I'm a Big Pharma Spy.

[Rorschach]

Hi ECF Friends!

I'm not really a spy. I work in advertising and I'm now pitching for some NRT products for a big pharma company.

I'm thinking about giving up e-smoking for the next two weeks and give NRT a shot (it's part of a research project where I get to be a guinea pig).

I am glad our forum has an NRT area. Of course I will be checking the various topics in this area but does anybody have a preference for brand or modality of NRT?

I know I prefer e-smoking (yup i know it's not an NRT?) but why do we prefer e-smoking?

I think for me it's really about the inhale/exhale, using my hands, mimicking smoking that conventional NRT really just can't do.

Thoughts?

 

[LaceyUnderall]

It might be interesting to compare the puffer... if you have a choice. I never tried it because I could not get pass the fact that it looks like a tampon. But it would make for a good comparison as it is the closest thing to an ecig.

I have tried everything else offered and they all were horrible horrible experiences.

 

[surbitonPete]

I couldn't last even a day without climbing the walls on patches or gum......so I can't tell you anything .....vaping is the only NRT that works for me.

 

[nitewriter]

The only time I was remotely successful at quitting before e-cigs, (For 3 days) was with the Nicotrol inhaler. It tastes really nasty, but it somewhat satisfied the hand-to-mouth thing.

I was a 3ppd smoker for nearly 40 years. Thanks to e-cigs I have been smoke free this year! YAY!!!

 

[Rorschach]

I'll look into the puffer. I have tried the patch and gum before.

Anybody else get REALLY vivid dreams with the patch? Crazzzzzzy. hehe

Wish I could pitch the E-cig to my client! haha.

 

[mrl]

The first time I gave up smoking I found NRT to be tremendously helpful. The patches were all I needed. And I had given up for over a year, but because of stress in my life foolishly took up smoking again. The second time around I have found it very difficult. Even with patches and gum I would smoke, I was really overdoing it with nicotine and something had to give. It was the nrt that went. Since trying ecigs I have occasionally smoked, but this time I have been discusted by the analog ciggies and have prefered the ecigs. There is a difference between ecigs and analogs, the analogs have supporting chermicals which make them more addictive. Try NRT, it can work, but failing that ecigs are by far better than analogs.

 

[Faethe]

I'll look into the puffer. I have tried the patch and gum before.

Anybody else get REALLY vivid dreams with the patch? Crazzzzzzy. hehe

Wish I could pitch the E-cig to my client! haha.

I've heard people complain of that. The patch has 100mg of nic it in we figured out. Knowing how much 36mg messes with me, you could never get me to use one of those.

 

[Kitabz]

Of course I will be checking the various topics in this area but does anybody have a preference for brand or modality of NRT?

Hmm, none of them!

Gum - didn't read the instructions and popped one in and chewed it like gum. Bad idea. I thought I was going to puke in the middle of the street (OD).

Patches - I seem to absorb the nicotine too quickly and nearly collapsed with an OD [again] the last time I tried one. Probably shouldn't have been exerting myself/sweating moving furniture in retrospect.

Microtab - "burned" the underneath of my tongue - very uncomfortable, tasted terrible too and gave me heartburn.

Inhaler - very disappointing - I was expecting something like a cigarette but it was more like a straw that supplied an itchy throat.

Nasal spray - haven't tried it but would use snuff instead (see below)

Drugs, e.g., Chantix, Zyban - haven't tried any [and no plans to either]

Snuff - one of the better substitutes but clearly not an official NRT. A bit messy but otherwise better than all of the above. I got a bullet recently and this makes taking snuff much cleaner. If e-cigs are banned, this is what I will take to avoid going back to analogs.

 

[Doostin]

E-Smokes vs Nicotrol Puffer

Why the f*** would you patronize us with these??? As fas as quitting tobacco goes, do whatever works for you...but if I see anyone sucking on a tampon I'm just going to have to laugh my a** off at them!

But, if I do see someone using them inside at work, I'm going to start using my E-Smoke inside at work as well.

