I understand exactly what you are experiencing! I decided to get healthy last September so i quit smoking and joined a gym. I watched what i ate, hired a trainer and didnt smoke. I also started to get really sick. It started with sneezing and coughing. Then progressed to a tightness in my chest and finally not being able to breath. It was really scary! I went to the doctor, he tried allergy medicine and an inhaler. The allergy medicine helped some the inhaler was useless. We did a pulmonary test and the dr said i was looking at COPD, he gave me spariva. Within 48 hrs my breathing was worse and i began having severe chest pains. I stopped the spariva immediatly. I truly think the chest pains were caused by struggle to breath taxing my heart. Went back to the Dr and he sent me to a specialist. The Specialist has put me on Singulair at night and my allergy pill in the morning and my life has finally gotten back to normal. His explanation is that my immune system is busy trying to repair 20 years worth of smoking damage so i am more susceptable to everything else.
I'm glad i quit smoking but i sure wish someone would let you know these are some common side effects. All you ever hear and see are the benefits which are true but when you are struggling to breath and feel as if you are dieing it would have been nice to have a heads up. When i finally found this site i was so relieved to know it wasnt just me. I was very surprised to see so many people with the same problems. I thought i was the only one in the world to quit smoking and cant breath, go to the gym and get fat. LOL
I'm glad i quit smoking but i sure wish someone would let you know these are some common side effects. All you ever hear and see are the benefits which are true but when you are struggling to breath and feel as if you are dieing it would have been nice to have a heads up. When i finally found this site i was so relieved to know it wasnt just me. I was very surprised to see so many people with the same problems. I thought i was the only one in the world to quit smoking and cant breath, go to the gym and get fat. LOL
I too quit and have the same exact symptoms breathing issues, and a terrible cough has been 3 weeks
Same problem here. I cought a horrible chest cold from my grandson. In turn, i have asthma which seems worse with the rotten chest cold. I found Zyrtec which really did the trick for my allergies. Now the zyrtec is not holding up for me like it did 2 weeks ago so i have had to go back to the inhaler which i haven't had to touch since January of 07.
I have not smoked for almost two weeks and all i do is hack and cough.
I am almost afraid to stop smoking all together for fear that i will get something else.
Many people that i talk to tell me the same thing. They quit smoking after many years and develop something else.
My friends dad quit smoking after 40 years. Now he has every ailment under the sun. He was doing fine, then after about 6 months he started having all kinds of issues.
I don't know what to do.
I have not smoked for almost two weeks and all i do is hack and cough.
I am almost afraid to stop smoking all together for fear that i will get something else.
Many people that i talk to tell me the same thing. They quit smoking after many years and develop something else.
My friends dad quit smoking after 40 years. Now he has every ailment under the sun. He was doing fine, then after about 6 months he started having all kinds of issues.
I don't know what to do.
Hi there, I am 28 and am the same. Quit smoking 3 weeks ago and SO SICK still. It's terrible hacking up, breathing problems, chest is killing me from cough, why?!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a sign of healing and your body is trying to expel all of the black tar and what not in your lungs. When your sick and start coughing up phlegm and mucous it's usually a sign that you are over the hump of the sickness and are beginning to get better right ?. This is no different !!!
Don't worry about it will pass. I quit and I'm having racing heart and palpitations randomly which is not fun. I'm only 30 !!! I'm not coughing up anything yet (day 16) which concerns me as to why my body hasn't started clearing out yet.
We all quit smoking and that's what matters so know you've done the right thing and you will get better with time and again you've done the RIGHT thing.
It was april when this thread was started and I'm replying in october so how are your lungs now ?????
Don't worry about it will pass. I quit and I'm having racing heart and palpitations randomly which is not fun. I'm only 30 !!! I'm not coughing up anything yet (day 16) which concerns me as to why my body hasn't started clearing out yet.
We all quit smoking and that's what matters so know you've done the right thing and you will get better with time and again you've done the RIGHT thing.
It was april when this thread was started and I'm replying in october so how are your lungs now ?????
I quit smoking about 2 months ago after smoking casually for about 14 years ( a pack a week,plus weed) I also had asthma when I was younger.
Ever since I quit smoking I feel like I'm going to die, for the first time in 14 years I have gone back to using my albuterol inhaler because i feel like my lungs are closing up on me and this is the only relief I have.
There is also a taste of blood or iron when I cough which worried me so I went to see a doctor and she said bascially the same thing all you guys here have been saying.
