Here's what WebMD has to say about addiction to Nicorette gum:

In a recent report evaluating data collected by ACNielsen, researchers concluded that 5-9%of nicotine gum users relied on it for longer than the recommended three months. About half that many were chewers for six or more months.

Nevertheless, if there are serious health risks from this kind of chronic gum chomping, they haven't been identified yet. "I've encountered people using the gum for 15 years," says John Hughes, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont in Burlington, and spokesperson for the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. "And their main complaint is the cost of the gum." The price tag for using Nicorette gum is about the same as a pack-and-a-half-a-day smoking habit.

In some published studies, people have used nicotine gum up to five years, according to Richard Hurt, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Nicotine Dependence Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "As far as we now know," he says, "there are no heart or vascular problems associated with long-term use."

Cigarette smoking itself, of course, can cause serious, life-threatening health problems. But the nicotine in the gum is delivered slowly through the mucous membranes in the mouth, and at much lower levels than the quick-hit surge of nicotine that occurs when puffing on cigarettes. At the same time, the gum does not contain any of the cancer-causing substances present in cigarettes.

So maybe it's not a problem after all, Vicki!

This site may help:
http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/nrts/p/Information-About-The-Nicotine-Lozenge.htm

I had basically the same problem. I quit smoking in 2004 with the patch, unfortunately I got hooked on the patch. To wean myself from the patch I tried gum & lozenges. The result? I got hooked on the lozenges.

If you have trouble weaning yourself from these products the usual recommendation is to "see your doctor". However, you will discover that you will get amazingly little help from the medical community for this particular addiction, because they generally consider the alternative - smoking - to be infinitely worse than the nicotine addiction..

I finally got off the lozenges by going back to the patch. Lozenges needed to be timed through-out the day. This took will-power I just didn't have with them always in my pocket. The patch is a single daily application.

It was tough because when I did the math I discovered I was dosing myself about 30mg+ a day with the lozenges and the patch starts at 21mg. So it was a struggle from day one.

What finally helped me was first realizing that no matter how distracting and miserable the urge is - it doesn't last. They are more frequent in the beginning, but they always go away with a bit of time. Second, treating it as exactly what it is - an addiction. Don't think you'll quit and all will be well. Just take pride that you didn't smoke/chew/suck this morning, you made it to supper, you made it this day, and so on.

Good Luck.

Excellent advice Gnott. The gum and lozenges are even more addictive. The patch has cured most people, so unless you're allergic, give it a try.

I belong to a support group called Nicotine Anonymous. You can find it online -- there are phone meetings, face to face and online meetings. You don't have to believe in god. There are many people there who are addicted to the NRTs (Nicotine Replacement Products) -- especially lozenges and nasal spray. "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using nicotine." So all of us qualify.

I used the patches for a couple of months to bridge the gap from getting off of cigarettes to weaning myself off altogether -- with the help of the Nic-A support group. I've been through a lot the past 4 Years, including burying my mother -- With the support of that support group, I've been able to stay free of all nicotine.

It can be done. There are also nicotine cessation support groups via local hospitals, if you don't find the 12 step group is your cup of tea.

Good Luck!

you got some good advice so i just want to wish you luck.
i can relate to not being able to read the small print on OTC medications; it is very frustrating.
(((HUGS))))

Are there any links to research showing that nicotine is indeed harmful? After all it is very similar to caffeine in that it causes a short term increase in your blood pressure and pulse rate.

Yes its an addictive substance but like caffeine it can help one focus and get immediate psychological benefits....

Nicotine in its purest form can kill you but its combination with the many chemicals and the smoke produced when having a cigarette is whats harmful to our health.

Until there is real proof that nicotine as a harm reducer is in itself harmful besides the addictition, I cannot see anything to stress over.....just my opinion

Peter

I quit smoking by tapering down and through the use of nicotine lozenges. And, yes, I became addicted to the lozenges so I was using them long after stopping smoking. For me, it worked to just taper down gradually. Good luck!

