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Stepping down from 21mg patch Cancel

1. lucky

   

   32 posts
   Registered:
   13 Feb 2019
   23 Mar 2019

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   Hi everyone,
   
   I just passed my 6 weeks of being smoke free and I am afraid to step down to the 14mg patch too soon
   The last time I quit smoking (2013) for 10 weeks, everything was fine until I took the lower Nicotin patch  and then started smoking again.
   I was wondering, if I should just stay on the 21 mg another couple of weeks, perhaps it takes me longer to wean my self off? 
   
   
   I have been smoking for 50 years (2 packs a day) then cut down to 1  pack a day the last 10 years
   
2. wimporswim

   

   65 posts
   Registered:
   29 Nov 2017
   23 Mar 2019 in reply to lucky

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   Hi lucky,
   Congratulations on being smoke free for 6 weeks!  No easy feat!!!  I too, was a long time smoker and I also used the NR patch.  From my experience, as one old timer to another, I would not rush stepping down to the 14 mg patch.  I spent 9 weeks on the 21 mg, 6 weeks on the 14 mg and finally 5 weeks on step 3.  I did require the longer time to wean myself and it was always with great fear that I stepped down but each time I did step down - guess what? - the world did not come to an end!  The first few days after a step down I was a bit "edgier" but it was manageable.  Today marks day 809 for me.  So, take your time, one day at a time,  hang in there, and you will do it!   
3. lucky

   

   32 posts
   Registered:
   13 Feb 2019
   23 Mar 2019 in reply to wimporswim

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   Hi wimporswim,
   
   Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the patch, I'll do just what you did
   Better staying on the 21mg patch and not rushing things.
   
   Staying smoke free One day at a time.
   
   Lucky
   
   
   
   
4. wandam

   

   241 posts
   Registered:
   05 Feb 2019
   23 Mar 2019

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   Hi lucky,
   
   Just wanted to say congrats on being 6 weeks smoke free! Keep up the good work, one day at a time!
5. efram, quit coach

   

   235 posts
   Registered:
   29 Nov 2017
   30 Apr 2019

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   Hi Folks,
   
   Lucky, I like that you've decided to not rush things and are taking it one day at a time!
   
   Wimporswim, congratulations to you and thanks for sharing your experiences with taking your time to step down. Good to hear that it was manageable!
   
   Stepping down on the patch is a pretty common concern, it seems. Different brands of patches offer different recommendations for how long to use a step before moving to a lower dose; typically it's recommended to use the patch for at least 3 weeks before stepping down.
   
   If a person steps down and then starts to struggle, there's no harm in going back to the previous step. That said, it's normal to have some increase in cravings and withdrawal symptoms for about 2 days after stepping down; typically after a few days the body makes the necessary adjustments.
   
   A nice advantage to using the patch for a bit longer before stepping down is that it gives one more time to learn how to be a non-smoker, and to find ways to fill in those gaps that the cigarettes leave when they're removed from the picture.
   
   Hope this helps,
   Efram
   
6. dublinguy

   

   349 posts
   Registered:
   09 Dec 2021
   03 Mar 2022

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   You did the right thing. I came off the strongest patch (step 1) after 6 weeks and I ended up having a slip one day cause the urges were very strong and that could easily have become a relapse. I managed to regain control but if the urges had continues I would have went back on step 1 for another week or so.
   
   you are in control of the quit progress and you know yourself what works for you.