Nicotine protects against neurodegeneration (activated microglia)

[AaroninOregon]

I'vs never been a smoker, but I decided to try nicotine last week. I started with nicotine gum and it had little effect, so I bought a pack of smokes. The cigs actually did help. Either the nicotine gum wasn't potent enough or something else in the cigarettes is what my body craved. :/

 

[Marco]

@Marco.

I'm a non smoker and I just applied a 15mg nicotine patch a couple of hours ago. I experimented with nicotine two years ago (see this post and this other one for the result). The mental clarity I had that time was pristine - total cognitive recovery, if short lived - and it happened about 10 - 12 hours after applying the patch. Unfortunately when I woke up the following day I was back to 'normal'. I tried a smaller dose of nicotine shortly after the first time with no effect but I couldn't face making myself so sick again so I never repeated the original dose.

Because of the 10 hour delay I was working on the assumption that the effect may have been due to a metabolite of nicotine but having seen your OP, I've been trying to pluck up the courage for the last month to try again.

I'm going to keep the patch on for as long as I can stomach it, until bedtime if I can, hopefully sleep through the worst of it (or have some hideous dreams) and will report back in the morning.

Interesting - but don't carry on if it's causing problems - the link is only theoretical.

 

[Marco]

I'vs never been a smoker, but I decided to try nicotine last week. I started with nicotine gum and it had little effect, so I bought a pack of smokes. The cigs actually did help. Either the nicotine gum wasn't potent enough or something else in the cigarettes is what my body craved. :/

If you really want to experiment and gum and patches don't work I'd suggest e-cigs rather than smokes.

 

[Scarecrow]

Interesting - but don't carry on if it's causing problems - the link is only theoretical.

Oh, if it's anything like the first time I applied a 15mg patch it'll definitely cause problems! But I'm curious.

 

[AaroninOregon]

If you really want to experiment and gum and patches don't work I'd suggest e-cigs rather than smokes.

Yeah, if I decide to try it for any length of time I'll probably invest in that method.

 

[MikeV]

Funny seeing this, because I felt it at a gut level. I don't smoke anymore, but when I did I felt like I had a minor type of control over how I felt at any given moment. Not that having a cigarette would always make me feel better. It was like a symptom hack. Feel one way... have a cigarette... feel a different way. Maybe better maybe worse; sometimes feeling bad a different way seems better than feeling bad the same way you have for the last twenty years.

 

[Scarecrow]

Interesting - but don't carry on if it's causing problems - the link is only theoretical.

Well, that was just horrible but partially successful. Unfortunately, I did not wake up this morning sharp as a tack - it was a long shot anyway.

I managed to keep the patch on from 6pm until 9:50pm. I was more alert than usual but with no impression that the nicotine was physically stimulating. From about 9pm I remained clear headed but started to get really sleepy, very unusual. I took the patch off when the nausea hit and it was as vicious as before. I went to bed at 10pm (normal bedtime at 1am) and I'm sure I would have slept straight away if not for the nausea. I dropped off around midnight and slept until 2am (nausea completely gone). Slept a further 40 mins until about 3am and then lay awake for the next two hours or so, clear headed and in a pleasant place. Then I dozed off again and woke at about 7:30 feeling crap.

I took my BP and heart rate from time to time yesterday evening. My usual readings at rest go from 103/52 to about 110/65 and hr from 52 to 81. With the nicotine, they were up at around 120/80 and high 70s. This morning I was back to 107/60 and hr 57. So the nicotine may be helpful indirectly by raising BP.

Of course none of that implicates microglia in any way.

I'm going to try patches at a less insane level for a few weeks and will report back.

 

[Battery Muncher]

FWIW it's worth, I've never been able to handle patches. Or any other form of continuous intake (e.g. gum).

I've found things like sprays, e-cigs etc much easier to control/regulate.

 

[Scarecrow]

FWIW it's worth, I've never been able to handle patches. Or any other form of continuous intake (e.g. gum).

I've found things like sprays, e-cigs etc much easier to control/regulate.

E-cigs are my back up plan but I'm a lifelong non-smoker so not too keen.

 

[Snookum96]

I've been a smoker for about 20 years. About 6 months ago I tried to quit using the gum and crashed horribly. I just assumed it was a coincidence and that I did something to cause it. My family is always all over me to quit but I don't see much point in it since I'm always sick anyways. My husband wants to quit so I am going to try again for him. We try on Thursday, will be interesting to see what happens!

 

[curecfs]

I just ordered a sublingual form of nicotine called Nicofi...I've been socially smoking when I go out for a year or so, about a pack every 2 weeks maybe, but it aggravates my sinuses and makes me short of breath (I know, duh), but I like the little energy boost it gives me. Well, nicotine gum had no effect, but I definitely noticed a difference after taking 2 Nicofi pills in a half-hour (15 min apart). I'm thrilled! One pill = 1mg nicotine or about one cigarette (although cigs to me still have a more pronounced effect).

 

[Snookum96]

I just ordered a sublingual form of nicotine called Nicofi...I've been socially smoking when I go out for a year or so, about a pack every 2 weeks maybe, but it aggravates my sinuses and makes me short of breath (I know, duh), but I like the little energy boost it gives me. Well, nicotine gum had no effect, but I definitely noticed a difference after taking 2 Nicofi pills in a half-hour (15 min apart). I'm thrilled! One pill = 1mg nicotine or about one cigarette (although cigs to me still have a more pronounced effect).

