Nicorette Microtab 2mg 105s

Nicorette Microtab is a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). It is used to relieve withdrawal symptoms and reduce the cravings for nicotine which people get when they stop smoking or when they are cutting down the number of cigarettes they smoke while trying to stop smoking.

When you stop smoking or cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke, your body misses the nicotine that you have been absorbing from the tobacco smoke. You may experience unpleasant feelings and a desire to smoke ("craving"). This shows that you were dependent on nicotine. However, it is the toxins in cigarette smoke such as tar, lead, cyanide and ammonia that cause smoking related disease and death, rather than the nicotine. The benefits of stopping smoking far outweigh any potential risk from using nicotine from NRT.

When you use Nicorette Microtab nicotine is release and passes into your body through the lining of your mouth. The nicotine released from the gum is sufficient to relieve the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. It will also help to stop the cravings to smoke but Nicorette Microtab will not give you the "buzz" you get from a cigarette.

As well as the effects of nicotine, you could be very attached to the habit of smoking. For example lighting up after a meal or in certain circumstances or when you are with particular people. These rituals are part of your smoking habit which you may have had for many years. To succeed in giving up you should try to avoid situations where you may be tempted to smoke. Think about the times when you are most likely to miss smoking and try to plan how you will cope on these occasions. Changing your routine will help you to break the habit of smoking.

Encouragement and support from your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, friends and family can make giving up less stressful and more successful. For professional advice about giving up smoking, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Adults over 18 years of age:

Because smoking is an addiction, you may find it difficult to give up. From time to time you may still have strong urges to smoke but if you follow these recommendation, you have a good chance of quitting.

Pick a start day when you will not be too stressed and stop smoking.

Use Nicorette Microtab hourly to help reduce the urge to smoke

You should use Nicorette Microtab for at least 3 months to relieve your craving to smoke. After 12 weeks you should aim to gradually reduce the number of Nicorette Microtabs you use each day. When you are using only one or two Nicorette Microtabs each day you should try to stop completely.

You might feel a sudden craving to smoke long after you've given up smoking and stopped using Nicorette Microtab. Remember you can use Nicorette Microtab again if this should happen.

If you need to use the product for longer than 9 months, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Children 12 years and over

Use Nicorette Microtab hourly to help reduce the urge to smoke

Step 1: Over an 8 week period use the Microtab to relieve the cravings to smoke.

Step 2: After 8 weeks reduce the use of the Microtab over the next 4 weeks.

You should try to use fewer Microtab each day. When you reduce usage to only one or two Microtab per day you should stop completely.

If you need to use this medicine for longer than 12 weeks, consult your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Do not give to children under 12 years

If you smoke less than 20 cigarettes or fewer per day, you should use one Microtab every hour. If you smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day, you should use two Microtabs every hour.

Most people use between 8 and 24 Microtabs each day. You should not use more than 40 Microtabs a day. Do not exceed the stated dose.

Each Nicorette Microtab contains 2 mg of nicotine, which is the active ingredient.

Other ingredients are: B-cyclodextrin, crospovidone, colloidal silica and magnesium stearate.

Like all medicines, Nicorette Microtab can have side- effects. These effects generally occur within the first few weeks of starting to use Nicorette Microtab. If you fell faint or sick or get headaches you may be taking in too much nicotine. As many of the effects are due to nicotine they can also occur when nicotine is obtained by smoking.

Commonly reported side-effects include dizziness, headache, palpitations, coughing, stomach discomfort, hiccups, runny nose, nausea, sore mouth or throat, dry mouth or a burning sensation in the mouth.

Very rarely abnormal beating of the heart has been reported.

If you develop an allergic reaction (swelling of the mouth and tongue, itching of the skin, ulceration and inflammation of the lining of the mouth), palpitations, bad indigestion, or uneven (irregular), heart beat stop using the Nicorette Microtab, do not smoke and contact a doctor immediately.

You may experience some unwanted effects because by stopping smoking you have reduced the amount of nicotine you are taking. These effects are nicotine withdrawal symptoms and include irritability/aggression, feeling low, anxiety, restlessness, poor concentration, increased appetite/weight gain, urges to smoke ('craving'), night-time awakenings/sleep disturbance and lowering of your heart rate. You may nicotine withdrawal symptoms if you use too few pieces of Nicorette Microtab before you are ready to reduce your nicotine intake.

When you stop smoking, you may experience mouth ulcers. The reason why this happens is unknown.

If you notice these or any other unwanted effects not listed in this leaflet you should tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

If you find it difficult to reduce the number of Nicorette Microtabs you are using, to stop using Nicorette Microtabs or are worried that you will start smoking again without them, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Do not use Nicorette Microtab if:

    * you have an allergy to nicotine or any of the other ingredients in your Nicorette Microtab

Before you use Nicorette Microtab:

There are some circumstances (listed below) where you should consult  your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before using Nicorette Gum:

    * If you are pregnant or breast-feeding - you should try to give up smoking without the use of nicotine replacement therapyIf you have heart disease (including heart attack and disorders of heart rate and/or rhythm) or have suffered a stroke for which you are in hospital. In other heart conditions not requiring you to be in hospital, using NRT is better than continuing to smoke.
    * If you have high blood pressure that is not adequately controlled by treatment.
    * If you have a stomach or duodenal ulcers and/or inflammation of the oesophagus (passage between the mouth and stomach).
    * If you have serious liver or kidney disease.
    * If you have an overactive thyroid gland or have a phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland that can affect blood pressure) - your doctor will have told you this.
    * If you have diabetes - you should monitor your blood sugar levels more often when starting to use Nicorette Microtab as you may find your insulin/medication requirements alter.
    * If you are taking any other medicines such as theophylline, clozapine or ropinirole. Stopping smoking or reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke may require the dose to be adjusted.

Pregnancy: Smoking during pregnancy is associated with risks such as poor growth of the baby before birth, premature birth or stillbirth. Stopping smoking is the single most effective intervention for improving both your health and that of your baby and the earlier smoking stops the better.

Ideally, stopping smoking during pregnancy should be achieved without NRT. However if you have tried and this is not possible, NRT may be recommended to help as the risk to the developing baby is less than that expected from continued smoking. The decision to use NRT should be made as early on in the pregnancy as possible with the aim of discontinuing use as soon as possible.

Products that are used intermittently may be preferable to nicotine patches. However, patches may be preferred if you have nausea or sickness. Patches, if used, should be removed before going to bed at night.

Breast-feeding: Tobacco smoke produces breathing and other problems in babies and children. If you need to use NRT to help you quit, the amount of nicotine that the baby may receive is considerably smaller and less harmful than the second-hand smoke they would otherwise be breathing in. You are best to use NRT products that are taken intermittently (i.e. not patches) and try to breast-feed at a time just before you use the product to ensure that the baby gets the smallest amount of nicotine possible.

If a child under 12 years uses or swallows Nicorette Microtab contact a doctor or nearest hospital Accident and Emergency department immediately. If you take the child to doctor or hospital

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To view this product's Patient Information Leaflet, click here.