NRT (Nicotine patches) & ectopics / irregular heartbeat [Archive]

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n3r0x1k

14-03-21, 13:15

Hey everyone,

Background:
I've been a heavy smoker (1-3 packs a day, last few years 1 pack) for the past 23 years (39 yr old male). The hike in prices also made me smoke less, now at $17 CAD (equivalent to $13.63 USD, $11.40 EUR for the rest of the world). So basically, spending over $6k yearly is no longer my cup of tea.

Reason I worry (prior attempt) :
So last year I tried nicotine gum, but I'd get these massive runs of ectopics (skipped beats, many irregular premature ones in a row, etc) so I quit using them the same day. I had NOT read the possible side effects beforehand knowing I could psychosaumatically cause myself some, but I did read them after on the label and it mentioned ectopics.

I'm not ruling out that I may have been apprehensive about them being the nicotine was not delivered to my bloodstream & brain via the same method and I'm always very worried about new methods to begin with having a bad case of health anxiety to begin with. So maybe it was purely physiological, or maybe my related anticipation & worry actually triggered those symptoms. For the record, I'm already prone to ectopics and sinus tachycardia to begin with, I just hate it when it gets at a scary level (frequency, intensity). And yes, the dosing was correct.

Today:
A month ago, I decided to try out Nicotine patches, but I have yet to start for 2 reasons, the 2nd one justifying this post:
1 - I still need to choose a date I'm willing to commit
2 - I'm scared it'll send me in a scary spiral of heart ectopics. The most scary part (for me, in my partially irrational thinking when it involves symptoms like these) is that if I *do* get these, even if I tear the patch off, I'll still be a while (half hour or more) before my body eliminates it according to how patches release Nicotine through the bloodstream, which in turn will make it hard for me not to panic, and/or be convinced my heart will just let go.

But I'm still willing to try.
What I want to know is:
Has anyone lived through similar symptoms with NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy)? ANY comments or full stories are VERY WELCOME, whether it was a success story, or the opposite; if you've had ectopics that were only made worse, or re-ignited by patches? Or have you often had ectopics but patches didn't make them worse? Etc. Anything is welcome.

Disclaimer:
I'm aware such a request for information might influence some people's comments if they think it will influence my long-term health in regards to smoking, but fear not any responsibility: if people with preexisting heart arrhythmias say it only made it worse, I won't avoid quitting smoking, I'll simply go cold turkey instead like I've often tried, until I succeed :)

Thanks in advance for ANY input! And hope you guys (and gals) are doin' okay / hanging in there.

Fishmanpa

14-03-21, 13:30

n3r0x1k

14-03-21, 13:44

When I quit, I went to e-cigs and reduced the amount of nicotine in the cartridge down to 0. Ironically, when I decided to do it, little did I know it was the beginning of my H&N cancer. By the time I was at 0% was about the time I was diagnosed.

Good Luck and sending....

Positive thoughts

Jeez... terribly sorry to hear about that. I also started e-cigs a month ago but still doing both, alternating.

Good luck even more, my trouble seems trivial compared to what you just said. Positive thoughts bounced back.

WiredIncorrectly

14-03-21, 15:31

When I quit, I went to e-cigs and reduced the amount of nicotine in the cartridge down to 0. Ironically, when I decided to do it, little did I know it was the beginning of my H&N cancer. By the time I was at 0% was about the time I was diagnosed.

Good Luck and sending....

Positive thoughts

Interesting because I used NRT patches and the spray. When I was down to 0% was when I was diagnosed with testicle cancer.

glassgirlw

14-03-21, 17:40

Jeez... terribly sorry to hear about that. I also started e-cigs a month ago but still doing both, alternating.

Good luck even more, my trouble seems trivial compared to what you just said. Positive thoughts bounced back.

I also quit cigarettes by using Vapes. I actually still vape (2 years now), but I did both for probably the first 6 months of trying to quit cigarettes. I found the normal ejuice cartridges weren’t giving me enough nicotine to drop the cigs so I used nic salts for the first few months of switching to Vapes completely. Worth researching! I’ve recently started tapering my nic levels down.

n3r0x1k

15-03-21, 00:15

I also quit cigarettes by using Vapes. I actually still vape (2 years now), but I did both for probably the first 6 months of trying to quit cigarettes. I found the normal ejuice cartridges weren’t giving me enough nicotine to drop the cigs so I used nic salts for the first few months of switching to Vapes completely. Worth researching! I’ve recently started tapering my nic levels down.

Interesting, I thought it was psychological that I still needed to smoke even though I've been vaping for a few weeks, seems I'm not the only one. Good luck with your withdrawal too!

glassgirlw

15-03-21, 10:52

Interesting, I thought it was psychological that I still needed to smoke even though I've been vaping for a few weeks, seems I'm not the only one. Good luck with your withdrawal too!

I think everyone is different, really. Some quit cold Turkey and have success with that. Others need some help with NRT. No way is really wrong, I don’t think - as long as you reach the goal eventually of getting off the cigarettes entirely. I have noticed some really positive changes after quitting cigs (and even with still vaping!). I breathe much easier. I don’t wake up and have to deal with the hour coughing fit every morning. And my sense of taste and smell is so much better than it was. It’s definitely worth quitting! Best of luck!!

n3r0x1k

15-03-21, 17:55

I think everyone is different, really. Some quit cold Turkey and have success with that. Others need some help with NRT. No way is really wrong, I don’t think - as long as you reach the goal eventually of getting off the cigarettes entirely. I have noticed some really positive changes after quitting cigs (and even with still vaping!). I breathe much easier. I don’t wake up and have to deal with the hour coughing fit every morning. And my sense of taste and smell is so much better than it was. It’s definitely worth quitting! Best of luck!!

Thanks for the kind words and everything! It is encouraging about the vapes though :)
Personally I never experienced what a lot of people describe as morning cough, and most my life I've smoked 2 packs a day, up to 3 for a while, now down to 1, I guess I've just been lucky on that side. The smelling/tasting (and better breathing) I can't know yet because I'm so used to it being as it is now but I'm pretty sure it'll be better :)

Fishmanpa

15-03-21, 18:02

glassgirlw

15-03-21, 18:56

What I found most challenging wasn't as much the nicotine but the kinesthetic aspect, holding the cig/e-cig and the actual activity of putting the cig/e-cig to my mouth. To this day I like to have a pen to fiddle with... Candy canes help too ;)

Positive thoughts

Hugely agree on this point as well. I keep the sugar free hard candies at my desk at work. Those help too. It’s all psychological!!

n3r0x1k

15-03-21, 19:09

What I found most challenging wasn't as much the nicotine but the kinesthetic aspect, holding the cig/e-cig and the actual activity of putting the cig/e-cig to my mouth. To this day I like to have a pen to fiddle with... Candy canes help too ;)

Positive thoughts

Totally! I mean I'm not there yet but I thought about that aspect and I know that that part of it will definitely be another struggle but hey, we can do this!