# Nicotine Patches for ME/CFS The efficacy and mechanism of action of nicotine patches for ME/CFS are speculative with the best evidence being a series of case studies. They are most commonly considered as treatments for Long-COVID and it is unclear if nicotine is working as a vagal tone enhancer (which may benefit all ME/CFS patients) or displacing COVID spike protein (which would only benefit the subset of patients with Long COVID). An October survey of 175 long-COVID nicotine patch users found: 20% felt more than 50% better 36% felt 0-50% better 20% felt the same 5% felt worse 17% were still checking it out On the Healthrising.org website, survey results suggest roughly 30% of both Long COVID patients and non-Long COVID patients with ME/CFS felt the nicotine patch was a “gamechanger”. In a survey of nearly 4,000 ME/CFS patients (Eckey et al), 24% found moderate or major benefit, 48% found mild benefit, and 8% felt the nicotine patches had a detrimental effect. # More Information Please read the protocols. [https://linktr.ee/thenicotinetest](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fthenicotinetest%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR13MA6M3sH93gAIX_Jrk81n1bo7NQro64pDclhaq2fWxpel77rxnE9ZoQU_aem_Ca7SOgQI0GE4iKxmnHCeRA&h=AT3BDwUotNJPNNyOOtiEekKO44RypfVEEPcmSv3LbySw-4d17q1YMbfwW3rIx6HPwZyrEN36QziMNQQDkxP5QcY72w_za03Xk0ENyT5WzjjFyCqG7dAygoR2AuzDRcFSJA&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT2pDHSh5hOqKjiKeo1Q8pzlG3eliHBIO9MpNq42Y0ttKazpEVkbenDULOCwhBEXn5HjBo2UiLm3G9OAnXpyq_9QlsAW2equeIlEJ0WhtemDkjZMHb4-cQxAlFzqM0x5JoU4j09HPA0o8Owa1DNOuQX5PN00Y9NwCzsXezC7Gixi2Grs-Xw5j_ujG-GafM0). Watch the video [https://youtu.be/ZrxQD1BB-ME](https://youtu.be/ZrxQD1BB-ME?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0BiN-jSmXbQNALrxYCGGHSIoFgck18fipuvlAFl7o8ML3T6Q8hoTW-KY4_aem_FXDX8Op4amHoy6W233e-Zw) and use the search function to learn from past comments! Please also read this poll on members tips [The Nicotine Test Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenicotinetest/posts/391263533319148/?__cft__[0]=AZXt1F6qAZdeehQw1FHjZUgQ2AT_Np2DKMsmU2H0eDwB63XOlcyiO08LHEfWR9dLVVBCfvr2ZMuHH6NxAmT9sgklgQGldSJj1h1Z5ne2X0rYJ6y6cBdsuKS9VT29OVWzu03mhm2z5wgZWnk4rz5fSWBmShSos7TnW2sPv9_3H9ZSDw&__tn__=-UK-R) # A Reasonable Regimen to Attempt in Nicotine-naïve Patients 1. Apply ½ of a 7 mg patch every morning for 3 days (instead of cutting the patch in half, put tape on half of it and use the rest). A symptom flare is expected at this point (possibly due to return of spike protein into circulation). 2. Apply the entire 7 mg patch every morning for 7 days. 3. Take a break from nicotine patches after 10 days of use. 4. It seems that nicotine patches are not generally used long-term and lose their efficacy if used this way. In case studies benefits were seen at 3-6 month follow ups. It is unclear from my reading of the case reports how long nicotine therapy was continued.