Quit Smoking With Nicotine Spray !!!

Nicotine spray offers fast delivery that can help curb cravings, but it requires some caution because it can lead to dependency.
By Dennis Thompson, Jr.
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Nicotine spray looks just like a typical decongestant nasal spray, but it contains a proven means to help people stop smoking. The spray delivers a rapid hit of nicotine to help a smoker get past a cigarette craving. It’s been available by prescription since 1996, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Nicotrol NS as a smoking cessation product.

Nicotine spray is available under the brand name Nicotrol NS. The retail price for an average day's supply of nicotine spray is about $5 for 13 doses. People who use the maximum 40 doses could pay up to $15 per day.

How Nicotine Spray Is Used

You will likely be told by your doctor to first use one or two doses of nicotine spray every hour you're awake. A single dose involves two sprays, one in each nostril. You should not take more than five doses in an hour, or more than 40 doses in a day.

To properly use a nicotine spray, you should:

• Blow your nose first to clear your nasal passages.
• Tilt your head back.
• Insert the bottle's tip inside one nostril as far as you can and point the tip toward the back of your nose.
• Give the spray one firm, quick pump. Be sure not to swallow, inhale, or sniff while delivering the spray.
• Afterward, if your nose runs, sniff gently to keep the spray inside. Don't blow your nose for a few minutes.
• Repeat the process with the other nostril.

A new nicotine spray pump will have to be primed before its first use. Hold the pump in front of a paper towel and squeeze six to eight times. When a fine spray appears, the pump is ready to go. You also should prime the nicotine spray pump with one or two squeezes if you haven't used it for 24 hours.

The Pros and Cons of Using Nicotine Spray to Quit Smoking

Many smokers like the nicotine spray because:

• It delivers its nicotine dosage much more quickly than other nicotine replacement products like the nicotine patch or nicotine gum.
• It’s relatively easy to use.
• The fine spray is easily absorbed through the nose and rushes into the bloodstream, providing a "hit" similar to that of puffing a cigarette.
• Nicotine spray has proven to be effective in helping people quit smoking. Success rates with the nicotine spray range from 1.8 to 4.1 times higher than people trying to quit without assistance.

There are some drawbacks, however:

• Because the nicotine spray is so powerful, there is a concern that it could allow nicotine addiction to continue. To help avoid this problem, the FDA recommends that doctors prescribe the spray for three-month periods and halt its use after six months.
• Most smokers who use nicotine spray have to deal with some side effects for one to two weeks until their bodies adjust to the medication. These side effects can include:
  • A hot, peppery sensation in the back of their throat or nose
  • Watery eyes
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
• You should not use nicotine spray if you have hay fever or a sinus infection. You also should talk with your doctor if you have asthma, nasal polyps, or sinus problems, or have heart or circulatory problems.
• Pregnant women should not use any nicotine replacement therapies because they can harm the fetus.

Is nicotine spray the right stop-smoking choice for you? It’s certainly a viable option that you can discuss with your doctor, especially if you find that nicotine gum or the patch isn’t helping you enough.

From: http://www.everydayhealth.com/stop-smoking/smoking-cessation-nicotine-spray.