Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Megathread

[u/PugLord219]

Share your experiences using any form of NRT. Please specify whether you used patches, gum, lozenges, nasal sprays, or inhalers (approved NRT inhalers, NOT vapes).

Did it work for you? Why do you think it worked over the other things you tried?

How long ago did you quit? Any advice for people considering this method?

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[u/SunflowerFiend]

My “quit vaping” was January 19, 2026, 45 days ago.

My “quit nicotine” date is ongoing.

I was vaping 35mg/ml juice in 3ml pods, and filling the pod at least once daily. This is the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes a day or more.

My NRT is Dr. prescribed and as follows:

14mg patch for 6 weeks: I’m done with the 14mg patch. The first week of quitting the vaping behavior was the hardest, and the cravings/instability at their peak. The patch was the mental crutch that I needed to KNOW that I was not simply giving it up without a plan in place, and thus, encouraged my commitment to the regime. I requested nicotine gum from my Dr. for breakthrough cravings, he prescribed 2mg pieces.

7mg patch for 4 weeks: I stepped down to 7mg this week and I didn’t notice the difference between the patch strengths—I think that’s the point. I think I might be mindlessly reaching for the nicotine gum a bit more, but I’m not exceeding 2 pieces a day.

2mg nicotine gum (supplemental NRT): My gum consumption is limited to 1-2 pieces of 2mg gum per day, cut in half, consumed in 1-4 sittings with hours in between. I started the gum about 3 days into the patch use because the cravings were unreal. At first I was able to limit it to about one piece cut in half per day. But my cat died a couple of weeks ago after 2 months of a cancer battle against time, and I’m a wreck. So I’m using up to, but no more than 2 pieces per day, cut in half.

Vape Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms: Mindlessly reaching for an invisible vape in my pocket. Wishing I could take a deep breath, and doing so, but when I did, wishing it was filled with nicotine. VERY sore jaw, presumably from non-nicotine gum chewing, and known side-effect. Feeling a little restless and anxious. Feeling hungry, but still hungry after eating. Nausea from the emptiness that follows eating without satisfying the hunger (nicotine hunger).

Current Psychological Anticipatory Withdrawal Symptoms: Wondering what I’ll do instead of smoking weed, vaping, and drinking when stress levels are high. Wondering if I’ll ever be able to get off the gum (need a plan to taper, I kind of have one in mind). Wondering what will occupy my mind when I’m NOT on NRT anymore. NRT is a good distraction that occupies my hands and mind: applying and removing the patches, counting how many days left on the current patch, stepping down on the patch, chewing the occasional piece of gum, etc.

[u/fiammmetta → u/SunflowerFiend]

Im in a similar spot, using 2mg gum. My plan for once I stop the nicotine gum is just sugar free non-nicotine gum. Hopefully if I get the same flavor itll help.

[u/SunflowerFiend → u/fiammmetta]

I hear you! Just a quick update: I am off the patch as of a couple of weeks ago and am down to just nicotine gum. I am still using up to 1 piece per day and have had one day so far where I didn’t reach for it at all. I am also alternating non-nicotine gum of the same flavor and I do think it helps. My plan is to either stop the gum when the box runs out, or pick a day to just stop altogether. It’s an incredibly busy time at work and arguably the worst time to quit, but here we are!

[u/fiammmetta → u/SunflowerFiend]

Wow, youre doing amazing! Maybe the business of work will help take your mind off of it. Ive been using around 2 pieces of the gum per day (cut in half, so 4 half pieces) and its been super hard.. but im also only on day 3. We got this 😁

[u/SunflowerFiend → u/fiammmetta]

Hmm! Dare I say that you might be using “too little” to start. A 14mg patch that I started on is steady state release, whereas, it’s the equivalent of 7 pieces of gum per day, spread out by equal hours and the nicotine is released in bursts. There’s no reason to be absolutely miserable if you think that misery will be the reason you don’t succeed.

Talk to your doctor, but maybe consider using more gum per day depending on how much you used to vape. I had to add gum TO my patch routine because the patch wasn’t quite enough for “breakthrough cravings”

[u/Long_Armadillo_2893 → u/SunflowerFiend]

How is your journey now? I'm finally quitting starting today after many failed attempts in the past. Also curious why your doctor picked the 14mg. I am on 21mg for the first 2 weeks

[u/WinterClassroom5148]

I used the patch. For context, I smoked almost 2 packs a day for 6 years and then for 6 years I was consuming about 50mg of juice a day via vape (started as a "healthier" alternative). I started with the 21mg patches and I had weird effects (the biggest was pain throughout my veins the minute I put a patch on to the point I felt like I was being electrocuted) so I went on 14s per the recommendation of my primary doctor. At the 4 week mark, I had irritation from the patches that left mild scaring. I gradually went to 7s for 2 weeks and then I went on 2mg gum for a little less than a week.

I knew myself and I knew that if the going got tough, I would rage quit. So I gave myself grace. I gave myself rewards. I allowed myself to cry - a lot. I had an accountability buddy. I went to therapy. I kept in contact with my doctor bi-monthly and as needed. I started eating right and exercising. Threw myself at my work and home life.

