Self Help

When you use nicotine gum, chewing a piece every hour or whenever you have the urge to smoke, you tend to mimic the cyclic rise and fall of nicotine in your system that occurs when you smoke cigarettes. You might be impressed by the impact of the gum when you try it. People say they feel the same kind of “hit” that they get from cigarettes.

The gum is available in 2 or 4-milligram doses. You can use up to thirty pieces of the 2-milligram gum a day, although most people average between twelve and sixteen. The upper limit for the 4-milligram gum is twenty pieces, and the average is ten. Because of the danger of remaining addicted to nicotine and the greater likelihood of side effects, many experts shy away from recommending the 4-milligram gum and rather suggest you use the 2-milligram gum, unless your physician recommends otherwise.

If you use the gum, use it to the extent it can be helpful in combination with certain of your other anti-smoking weapons. Take a deep breath, or walk around for five minutes (but do not drink liquid while the gum is in your mouth because it will reduce its effectiveness and possibly upset your stomach). You can use the 2-milligram gum each time you feel the urge to smoke, or on a schedule such as every hour if you are not a particularly heavy smoker (it will help minimize withdrawal symptoms).

When to Use Nicotine Gum

1. Chew a piece each time you feel the urge to smoke.
2. Wait at least fifteen minutes after drinking coffee, tea, milk, fruit juices, or cola beverages before using the gum. The acid in the drinks reduces the effectiveness of the gum.
3. If the taste of the gum is not offensive first thing in the morning, you can start chewing right after waking, including first thing in the morning on quit day.

How to Use Nicotine Gum

1. Chew the gum very slowly until you taste it. Chew just once or twice and wait a moment to see if the taste becomes evident. If not, chew again.
2. When the taste appears, place the nicotine gum between your cheek and your gum line.
3. After the flavor disappears, take a chew or two until you taste it again, and put the gum back in your cheek. This should occur every minute or two.
4. Chew each piece of gum for not less than twenty and up to thirty minutes, then throw it away. Do not drink any liquids while the gum is in your mouth.

How Much Nicotine Gum to Use

1. Use ten to thirty pieces of gum each day.
2. Do not use more than thirty pieces a day.
3. As the urge to smoke eases, gradually reduce the number of pieces used each day.