INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS
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This leaflet answers some common questions about Nicorette Inhaler. It does not contain all the available information or take the place of professional advice such as talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. You need to weigh the risks of using Nicorette Inhaler against the benefits it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
Nicorette Inhaler helps you to give up smoking by relieving the desire to smoke, as well as some of the unpleasant effects, which smokers experience when they stop smoking.
Nicorette Inhaler is also used to help smokers who need to temporarily stop smoking e.g. on long air flights. Nicorette Inhaler can also help reduce the amount of cigarettes smoked in smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit.
Smokers have both a physical reliance on nicotine (i.e. the body becomes dependent on nicotine) and a psychological reliance on the smoking habit.
When you give up smoking, your body will miss the effects of nicotine and you will miss the habit of smoking.
Nicorette Inhaler helps you to tackle these two sides of the problem separately, instead of all at once.
It is your body's dependence on nicotine, which causes withdrawal symptoms when you suddenly stop smoking. Nicotine is an addictive substance. Symptoms may include irritability, restlessness, depression, weight gain, and craving for cigarettes.
Nicorette Inhaler is intended to ease such withdrawal symptoms by providing your body with nicotine. This leaves your mind free to concentrate on overcoming your psychological desire to smoke.
Nicorette Inhaler consists of a plastic tube with a plug loaded with nicotine. Menthol is added as a flavour.
The cartridge is inserted into the mouthpiece prior to use. Nicotine is vaporised and absorbed in the mouth when air is drawn through the inhaler. The amount of nicotine in the Nicorette Inhaler is sufficient to help overcome the withdrawal symptoms but is lower than the amount of nicotine, which you get from smoking.
Unlike cigarettes Nicorette Inhaler does not contain harmful tar and carbon monoxide.
Do not use Nicorette Inhaler if:
You should not use Nicorette Inhaler if the expiry date printed on the carton has passed or the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Do not give Nicorette Inhaler to anyone else to use as it is recommended that they seek professional advice prior to starting treatment.
If you have had any of the following, you should ask for your doctor or pharmacist's advice before using Nicorette Inhaler.
These medical conditions may need consideration by or discussion with your doctor or pharmacist. You and your doctor or pharmacist can then weigh up the risk of using Nicorette Inhaler against the benefits you will get if you stop smoking.
The medical conditions include:
If you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription, in a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, the way these medicines work may be affected once you stop smoking.
These medicines may include:
You may wish to seek professional advice from your doctor or a pharmacist before you start to use Nicorette Inhaler.
Use the inhaler whenever you feel the urge to smoke. The more you are able to use it, the easier it will be to give up smoking. You can puff on the Nicorette Inhaler in the same way as you would a cigarette. One cartridge can replace 4 cigarettes. Therefore if you smoke 20 cigarettes a day you should use 6 cartridges a day. It is recommended that you use the inhaler for about 20 minutes per session. If you use the inhaler like this each cartridge lasts for about 4 sessions. The most successful quitters have tended to use an average of 6 to 12 cartridges per day.
It is important that you use Nicorette Inhaler for long enough to help overcome your dependence on cigarettes. Normally this period will be 3 months. After that the dosage is gradually reduced. When you are using only 1 to 2 cartridges a day, then you should stop using Nicorette Inhaler. Use of the Inhaler beyond 6 months is not recommended. Some ex-smokers may need longer treatment to avoid returning to smoking.
The inhaler should be used during smoke-free periods, for example in smoke free areas or in situations when you wish to avoid smoking.
Use the inhaler between smoking episodes to prolong smoke-free intervals and
with the intention to reduce your smoking as much as possible. If after 6 weeks
you have not reduced the number of cigarettes smoked each day, then you should
seek professional advice.
You should try to quit smoking as soon as you feel ready, but no later than 12
months after starting your treatment. If 9 months has passed since starting your
Nicorette Inhaler and you have still not been able to make a serious attempt at
quitting smoking, then seek professional advice.
Regular use of the inhaler beyond 12 months is not recommended.
