Health - Nicotine Patches

[Laudaphun]

On the matter of cutting nicotine patches in half or quarters...

SWIM has come across conflicting information from doctors, pharmacists, and people who have been given advice by them on the matter of nicotine patches and whether or not it is safe to do so.

SWIM's also has 2 conflicting ideas of her own. Firstly, SWIM assumes that if there is any danger present in actually cutting a patch in half (or smaller pieces) that it would be from excess nicotine bleeding from the severed edge, leading to more nicotine entering the bloodstream and more rapidly than is intended. But, that would depend on the design of the patch and mechanism of delivery. Suppose that it was only a small amount of extra nicotine bleeding from the severed edge that was released, small enough that it would not cause an adverse reaction due to the amount of nicotine entering the bloodstream... It could potentially still cause a rash or irritation on the skin where the cut edge of the patch had been adhered.

On the otherhand, when SWIM looks at a patch it seems as if the amount of nicotine would not be significantly affected by cutting of the patch other than obviously, the amount of the patch removed. The particular patch SWIM is referring to is just a piece of tape for all intents and purposes with its center portion soaked in nicotine (obviously the construction of a patch is a little more precise and complicated than this simplistic observation). Each box of patches, regardless of dose costs the same amount of money. They want you to do a 3 step program and use dose X for a number of weeks, then dose Y for a number of weeks, then dose Z for a number of weeks, and then finally become abstinent. Perhaps the main cost is in the production of the patch itself, and is why the patches are equivalent in price and the actual nicotine present so small of a production cost that they don't need to alter the cost of the patches with regard to dose. That would make sense. However, any business has their own agenda, especially big corporations... we all know that. While they do need to care about our safety to reduce liability, they also want to make as much money as they can. Therefore, part of SWIM kind of suspects that there may in fact not be any harm caused by cutting a patch and that the reason the box says "Do Not Cut" without explanation is because they don't want you to buy the biggest patches and be able to make them last you 4 times as long if you need a lower dose. SWIM can't be sure. One pharmacist says sure you can cut em in half, another say no, don't do it. SWIM just wishes a little more explanation would be offered as to the "DO's" or "DON'Ts" on this subject.

SWIM attempted to google the topic and keeps getting pointed to those websites that "trap" you, meaning you cannot use your "back button" on your browser to go back to the search results... We all know those types of sites, if not just do a search on the web for "nicotine patches" or "cutting nicotine patches"

Any thoughts on the saftey of cutting nicotine patches with the intention of being able to have a smaller dose? SWIM used the smallest available dose locally available with is 7mg delivered over 24 hours in the past and they worked just fine. Long story but SWIM just recently began smoking again and does not wish to continue, and greatly underestimated how hard it would be to quit after having resumed smoking for only 1-2 months. SWIM had been nearly 2 years nicotine-free. Yes, call SWIM dumb for starting again, cause SWIM sure feels dumb. The problem is that, 14mg delivered over 24 hours is the smallest dosage available locally at the moment. SWIM is hesitant to try them as 7mg sufficed before, and doesn't want to get nauseaus at inconvenient moments.

SWIM plans to try the 14mg patch, shortly (in a few minutes). Then see how that works and call the pharmacy where they were purchased when they open and ask whether or not it is ok to cut them. But will it be one of those "read the instructions on the box" types of pharmacists or a more "open-minded" individual. Some people don't care, they just want to get you off the phone or get you out of the store and deal with the next customer so they will just reiterate what you already know from reading the box. Well, SWIM knows for sure that she isn't going to be spending a month wearing patches as the instructions on the box would have her.

Any SWIY's out there have any experiences in regards to cutting nicotine patches in half or some other customized size?