NicoDerm CQ Step 1 Opaque Patch, 21 mg, 2-Week Kit (14 patches)

I have tried everything and this is the only thing that worked for me. I have just finished the Nicoderm 3 step program and have not had a cigarette in 2 1/2 months! You can do it too and the patch will make it possible. There are a few tricks:

1) Do not even bother unless you really want to quit--you must have a purpose.
2) The night before you want to start, make sure that you smoke ALL of your cigarettes, every last one (or flush them down the toilet to get them out of sight and mind). When you are ready to go to sleep, put on the patch.
3) When you wake up, the patch is working, its up to you at that point.

Good luck! Anyone can get rid of their addiction if they really want to with the patch.

PS: I also had really wonderful and vivid dreams.

If you are here and thinking about Step 3 of the "NicoDerm CQ Stop Smoking Aid, 7 mg, Clear Patch, 2 Week Kit 14 patches", it probably means you have successfully completed Step 2, and maybe even both Step 1 and 2. If you are just thinking about quitting and haven't started yet, please see my review of Step 1(those smoking closer to pack a day or more) or Step 2 (1/2 a pack a day or less). Step 3 is not a starting place, but more of a weaning off the patch place.

Okay so here I am and I just past the 6 month mark of no cigarettes after 40 years of being addicted. I don't have to tell you how the patch works, as you have already been on at least step 2. I finished up this patch program in October, so I've been 4 month without the patch, and I'm doing fine. I will not tell you that you will not get cravings, or just feel like it is time for a smoke, but they are no where as bad, and much easier to get through then before.

What I want to say about this step 3 patch, is that it was hard to go from step 2 to step 3 and it was even harder to wake up one day, knowing that would be the day, I'd have no patch at all. But if you got this far, go for it.And of course, you already know that the patch will give you the physical needs, but you have to keep denying those mental cravings. Imagine, going to the movies, without worrying about how long it is and will you make it through, or not having to go out into
the cold or rain for a smoke, etc. etc....

Anyway, I never thought I would quit. I never even really had intentions of quitting(even knowing what the consequences might be). Guess it just dawned on me one day, that the cigarettes had more control over my life, then my own mind did.

So why I am going 4 stars, if it worked so good? A couple of reasons. If you have read my reviews on the first two steps, you may remember that I said that no matter which brand I used I had to secure the patch with medical tape. They just don't stick the full 24 hours like they should(the package said they would even stay on in the shower). And these are just too expensive to lose. I also mentioned, the tendency is to gain some weight. You have to really be careful about that. One nice thing is though, that you will have more lung capacity to work out longer and burn those calories!

So Don't Stop Now! You CAN do it. Go For Step 3
Oh and by the way, the Rite Aid(look for it near the pharmacy dept at your local store) brand costs less and works the same. I also seem to recall that they came in packs of 7 patches, as well as the 14 so you could just buy enough for one more week if necessary.

Laurie...a little heavier(I'm working on that part)...but..alot healthier!

If you are ready for Step 2 of the Patch Program you are doing great. It means you have made it through Step 1 or it means that you smoke less then 10 cigarettes a day to start with, and you can start with this step 2 patch!

Having recently gone through the entire patch program, I can tell you it worked for me. I smoked for 40 years, and didn't think I would ever be motivated to quit. If anyone mentioned it to me, I said, "yeah, yeah, tommorrow" . All of a sudden I decided it was time, I was tired of being out in the cold, or rain whenever I wanted a smoke, or checking to see how long a film was before I would go to a movie. Here's the thing though, these patches will give you what you need physically, it's the mental part that's really tough. You really have to choose NOT to smoke, every time that craving hits.

I am reviewing the patch program in general, as I purchased which ever brand was on sale, and found they all worked the same. The best price wise I found was the Rite-Aid brand(called Nicotine Transdermal System). It followed the same program as this one. If you have gone the route of saying, "we don't need no stinkin patches", and tried to do it on your own, cutting down day by day unsuccessfully, then give this program a try.

