Boots Nicotine Inhalator

...but do have their own Boots version. She passes me a box of 42 capsiles and states a price of £18.95 . Not being able to open the sealed box I ask if these are compatable with the Nicorette inhaler. Not being sure the young lady advises that rather than waste my money I should purchase a Boots starter pack just to be on the safe side for a sum of £5.65. O.K I have now spent a total of £17.55 on 3 starter packs and £18.95 on refils. Total: £36.50.
...I opened the Boots refil box I am greeted with yet another pen (I now have 4 in the space of as many days), another book and 7 packs of 6 capsiles. The only things missing is the plastic carry case that I hadn't used anyway. The pens are the same the capsiles are the same and the only difference is they are now labled as Nicotine capsiles and Nicotine inhalator.

Basically unless you really want a plastic carry case DONT BUY A STARTER ... more

Why did I decide to give up smoking?

I want to live.... simple

I have nicked the following information from a website called www.worlded.org as on reading this made me realise what sh*t I was putting in my body everyday.

Familiar Chemicals in Cigarettes:
Carbon monoxide car exhaust
Nicotine bug sprays
Tar material to make roads
Arsenic rat poison
Ammonia cleaning products
Hydrogen cyanide gas chamber poison
Cyanide deadly poison
Acetone nail polish remover
Butane cigarette lighter fluid
DDT insecticides
Formaldehyde to preserve dead bodies
Sulfuric acid car batteries
Cadmium used to recharge batteries
Freon damages earth's ozone layer
Geranic acid a fragrance
Methoprene a pesticide
Maltitol a sweetener not permitted to be used in foods in the U.S.

Sources: Dr. Joel Dunnington, Tobacco Almanac, Revised, May 1993.

O.K shoot me for copying but after reading this, really made me think and that's why I am writing today about the product:

Nicorette Inhaler:/ Nicotine inhalator

What's in the Starter Pack?
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For £5.65 you get:

First and most important, your information booklet. Here lies a step by step guide to using your inhaler and some general backround guidelines to giving up smoking.

A white plasic pen like object, soon to become a fixed presence in your mouth.

A white plastic, if you can be bothered to use container to carry your pen and cartridges around and of course your cartridges. 6 x inch and a bit see through capsiles with what looks like a piece of foam mid centre that contains your 10mg of nicotine.

How do I use
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This is so so simple even an idiot cant do it (and I did). You take one plastic pen, twist top of pen until the two marks line up then pull apart. Take a cartridge from the packet and pop it in the larger section of the pen and push down to break the seal. Push back on top of pen with line marks together, twist to lock and hey presto.

What does it look like taste like
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Well calling it a pen because if you can imagine chomping on the end of a plastic pen is what it feels like. Not very long, about 3 inches and squashed at the end mouth piece where you suck out the nicotine. The first bits are strong and tingle the tongue giving the urge to cough. The more you use the lesser the effects. It does not taste or smell like a cigarette, the taste is harsh but with the slight mint flavour they add, not unpleasant.

Friday Day 1
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Dont worry I am not going to give you a day by day account as this is going to be one of the longest ops (sorry reviews), I have done anyway but will pick out some key points that may help.

Day 1. I had my last cigarette at 1 O'clock lunchtime in the filthy smoking shed at work. My mind made up, never again. At around 1.45 I felt the urge for a cigarette so out comes what is to become my new best friend and feeling a bit of a twit holding a plastic tube to my mouth clumsily takes a suck (no comments needed here). A rather strange sharp cr*p tasting substance shot to the back of my mouth. Not very nice but a strange "relief effect" is felt. The need for a cigarette passes and so does another couple of hours. I get home, pour myself a wine turn on to Ciao and post my first of many comments that I have given up smoking (huge hugs here for all the support).

I was a bit scared as I was finding this a bit tooooo easy if you know what I mean. I had tried the gum and the patches before and within hours still needed that fix of a cigarette. But by Saturday afternoon I still felt fine. No.. I'm gonna rip someone's head off, climbing the walls feelings.

The first problem I had come across was "when do these things run out"?. There is no indication what so ever that these are empty. When you start a new cartridge it is very strong but this does mellow the longer you use. Being expensive and me being a tight old cow, wanted to get the most out of every cartridge and often found these lasted alot longer than the 20 mins suggested. Infact even though they state you should start on anything up to 12 cartridges a day (no more as they suggest you visit A&E should you overdose), I was only using 3-4 a day.

Right one day over and I dont want to smoke anymore so now I need to buy some more.

Prices and Availability
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This is where I encountered my second problem. I may be a little thick (no comments please), but thought as I had purchased the starter pack from Tesco they would also have in stock the refils. Urm no so now its Saturday night and I need refils. The lady behind the counter was very helpful in the way that she could order them for me but as I had done so well (and didn't want to wait 48 hours), had no choice but to purchase another starter pack. So now I had spent £11.90 on two starter packs and on Monday would still need the refil pack.

