Interesting. I'm glad that I decided to think about this and investigate it more fully, today.
I've had "extrasystoles" (Premature ventricular contraction in the heart) in the past and was put on a mild beta-blocker to prevent them from continuing. They've been under control for years, but I noticed that they've been acting up for the last few weeks... and when I was looking into nicotine patches on the net today... I read that the manufactures warn you to discontinue their use and to notify a physician if the wearer suffers "irregular heart beats" while using the patch.
Which may be happening in my case.
So, I've just removed the patch... and I'll be contacting a doctor as soon as I'm able to for further direction.
It looks like the decision, for the time being, has been made for me.
There seems to be a whole long list of common maladies that, if present, make it crucial to contact a doctor before deciding to go on the patch, such as:
* irregular heart beat (arrhythmia).
* angina (heart pain).
* high blood pressure.
* heart failure.
* overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
* stomach ulcers.
* kidney or liver disease.
* diabetes requiring insulin.
* treatment for poor circulation.
* stroke, or treatment for circulation disorders of the brain (cerebral ischemia).
* allergies to drugs.
* rashes from adhesive tape or bandages.
Well, even if I don't go back on the patch, I'm confident that any physical withdrawal I experience at this point will be considerably milder than the physical withdrawal I've already experienced. My initial "step down" was far greater than this one will be.
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 12
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 317
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $111
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 16