I smoked about a pack a day. I started with Step 1 which constantly deilvered 21 mg of nicotine to me. Even for me that seemed like more nicotine then I was used to, so if you are closer to a half a pack a day smoker, I would suggest starting with step 2. The instructions tell you to first set a date. You can't just buy them and stick a patch on. You have to have it in your mind, that the date you pick will be the date you will quit. Don't schedule your first quit day at the time of some big or stressful upcoming event. I gave myself a week of having the patches in the house, before I used them. It was not easy(I still have times when I want to smoke, but it gets easier to get through those times every day!). After 3 weeks(less then the recommended time of 4-6 weeks), I stepped down to a 14 mg patch(step 2) and 3 weeks after that to step one(7 mg). That was the hardest to give up and took me a few extra days to get it in my mind that I didnt need it.

Making a list of the reasons you want to quit is helpful, giving yourself little rewards every so often(no, not a cigarette), helps, but mostly, finding something to do when the cravings hit. Yes they do still hit on the patch. With me, it was after a meal, or driving, even after writing a review, I really wanted one. Keep in mind, the cravings WILL pass. Try to follow the instructions. They may seem corny, but they will help. The only instruction I didnt follow, was to throw out all cigarettes, so you wont have them. This part did not work for me, I needed them there, to feel in control of my actions. They are still unopened.

Get some support from friends. Tell people what you are doing. Then you may feel like you HAVE to live up to it, and also, they will understand when you want to punch them out(try not to do this!)

You should also invest in a roll of some medical tape. These patches(all the brands) did not stick for 24 hours like they said they would. I would often wake in the middle of the night and find the patch had fallen off and then I panicked. Stick a little tape on them, they are too expensive to lose.

Yes, what is in these patches in not healthy(but neither is cigarettes, right?). You need to wash your hands, whenever you touch them and make sure, kids or pets dont touch or ingest them either. But, you will no longer be inhaling all these chemicals, and when you are through, you are through!

Each time I started the next step, it seemed like it was starting over. The first few days of each were VERY hard. But I got through it. I don't know if I will ever smoke again. I always imagine some crisis will have me opening up one of the packs. But I have been smoke free for well over 3 months now, and getting close to a month without help from the patch, and I am doing fine. You won't know if they work for you unless you try. The cost for a 2 week supply is around the same price as a carton of cigarettes. You can buy them in packages of 14, or if you feel you only need a week more, they also come in packages of 7. Some are clear and unnoticable as well.

Go for it, you have nothing to lose(except the addiction) by trying, and Good Luck!
Laurie

P.S. Oh yeah.. be prepared to gain some weight. Then switch to fresh and healthy snacks, and it'll start coming off again!.

If you've come this far, you are at least entertaining thoughts about quitting. That's important.

Simply put, the patch worked. I had smoked 1 1/2 packs a day for 29 years, and had attempted to quit cold turkey on numerous occasions. Nothing helped me. I became almost psychotic, and always returned to my cigarettes after a few days.

You must feel like quitting for the patch to work. It's not a silver bullet that takes away all desire for tobacco. It simply takes the big edge off your nicotine withdrawal symptoms, which is a huge boost. You then take care of the motivational "triggers" yourself -- and believe me, it's far easier than you think, once the nicotine cravings are gone. If I can do it, you certainly can, too.

I did not suffer any kind of rash, and the only side effects I had were vivid dreams (nice) and a sort of occasional, pleasant drowsiness.

Within six days of dropping the habit and using the patch, my blood pressure dropped to normal. I had more patience. I breathed deeply and without coughing. My sense of taste and smell improved. My circulation was better (no more cold feet or hands on a chilly night), and I had noticeably more energy. Even my skin improved. And my sex life certainly did, also. There were other, less obvious differences, but ones which I definitely felt. These were evidence of a body beginning to heal itself after 29 years of poisoning.