Are these addictive in the same manner as cigarettes? I'm assuming so if they have nicotine in them but would be nice if they weren't

 

[Hutan]

I recently tried Nicabate lozenges (4 mg of nicotine). I have never smoked before. Which probably explains why the lozenge had a pretty big effect.

Within minutes I felt odd and very nauseous. However suddenly it seemed I could see clearer. It was a gloomy day and it seemed as if there was more light and things were less blurred. But the good impact on my vision was short lived (20 minutes) while the nausea stayed for at least a couple of hours.

I tried sucking another lozenge another day but I only got through half of it before feeling too sick to want to continue. I didn't experience any change in vision.

So, I don't know. It's interesting that there seemed to be a good effect on my vision but I'd need to replicate it a few times to be sure. I might try again but the nausea is very off-putting. No doubt the nausea would reduce with repeated exposure.

 

[Mya Symons]

I had been a long term smoker. I moved from sea level to an altitude of 7,165 feet (2,184 m). I couldn't breathe so I started using Snuss instead with the hopes of being able to quit completely. Six years later I am still using Snuss because every time I try to quit I crash plus become a big jerk according to my husband. (It's true. I do.) It's always been a mystery to me as why it helps. This might be the answer. I have also read that nicotine speeds up thyroid function and some people who have Hashimoto's experience a thyroid crash when they quit smoking.

I would love to find something healthy to take its place however. Something that would do the same thing.

They make pasteurized snuss in Sweden that is supposed to be much better for you, but it is expensive. If anyone who already smokes or uses tobacco is looking for a safer alternative. I personally can't use the vaporizers because they hurt my throat badly. It becomes very raw and sore.

 

[Snookum96]

I had been a long term smoker. I moved from sea level to an altitude of 7,165 feet (2,184 m). I couldn't breathe so I started using Snuss instead with the hopes of being able to quit completely. Six years later I am still using Snuss because every time I try to quit I crash plus become a big jerk according to my husband. (It's true. I do.) It's always been a mystery to me as why it helps. This might be the answer. I have also read that nicotine speeds up thyroid function and some people who have Hashimoto's experience a thyroid crash when they quit smoking.

I would love to find something healthy to take its place however. Something that would do the same thing.

They make pasteurized snuss in Sweden that is supposed to be much better for you, but it is expensive. If anyone who already smokes or uses tobacco is looking for a safer alternative. I personally can't use the vaporizers because they hurt my throat badly. It becomes very raw and sore.

That's interesting. I just tried to quit and I crashed. And I was nearly impossible to live with, my husband brought home cigarettes because he couldn't stand it anymore. I didn't even make it a day. I tried cold turkey because the gum and patch make me zone out completely. What is Snuss?

 

[Mya Symons]

That's interesting. I just tried to quit and I crashed. And I was nearly impossible to live with, my husband brought home cigarettes because he couldn't stand it anymore. I didn't even make it a day. I tried cold turkey because the gum and patch make me zone out completely. What is Snuss?

LOL, your hubby sounds a lot like mine.

Snuss is thinly sliced and chopped dried out tobacco (similar to dried tea leaves). They put it in a packet that looks like a tiny tea bag. You use it by putting it inside your top lip. Sweden has some (not all) snuss that is pasteurized in a way so that many of the harmful chemicals are taken out. They also have nicotine only snuss. However, both are expensive. All snuss in america has all the harmful chemicals still in it. However, it is much cheaper. I've been thinking about switching to sublingual nicotine tabs to see if they work just as well.


EDIT TO ADD ARTICLE: Here is an interesting article on Snus (whoops, it only has one s on end) http://science.howstuffworks.com/snus3.htm

 

[Misfit Toy]

I can't even believe anyone would try this. Both of my grandparents died from throat cancer due to smoking. Trade this for that. My mom lives on oxygen due to emphysema and COPD. No thanks.

This is too crazy for me.

Even if it's an electronic cig...it still puts out chemicals of a toxic nature.

Let's all just do cocaine! Joke.

 

[lansbergen]

I can't even believe anyone would try this. Both of my grandparents died from throat cancer due to smoking. Trade this for that. My mom lives on oxygen due to emphysema and COPD. No thanks.

This is too crazy for me.

Even if it's an electronic cig...it still puts out chemicals of a toxic nature.

Let's all just do cocaine! Joke.

Well, I smoke like a chimney and it helps me.

 

[Scarecrow]

I can't even believe anyone would try this. Both of my grandparents died from throat cancer due to smoking. Trade this for that. My mom lives on oxygen due to emphysema and COPD. No thanks.

This is too crazy for me.

My brother, too.

I wouldn't dream of smoking real cigarettes - always hated the habit - but if you can take nicotine in a form that doesn't include all the toxins in tobacco, that cuts down the risk substantially.

The only significant health risk nicotine poses that I have been able to discover is that it suppresses insulin production; there appears to be a possible connection to type II diabetes.

That's not to be dismissed lightly but I really would like to have a brain that works and if nicotine gives me a little of that back, I'll take it.

 

[Snookum96]

@Mya Symons
Now it makes sense, like chew but in little packets. I didn't know it existed in a form with less chemicals.

@Scarecrow
I was wondering about that. In the sublingual form, even if it is addictive would be a good alternative.

@Misfit Toy
My best friend is dying of throat cancer at 54. I think we all know people who have died from illnesses caused by smoking. I only tried to quit for my husband's health. For me frankly, I can no longer do any of the things I enjoy in life except for smoking. I like it and sometimes it helps with the cognitive problems.
As for drugs, coming from someone in recovery, that's a completely different ballgame