Ask Me Help Desk - Nicotine fits

Whenever I don't have nicotine in my system before I sleep I wake up having fits ( shaking, difficulty breathing). I have done tests myself with and without nicotine patches... whenever I apply a patch on me I DO NOT have these fits.. when I don't have a patch on I have these fits.. I have done this test a number of times and the same results apply each time... I quit smoking when I was 16 ( cold turkeyed).. I have been using NRT for four years now.. I must also mention that I am aware I'm having these fits at the time but can't do anything to stop them... it only stops when I have been properly woke up, which I do by myself sometimes... my GP said I was talking 'NONSENSE' and sent me to the hospital to get checked out... they wanted to record me overnight in a ward... I did not feel comfortable when I got there so I left.. I know for a fact I have these fits because of nicotine... I would like to know why? And also if you have heard anything like this before... many thanks

Dendog, maybe you aren't having these fits because of nicotine. You could be having nocturnal seizures, not good. You should have followed your doctor's directions and had the overnight stay to be observed. It couldn't have done any harm. Maybe you are evading the issue and would prefer to think that it is from nicotine. Do you have any other medical conditions ? Are you taking meds of any kind ? Maybe let us know so we can understand this problem more fully.

Tick

Quote:

Originally Posted by tickle

dendog, maybe you arent having these fits because of nicotine. You could be having nocturnal seizures, not good. You should have followed your doctor's directions and had the overnight stay to be observed. It couldnt have done any harm. Maybe you are evading the issue and would prefer to think that it is from nicotine. Do you have any other medical conditions ? Are you taking meds of any kind ? Maybe let us know so we can understand this problem more fully.,

tick

I am not on any meds nor have I ever been... few painkillers now and again for toothache etc... I know that it's maybe hard to understand that I'm having these fits because of nicotine but as I said myself I have tested myself a number of times and the results are conclusive... when I have a patch on before I sleep ( even if I sleep during the day) I don't get fits... whenever I DON'T have a patch on I get these fits... my girlfriend could back me up on this... also I have never been diagnosed with any medical conditions... maybe I should have stayed at the hospital that time but as I said I didn't feel comfortable being in a ward full of older people... it was quite daunting for me and like I said I left... I must also mention that I get these fits no matter what time I sleep.. night or day.. I'm sure this is quite difficult for some to understand hence my docter saying ' nonsense'.. but I'm also positive this happens because of nicotine... which as you can understand is also daunting because I'm obviously going to have to be on nicotine for the rest of my life... I hope by posting this that someone can tell me why? And also if anyone else has or is currently suffering from this... Cheers

Hello d:

I don't know anything, but I have an opinion...

Having been a user of several substances in my lifetime, I found my addiction to nicotine to be the HARDEST to break by a LONG shot. No, I didn't suffer from these "fits" you speak of, or maybe I did... It might just be in how you describe them...

The PHYSICAL addiction to nicotine can be broken in just a few days, but those few days are intense... People sweat and shake. They can't sleep and yes, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that some can't breathe very well during this time...

So, in MY view, if you can get over the addiction, the "fits" will stop.

excon

PS> Nicotine IS poison, after all. So, it shouldn't be surprising that all sorts of physical difficulties would happen to you when using it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by excon

Hello d:

I dunno anything, but I have an opinion...

Having been a user of several substances in my lifetime, I found my addiction to nicotine to be the HARDEST to break by a LONG shot. No, I didn't suffer from these "fits" you speak of, or maybe I did.... It might just be in how you describe them....

The PHYSICAL addiction to nicotine can be broken in just a few days, but those few days are intense... People sweat and shake. They can't sleep and yes, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that some can't breathe very well during this time....

So, in MY view, if you can get over the addiction, the "fits" will stop.

excon

PS> Nicotine IS poison, after all. So, it shouldn't be surprising that all sorts of physical difficulties would happen to you when using it.

I might have forgot to mention that I did beat the addiction when I first stopped... I was off them for a year or so but I went back on them... I had these fits every night or every time I slept... then when I went back on them the fits stopped... I wanted to go off cigarettes again so I decided to use patches... as I've said before I'm still on patches even after four years... if I forget to apply a patch before sleep time I get a fit... now these fits are extreme... I sit up on my bed gasping for air, I'm shaking, sweating, my hearts working overtime unable to come out of the fit unless I get woken up properly... the problem is excon that I just can't come off nicotine because I gets these fits... it annoys the hell out of me:mad:

Quote:

Originally Posted by dendog13

the problem is excon that i just can't come off nicotine because i gets these fits....

Hello again, d:

Uhhhh, yes you can. Now, you might not, but you certainly CAN!

excon

Quote:

Originally Posted by excon

Hello again, d:

Uhhhh, yes you can. Now, you might not, but you certainly CAN!

excon

Yes of course I can come off it if I wanted like I've did before but because I get these fits I don't want to in case I do some serious damage to myself...

Nicotine= no fits

No nicotine= fits

Dilemma indeed:(

Just joined but I have a suggestion. Why don't you go and have a sleep study done. I had to have one because of sleep apnea, I know that is different but at least someone can observe. There are places that make you feel like you are in a hotel environment, except for the wires. Might want to try that

Quote:

Originally Posted by RhondaLee

Just joined but I have a suggestion. Why don't you go and have a sleep study done. I had to have one because of sleep apnea, I know that is different but at least someone can observe. There are places that make you feel like you are in a hotel environment, except for the wires. Might want to try that

Hi RhondaLee, best to check the dates on threads before answering. This one is from 2009. Doubt OP will be back

Tick