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- What is NicoDerm® CQ®?
- What does CQ stand for?
- How long after my last cigarette should I wait before I begin my quit attempt using NicoDerm CQ?
- Does the patch need to be placed on my arm?
- How does ThinFlex™ differ from regular NicoDerm CQ patches?
- Was there an ingredient change (or change in the product) to make the new ThinFlex patches?
- How much nicotine do I receive from a cigarette?
- How does NicoDerm CQ work?
- Which strength is right for me?
- What happens when I step down?
- Can I smoke while wearing the NicoDerm CQ patch?
- How should I use NicoDerm CQ if I smoke low-tar or low-nicotine cigarettes?
- How will I feel when I stop smoking and start using NicoDerm CQ?
- Will I gain weight if I quit smoking?
- What if I slip up while I'm using the NicoDerm CQ patch?
- Can I use NicoDerm CQ to help quit chewing tobacco, smoking cigars
or using a pipe?
- I've tried to quit smoking several times, but it's never worked. Why can't I quit?
- If nicotine is the problem, why should I wear a nicotine patch?
- Can I use NicoDerm CQ if I have a medical condition?
- Can I use NicoDerm CQ if I take other medications?
- Can I use NicoDerm CQ if I'm pregnant or nursing?
- Can the NicoDerm CQ patch get wet?
- What if my skin is sensitive?
- What if my skin is very hairy?
- Can I drink alcohol if I am wearing NicoDerm CQ?
- How long will the nicotine stay in my blood or urine?
- Can I cut the NicoDerm CQ patch?
- How do I apply the NicoDerm CQ patch?
- Why aren't my patches sticking?
- Is Clear NicoDerm CQ the same as Opaque NicoDerm CQ?
- Can NicoDerm CQ be worn in a tanning bed?
- Does Clear NicoDerm CQ or Opaque NicoDerm CQ contain latex?
- Can NicoDerm CQ be placed over a tattoo?
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NicoDerm CQ is a stop-smoking quit aid in the form of a nicotine patch. It helps calm the cravings that make quitting smoking so hard. It's helped hundreds of thousands of smokers quit, and is the best-selling patch in history.
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CQ stands for Committed Quitters. Committed Quitters is a free, individualized stop-smoking plan that helps break the psychological addiction to smoking by offering customized advice on how to cope with situations that may tempt the quitter to smoke. Studies show that personally tailored psychological support increases the chances of successfully changing behavior. Information on joining can be found inside each box of NicoDerm CQ or online at CommittedQuitters.com.
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We recommend choosing a start date for your quit attempt and beginning the use of the NicoDerm CQ patch first thing that day, before having any cigarettes. However, if you choose to wait and start your quit attempt later in the day, you must wait 30 minutes or longer after smoking your last cigarette before using the NicoDerm CQ patch.
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No, NicoDerm CQ can be placed anywhere on the body that is clean and dry at the time of application. Feel free to place the patch on a non-hairy area, such as your thigh, stomach, back, wherever you prefer. The only places we would suggest that you avoid are your joints (ankles, knees, elbows, etc.) since the constant movement of these areas would make it difficult for the patch to stick.
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ThinFlex is a replacement for the previous NicoDerm CQ patches. It makes the patch itself thinner, and thus more flexible.
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No. All the components (ingredients) are the same. One component of the patch is HDPE, a type of plastic. ThinFlex uses an improved grade of HDPE, which performs just as well as the previous HDPE, but is thinner and more flexible.
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Your body receives approximately 1 milligram of nicotine from each cigarette. Remember the nicotine from cigarettes is absorbed very quickly and goes straight from the lungs to the brain.
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Each NicoDerm CQ patch contains a special nicotine rate-controlling membrane that controls the release of nicotine into your bloodstream through your skin. The level of nicotine uptake is lower than that of cigarettes, and allows your body to gradually adjust to having less nicotine until you don't need any.
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If you smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day, follow the 10-week plan. Use Step 1 (21mg) for 6 weeks, Step 2 (14mg) for 2 weeks, and Step 3 (7mg) for 2 weeks.