Gwapo makes a legitimate argument.
For a more elaborate summary:
http://www.tobaccoharmreduction.org/faq/nicotine.htm

I used this basic fact as a great excuse for continuing my own nicotine addiction. Barring any critical medical reason I can only offer my own reasons for dumping this last cord of tobacco addiction, and why I recommend the Patch over the Lozenges.
1. With lozenges I found myself in the same place as I had been with cigarettes. Before going anywhere I had to make sure I had a pack. The panic if I found myself out. It was embarrassing. With the patch it was once a day.
2. With lozenges I found myself with the same usage creep I had with cigarettes a few more every few days till I was right back to the maximum. (Often greater than 30mg.) At least with the Patch the dosage stayed constant.
3. With lozenges I found it difficult to switch from 4mg to 2mg. I either popped more often or I ended up carrying a mix and again that slow creep back to the maximum. With the patch the only danger was weaning myself down from 21mg to 14mg, and then going back to 21mg. Not impossible, just easier to avoid.
4. Last, the cost. With careful shopping the Patch runs $50 a month. Lozenges can easily double that and up. This is the major reason I finally weaned myself off nicotine. Compared to the total cost of my medications, $50 is a drop in a bucket, but I hated wasting it like that. $50 buys a lot of odd treats for grandkids.

Is my experience typical? Hardly. Everyone is different.
Am I likely weaker-willed than most? Probably.

I might also add I give this advice to those who already have come to grips with their COPD. To those who are newly diagnosed and just now have quit smoking I would echo Gwapo why add the extra stress? There is enough on their plate, go ahead and suck or chew away, at least they are not smoking.

Thank you one and all for your advice and comments. This is a group I can always depend on! vicki

ps. nicotene is so addictive because we have nicotene "receptors" in the brain (just like gaba, dopamine, seretonin receptors...) so the body will go thru withdrawal when it has been "supplemented" for a period of time.
so if you try to go "cold turkey" and stop all at once your brain will be screaming for more. it is best to cut down slowly if you can.
maybe if you note how often you are doing it, then you could start waiting 15 minutes in between for a few days,
then wait 30 minutes in between for a few days,
then wait 45 minutes....you get the idea
(i need a paper to mark down when i did it last or that auto thing to just put one in my mouth would make me forget.)
when i tell myself i "can't do something" i seem to crave it all the more.
BUT if i tell myself i can wait 15 minutes; that i can do.

just a suggestion ((((HUGS))))

ps. peter is also correct that nicotene is a bronchodialator & that so far there is no study that says nicotene is harmful; but i'm sure you'd rather spend your money on something other than lozenges :)

Yes don't get me wrong if it looks like I suggest nicotine is ok....its an addiction and we do not need anymore baggage, besides draining your wallets...

Its just there is no need to panic if you are finding it hard to weane off it at this stage..JUST DON'T Smoke if its possible.....Still the hardest habit to break and cold turkey is the way to go.....

I quit smoking in november of 2012 cold turkery. It wasn't easy at all but I did have some motivation, my first grandchild was born in Oct of 2012 and I decided if I wanted to see her grow up I would get rid of the cigarettes.
When all the junk started coming out of my lungs I got pneumonia, bronchitis ( I've gotten that for years) and ended up int hospital. I almost started back up again but decided to just tough it out and not pick them up again.
I replaced the cigarettes for my crocheting, everytime I want to light up I would pick up on of my projects I was working on. That did help.

I did try the lozenges once but didn't like the taste, and I also tried to patches but they made me feel funny, so that's why I decided to cold turkey it.

Yes I still crave one every now and then but that's when i either take a walk of work on a project.

I quit smoking with nicotine inhalers (little cartridges) & got started on them when they quit allowing smoking on trans-Atlantic flights. You could buy them over the counter in London. I thought at the time that if I ever wanted to stop smoking I'd use those. And I did.

I used them for about 7 years until I got a very bad cold & they didn 't appeal to me. When I was better I figured I may as well stop them.
I still occasionally want them but I'm glad for the money I'm saving.
They were still better than smoking.

As the say the "jury is still out", but E-cigs are not recommended for
"non-healthy" smokers (ie COPD). Some packages carry a warning, some don't.

I was given one as a joke gift - within 10 minutes I could feel the constriction in my airway, got a sore throat, and was coughing with nothing coming up. However, I am severe. Someone with mild COPD may not have the same experience and get some benefit.

Purely anecdotal - but I highly recommend anyone with COPD try just one first before buying the packs. But then

I tried one of those E-Cigs also, and it was horrible. Made me cough, and left a foul taste in my mouth. So in the trash can it went, good thing it was given to me.