Normally Nicorette Patch or Inhaler alone would provide enough nicotine to help most people control their craving for cigarettes. However, some people may find that even though they are using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) they still have intense or frequent cravings they find difficult to cope with. If you are one of these people you may benefit from combining Nicorette Patch use with Nicorette 10 mg Inhaler.
Each morning apply a Nicorette 15 mg/16 hour Patch to an intact area of skin. The Nicorette Patch should be removed before going to bed. After applying the Nicorette Patch use Nicorette 10 mg Inhaler whenever a craving occurs. For best results try to use at least 4-5 cartridges of Nicorette Inhaler every day.
The combination of Nicorette Patch and Nicorette Inhaler should be used in this way for 6 to 12 weeks. After this time if required you can wean yourself off NRT by either:
Remove the mouthpiece and the blister tray from the box.
Separate the mouthpiece into two parts by aligning the marks (Fig. 1) and pull apart.
Remove the protective foil from the blister tray and take out one cartridge. Insert the cartridge in the mouthpiece (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2
It does not matter which end of the cartridge you insert into the mouthpiece.
Re-assemble the mouthpiece by aligning the marks once again. The seals in both ends of the cartridge are automatically broken when you assemble the mouthpiece (Fig. 3).
Rotate the two parts of the mouthpiece in opposite directions so that the marks are not aligned.
Now the mouthpiece is sealed (Fig. 4).
Return the blister tray with the remaining cartridges into the plastic container and close it.
Your Nicorette Inhaler is now ready for use. The nicotine strength is reduced when the seal of the cartridge is broken. Therefore, it should be used fairly soon. Opened inhalers should be used within 12 hours.
Remove the cartridge from the mouthpiece after use. The cartridge should be disposed of as normal household waste. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. (See section on: 'If you use too much (overdose) or in accidental poisoning'). Return the mouthpiece to the container for later use.
Container with blister tray and mouthpiece
Note: The effect of the inhaler is reduced during low temperatures. Therefore its use at temperatures over 15°C is recommended.
Overdose of nicotine can occur if nicotine is used excessively, either from
too many doses of Nicorette Inhaler and/or smoking.
Symptoms of overdose or poisoning include:
Children have a greater risk of poisoning from the Nicorette Inhaler and cartridges (whether used or not) if accidentally inhaled, swallowed, chewed or sucked. For this reason it is important to keep both used and unused cartridges out of reach of children.
In the event of yourself or someone else showing symptoms seek medical advice. Immediately telephone your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital.
Nicotine like all other medicines may cause unwanted side effects in some people.
Seek professional advice from your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using Nicorette Inhaler.
Most of the undesirable effects reported by users of Nicorette occur during the first weeks after beginning treatment. Some are minor and temporary but others may need medical attention.
The most common side effects are irritation in the throat and mouth, and cough. These will diminish during the first weeks. Seek professional advice if you are not sure.
You may notice the following:
These are not likely to be serious. Some effects, such as dizziness, headache and sleeplessness may be withdrawal symptoms due to low nicotine levels.
If any of these effects do not go away, or you have any other undesirable effects during use, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep all the cartridges in the box until immediately before use.
Store Nicorette Inhaler at temperatures below 25°C. Storage in a car in hot weather may cause damage to the cartridges.
KEEP NICORETTE INHALER OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
(See section on 'If you use too much (overdose) or in accidental poisoning').
Nicorette Inhaler 10 mg is available in a starter pack and a refill pack.
The starter pack consists of 6 cartridges in a blister tray, a mouthpiece, insert and child resistant box intended for the mouthpiece and one blister tray.
The refill pack contains 18 cartridges in blister trays, insert and one mouthpiece.
Nicorette Inhaler is a pharmacy-only-medicine.
The active ingredient in Nicorette Inhaler is 10 mg of nicotine (4mg delivered). Menthol is added as flavour.
Nicorette Inhaler is supplied in New Zealand by:
Pharmacia
PO Box 11-282
Ellerslie
Auckland
For medical enquiries call (09) 5804300
This leaflet was prepared in August 2002.