After two weeks my urges were barely noticeable. After four weeks, I didn't think about cigarettes anymore, and couldn't stand smelling one burning from across the street.

And I gave myself back about 21 hours a week that I would have wasted smoking.

Please, if you have had trouble quitting before, get the patch and follow the schedule. Make the commitment. It's not scary, nor is it torture to say goodbye to those coffin nails. It's an adventure. Within just a few weeks, you'll be looking at smokers with pity (and feeling great while you do). I came through it, and you can too.

I like most others have tried repeatedly to quit smoking. I have failed many, many, many times. I will not say that Nicroderm CQ is what made me stop because that is NOT true. I failed many, many, many times even with the use of Nicroderm CQ. What I will say about Nicroderm CQ is that I truly believe that it gave me the help that I needed to stop smoking when I WAS READY!

Nicroderm CQ does not take away ALL of your cravings but it really does make a lot of them managable. I do not think that I could have done it with out the help of a nicotine patch.

I have also tried other "cheaper" patches and I found that Nicroderm CQ was worth the extra few dollars for a lot of different reasons. The most important reasons are that they stick better. You would think that is not a huge deal but let me tell you when your patch is always falling off then you are not getting the "help" or nicotine from the patch that need. Nicroderm CQ sticks really good. Another reason I would choose Nicroderm CQ is that there is a great support program that comes with the patches. I believe that you really can not quit smoking alone (it would be difficult) and with these patches you don't have to. There is a pamphlet inside the box with phone numbers and a`website. You answer some questions and they do the rest. There is a lot of information, you can call 24 hours a day to talk to someone, and the website is very informational. Support is not only there for you when you are suceeding but support is also there for you if you slip up or even if you fail completely. They do not judge you, instead they provide resources and information about trying again when YOU are ready.

If you are reading my review then I am assuming that either you or someone you know is looking to quit smoking...and no matter what route you or the person who is quitting takes I wish you (or them) the best of luck! :)

The patch helped my nicotine cravings. The first few days were the most challenging, as all my habits and smoking places had to be avoided. But the physical nicotine craving was taken care of by the patch. The patch helped minimize my intense cravings for nicotine. I would never have been able to quit smoking without this patch. It's been four weeks now and I'm still not smoking--and I'm still wearing the patch, but wearing the Step 3 with less nicotine. What has changed is that some days I forget to put on the patch until after lunch or later...my early morning nicotine cravings have sort of dwindled away. I won't lie to you--I still have moments of heavy cravings, but they're temporary and have been fairly easy to overcome. And they are getting less frequent. If you want to quit smoking, try the patch.

Update as of August 27, 2008:
Still not smoking. I highly recommend the patch.

Update as of October 24, 2010:
Still not smoking. No urge to smoke. No relapses since quitting. As I said, I couldn't have quit on my own. The patch really helped. I wanted to add that when I was using the patch, I would sometimes cut it in half with scissors so that I could control how much nicotine I got. They don't recommend it on the instructions, but if you find that when you're using these that you are feeling a little too pumped up with nicotine or kind of lightheaded, maybe you only need half. Cut the patch and wear half of it and therefore you'll get a lesser amount if needed. Just a tip I thought of. But definitely ask your doctor about doing this to make sure he or she agrees. What works for one person may not work for someone else.

was a smoker for over 10 years. I purchased this when I wanted to quit smoking and it worked so well. I have now been a non smoker for 2 years. I followed the plan and set a date.I told as many people as I could so that every time I wanted to cave in to a craving I would know I would have to face all those people and tell them I had failed. I also bought cinniman sticks. You can suck on them and they are the shape of a ciggarette and the taste of the cinniman is soothing and gets you through those tough cravings. One thing to remind yourself is that by giving in your cravings you go back to the startline , So wether you have one hr or two weeks under your belt try to tough it out keep that time under your belt its very dicouraging to have to start from scratch. If it does happen though just pick yourself up and start again. It feels really good to be a nosmoker, I never want to be smoker again.

