Nicotine (Nicotrol) Nasal Spray: Minimizing the Side Effects

One of the many strategies I have used to try to quit smoking is nicotine nasal spray (also known as Nictorol) can be an important part of a quit-smoking strategy.  This article, which I originally wrote for the Yahoo Contributor Network, discusses some tips and tricks to help people overcome side effects that can be caused by nicotine nasal spray.
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There are many products available to help smokers kick the cigarette habit once and for all, ranging from pills to patches to gum, and much more! One of the product available for people with an extremely addicted smokers is nicotine nasal spray, also known by its brand-name Nicotrol. Nicotine nasal spray is available by prescription only, so you must talk to a doctor before beginning its use.

Once you get a prescription for Nicotrol nasal spray, you will be able to begin using the product whenever you have a nicotine craving. Unlike the gum or the patch, the nicotine nasal spray has much more intense side effects that can catch first-time users off guard. A burning sensation, sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes can all result from using the nicotine nasal spray to quit smoking. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to minimize any potential side effects:

1) Use the spray frequently, at least 8 times per day. According to the package instructions, the body quickly becomes accustomed to Nicotrol nasal spray and side effects subside substantially when the product is used regularly. At first, you may not want to use the nasal spray that often, but it is important to use the spray at least 8 times per day to get your nasal passages accustomed to receiving nicotine.

2) Do not use Nicotrol nasal spray more frequently than directed. While you don't want to use the spray too little, you also don't want to use it too much. Make sure to follow your doctor's instructions closely in terms of what your maximum dose is, and do not exceed your dose. Doing so may worsen side effects from the medication.

3) Make sure not to sniff or inhale through your nose directly after using the nasal spray. This is one of the most important "rules" with nicotine nasal spray. When you sniff the spray high up into your nasal passages, horrible burning will be the inevitable result. Instead, you'll want to insert the tip of the spray bottle just inside the nostril, spray gently, and then refrain from sniffing for a few minutes. This will ensure that the nicotine spray stays in the lower part of the nose and not higher where it can cause more problems.

By following these very simple steps, you can minimize side effects caused by Nicotrol nasal spray, and may be able to integrate nicotine spray into your successful quitting routine. Only your doctor can decide if nicotine nasal spray is right for you, so talk to your primary care physician about quitting smoking today!

Breaking Up (With Cigarettes) Is Hard To Do

For some reason that I can't completely remember and that was obviously stupid, I started smoking at the age of 17.  Hands down the worst decision I have ever made in my entire life.  If I had it to do all over again, I would have stayed as far away from cigarettes as humanly possible. 

Here I am, 13 years later and still smoking.  I know it's horrible for me.  There are so many other things I want and need to do with my money other than smoking cigarettes.  Yet somehow, I still have not managed to kick the habit.

I've made over a dozen quit attempts in the last decade, all of which lasted for just a few days....except for two.  When I was 25 years old, I managed to quit smoking for 22 days using the nicotine patch.  I can't remember now exactly the situation that caused me to pick up the cigarette habit again, but I did....making myself a promise that I would definitely quit by the time I turned 30.

Those five years flew by, and before you knew it, my 30th birthday was fast approaching.  I really need to be saving money to buy a car, and I'm not making much money at Olive Garden where I work, so I figured it really was a perfect time to quit.  I got all my ducks in a row this time...I put in a call to the Maryland Tobacco Quitline, and spoke to "quit coaches" several times on the phone.  I got a prescription for nicotine nasal spray from my doctor, which I was going to use along with the Nicoderm CQ patch.  My plans were all set, and on Friday, July 13, 2012, I quit smoking.

Everything was going great.  I was so excited that I had quit, and I told the good news to everyone that I knew.  I was saving a lot of money, and my health was noticeably improving.  Then, one night, I was out with friends from work, I was a little bit tipsy, people were smoking, and I stupidly decided to have "just one cigarette."  I don't even need to tell you how the story ends because you probably already know.  I was able to kick the smoking habit for 44 days before I started again.

I am so ashamed and embarrassed by the fact that I started smoking again.  People periodically ask me if I am still quit on Facebook, and I just ignore the questions because I just can't bear to respond.  I was so sure that my last quit attempt was the time I was really going to quit...and I am so disappointed in myself that it wasn't.

So I'm back to smoking a pack a day.  It's gross, it's expensive, and it's killing me.  I desperately need to quit.  I keep telling myself on an almost daily basis that I'll get "back on track" and quit smoking tomorrow.  But then tomorrow comes and all I want is that cigarette.

I got a new prescription for the nicotine nasal spray, and I'm gonna call the Maryland Tobacco Quitline again this week to talk to them about a new plan for quitting smoking.  It's not necessarily something that I want to do, but it is something that I have to do.