Lump in throat after quitting smoking

JayneHuskey wrote:

Guest wrote:

Same problems here - itchy ears and the worst sore throat I've experienced since my teen years. I am 39 years old and quit smoking cold turkey 29 days ago. I had smoked for 17 years. It is heartening to know that my symptoms are being experienced by others who have recently quit. What I have found is that a neti pot is amazing and clears up the sore throat immediately. I use the neti pot as often as the sore throat returns, and it really gives me the confidence that I will get through this. I also bought Zand's Organic Throat Spray with Echinacea and Tea Tree Oil, which has been terrific, as well (and will also help in fighting off infection during this very susceptible time). I have been lucky in not experiencing (so far, anyway) any burning in my lungs. I am drinking lots of water and staying very positive about everything, and have a great support system in my wonderful girlfriend who is very proud of what I'm doing. I know I'll get through it, and reading all of your stories gives me that extra kick in the butt that I need if I ever doubt that the sore throat will disappear. Like another poster said, how sick it is to think that a single cigarette would make these symptoms subside. That realization makes me more and more confident that the fight is well worth it. Best of luck to everyone! -Raj

I freaked out!! Smoked two packs a day, quit cold turkey as my 71st birthday gift to myself, early January..cig cough went away immediately, but up popped this "froggy" throat. Still the same; won't subside, even with lozenges, cough candies and cough syrup. I'm relieved to read about the phenomena. Otherwise, I'd probably be back smoking and eliminating this constant throat-clearing. Wish me luck.

Oh honey, don't go back to the cigarettes please. You have come this far, don't give in. Good Luck to you

It will get better i promise you, I thought the same things when I quit so hang in there. Good Luck

Dear All,

Thanks for posting your thaughts, and experience, well my Name is Sawaid and i have quit smoking since 3 months and i have the same problem and facing the same, specially the neck pain and left hand along with palpitation, i always run to hospitals or the clinic to seek doctor but almost ever alternate day i go to doctor and everything is normal ECG and blood counts heart structure and oxygen level and the Blood Pressure also the sugar is normal, but the palpitation is what screws me lot

And reading all the people quit smoking have the same problem and going through same thing is what i m relax and think i m not the only one suffering, in my case the doctors are also irritated, they did all the test and even i have visited all the speciallist
from : Cardiologst, Internist, Orthopadic, Neurologist, GP and other and all had done the required test and are clear

I done understand how it will go and how soon because now that i have waited for 3 months i am in no mood to take back cigrate anymore some said it is clearing

thx man....i feel better after reading your post... same feeling of lump in the throat and insomnia....

I quite smoking 34days ago myself. Cold Turkey! And I have to say wow!!! 

I'm glad the internet exists.  Holy balls.  I was a cig smoker for 10 years and I smoked cannabis the entire time.  Quit the cigs 3 years ago and quit cannabis 1 month ago.  Im 34 gonna be 35 tomorrow.  I am having the same EXACT symptoms as some of the the people on here.  Lump in throat, left tonsil slightly achy for a month, intermittent ear ache, brown speckled mucus.  I was convinced that I had cancer.  After reading all the posts I feel a hundred times better.  I have to be honest, I love smoking cannabis, I can do without the cigs but it was hard to quit the green stuff.  We'll congrats to all the ex smokers, stay strong and fight the good fight.  I also recently realized that the reason I smoked cannabis was to self medicate for anxiety, stress, sleeping issues.  I have since done a complete physical and I was honest with my doc about my "emotional issues" and I am considering taking some prescription meds to help with the mental stuff(still dont like to admit it).  Life is too short.  No one needs to smoke to feel better and plus insurance covers pills :) $10 for 30 days worth of pills is a lot better then $400/oz.  Peace hope you all feel better soon.

Hi there,
Yes i quit somking just 15 days back at the age of 30 for almost 6 years and now i am suffereing from neck pain , soar throat. It's been relaxed to know that this things happen. But generally how long does it take to go away?