 

[breakfastchef]

I think for me it's really about the inhale/exhale, using my hands, mimicking smoking that conventional NRT really just can't do. Thoughts?

I think you are pretty much on track with your comments. We likely are all affected to some degree by the chemical, psychological and phycial aspects of analogs. Good luck with your experience. Judging by the dreadful success rates of NRT therapies, even using multiple modes at once, I expect you will be happily vaping very soon.

 

[Rorschach]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I expect to be vaping soon once the study is over as well.

 

[b00stzx3]

Ror, exactly what you said is what makes ecigs that much more effective than the NRT's. Nothing satisfies like the e-cig, and the Nicotrol inhaler is a joke compared to an e-cig. What's interesting is why your client hasn't thought of vaping before. Don't they spend millions on research? To make something not even like smoking at all?-patches (nightmares), the gum (nasty, burning, peppery), Chantix/Wellbutrin (pyschoactive drugs never good), Snus, uhm, cancer. They gave it a shot with Nicotrol but still missed the mark.

 

[Rorschach]

It is a very interesting question and perhaps something to explore if and when we get the biz. you'd think big pharma would be all over this.

 

[wv2win]

According to my doctor, the nasal spray gets the nicotine into your system quicker than anyother NRT method on the market. I tried the nasal spray (in fact I have a complete starter supply unopened) and it was the best IMO as far as relieving the nicotine urge. Just like all inhaled or chewed NRT's, it does have a buring sensation at first but your body adjusts with use and it's not as bad as the first few times you use it.

 

[WerkIt]

Aren't the success rates of quitting with Big Pharma NRT horrendously low? I would stick with e-smoking or snus, or ANY NRT from OUTSIDE of Big Pharma, were it me.

 

[Kitabz]

Aren't the success rates of quitting with Big Pharma NRT horrendously low? I would stick with e-smoking or snus, or ANY NRT from OUTSIDE of Big Pharma, were it me.

Well it depends on how you [they] phrase it - I believe it's something like double the chances compared with cold turkey but double a very low number is still a very low number. IIRC, it's about 5% cold turkey and 10% with NRT (based on considering it a success after one year).

 

[Tinky]

Pharma spy drew me right in and I had to look!!! Lol!!!

Funny you are going of Vaping and trying nrt...I'm going off nrt and starting to vape!

I've used nrt for the last 7 going on 8 years. I turned to vaping to cut back on nrt. I was up to 24-34 mg nico per day and starting to get unpleasant symptoms...most troublesome was heart palps at night. Also expense is a HUGE HUGE issue. I'm satisfied w a 18mg caro per day and this is much much cheaper in the long run than nrt off the pharmacy shelf.

Occ I would afford myself the luxury of buying name brand but since I went through so muc I usually just bought store brand. Target store brand was my favorite.

Gum: I like the original kind...the harder gum. The more recent formulas more like chewing gum SUCK. PERIOD. I'm not much for fruity favors or cinnamon...mint is ok as long as it is the original type gum.

Lozenges: my nrt of choice. Mint only. No minnies!!! No cinnamon.

Patches: very effective. Some prob w localized itching but minor inconvience. I wore mine on my deltiods and I noticed it would make my shoulder joints ache...I tried wearing it on my leg too...made my hip ache. No likey. So I didn't use patches often...only in a bind.

I still use small amts of gum at work. I don't vape at work. Gum is more discreet.

Enjoy your guinea pig ness!!!

 

[Tinky]

Recommended use for nrts "two weeks". That needs serious revision!

 

[minigoat]

Anybody else get REALLY vivid dreams with the patch? Crazzzzzzy. hehe

Yes, and it wasn't hehe either. I would literally wake up confused not knowing if it was a dream or reality. I could not wear the patch at night, no way. Don't even ask me about chantix, i didn't last a week on it.

 

[milo hobo]

An interesting study would be to put on a patch and switch to zero nic juice. I think that would provide a constant serum level of nicotine and allow you the chance to go into an extinction procedure for the habituation of the hand to mouth behavior. Then you would effectively have quit once you reduce the patch to no patch.