Sometimes too though I have problems sleeping because i have trouble breathing.
This is terrible and I hope I get over this soon.
Ever since I quit smoking I feel like I'm going to die, for the first time in 14 years I have gone back to using my albuterol inhaler because i feel like my lungs are closing up on me and this is the only relief I have.
There is also a taste of blood or iron when I cough which worried me so I went to see a doctor and she said bascially the same thing all you guys here have been saying.
Sometimes too though I have problems sleeping because i have trouble breathing.
This is terrible and I hope I get over this soon.
My Name is Dee and I quit smoking in Feb. It is now October 28th and I feel worse today than I did when I was smoking. I quit smoking because Heart disease is common in my family and i had just found out my younger brother age 42 has heart disease . I became concernec enough that it made me quit. Well I must say, I can not believe i felt better when I smoked. Since I quit, I have had cat scans, lung scans, a left and right heart catherization and so many other tests its insane. They Find NOTHING. the only thing that was discovered is Sleep apnea , so now i look like an alien when i go to bed with this mask on.
I just dont know what to do about how I constantly feel like I am gasping for air. Its like someone is holding their hand over my mouth and nose and they only let me take tiny bits of air in.
Its almost feels like im suffocating.
Crazy huh?
anyone else have any idea how long this last, I mean, come on its, been 8 months allready , shouldnt I feel better now with no smoking , or am i better of going back, allthough I hate the smell of them anymore,.
thanks
I just dont know what to do about how I constantly feel like I am gasping for air. Its like someone is holding their hand over my mouth and nose and they only let me take tiny bits of air in.
Its almost feels like im suffocating.
Crazy huh?
anyone else have any idea how long this last, I mean, come on its, been 8 months allready , shouldnt I feel better now with no smoking , or am i better of going back, allthough I hate the smell of them anymore,.
thanks
im going through the same thing and i found this link
hubpages.com/hub/What-happens-to-your-body-when-you-quit-smoking-with-cold-turkey--Chantix-or-Zyban
i found it useful to understand why it was happening. i guess it all depends on how long we've been smoking b4 we stopped. years of poisoning ourselves has to have some consequence i suppose but at least our bodies are healing :-)
hubpages.com/hub/What-happens-to-your-body-when-you-quit-smoking-with-cold-turkey--Chantix-or-Zyban
i found it useful to understand why it was happening. i guess it all depends on how long we've been smoking b4 we stopped. years of poisoning ourselves has to have some consequence i suppose but at least our bodies are healing :-)
I understand where you are coming from as well. I can't figure out for the life of me why quitting smoking would actually make you feel worse. But I'm glad that I found this site...so I know I'm not the only one experiencing some of these issues. I do understand the bodies need for repair after so many years of abusing it with smoking...I quit about 10 months ago. Have felt pretty good most of the time since I've quit except the last couple weeks. I have always gone to the gym...even as a smoker. I have a harder time breathing now than ever before. The last 2 weeks I've noticed what feels to me like asthma type symptoms...scares me so much. Afraid to go to the dr. I might try an Allergy Medication as I've read that so many others are trying. There are times I feel like I want to return to smoking...but then I go somewhere that allows smoking indoors and it smells so bad. After I leave the place I go home smelling like an ashtray, can't believe I never noticed that when I smoked. I guess the fact that we've all quit smoking we are much better off...so we just neede to keep going, it will all get better eventually. Keep up with the gym, the muscle you build today will work for in the long run. It will help you burn more calories and your metabolism will speed up again. My favorite part of the gym is attending the Aerobic or Pump It Classes...they have various fitness level classes that there should be a class to fit everyone. And if not, you or the instructor can help you modify to fit your level. Good luck to you, I am going to keep it up too...and hope this breathing issue will soon pass.
I think what you should remember is there are chemicals in cigarettes that numb the mouth and air flow passages to prevent you from being affected by coughing etc when you are smoking. Once you stop smoking the body recovers and as a result is no longer numb. The body then starts to get rid of the foreign elements in the affected areas.
The cillia which clean the airways are also numbed and eventually killed by the cigarette smoke - it takes these 3-9 months to fully recover and start clearing debris from the lungs.
If this is the effect when you are not smoking then imagine what is getting through to the lungs when you are smoking.
I have not smoked for 2 weeks and every time I quit I go through this same thing - it is easy to think to yourself to smoke is better as you felt better but this is a false logic - it may take some time but these feelings will pass!
