Description:
Composition of the drug NICORETTE chewing gum
Common excipients: Peppermint essence, Sodium carbonate anhydrousActive ingredients: Nicotine, Nicotine catioresin carboxylate, Nicotine resinate
Other excipients (specific to certain forms): Amyl acetate, Ethyl acetate, Starch, Anethol, Flavouring, Sodium bicarbonate, Butylhydroxytoluene, Butyrate, Ethyl butyrate, Calcium carbonate, Cineole, Wax, Carnauba wax, Ethanol, Eucalyptus oil, Eugenol, Smoking flavour, Glycerol, Glycerol monostearate, Gum arabic, Gum base, Dreyco gum, Haverstroo flavour, Hydrogenated vegetable oil, Hypromellose, Quinoline Yellow, Quinoline Yellow Aluminum Lake, Levomenthol, Mint Essence, Mint Essence Detergent, Menthol, Orange Essence, Light Magnesium Oxide, Polyethylene, Polysorbate 80, Polyvinyl Acetate, Potassium Acesulfame, Propionate, Sandalwood, Sodium, Sorbitol, Crystallised Sorbitol, Sucralose, Orange Terpenes, Titanium Dioxide, Tutti Frutti Flavour, Vanillin, Xylitol
Contraindications of the drug NICORETTE chewing gum
This medicine should not be used in non-smokers or occasional smokers.
Warning
In the perspective of a definitive detoxification, stopping smoking is a necessary condition for the success of the treatment.
Precautions are necessary in case of stomach or duodenumulcer,renal or hepaticinsufficiency. In these situations, prior medical consultation is essential before using this drug; smoking cessation without replacement therapy may be necessary.
Do not use other nicotine-containing medicines, including transdermal devices, without medical advice.
Nicotine is a toxic substance. Do not leave chewing gum within the reach of children.
Wearing dentures may cause problems when chewing gum: consult your dentist.
Interactions of NICORETTE chewing gum with other substances
The products contained in tobacco smoke can accelerate the rate of elimination of certain medicines, particularly theophylline. When you stop smoking, the effect of these medicines may be reinforced and signs of overdose may appear. Contact your doctor if you have any doubts.
Fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnancy:
Smoking in pregnant women can cause fetal growth retardation. It is therefore always advisable to stop smoking. In women who are strongly addicted to nicotine, the use of this drug can be helpful, but the effects of nicotine alone on the fetus are not well known. This medication has the advantage of not exposing the fetus to the other toxins present in tobacco smoke. In summary: if the ideal is not to smoke and not to expose the fetus to nicotine inputs, the use of this medicine is a lesser evil compared to tobacco.
Breastfeeding:
Nicotine passes into breast milk, breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment.
If breastfeeding is nevertheless chosen, take the gums preferably after suckling.
Instructions for use and dosage of NICORETTE chewing gum
The choice of dosage depends on the initial dependence on nicotine: 4 mg gums are suitable for strongly or very strongly dependent smokers. They can also be used by smokers who are not very dependent and who prefer to limit the number of gums chewed daily.
In practice, it is useful to know the signs of under or overdose to adapt the dosage after a few days of treatment:
- overdose leads to the state of a smoker who has smoked too much and is mainly expressed by a nauseous state and headaches. Visual or hearing problems, tremors and dizziness are also possible;
- underdosing causes withdrawal symptoms: irritability, nervousness, stomach cramps (a kind of painful hunger), difficulty concentrating.
As soon as the desire to smoke is overcome, gradually reduce the number of gums or switch to a lower dosage, until complete withdrawal.
Chew each piece of gum very slowly to allow the nicotine to be slowly and evenly absorbed by the blood vessels of the tongue: after the first chew, keep the gum against your cheek for 10 minutes to soften it. Then chew the gum every minute (about 20 times in 20 minutes). After 30 minutes of chewing, the gum is no longer effective.
Usual dosage :
o Complete cessation of smoking: for this purpose, the treatment of nicotine dependence usually follows 2 phases: for 3 months, chew one gum each time the need to smoke is felt, without exceeding 30 gums at 2 mg or 15 gums at 4 mg per day. This 3-month period can vary from one person to another and its end corresponds to a strong decrease or disappearance of the desire to smoke. The second phase, which lasts 6 to 8 weeks, corresponds to a gradual reduction in the number of daily gums, until cessation. The treatment should not exceed 6 months in total.
The gums can be used alone or in combination with Nicorette transdermal devices. In this case, follow your doctor's recommendations.
o Temporary cessation of smoking: the principle is the same, but the duration of treatment depends on the context that necessitated the temporary cessation of smoking.
o Reduction of tobacco consumption: chew a piece of gum as soon as you feel the urge to smoke in order to reduce cigarette consumption as much as possible and to stay as long as possible without smoking. The number of gums to be used per day is variable but should not exceed 30 x 2mg gums or 15 x 4mg gums. If a significant reduction in cigarette consumption has not been achieved after 6 weeks of treatment, it is recommended to seek medical advice. The aim of the reduction in the number of cigarettes is to achieve a complete cessation of smoking, which should be attempted as soon as possible, necessarily within the first 6 months of treatment. It is not recommended to continue the treatment for more than 12 months.
Advice
Boxes of 30 and 210 tablets may be available in some pharmacies and can be used without medical consultation. Nevertheless, do not hesitate to ask your pharmacist to validate your choice. His/her advice is invaluable. He or she can help you determine the best time to stop smoking and explain the causes of failure.
Nicotine taken orally as a replacement for cigarettes is as harmful to the cardiovascular system as the nicotine contained in tobacco. Only the risk of lung cancer disappears. When quitting smoking is motivated by urgent medical reasons: recent heart attack, arteritis, gastritis or ulcer, it is preferable to stop taking nicotine in all its forms.
Like all anti-smoking methods used to help smokers, this medication can only be effective when the desire to stop smoking is personal and accompanied by a strong motivation. It is this motivation that will enable the smoker to fight against the desire to smoke, without being forced to constantly appeal to the willpower that dulls with time. A smoker who wants to stop smoking for good must consider tobacco as a poison, an unacceptable addiction. They must come to terms with the fact that they will never smoke again, right from the start of the withdrawal process. Each day without tobacco should be experienced as a liberation, not as an ordeal. The smoker who is in this frame of mind is a good candidate for permanent cessation.
Stopping smoking, which is a real drug, leads to many problems: weight gain is frequent, concentration problems can last several weeks. A slight depressive state is possible. Weight gain must be combated by a diet, and if possible by a sports programme which has the advantage of reconciling the smoker with his body.
Do not hesitate to consult your doctor in case of difficulty; his advice and experience will be invaluable in the fight against relapse.
Possible side effects of NICORETTE chewing gum
Irritation of the mouth or throat, jaw pain.
Nausea, digestive problems, hiccups, headaches, skin rash, palpitations.
Rarely: heart rhythm problems, allergic reaction.
These sugar-free gums contain a non-absorbable sugar(sorbitol or xylitol): possibility of diarrhoea in case of high intake.
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