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.