If you smoke 10 or fewer cigarettes a day, follow the 8-week plan. Use Step 2 (14mg) for 6 weeks and Step 3 (7mg) for 2 weeks. Click here to find more about which strength is right for you.
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When you gradually lower nicotine levels, your body adjusts. And following NicoDerm CQ's 10- or 8-week program really does help improve your chances of quitting successfully.
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No. The whole reason is to quit smoking. If you slip and start smoking again, a lapse of one or two or even a few cigarettes need not spoil your efforts. Throw away your cigarettes, forgive yourself and continue with the program. Don't consider yourself a failure or punish yourself. In fact, people who have already tried to quit are more likely to be successful the next time.
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Regardless of the type of cigarette you smoke, you should use NicoDerm CQ according to label instructions. If you smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day, you should follow the 10-week plan. If you smoke 10 or fewer cigarettes a day, follow the 8-week plan. Click here to find more about which strength is right for you.
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Quitting smoking isn't easy. But you'll feel a lot better than you would if you quit "cold turkey." That's because the NicoDerm CQ patch really helps reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms, which include things like cravings, mood changes, headaches, constipation, sleeplessness and drowsiness.
And since the benefit of quitting smoking is such a positive thing for your body and mind, you should soon start to feel good. Really good, that is, both physically and emotionally because of the decision you've made.
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When it comes to quitting smoking, weight gain is the #1 concern of women and the #2 concern of men. Even if you do gain a bit, it's nothing compared to all the good things you're doing for yourself. If you continue to gain weight after a few months, try to analyze what you're doing differently. Reduce your fat intake, choose healthy snacks, and increase your physical activity to burn off the extra calories. Drink lots of water. This is good for your body and skin, and also helps to reduce the amount you eat.
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No problem. Forgive yourself, discard your cigarette, and then get back on track. Try to recognize what made you slip and, this time, try harder to stay on track. If you feel like you're slipping and want some extra help to stop smoking, use our cool quitting tools to get over the temptation. Also, give some thought to joining Committed Quitters. Committed Quitters is a free custom-tailored plan to help you break your psychological addiction to smoking - while NicoDerm CQ fights the physical addiction. To get your plan, call toll free 1-800-770-0708 or enroll online at www.committedquitters.com.
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No. NicoDerm CQ has not been evaluated for treating chewing tobacco, cigar or pipe smoking dependence. Talk with your doctor to find a product that is right for your circumstance.
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You can. You just haven't succeeded yet. Quitting smoking is a process. Not a one-time event. In fact, most people try several times before they finally reap the benefits of quitting for good. Besides, even if you've made it a day, a week, or a month - you've made it. Try to learn from your mistake. Figure out why you fell off the wagon so you can avoid putting yourself in similar situations in the future, choose a new quit date, and then try again. This time, you may be able to quit for good!
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NicoDerm CQ doesn't contain any of the carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) that are found in cigarettes. This is why NicoDerm CQ is safe enough to be sold without a doctor's prescription, and why it's proven in helping millions of smokers quit safely. NicoDerm CQ gives you a reduced amount of nicotine to help calm your cravings and irritability so you can focus on the emotional aspects of your habit. With NicoDerm CQ, you use less and less nicotine until you're not using any.
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If you are concerned, your doctor or pharmacist is the best person to advise you based on your medical history and present state of health. We specifically recommend you speak with your physician if you have:
- Heart disease, recent heart attack or irregular heartbeat. Nicotine can increase your heart rate.
- High blood pressure not controlled with medication. Nicotine can increase your blood pressure.
- An allergy to adhesive tape or have skin problems because you are more likely to get rashes.
Also, ask a doctor or pharmacist before using if you are:
- Taking a non-nicotine stop smoking drug.
- Taking prescription medicine for depression or asthma. Your prescription dose may need to be adjusted.
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Any questions about drug interactions between medications should be answered by your physician or other healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor if you take other medications. The active ingredient in NicoDerm CQ is nicotine, which is already in your system if you are a smoker. However, withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking and the absence of smoke in your lungs may affect how your body handles medications. Talk to your doctor about this, especially if you take prescription drugs for asthma or depression.