The cillia which clean the airways are also numbed and eventually killed by the cigarette smoke - it takes these 3-9 months to fully recover and start clearing debris from the lungs.
If this is the effect when you are not smoking then imagine what is getting through to the lungs when you are smoking.
I have not smoked for 2 weeks and every time I quit I go through this same thing - it is easy to think to yourself to smoke is better as you felt better but this is a false logic - it may take some time but these feelings will pass!
Well, I knew this was coming, but I had no idea it would be like this! The way I feel is probably the way I would feel if I had continued to smoke! 35 years smoking 1/2 a pack to a pack a day, lifelong asthmatic and recently diagnosed with moderate COPD. Got so sick with an upper respiratory infection in January, together with sitting in front of a fire outside and inhaling all THAT smoke, I literally could not continue, so about 3 weeks for me. I am on albuterol, Advair, Singulair, and Zyrtec, and literally, cannot move across the room without being short of breath. I know it's only been 3 weeks compared to 35 years of poisoning myself, with compromised lungs to begin with, but this is intolerable. As many posters have acknowledged, I felt better when I was smoking! And not nicotine free, don't know that I will EVER be . . . been on the gum for years. Yep, smoked a few in the morning, a few at night, and gum in between. So the gum keeps me from really losing my mind, but still addicted to nicotine. Anyhow, just wanted to add my two cents worth. This is really horrible. I do hope it gets better. Glad to have found you all.
I got sick about 8 years ago, found out eventually it was Lyme Disease, but the strangest thing is that I now get virtually no symptoms, except when I give up smoking. Then I get short of breath, tightness in my chest that doesn't go away, I lose my memory, concentration, what I say isn't what comes out of my mouth (like a stroke victim), I start feeling as though I'm about to throw up all the time, I get numb patches all over my face and body, and eventually I end up in hospital unable to walk. This only ever happens when I give up smoking. I'd say it was the immunosuppressant effects of nicotine on a long term illness but nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum) doesn't work, doesn't stop the symptoms. The last time I gave up I lasted 8 months but I was just getting worse and worse, and I thought a life shortened by smoking was better than no life at all. I've tried to quit about 7 times during the last 8 years, and now I just feel like it's not worth the suffering.
Consider this: smoking was a habit that was used to pass time, relieve stress, curb hunger, etc. But since you've quit, you suddenly feel horrible, lungs hurt worse than before, and all kinds of medical issues arise. This could be due in part to hyper-focusing. You're not smoking now, still working out the 'staying quit' part, and instead are looking for reasons why it was better to smoke. Also, you're body has been destroyed in many more ways than one (not just your lungs are hurt, but your organs, brain, etc) and is shocked from the lack of chemicals and poison that it has grown accustomed to. Now, the body is working in hyper-drive to heal these damaged tissues as quickly as possible, and you feel tired and ill. When you get a cold or flu, you don't go out and run a marathon. The body needs rest to heal, plenty of fluids, and a stress-free environment to cope with combating irregular cells and the burst of antibodies that are running rampant through your body. My advice: take it easy on yourself and don't push too hard because when you don't see immediate results, you become discouraged and stressed out. Also, remember that if you think you're going to be sick, then you will be. If you don't, then you won't. It's a lot simpler than you think.
I've quit smoking (cold turkey) just last month and still feel my lungs hurt, have some sinus stuff, and don't feel tip-top quite yet, but I know that it took some time to damage my body, so it's going to take some time to get it healed. Patience is a virtue lost in America, land of the instant-gratification. Just hold out a little longer, and you'll do just fine.
I've quit smoking (cold turkey) just last month and still feel my lungs hurt, have some sinus stuff, and don't feel tip-top quite yet, but I know that it took some time to damage my body, so it's going to take some time to get it healed. Patience is a virtue lost in America, land of the instant-gratification. Just hold out a little longer, and you'll do just fine.
About 2 years ago i quit for over 3 months and did not want to smoke.