Monday morning I arrive at Boots, third problem comming up. "May I have a refil pack for the Nicorette inhalers please", I ask a nice lady behind the counter. Very politely she informs me that they do not stock these but do have their own Boots version. She passes me a box of 42 capsiles and states a price of £18.95 . Not being able to open the sealed box I ask if these are compatable with the Nicorette inhaler. Not being sure the young lady advises that rather than waste my money I should purchase a Boots starter pack just to be on the safe side for a sum of £5.65. O.K I have now spent a total of £17.55 on 3 starter packs and £18.95 on refils. Total: £36.50.

Dont be fooled!!!

After I opened the Boots refil box I am greeted with yet another pen (I now have 4 in the space of as many days), another book and 7 packs of 6 capsiles. The only things missing is the plastic carry case that I hadn't used anyway. The pens are the same the capsiles are the same and the only difference is they are now labled as Nicotine capsiles and Nicotine inhalator.

Basically unless you really want a plastic carry case DONT BUY A STARTER PACK!! Everything you need is in the refil pack. Boots own are cheeper and the same and yes you can use the Boots refils in the nicorette pen.

Yes I know what you are thinking!! why didn't I get these on prescription from my doctors. Well basically I went to see him and yes I could get them but would have had to attend a smoking clinic which was fine but as the next one was 2 weeks away (and I wanted to start like NOW), decided to purchase my own. Yes I did say I was alittle thick!! but would advise if you can get these on prescription do, this will work out so much cheeper.

Days 2-7
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Next problem, Sunday lunch and a few drinks. Alcohol dampens any taste of these. Unlike a cigarette and the feeling of togetherness, it's really hard to get a feeling of satisfaction from these things and would find myself sucking really hard to suppress my craving. Starting to feel really light headed but I had read this was common due to the fact of increased oxygen that has been suppressed during smoking

Day 7 - 14
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Still going strong but I now feel like sh*t. Some of the side affects are now kicking in. A constant headache a flu like feeling and a general ill health, I cant take it anymore urge is testing me. Not put off because I know its just my bodies way of clearing out some of the 4000 sh*t ingredients put in cigarettes and hoping this will pass, I continue.

Other side affects could include:

Irritable or sore throat and nose, mouth ulcers, nausea, diarrhoea, and many more listed in your information booklet. Obviously should you be worried in anyway, contact your doctor.

And remember dogs and children dont (should not), smoke so keep them well away.

Days 14 - 21
**********

Headaches have lifted, and for the first time can smell smokers, yuk!!. I never ever realised I smelt so bad but have just started to notice "that smell". Have gained about half a stone in weight but will worry about that later and have noticed my little jar is starting to look very good (promised myself I would put £4 a day away). Still could kill for a cigarette but dont really NEED one.

The Programme
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They say you should use this programme for 12 weeks. 8 weeks on anything up to 12 cartridges a day and the last 4 weeks reducing until you need none at all. You cant smoke and use these or any other replacement therapy at all and a big no no to under 18's, and pregnant women. It does suggest if you have any concerns at all contact your doctor before you start.

Find your way. If you need more in the morning, take more. If like me you find just sitting like an idiot with it sticking out your mouth all day, do it.

And remember to clean these every now and then, they are not nice when over used.

The inhaler only provides nicotine, the substance that makes you crave when you give up not the carbon monoxide, tars and some 4000 other chemicals used in cigarettes.

Not only do you need to get rid of the cravings but need to change your smoking habits.

In no way am I posting this to preach. I enjoyed smoking and unless you really want to give up
you wont. All in all this helps but does not cure. You need the willpower just as much as anything so please dont read into this as a magical cure because it is not. It is hard, really hard but it does help.

Extra Help
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Nicorette have a Fresh Start Support Pack which you can order by phone 0800 244 838 (9am-- 9pm 7 days a week). I have not ordered one so cant comment but they say they will send out lots of useful information.

I have used the website : www.givingupsmoking.co.uk and found some useful reminding facts on why I have given up and if you venture over to chatterweb, read a tread called my babe by The operator and if that dont change your mind then you might just as well book that cemetery space right now.

Also : www.nicorette.co.uk and if you ask jeeves, you could lose yourself in info all day.

At the end of the day it's only been 3 weeks and I am under no illusion that thoughout the rest of my life there will be times when I am going to be tempted into taking this awful drug again but it has worked so far.

Tell your friends and family. It is so important to get praise and support at times when you really need it. That one little well done from my daughter keeps me going.

Well the big question is do I recommend??. Yes. In twenty years of smoking and many many attempts to give up this is the first time I can honestly say YIPPPPPPEEEEEE 3 weeks. I know this may be a bit premature to post but when have you every really given up?? Well I dont want one anymore so maybe now!!

And for those that care, the packaging is a white box containig a life saving pack!!

Hope this has helped

Thanks and good luck, Michelle

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