I had to LOL at this response. It sounded so much like what I am going through and my doctors think I am psycho because since I quit I keep going in for all these "new symptoms that I've never felt before" I definitely had the lump in the throat and once that passed now I am dealing with constant nasal drip down the back of my throat causing my tonsils to swell a little and a little pain in my left ear. I googled that and it said it was a sign of throat cancer so of course I took my anxiety ridden self back to the Doctor who rolled her eyes at me and gave me a nasal spray. I have to say my health insurance is getting a work out this year in part to quitting smoking. I did not research anything about quitting nor did i ask anyone what to expect I just did it. I smoked about 7-10 cigs a day for 10+ years and never saw side effects of quitting coming. I will be one month free in about a week and let me tell you...there is no way in HELL I am going back. My new addiction? Meditation and Yoga....hold the applause :)

Hi I had my last cigarette 4 days ago, and i am so tired and when not sleeping night or day, i am really dizzy in fact i feel awful



I hope im strong enough for this as i do not want to smoke

I researched this extensively and found out something that is real interesting as far as the lump in throat goes.  We have little hairs in the back of our throat, which we have no doubt burnt up from our smoking, and the reason we feel like something is in our throat is because those hairs are growing back and we are not used to them being there.

I have been smoking since I have been 15, I am now 18 and I topped out at about 12 a day, I do and have reguraly smoked cannabis but always through a water and a carbon filter. I noticed the lump when I began to quit about a month ago and it drove me insane, my anxiety was through the roof. I began to notice that after smoking cannabis it would literally disappear like it had never even occured. After much research I found that it often results from the muscles contracting in the neck and throat, often due to stress. It all made sense then, when I would fight with my girlfriend it would feel like there was a tennis ball in throat, my whole neck and lymph nodes would be sore as hell. And after I smoked cannabis and relaxed it would virtually disappear. Im not saying that specifically cannabis is a cure just that the immediate relaxation help relieved it, many people have said a small amount of alcohol was as effective. I have not been succesful at abstaining completely but I have cut down and use Tarbar filters on every one I smoke. I do get the same feeling of a sore throat and a cough that just feels like you cant get anything F***ing up.... If anyone has knows a solution or cause for that please tell..

Wow, see I have this too! I quit for good 5 days ago. Since then horrible post nasal drip, coughing, throat pain and down my neck and my ear hurts sometimes (nasal spray helps) but yeah I was thinking cancer too, but I had a work up and nothing. I want to give it a while before I go back so i do not seem bonkers. I have heard that smoking can be horrible on your body. 21 years off and on but recently 1 pack + a day with anxiety etc. I am SO glad I quit but I am not enjoying these new pains and hurts...but it beats smoking. I just hope I did not do lasting damage and my body forgives me!

I quit smoking August 21, 2012. I got up one morning and said enough. I am with everyone else here. I feel like there is a lump in my throat and I feel like I am not breathing properly. I have yet to start coughing to clean my lungs.  It is driving me mad. I started swimming last month for building up the lungs. Also, I have been to my doctor constantly for muscle/joint pain. I've had that many scans I am almost glowing.

Is there anyone out there who has quit and noticed when this all started to go away because it's driving me nuts. Not enough to start up again though. :)

For someone reason this might sound strange.but after a break up with my misses,i decided to quit everything.i was doing meth and other drugs but majority meth for 2 years and smoking weed and cigarettes since i was 16.i'm at the age of 23 now and a couple of months ago,i decided to go cold turkey.i picked up my last ciggie and told it go f**k itself.never touched a smoke since then.been sober for 4 months and have no urges on going back.it's all in the head,some are weak minded and some a strong minded it depends on you. 

Hi all new nonsmokers!!! I have been smoking weed and cigarettes for over 10 years and recently gave up marijuana for lint. I said I was also giving up cigarettes but could not just stop and started weening myself off of them until 72 hours ago when I went cold turkey! I have never felt so bad and although my throat would hurt every morning, it would subside by an hour into awakening. I thought I had the flu and experienced a fever, extreme sore throat, muscle aches, stomach cramps, and headaches. I cannot sleep through the night and it baffled me why I could feel so bad after I stop smoking completely. After researching on the net and considering the 4000 chemicals cigarettes possess, the body is truly trying to heal itself and has also adapted to the toxins it faces on a daily basis. I also read on a site that cigarettes have numbing chemicals that camouflage the pain; hence, making the body feel better after lighting up again. What a disgusting habit that causes detrimental diseases, body odor, and nothing positive! How could I have been so foolish all of these years! Dammit with all the money I have wasted on drugs, blunts, and cigarettes I should be driving a Mercedes. Well anyway good luck to you all and I too am ready so that I never have to go through this and feel this way ever again!