  :The idea behind the nicotine patch is to deliver sufficient nicotine to your bloodstream to help alleviate physical withdrawal symptoms.  You won't get the same spikes in your nicotine level that you get with cigarettes, but you shouldn't have major physical withdrawal symptoms.  With the patch, the hardest part is getting over the habitual and psychological addiction of nicotine.    :Most of the patch systems allow the user to step down around week 6, going from 21mg/day to 14mg/day to 7mg/day.  Tapering the dose like this should allow for a smooth landing when you're done smoking and make physical withdrawal symptoms unlikely.  Dreams are a relatively common side effect from the patch, at least from me.  