Nicorette Freshmint 2mg nicotine 24 lozenges

Nicorette Freshmint 2mg nicotine 24 lozenges

Nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge is a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): It is used to relieve and/or prevent withdrawal symptoms and reduce the cravings you get when you try to stop smoking or when cutting down the number of cigarettes you smoke.

Ideally you should always aim to stop smoking: You can use nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge to achieve this by using it to completely replace all your cigarettes. However nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge can also be used in other ways, if you feel unable to stop smoking completely replace all your cigarettes.

However nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge can also be used in other ways:

• if you feel unable to stop smoking completely, or wish to replace certain cigarettes and therefore it can help you to cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke.
• at those times when you can't or do not want to smoke. For example:
  • Where you don't want to smoke and avoid harm to others e.g. children or family.
  • Smoke free areas e.g. Pub, work, public transport e.g. aeroplanes.

It may also help increase your motivation to quit. When making a quit attempt a behavioural support programme will increase your chances of success.

How nicorette help you 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. You may experience unpleasant feelings and a strong desire to smoke (craving). This indicates that you were dependent on nicotine.

When you use nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge, nicotine is released and passes into your body through the lining of your mouth. The nicotine released is sufficient to relieve the unpleasant nicotine withdrawal symptoms. It will also help to stop your craving to smoke but will not give you the 'buzz" you get from smoking a cigarette.

Benefits you can get from using NRT instead of smoking: The benefits of stopping smoking far outweigh any potential risk from using nicotine from NRT. It is the toxins in cigarette smoke such as tar, lead, cyanide and ammonia that cause smoking related disease and death, not the nicotine.

• You may think that smoking helps relieve feelings of anxiety and stress, but it does not deal with the cause of stress and leads to a number of serious diseases. In addition, the feeling of relaxation after smoking is temporary with withdrawal symptoms and cravings soon returning. Nicotine replacement therapy can help relieve nicotine withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, low mood, anxiety, restlessness and cravings when used in place of cigarettes.
• NRT may benefit smokers who want to quit, by helping to control weight gain that may be experienced when trying to stop smoking.

Use of NRT is safer than smoking tobacco but as soon as you are ready, you should aim to stop smoking completely.

Nicorette Freshmint 2mg nicotine 24 lozenges

How to use Nicorette Freshmint 2mg Lozenge: Place the lozenge in the mouth. Allow it to slowly dissolve. This will release nicotine, which you will absorb through the lining of your mouth.

• Nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge should NOT be chewed or swallowed
• You should not eat or drink while a lozenge is in the mouth.

When to use Nicorette Freshmint 2mg Lozenge: If you smoke 20 or fewer cigarettes a day, the 2mg nicotine lozenge will help relieve your cravings.

If you are able to stop smoking you should use the lozenge, when needed, in place of cigarettes. As soon as you can (this could be after a number of weeks or months) you should reduce the number of lozenges until you have stopped using them completely.

If you are unable to stop smoking or do not feel ready to quit at this time, you should replace as many cigarettes as possible with the lozenge. There are toxins in cigarettes that can cause harm to your body. Nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge provides a safer alternative to smoking, for both you and those around you. Reducing the amount of cigarettes may also help you to become more motivated to stop smoking. As soon as you are ready you should aim to stop smoking completely.

You can also use the lozenge on those occasions when you can't or don't want to smoke e.g. Social situations such as a party, in the pub or when at work.

When making a quit attempt behavioural therapy, advice and support will normally improve the success rate. If you have quit smoking and want to stop using nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge but are finding this difficult you should contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Dosage information for the nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge:

• Always read the full information in your own product
• Do not give this product to children under 12 years

Adults and children aged 12 years and over:

• One lozenge to be taken as required to relieve cravings
• Most people take between 8 to 12 lozenges per day
• Do not take more than 15 lozenges per day
• Do not exceed the stated dose.

If you have used too much Nicorette Freshmint 2mg Lozenge: you may experience nausea (feeling sick), salivation, pain in your abdomen, diarrhoea, sweating, headache, dizziness, hearing disturbance or weakness.

If you do get any of these effects contact a doctor or your nearest hospital Accident and Emergency department immediately. Take your leaflet and the pack with you.