Simply put...the patch works if you are really ready to give up the cigarettes. I've been a smoker for 30+ years and it's now been three months since I've I had one and about a month since I have been off the patch. (I started with stage 2)I did have a bit of a rash now and then at the patch site but it was a small price to pay for the results. I'm now trying to convince my husband to give it a try...he still smokes but is finally coming around to the realization that he needs to quit. (His brother died last year from lung cancer at age 48)Let's face it...it's a stupid and nasty habit that we all need to break if we want to live! Give it a try for your self and for the ones that would like to have you around for awhile.

I smoked, 14 years, about a pack every two days, sometimes more, and I started with this, the lower-dose program. It really helps. Using the patch separates two aspects of quitting, the physical addiction, and the habit/lifestyle of smoking. I highly recommend this route--by the time you step down the nicotine level, you're completely used to not smoking--not going out for smokes at work, after meals, at bars....
I had very close support (supervision) which was also really helpful. Had I been alone, especially at the crucial points--day one, two and three, and all the step-downs in dose--I would have smoked.
I did smoke once at about week seven, total waste, increased my cravings for a few days. Other than that, I've been smoke free for 12 weeks. Feel great, can taste and smell, get a ton of work done....I still miss it, still think about smoking, wish I could smoke one or two when out, maybe in a few years....
I did not keep the patch on overnight, did once by mistake, caused nicotine OD, felt horrible for a day.
Based on some info from friends, you have to buy the name brand here, not the generic. The important part of the patch is the delivery system and adhesive, and the generics don't measure up (I use all generics unless there's a good reason not to).
Find good reasons to quit (health, social limitations, long flights, expense) and use the patch to supplement your own will power. Got to quit sooner or later, might as well spend the dollars and do the patch and quit now, before it's (seriously) too late.
P.S. The patch can cause a bruise, like a vaccination, try different areas til you find one that doesn't get irritated.

I started my smoke free journey almost 3 months ago. I wasn't too sure if this would work because i started smoking when i was 13. I am now 24 married, my wife and i are having our first kid. I wanted to quit because i didn't want to be controlled by an addiction anymore. I could've cared less about the price,health risk, or the smoking bans. I pretty much smoked a pack a day and decided for to start with step 2 because reviews i saw that said step 3 was very strong. I recommend if you can go 2 hours without smoking then try step 2. I have tried to quit before using hypnosis, electric cigarettes, and just quitting cold turkey. Nothing has ever worked but i also wasn't quitting for the right reasons i was quitting for other people. You have to truly want to quit to quit successfully. I was very surprised that it does knock down the cravings. You still have them they are just a lot weaker and can be ignored. I was doing so good the first week(I even threw a full pack away)then the last day of the week came. I couldn't concentrate, I was over stressed at work(I am the boss by the way), and my employees were testing my patience. I had a weak point and smoked a cigarette. At first it felt good, then i realized i just screwed myself over by giving in. I was so depressed that day i tried my hardest not to smoke, but I broke down and had one anyway. I thought the whole process had to halt just because i smoked. The next day i decided to stick with it mostly because cigarettes tasted like crap after a week without smoking(you wouldn't think it would only take a week, but it did). I smoked two more times(a week between each time). I realized the three things that were going to help me quit 1.) THE TASTE for a smoker i loved the taste of a cigarette especially with a beer. After a week it tasted like someone poured an ashtray in my mouth. 2.) IGNORE IT find a new hobby trust me you can find one real easy when trying to keep your mind off smoking. 3.) I hated this one DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL trust me(I even went without drinking beer on the super bowl, i drank liquor though. I crave a cigarette the most when i drink beer i could smoke three packs in a night when drank a lot of beer. I only drink heavy like maybe twice a month because of work. The point is figure out what your weaknesses are avoid them, then gradually come back to them. Trust me i celebrated two days after my last patch with a lot of beer. Cravings do not go away after i finished the patch i started to realize that they never go away you were just building your mental resistance to them. The BIGGEST thing to remember is THEY GO AWAY if YOU IGNORE them. I have an addicting personality so if i can do it anybody can do it. Alright i am done writing my novel.

