Smoking cessation clinic feedback

[Mark_T]

Thought some of you may be interested in this! I`m Mark, new to the forum, and 2 weeks into vaping. I bought 2 DSE901`s 15 days ago and havent had a regular cig since. I dont feel the need to have one either, result! This is after 22 years of smoking 25-30 cigs a day.

Anyhoo, i went to a local nhs clinic today to see what other options are available with NRT etc. There was a queue, and so I overheard a conversation between one of the "advisors" and an elderly lady who was trying to give up. The elderly lady mentioned she had really done well in cutting down, and was helped by her daughter who got her "one of things off the internet". The advisor reeled in horror and said, "oh not one of those e-cigarrettes is it? They still have nicotine in them you know, so you shouldnt use them as they are still giving you nicotine, we can only help you for 2 months otherwise you will become addicted to the nicotine" Honest to God, she came it with all this utter crap.

I nearly fell of my chair, this little old lady, who was likely incredibly impressionable, was lectured to for using e-cigs as "they still contain nicotine" and then the advisor promptly went onto explain the other options she should try, eg gum, patches, inhalators etc (all of course containing f***** nicotine). I was hoping I`d get this advisor, but i didnt, I wanted to have a one-on-one with her and tell her what i thought of her incredibly biased advice!

The advisor that saw me was actually very friendly, acknowledged that i used e-cigs and congratulated me for having a ZERO reading on the carbon monoxide test. She then went through all the options available and let me choose which NRT I`d like to try. (inhalator i thought would be best). I havent tried it yet as i have to buy it on prescription. I`m not sure if i ever will to be honest, as there is no step system in reducing the amount of nicotine using this device, its either some or None. Unlike our ability to reduce our nicotine intake to 0 using e-cigs.

Seems there must be a split opinion amongst the advisors at this particular smoking cessation clinic. Finally, to brighten up this story, I asked if its normal to fart so much after giving up smoking. She replied yes it is, and dont worry it`ll stop

 

[tinygod]

It isnt a hate for the product man LOL

its the fact that they can't charge your medicare for one.

Doctors/ health care providers / and pharmacudical companies make billions each year off of approved smoking censation producuts. I'm not saying that the stuff they offer isnt worth it, it is. Quitting cig's is something we should all really stive to do. But this is their job and their lively hood.

It would be like someone selling bottles of aspirin for 25 cent's on the internet, and you asking your doctor if you should buy them. hes not gonna say yes, hes gonna try and sell you the bottle he get's a cut of.

Plain and simple.

 

[Mark_T]

The answer was staring me straight in the face and I didnt see it. Thanks for the comment tinygod, you are no doubt spot on!

 

[tinygod]

The answer was staring me straight in the face and I didnt see it. Thanks for the comment tinygod, you are no doubt spot on!

No problem. Its hard to see thing's like that when your standing right next to them. Often times it takes a 3rd person to view the situation objectively.

Now, if the doctor had said somehting like. We don't know the effects of this vegitable based solution on your lungs, or there is a high risk of overdose. Anything else, it wouldn't have been so obvious. But he simply said, you know those have nicotine in them. And so does the gum. So you might as well use the gum. Plus the gum put's my kids through college.

There are some serious issues with these thing's though. And I hope they take off like wildfire, if for nothing more than the funded clinical research. Nicotine is a weird drug. If used properly its got almost NO negative effects, and a LONG list of positives (alerty, better concentration, increased motablism, etc. etc.) but if abused it can put strain the system and even lead to heart failure.

My number one concern comign into E-smoking was that I would over dose too often and do more harm than good. But after doing a lot of research it's safe to say you get more nicotine from a high dose patch than from a high dose Vape.

but I wouldnt suggest the 36mg stuff to ANYONE. I smoked near 2 packs a day, and that stuff Over dose's even me. the 16 is probably more than enough. Unless you only vape a couple times a day.

 

[Kate]

... it's safe to say you get more nicotine from a high dose patch than from a high dose Vape...

Hi Tinygod, could you tell me how this works? Thanks.

 

[dc2k08]

sad story. I hope you will meet the little old lady again and be able to advise her on the incentive behind her advisor's 'wisdom'.

 

[SpaceCadet]

Speaking of high doses - higher dose nicotine lozenge or gum = 4mg. That's worth 5 x 0.8mg cigs! Jebus!

Surely the CO tests are a better indication of health. People glug down Starbucks' caffeine-y crap without batting an eyelid, then get in their cars for even more of a lungful of toxic sh*t than eternal pedestrains like me have to endure. Pah!