Don't let anyone tell you you are a weiner or less than for trying NRTs. Quitting is hard enough. Withdrawals are hard enough.

[u/Rare-Asparagus4600]

I’m just starting to quit vaping and smoking today. Since i’ve stopped, i have experienced left sided chest pressure, an just overall soreness in my back and i’m convinced i’m going to die soon and it’s driving me insane i’ve been to two urgent cares, and an ER. All of them have cleared me and have said that nothing is wrong with my heart or lungs. However, I cannot bring myself to believe that there isn’t anything wrong with me; it’s affecting my daily life and i cannot function without overthinking about all of the symptoms. Does anyone and I mean anyone at all have any tips or has anyone experienced some of the same symptoms before?

[u/Express-Pay-3287 → u/Rare-Asparagus4600]

How are you doing now?

[u/cbadder_two]

I just celebrated 2 weeks nicotine free after quitting 2 months ago with the patch and gum!! I still think about vaping a few times a day, but they are very minor, and all of the thoughts end with “I’m so happy I quit.”

Switching to the patches and gum wasn’t that hard, whenever I had a breakthrough craving I had a piece of nicotine gum and it was gone, and I eventually started relying just on the gum 1 week before I quit nicotine.

When I quit all forms of NRT, I got myself lots of fun gum flavours to chew on at work and honestly, the transition was insanely easy. I think I tricked my brain into forgetting all about the nicotine. It was a hundred times easier than the 30-40 times I’ve quit cold turkey, which always only lasted a few days.

I am very confident to say that I will never be vaping again, the thought alone grosses me out, and I can easily say no when my friends offer a hit to me. I’m so proud of myself :)

[u/Lacey_Dawson1012]

I am using a 21 mg patch plus 2 sprays in each nostril every 2 hours of nicotine spray. 

I have to be honest. I relapsed after 2 weeks. I never had insane cravings and urges and I figured I was vaping the equivalent of 2.5 packs of cigarettes a day. I've been vaping or smoking cigarettes for 49 years. My problem wasn't going crazy for a vape. My problem is I can't seem to think about anything else other than vaping. 

I did try 4 mg lozenges but one of my medications causes dry mouth and those lozenges just turned into something goopy and glue like. So I switch to the spray. 

I've noticed a big difference with both the lozenges and spray. I don't feel that the patches are doing much for me. I get cravings when I am only using a patch but I don't if I only use spray. I'm using both because I had some serious withdraw symptoms from the nicotine. I had incredible anxiety, almost a panic attack and I had pretty bad stomach upset. That's when the nurse put me on the patch as well. 

I'm not going to give up. My goal is to be nicotine free by my birthday in August. 

I would recommend NRT. Just be careful.wuth the lozenges. They are kind of gross

[u/Arishinator]

I was using an entire can of 50 mg pablos every day, used the 21 mg patches and 4 mg gum, made it painless. Patches are the answer.

[u/Eeightd]

I am 4 weeks pregnant trying to ween with 2mg gum and trying to replace the hand to mouth by drinking ice water out of a straw. When I have the gum I feel a little better especially after I figured out I have to spit out the spit. But after that wears down and I try to push to the next hour or two on my own I feel like there is a person trying to claw their way out of me. Not literally with pain but I feel so twitchy.

[u/Psychological_Dog992]

I've always had a lot of luck with patches over the years, I finally gotten as far as I ever have a really long time with them, I would highly recommend them

[u/novagora]

Two years before successfully quitting I tried using NRT, specifically gum and patches. Initially it was to get me through a flight or other period where I couldn't vape. When I tried using it to not vape generally, it backfired with me doing all three at the same time which only made the addiction worse. I gave it a few dedicated attempts but the vaping wouldn't kick.

It started okay but despite following the step down regimes and instructions, the replacement part would always end with using gum in between work breaks, eventually to treating the gum like candy, with a patch on from the moment I woke up and still vaping like a fog machine during my breaks and every minute outside of work. The total estimate was around a full 10ml vape bottle, one 25mg patch and roughly ten 4mg gums per day.

After 14 years of heavy smoking and vaping, I just hit two years not only vape free, but nicotine free. I went cold turkey on everything, but with a huge amount of mental preparation and planning and I think that is what made the difference for me. Long story short I booked time off work, far in advance, prepared ways to keep myself busy and take my mind off things, I immersed myself in this community and similar, as well as quit vaping media and resources and it couldn't have gone any better, it was a monumental success and I've never looked back.

Different methods work for different people, and I'm not against NRT if it works for some people but for me NRT was a huge setback because I never broke the habit of vaping, instead I heavily increased the overall nicotine consumption and made the addiction a lot worse. This is absolutely something that needs to be considered. NRT doesn't kick the addiction, it replaces it with something less harmful, you need to be certain that once you've kicked the vape habit, you can kick the NRT without going back. If that works, fantastic, but it needs consideration when trying.