I am pleased with the Nicoderm product. The product worked really well. It took my cravings away so I can concentrate in modifying my habits. Specially when drinking a beer. I completed the program without a fall back. This is the first time I can feel free of the habit. I miss the social aspect of smoking but I feel so healthy and in control and that's a great feeling. I felt some anxiety when I went from Step 2 to 3 but it was a couple days only. You hardly feel the patch although I found it can get detached if you sweet a lot. Once I was done with the program the first weekend felt like a child loosing their security blanket. After the first couple of days my confident went up and I am still smoking free. IS AWESOME! Another thing, the product said you might get live dreams if you wear while sleeping. I got those dreams. It was sort of cool dreams. Like me, if you get cravings when you wake up or before going to bed the patch can protect you 24 hrs. It worked for me.

I have been smoke free since January 2005 with thanks to these patches. I have unsuccessfully tried other methods in the past and am so grateful for these patches. If you decide you wish to quit smoking these could be the help you need to get over the physical cravings, just like they did for me. They seem to induce colorful epic dreams too!

I've tried to quit countless times in the past, each time convincing myself I could do it without any help. Countless times I was wrong.

About a month ago I decided it was time to quit for good and chose "the patch" as the method I would use. So far so good.

What people need to realize is dependance on smoking consists of two things: addiction and habit.

Everyone talks about the addiction. Your body grows dependent on nicotine, which causes a great deal of the pain and suffering you go through when you attempt to quit. People seem less concerned about the habit your body develops when it comes to the actual act of smoking.

I smoked for 10 years and smoked approximately a pack a day. That means my body became used to me going through the motions of smoking 20 times a day. Thinking about it even further, that's 70 times a week, 7,300 times a YEAR. So I went from going through the act of smoking over 70,000 times in a ten year span to zero. Your body is going to try and reject that. Couple that with your nicotine withdrawal and your body is at war with your willpower.

The patch won't make you go "Hey, I don't need cigarettes ever again!" Your body will most likely still want them. The difference will be that your nicotine withdrawal will take a lot less of a toll on your body. The Nicoderm Step 1 patches are to be used for six weeks for someone who smokes a pack or more a day. Part of this is to control the nicotine addiction, but a larger part of it is to help divert your will to quit smoking towards making sure you stop yourself from the actual act of smoking. You have to break the habit before you can break the addiction.

The ONLY issue I have with these patches is the marks it leaves on the skin. They're reminiscent of the outline a bandage leaves when it has been on your skin for an extended period of time. This can be remedied with an astringent and a cotton ball, so it's not horrendous.

After 15 years of smoking and countless efforts to quit, I finally am convinced this will help me enough to keep my will power strong.
I have not had one craving since my first patch.

A few remarks though;
I get terrible dreams when sleeping with the patch. You might consider taking it off when you go to bed and setting the alarm a tad earlier to put on your morning patch and doze off again.

The other thing is, don't "over estimate" your cigaret count. I smoked about 10 to 12 cigarets per day and started with the step 1 patch.
Keep those for people who smoke 20 or more.

The first 24 hours on it I was fine, great, no cravings. But the dosage was too high for me and after a while your body reacts to that.

It made me feel very jittery, really hyper, I got a headache and my heart was racing. All that meade me feel like I was under a lot of immediate stress.

The step 2 works very well for me.

I was very much ready to quit, so if you are too, give this one a try.

Also, there are state wide programs that you can call to speak with a sympathetic, trained person, which helps me, and sign up online with the Nicoderm website. They send you tips and support via email based on your responses to the questionnaire you fill out.

The more help the better. It is not just the patch that will work, but all the other things too, like online support, telephone sessions and help from family and friends.