For all of the 3 months i could not work because i could not remember what i did a minute ago. It got no better at all when driving the car i had to keep reminding myself i was driving. I did not get sick the only thing was that i had a little shake and great anxiety at all times. What had me so worried was that i could not function. I could not work and as i tried i would make mistakes. After three months i decided i had to see if i would return to normal if i went back to smoking i was scared that i would not return to normal. Many if not most people will say i was making up a excuse to smoke but i was not i was over wanting to smoke in the morning or after eating ect. So before smoking i took my pluse and it was 60 and stayed at 60 after smoking. I have since returned to normal or i should say almost normal i think i did do a little damage because i tend to forget were i put things and i was not that way before. I did read were airlines allow pilots to smoke because they want them to be at there best. I also saw were students that smoke do better. I have smoked for 45 years and now do not know what to do because with the insane over 2000% tax increase on tobacco Obama signed i do not have the money to smoke. I think i am as good as dead if the patch does not work because i am not sure if it is nicotine alone that my body is used to. Do not think i am a nut case it looks like it is just me or maybe some like me that have smoked so many years that stopping is such a shock to the body. I can drink more than one cup of coffee and go right to sleep we are all so different just a peanut can kill some people.
For all of the 3 months i could not work because i could not remember what i did a minute ago. It got no better at all when driving the car i had to keep reminding myself i was driving. I did not get sick the only thing was that i had a little shake and great anxiety at all times. What had me so worried was that i could not function. I could not work and as i tried i would make mistakes. After three months i decided i had to see if i would return to normal if i went back to smoking i was scared that i would not return to normal. Many if not most people will say i was making up a excuse to smoke but i was not i was over wanting to smoke in the morning or after eating ect. So before smoking i took my pluse and it was 60 and stayed at 60 after smoking. I have since returned to normal or i should say almost normal i think i did do a little damage because i tend to forget were i put things and i was not that way before. I did read were airlines allow pilots to smoke because they want them to be at there best. I also saw were students that smoke do better. I have smoked for 45 years and now do not know what to do because with the insane over 2000% tax increase on tobacco Obama signed i do not have the money to smoke. I think i am as good as dead if the patch does not work because i am not sure if it is nicotine alone that my body is used to. Do not think i am a nut case it looks like it is just me or maybe some like me that have smoked so many years that stopping is such a shock to the body. I can drink more than one cup of coffee and go right to sleep we are all so different just a peanut can kill some people.
I have not smoked for 7 days. I am a nervous wreck and the first thing i want to do is reach for that cigarette. My husband smokes and was considerate enough to go outside, but it is freezing out there. I told him not to change his lifestyle because of me and that i would have to get used to being around smokers anyway. Just about everyone we know smokes.
I have gained 2 pounds in a week. My comfy jeans are now snug. This is not good. I pick all day long as there is always something freshly baked in my kitchen. I refuse to make the household suffer because i can't control myself.
Many of my family members passed due to complications from smoking and drinking, which i do maybe once month and that's stretching it, so no worry there. My mother is now suffering with lung cancer along with 4 tumors in her head which are inoperable.
The last few mornings i have coughed my head off, almost to the point of gagging. My house is spotless, trying to keep myself busy. I do our Corporate taxes which takes days and days and always with a cigarette, but trying to do them and concentrate now without a smoke is nearly impossible. I have become short of breath and bringing groceries in yesterday was weird, i had to stop to catch my breath a few times.
After supper in the evening is death defying and that first cup of coffee in the morning always went hand in hand with a smoke. Driving in the car for a long period of time is the pits.
Anyway, i am almost thinking about lighting up again. Who knew that quitting could make you sick? I felt 10 times better physically and mentally when i had a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. Now i am turning into a fat breathless chocoholic with a spotless home and a miserable disposition.
I have gained 2 pounds in a week. My comfy jeans are now snug. This is not good. I pick all day long as there is always something freshly baked in my kitchen. I refuse to make the household suffer because i can't control myself.
Many of my family members passed due to complications from smoking and drinking, which i do maybe once month and that's stretching it, so no worry there. My mother is now suffering with lung cancer along with 4 tumors in her head which are inoperable.
The last few mornings i have coughed my head off, almost to the point of gagging. My house is spotless, trying to keep myself busy. I do our Corporate taxes which takes days and days and always with a cigarette, but trying to do them and concentrate now without a smoke is nearly impossible. I have become short of breath and bringing groceries in yesterday was weird, i had to stop to catch my breath a few times.
After supper in the evening is death defying and that first cup of coffee in the morning always went hand in hand with a smoke. Driving in the car for a long period of time is the pits.
Anyway, i am almost thinking about lighting up again. Who knew that quitting could make you sick? I felt 10 times better physically and mentally when i had a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. Now i am turning into a fat breathless chocoholic with a spotless home and a miserable disposition.