3 minute read
Stop-smoking medicine side effects: what to expect
Nausea, sleep changes, skin irritation and dry mouth depend on the treatment. Serious mood, seizure or heart symptoms need prompt help.
DIRECT ANSWER
An online consultation lets an EU-licensed doctor review your case and, if appropriate, issue an electronic prescription; each pharmacy decides whether it can dispense it.
Doctor reply in under 2 hours
Average doctor reply under 2 hours; at night and on public holidays it can take longer, always within 24 hours. A prescription only if appropriate.
EU-licensed doctors
Every case is reviewed by an EU-licensed doctor.
Electronic prescription
Each pharmacy decides whether it can dispense an approved prescription; some do not accept PDF prescriptions.
HOW IT WORKS
From consultation to collection
- 1
Consultation
Answer a secure medical questionnaire online.
- 2
Doctor reviews
An EU-licensed doctor personally assesses your case.
- 3
Prescription only if appropriate
The doctor replies in under 2 hours on average and issues a prescription only if it is clinically appropriate.
- 4
Collect at the pharmacy you choose
Take an approved prescription to the pharmacy you choose; each pharmacy decides whether it can dispense it.
Side effects can overlap with nicotine withdrawal, which makes timing important. Irritability or poor sleep may come from quitting, a medicine or both. A planned review helps separate expected adjustment from a reason to change treatment.
Varenicline and cytisine
Nausea, headache, sleep disturbance, vivid dreams, dry mouth and appetite changes can occur. Gradual dose schedules are designed partly for tolerability. Persistent palpitations, major blood-pressure changes, chest symptoms, seizures, severe skin reactions or concerning mood changes require prompt advice.
Nicotine replacement
Patches can irritate skin or disturb sleep; gum can cause jaw soreness, hiccups or indigestion when chewed too quickly; sprays can irritate the nose or throat. Palpitations, marked nausea or dizziness may indicate too much nicotine or another problem. Technique and dose should be reviewed before the whole approach is discarded.
Bupropion
Dry mouth, insomnia, headache, nausea and anxiety can occur. Seizures are uncommon but serious, which is why dose limits and contraindications matter. New suicidal thoughts, severe agitation, a seizure or an allergic reaction needs urgent help.
When to seek help
Seek urgent help for chest pain, a seizure, a severe skin or allergic reaction, or thoughts of self-harm. New or marked changes in mood or behaviour should be discussed promptly. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, recent cardiovascular events, kidney disease, seizure history, mental-health treatment and other medicines can change the safest option.
What to prepare for a medical review
A practical review covers cigarettes or other tobacco used per day, time to the first cigarette, previous quit attempts, withdrawal pattern, alcohol or other triggers, current medicines, health history and preferred quit date. The aim is not to judge motivation. It is to match support and, where appropriate, medication to the moments when relapse is most likely.
A calm next step
Keep a simple daily note of medicine timing, cigarettes smoked, cravings, sleep and symptoms during the first two weeks. Contact the prescriber before stopping suddenly, changing the dose or combining treatments on your own at any stage.
Clinical sources used: World Health Organization clinical treatment guideline for tobacco cessation in adults and the relevant medicine leaflet.
