What are the side effects of Nicotine Patch?

Users most often report vivid dreams, nausea, insomnia, headache, tolerance. Side effects came up 19 times across 56 reports.

Nicotine Patch side effects

Q: Is Nicotine Patch safe?

User reports can't establish safety. PubMed lists 58 meta-analyses and 490 randomized trials. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist, especially if you take other medication.

Across 56 first-hand reports, people mentioned a side effect 19 times (about 34 per 100 reports). The most common: vivid dreams, nausea, insomnia. User reports show what people notice — they can't tell you whether Nicotine Patch is safe for you.

Reported side effects

vivid dreams5

nausea3

insomnia3

headache3

tolerance2

overdose risk1

skin irritation1

dizziness1

What got worse for some people

Sleep75% worse · 25% better · of 4

In their own words

“I'm about to start the process of experimenting with low dose nicotine patches for a few weeks. I want to see what the effect will be on my focus and wakefulness.”

MixedRead the discussion ↗

“I take my Adderall with Nicotine patch which help calm me down. But the effects are not there anymore or not sustained long enough.”

MixedRead the discussion ↗

“Anecdotally, I've noticed the patch helps me focus much more than vaping does”

MixedRead the discussion ↗

“I use Nicotine patches in conjunction with my Adderall medication. Nicotine and Amphetamines have a synergistic effect on the brain, of course I can't do it everyday because it's not good for my cardiovascular system.”

MixedRead the discussion ↗

“I became more impatient and hyper which resulted in hasty decisions, overlooking details I used to pay attention to and in general making more mistakes”

Didn't helpRead the discussion ↗

Is Nicotine Patch safe? What the research covers

AResearch: Strong58 meta-analyses · 490 randomized trials on PubMed

Cochrane Database Syst Rev · 2013

Pharmacological interventions for smoking cessation: an overview and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: NRT, bupropion, varenicline and cytisine have been shown to improve the chances of quitting. Combination NRT and varenicline are equally effective as quitting aids. Nortriptyline also improves the chances of quitting. On current evidence, none of the treatments appear to have an incidence of adverse events that would mitigate their use. Further research is warranted into the safety of varenicline and into cytisine's potential as an effective and affordable treatment, but not into the efficacy and safety of NRT.