If a child has used or swallowed a Nicorette Freshmint 2mg lozenge: Contact a doctor or your nearest hospital Accident and Emergency department immediately if a child under 12 years uses, chews or swallows this medicine. Take your leaflet and the pack with you.

• Nicotine ingestion by a child may result in severe poisoning

Nicorette Freshmint 2mg nicotine 24 lozenges

Do not use Nicorette Freshmint 2mg Lozenge:

• if you have an allergy to nicotine or any of the other ingredients
• if you are a child under 12 years of age

Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you:

• are pregnant or breast-feeding — you may be able to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to help you give up smoking but you should try to give up without it.
• are in hospital because of heart disease (including heart attack, disorders of heart rate or rhythm, or stroke). In other heart conditions not requiring you to be in hospital, using NRT is better than continuing to smoke.
• have a stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, inflammation of the stomach or inflammation of the oesophagus (passage between the mouth and stomach.
• have liver or kidney disease.
• 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.
• have diabetes - monitor your blood sugar levels more often when starting to use nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge as you may find your insulin or medication requirements alter.
• are taking any other medicines such as theophylline, clozapine or ropinirole. Stopping smoking may require the dose of these medicines to be adjusted.

If any of these applies, talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding:

If you are pregnant:

• Firstly, you should try to give up smoking without NRT. Stopping completely is by far the best option. The earlier and quicker you do this the better it is for you and your baby.
• Secondly, if you can't manage this, you can use NRT as a safer alternative to smoking as the risks to your baby are far less than smoking, however you should talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Products that are used intermittently, including nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge, may be preferable to nicotine patches. However, patches may be more suitable if you have nausea or sickness, If you do use patches take them off before going to bed at night.

If you are breast-feeding:

• Firstly, you should try to give up smoking without NRT.
• Secondly, if you can't manage this you are best to use NRT products that are taken intermittently (not patches), however you should talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice. Breast-feed just before you use nicorette lozenge to ensure that the baby gets the smallest amount of nicotine possible.

If you do 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 inhale if you smoked. Tobacco smoke produces breathing and other problems in babies and children.

Possible side-effects: Like all medicines, nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge can have side-effects. As many of the effects are due to nicotine, they can also occur when nicotine is obtained by smoking.

Effects related to stopping smoking (nicotine withdrawal): You may experience unwanted effects because by stopping smoking you have reduced the amount of nicotine you are taking. You may also experience these effects if you under use nicorette freshmint 2mg lozenge before you are ready to reduce your nicotine intake.

These effects include:

• irritability or aggression
• feeling low
• anxiety
• restlessness
• poor concentration
• increased appetite or weight gain
• urges to smoke (craving)
• night time awakening or sleep disturbance
• lowering of heart rate

Effects of too much nicotine: You may also get these effects if you are not used to inhaling tobacco smoke.

These effects include:

• feeling faint
• feeling sick (nausea)
• headache

Side-effects for Nicorette Freshmint 2mg Lozenge:

Common side-effects: (less than 1 in every 10 people are affected)

• dizziness
• headache
• feeling sick (nausea)
• stomach discomfort
• hiccups
• sore mouth or throat
• coughing
• chest palpitations
• increased salivation

Uncommon side-effects: (less than 1 in every 100 people are affected)

• redness or itching of the skin
• hives (urticaria)

Rare side-effects: (less than 1 in 1,000 people are affected)

• abnormal beating of the heart
• allergic reactions (swelling of the mouth, lips, throat and tongue, itching of the skin, swelling of skin, ulceration and inflammation of the lining of the mouth).

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

When you stop smoking you may also develop mouth ulcers. The reason why this happens is unknown.

Nicorette Freshmint 2mg nicotine 24 lozenges

Each Nicorette Freshmint 2mg Lozenge contains the active ingredient: 2 milligrams of nicotine (as nicotine bitartrate dihydrate).

Other ingredients are: Mannitol (E421), Xanthan gum (E415), Sucralose (E955), Acesulfame potassium (E950), Magnesium stearate (E470b), Peppermint Flavour including Gum Arabic (E414).