I wish you succes; if I can do it, so can you!
CC

Works great if you have the will power to stop. These are not magic patches where you never get a craving to smoke again for the rest of your life. But they do work very well as they help stop the cravings. You will still get cravings every once in a while, so you have to have the will to really quit. If you don't REALLY want to quit, no product is going to help you, so don't waste your money until you're 100% ready to stop smoking!

ONCE YOU DECIDE TO QUIT WHICH IS THE KEY "YOU HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT" THEN DON'T HESITATE TO PUT ON A PATCH. I SMOKED FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND TRIED UNSUCCESFULLY ON MANY OCCASIONS TO QUIT WITH NO SUCCESS. I REALLY WASN'T READY TO QUIT WHICH IS WHY I FAILED. THIS TIME I MENTALLY PREPARED FOR WEEKS AND CUT DOWN MY DAILY SMOKES UNTIL I KNEW I WAS READY. I WAS DOWN TO MAYBE HALF A PACK WHEN I STARTED WITH THE #2 AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PATCH TOOK AWAY ANY DESIRE TO SMOKE. GRANTED THERE ARE TIMES THAT I GET THE MENTAL URGE TO SMOKE EVEN NOW BUT I LEARNED THAT IF YOU IGNORE IT WITHIN 5 MINUTES IT'S GONE. I AM JUST SO HAPPY TO HAVE FINALLY GIVEN UP THIS TERRIBLE HABIT. BEST OF LUCK

I started smoking about 4 years ago. Up until a few months ago, I wasn't fully motivated to quit. One day, it hit me that I was ready to quit, but I decided I needed a helping aid. And they were successful! I am just over 2 months clean now and feeling wonderful. I smoked around 8 cigarettes daily, so I decided to start with step 2. These patches really truly helps satisfy your cravings! I would have had a hell of a time trying to quit without these. The thing is, you have to ACTUALLY SERIOUSLY be ready to quit. If your not, well then these would be a waste of money. In my experience, the first few days were the toughest. I bought two boxes of these, which was a total of 30 patches- 1 for each day of the month. I only personally needed to buy two, and I am no longer purchasing them. But this will be different for everybody, so if it takes you longer or shorter, so be it!

Its important to differentiate your physical/mental cravings, recognize them, and then let them go. Accept that your mind WILL think about smoking, then forget it and think of how much money you'll save & how much healthier you'll be! Also, smoking is a nasty habit so you'll no longer be embarrassed everytime you take that smoke break at work.

Buy these :)

I have tried Chantix, and went back to smoking, this works the first day, i was able not to smoke by the first day, going 14 hours without thinking about it. This is the way to go

I have smoked for 33 years and tried to quit so many times, but couldn't quit. I started NicoDerm CQ step 2 because I smoked only 8 a day, I started this on April 3, and I'm on my 5th week of being smoke free! I cannot ware when I sleep because of the dreams, so I just put on one when I wake up, and these work great! I feel so much better and free after being tied to this addiction for 33 years! Hey I can breath again! Before I couldn't take a deep breath with out coughing. I feel so free! Thanks NicoDerm CQ for giving me my life back!

Good product, cut my cravings and was big help. You still must be mentally ready to quit. This product is not the complete answer to quiting smoking but a big help.

As a HEAVY smoker 2 1/2 packs a day for 14 years.. I was Desperate! I wanted to quit so bad.. but couldn't STAND nicotine withdrawl! I used these patches CORRECTLY .. Step 1-3 Along with a "cigarette" (N Joy) Menthol and puffed on it "sometimes"... it helped me quit.. 3 months NO ANALOG SMOKING! Wooohooo thanks =)

As everyone else says you first must have the desire and dedication to quit smoking. The patch helps with the cravings....that's all. I have been smoke free for 1 month now and I credit myself first and the patch second. Boy do I feel better!!!

I found that this took the edge off but you still need a strong will to quit. If you don't really want to it wont work. You will notice that the physical cravings will not be there but the mental ones will stay. I am now on my fourth week and the mental craving do go down with time. You need the support of friends and family for this to keep you strong. It is not a wonder drug but it is the only way I know that has worked for me.

