch. In fact, I've heard of quite a few people chewing the gum for years, but haven't heard of anyone wearing the patches for years.


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## nameless56 (Mar 26, 2011)

WillYouStopDave said:


> I dunno. I want to have fun shaving those hours off my life. Live dangerously and breathe the second hand smoke as you walk by those smokers. Take a walk on the wild side and chew that nicotine gum.


well I've never been able to fully get off it but I've been off them for maybe a week or two and I'm broke right now so I can't buy anything even gum but I am planning on avoiding them for awhile. I realize everything is just more enjoyable when I chew nicotine gum, I have no idea but the buzz is not even enjoyable most of the time, only certain times when I chew it, it's like a headache but a spicy headeache if I can't explain it although that doesnt sound right but the ones i get not all of them give me the same feeling but I try to avoid it right now cause I can't concentrate.


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