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If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, only use this medicine on the advice of your health care provider. Smoking can seriously harm your child. Try to stop smoking without using any nicotine replacement medicine. This medicine is believed to be safer than smoking. However, the risks to your child from this medicine are not fully known.
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Water will not harm the NicoDerm CQ patch. You can bathe, swim or shower for short periods of time while wearing the NicoDerm CQ patch. If you're concerned that it could loosen on your skin, you can secure it with two pieces of medical or sports tape, placed in an "X" over the patch.
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If you have a skin disease, rashes, or allergies to adhesives, check with your doctor before using NicoDerm CQ. If a skin rash develops, or if the skin under the patch becomes swollen or very red, stop using NicoDerm CQ and see your doctor.
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If you need to, you can shave a small area of skin and apply NicoDerm CQ to it. But make sure the area is not nicked or irritated.
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You can safely drink in moderation. But to reduce the risk of a smoking relapse, you may want to avoid drinking alcohol if you associate it with smoking.
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Trace amounts of nicotine can be detected in blood and urine for several hours, but they should be gone by 48 hours. However, if you are being tested for nicotine, there is a metabolite of nicotine, called cotinine, which can be detected in blood or urine for as long as 7 to 10 days after your last exposure to nicotine.
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No, this is not recommended. If the rate controlling membrane that delivers nicotine is altered in any way, the nicotine delivery will be very unpredictable.
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Step 1: Do not remove the NicoDerm CQ patch from its sealed protective pouch until you are ready to use it. NicoDerm CQ patches will lose nicotine to the air if you store them out of the pouch.
Step 2: Choose a non-hairy, clean, dry area of skin. Make sure your skin is free of lotion or soap. Do not put a NicoDerm CQ patch on skin that is burned, broken out, cut or irritated in any way.
Step 3: A clear, protective liner covers the sticky side of the NicoDerm CQ patch - the side that will be put on the skin. The liner has a slit down the middle to help you remove it from the patch. With the sticky side facing you, pull half the liner away from the NicoDerm CQ patch starting at the middle slit. Hold the NicoDerm CQ patch at one of the outside edges (touch the sticky side as little as possible), and pull off the other half of the protective liner. Place this liner in the slot in the disposal tray provided in the NicoDerm CQ package where it will be out of reach of children and pets.
Step 4: Immediately apply the sticky side of the NicoDerm CQ patch to your skin. Press the patch firmly on your skin with the heel of your hand for at least 10 seconds. Make sure it sticks well to your skin, especially around the edges.
Step 5: Wash your hands when you have finished applying the NicoDerm CQ patch. Nicotine on your hands could get into your eyes and nose, and cause stinging, redness, or more serious problems.
Step 6: After 24 or 16 hours, remove the patch you have been wearing. Fold the used NicoDerm CQ patch in half with the sticky side together. Carefully dispose of the used patch in the slot of the disposal tray provided in the NicoDerm CQ package where it will be out of the reach of children and pets. Wash your hands.
Remember: Choose a different place on your skin to apply the next NicoDerm CQ patch and repeat Steps 1 to 6. Do not apply a new patch to a previously used skin site for at least one week.
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We understand how frustrating it is when your patch does not stick. Lack of adhesion may be attributed to hot weather, patient skin type or activity. Please be sure you have applied the patch properly:
Choose a non-hairy, clean, dry area of skin.
Press the patch firmly on your skin with the heel of your hand for at least 10 seconds. Make sure it sticks well to your skin, especially around the edges.
Do not use moisturizing soap or lotion prior to applying the patch. If you are using a moisturizing soap, try changing soaps or apply medical adhesive tape over the patch to help keep it in place.
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Yes. The adhesive, the nicotine amounts, and the way you use the products are exactly the same. The only difference is the color.
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The Original and Clear NicoDerm CQ patches can be worn while in the sun or tanning bed. However, the patches have not been demonstrated to be effective protection against sun exposure. Use of sunscreens with the patch is not recommended because it may affect the adhesion. Therefore, if you are planning on using the patch while tanning, you may want to place it in area that will not be exposed.
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No, neither patch contains any latex material.
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We suggest wearing the patch on a part of your body that is not tattooed. It is unknown whether the tattoo would affect how the patch would work, or if the tattoo coloring would change.
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