I utilized this product for seven weeks and am now a non-smoker. Patches took all the cravings away and after 35 years and 3 packs a day as a smoker. Have your Dr. prescribe Zoloft as well and quitting becomes very easy...

It has been 3 months since I stopped smoking, so I would like to think that it has worked for me. I was smoking less than 10 per day, so I started off with the Step 2 and then did the Step 3.

I have had to fight off intense craving at times and will say that it was possible only with immense will power and family support.

The only complaint I had with the patches is that, it left patch marks on my arms and would not stick for the full 24 hrs.

I've been smoking a pack a day for nearly 13 years. I decided to quit, which is the biggest factor in all of this, and bought the patches. I used step 1 for 14 days and did not smoke one cigarette. I am no longer using the patch and I have no desire to smoke again. They work, as long as you let them.

For my friend, this worked and he got rid of smoking in a couple of weeks. But for me,it did not work so well. Even when I used one I still felt the need to smoke. Buy it only if you have a strong will to quit smoking, by strong I mean willing to do anything to stop.

These patches are so much easier to use in smoking cessation that the gun! You put one on and forget it for 24 hours. No fiddling with the dosage, no fudging. You get your dose in an even flow all day, with no temptation to increase it as can and does happen with the gum. The thing is, if you are addicted to nicotine, you will escalate the number of times per day you chew the gum just as you escalated the number of cigarettes you smoked per day. If it were not for the patch, I'd still be smoking! Oh, and I much prefer the opaque patch to the clear on;. they seem to adhere better.

I have only been smoking for 3 years, so this review may not help you if you've been smoking a lot longer than that. I started on step 2 because I smoked less than 10 a day. First of all, I tried quitting a year ago cold turkey and only made it a week. I kept getting dizzy, nauseous and extremely irritated when I had no assistance with nicotine replacement therapy.

I'm now going on 5 weeks smoke free and feel so much better than before! I work in construction where I'm surrounded by cigarettes and chew all day, but with the patch I just keep it on and it sure does help with the dizziness and nausea. For the first few days I would have intense cravings throughout the day, but they lasted all of 30 seconds or so. These occurred mostly when I was driving, after eating, and of course if I saw someone else smoking. But I had none of the painful withdrawal symptoms like when I tried to quit cold turkey a year ago. MIND OVER MATTER. It sounds corny, but it really helps me get through this. Everyone will take to quitting in their own ways. My way was to keep myself extremely busy (work, errands, chewing gum) and by keeping myself away from alcohol and friends who smoke. Once you get through the first 3 or 4 weeks of not smoking, it gets a ton easier.

As for the patch sticking/staying where you place it, it can be a pain once in a while. I found that the best spots are the back over the shoulder blades, inside and outside of your biceps, and the back right under the rib cage. I use an ace bandage/arm band to keep them on when I put them on my biceps. Anywhere else and they will have trouble staying on, especially if you sweat a lot in those areas. The patch can also itch a lot, but this lasts about 5-10 minutes after you put it on. I also have sensitive skin, but I don't have any problems with rashes or things of that nature. They're also much cheaper at a wholesale club and come with more than two weeks of patches in the box.

Good luck! You'll feel so much better quitting, along with smelling better! And the extra cash in my pocket every week is nice as well.

It should have cost twice as less, as there is twice less patch in the package. It's perfectly fine to buy Step I and cut it in halves. It works in just the same manner. Company's statement about not cutting the patch is bs.

it seems to be working. I am now three weeks
without smoking after smoking two packs per day
I just hope after step three I don;t go back
t

The Nicoderm product is not bad but it made me a bit jittery. I got a bit nervous that it could affect my blodd pressure so I stopped. Everybody reacts differently I guess. My friend did stop smoking completely because of it though.

Didn't even upwrap - saw the list of chems and backed off. Better to read a book i figured. Sure did and it worked.Read Richard Craze's The Voice of Tobacco and see what he has to say about patches.