What is a Nicotine
patch?
A nicotine patch is a
medication you put on your skin. It contains nicotine designed to help you
quit cigarettes and it may also help relieve symptoms of withdrawals such
as irritability, anger or poor concentration.
How do Nicotine
patches work?
It provides nicotine
that you have been accustomed to getting through cigarettes. When you put
a patch on your skin, nicotine passes from the patch through the skin into
your blood.
How do I apply a
Nicotine patch?
Step 1: Choose a
non-hairy, clean, dry area of your body or the upper outer part of your
arm. Do not put a nicotine patch on skin that is oily, burned, has a rash
or cut, or that is irritated in any way.
Step 2: Remove the
nicotine patch from its sealed protective pouch when you are ready to use
it.
Step 3: The patch has
two sides. The side with nicotine is sticky and protected by a piece of
plastic. Remove the plastic cover and apply the sticky side to your skin.
Press the nicotine patch firmly on your skin with the palm of your hand
for about ten seconds to make sure it sticks well to your skin.
Step 4: Once you apply
the new patch, place the old patch into the pouch before throwing it in
the trash. Keep nicotine patches out of reach of children and animals. Wash your
hands thoroughly after you have finished applying the nicotine patch.
Step 5: After
approximately 24 hours, remove the patch you have been wearing. Choose a
different place on your skin to apply the next nicotine patch. Do not
leave on the nicotine patch for more than 24 hours because it may irritate
your skin and because it looses strength after 24 hours.
Possible side effects
of Nicotine patches and signs of Nicotine overdose:
The most common side
effects associated with the nicotine patch are temporary redness, itching,
or burning at the application site. The redness usually disappears within 24
hours. Too much nicotine in your body can cause nausea, increased
salivation, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, headaches,
dizziness, loss of hearing, loss of vision, weakness, and mental confusion. If you get any of the above
symptoms, remove the patch and call your doctor immediately. To avoid
nicotine overdose, do not smoke cigarettes while using the nicotine patch.
Tell your doctor if
you have had heart disease especially a history of heart attacks, chest
pain, irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, and diabetes. DO NOT
allow anyone else to use your patches.
How to store the
patches:
Like other
medications, keep your patches in a dry, cool place, out of the reach of children. Throw away all opened pouches because they will loose their
effectiveness