 

[tinygod]

Hi Tinygod, could you tell me how this works? Thanks.

meaning that the maximum amount of nicotine contained in the high does Patches is far greater than that of the highest grade cartridges you can buy.

you would have to vape an e-cig with 36 mg liquid (to my knowledge no standard cart is that hight) to come close to matching a patch which can rate up to 44mg or higher.

its possible to get more nicotine out of an E-cig, but not through proper use. and the patch carries with it the dangers of doubling up. like smoking an anolouge while your wearing a patch.

wearing a patch when you go to sleep will give you night terrors. This isnt a nightmare either, its fking terrifying and can cause heart attacks they are so sureal. I had one, when passed out drunk with a patch on once. After that i never patched again.. i wen't to the gum, and than eventually to E-cigs.

 

[frogbmth]

I went to one of those NHS smoking things, instead of a walk in thing I had a weekly 1-2-1 appointment with a support worker at my health clinic. After a few weeks she told me she was leaving as she had a better job offer and didnt need to constantly try to get stats for her boss in the new role.

They have to stat their own value - how they have provided NRT to quitters leading to results - in order to get funds going forward. They can't supply the e-cig so that won't help their stats.

They aren't there for you, they are there to get the numbers to stay in a job.

 

[SpaceCadet]

Right, I'm on a rant now. I am so sick of the hypocrisy around nicotine. I dunno about elsewhere, but in the UK nicotine gum, patches etc just sit on the shelf in pharmacies, supermarkets - even pound shops. They aren't in childproof containers. They aren't obscured away behind the counter like cigs. Kids can easily nick them if they really want. And they are bloody strong! They are also horrible things and have a 90% fail rate in smoking cessation.

That's all I can say for now *froths at the mouth*

 

[dc2k08]

vape some nicotine. It will calm you down

 

[Kate]

Thanks Tinygod, I see what you are saying. I had no idea that patches had so much nicotine, 44mg is a lot, I wonder how much is actually absorbed.

 

[SpaceCadet]

vape some nicotine. It will calm you down

Ahh, Janty melon. All better now

 

[tinygod]

Thanks Tinygod, I see what you are saying. I had no idea that patches had so much nicotine, 44mg is a lot, I wonder how much is actually absorbed.

ALOT. And there are so many factors that are involved. People don't often talk about the dangers of the patch, because its so effective in helping you quit.

but let me state a few thing's I know from experience with it

1) 44mg is strong very very strong. I smoked 2 packs a day at one point ( military and bored = very bad habbit ) and the doctor told me even than that 44mg was probably too strong (its perscription only, or it was). But gave it to me in the end (i'm a big boy I said i can handle it, i alawys take the double dosage on motrin, why not this). I put it on and within minutes I was light headed sick to my stomace and had diahreah. MINUTES. like 3 at most. I had to go back and tell him I was wrong, and he gave me the lower dosage which worked great.

2) smking with a patch on can fking kill you. yeah its possible to have heart failure from that. So if your gonna cheat you litterally have to take the patch OFF and wait an hour beore you do, or your gonna at the very minimum feel sick. This isnt a big issue since you'd have to be wearing a 44mg and chain smoke. But its still a threat

3) its easy to forget your wearing it after a few months on it. It becomes a habbit. how many times have you looked into the mirror and realized you were half way done shaving without remembering even starting. Its just somethign you do. well putting the patch on is the same way after a while. and taking it off is a ritual as well. All it takes is one party where there is heavy drinking involved and you to forget your wearing it. Best case is you smoke a cig and feel sick, remember you have it on and take it off or stop smoking. Worst case is you end up going to sleep with it on. And you wake up with vivid flashbacks of some pretty nasty stuff, and takes you 20 minutes to catch your breath. as you cry uncontolably and shake in a corner. (that happend to me) they tell you Oh by the way you can have night terrors if you sleep with this on. But they dont go into exactly what a night terror is. Its one of the worst thing's ive experienced in my life.

the GUM is a MUCH better way to go, if your gonna use a product. It is easy to spit out, you don't forget your using it, same effect, and gives you something to do when your jonsing for that hand to mouth action.

 

[tinygod]

There used to be a pill around. havnet head much about it lately, its probably outlawed. My roomate quit using it though.

It basically made you wanna throw up when you smoked. you took it in the morning, before the urge to smoke hit you an it worked within about an hour and lasted all day. He said he wanted a smoke all the time, but if he managed to get a pill in him that morning there was no way he COULD smoke.

I watched him sneak one at a party and run to the bathroom lol. Probably gone for obvious reason, but that was a hell of an idea.

 

[SpaceCadet]

I think I'd rather smoke until an early death than use the products described here!

I'll keep me e-cigs fankoo verymuch

 

[tinygod]

I think I'd rather smoke until an early death than use the products described here!

I'll keep me e-cigs fankoo verymuch

to be fair the gum is pretty good, I keep a box in the office for a pinch situation, where my E-cig runs dry. it does the trick.

and has very few drawback's