Shortness of breath after stopping smoking

It's now been about 16 months since I quit smoking.  I still get SOB, but anti-anxiety drugs have certainly helped my symptoms.  I have tried everything (including quitting caffeine for 2 years).  This is just my followup message to the thread about my current status.  I've tried anti-depressants (Celexa), advair, magnesium, etc.  The only thing that seems to work for me is to take a 1mg Klonopin in the morning, another after lunch, then usually a Xanax after dinner.  Most of the time, I'm symptom-free, but i'm also dependent on anti-anxiety drugs to curb my SOB.  My doctor keeps telling me to lose more weight and my SOB will go away.  I'm down 20 lbs this year, but probably need to lose another 40 to be at an average weight for my height.  I wish I could say that I'm all better now, but I do feel like my SOB has gotten much better than it was this time last year.  Good luck everyone!-Scott

Hello!  Started smoking when I was 14 years old, now I am 26.  I stopped smoking 48 hours ago and I also have SOB.  Although, I had SOB when I was smoking too so I dont really feel a difference just yet.  I had the desire to quit for a few months now and then this past Tuesday, I looked at my last cigarette in the pack, smoked it and called it a day.  I threw on a nicotine patch the next morning and so far, so good!  I have no craving for a cigarette but I do crave my "routine".  I miss my cigarette after dinner or with a glass of wine.  I miss sitting outside with my husband and talking about our day with a few smokes. It really sucks but Im hoping after a few months that I will develop a new routine.  Im a little nervous about this weekend because it will be my first weekend with no smokes. But Im trying not to make a big deal out of it. I feel that when we make a huge deal out of it - we make the issue worse.  I saw someone say (on another smoking blog) to "just let it be".   I think that is really great advice.  Try to relax and let it be.  I think of my parents who smoked for 30 years and both quit cold turkey - they LOVED to smoke but they eventually found a new groove.  We can all do it!  Not trying to get all "sunshine and rainbows" on you guys but let's all lighten up a bit and "just let it be". Our lungs and body will heal themselves in time.  Good luck to you all!!!

I quit smoking 7 months ago and still feel short of breath. I feel the same as one of the others who wrote in to this site: I feel far worse now than I did when I was smoking.  I've gained 25 lbs. and with the shortness of breath, am unable to exercise without feeling like I'm about to have a heart attack.  Also, I find I am constantly having pimples on my face since quitting.  I haven't had pimples since I was a teenager..........I'm 68 now.  Smoked for 50 years.  I'm hoping this is the poisons being released from my lungs.  Just hope that sooner or later I start to feel better, or I just may have to go back to smoking!

hey there,  ive quit smoking for 10 months now. i was a pack a day (20's) smoker and smoked for 10 years. im a 27 year old healthy male, regualary excersice 4 itms a week and eat healthy. I quit last november cause i was having trouble with breathing and was smelling a sweet smell that no1 else could smell. anyways, about 4 months ago i went really dizzy/lightheaded and felt like i couldnt breathe, tingling arms and dry mouth, ended up having the missus help me to the car n drive me home missing the movie we went to see. the next day it happened again and on the 3rd day i ended up at the doctors with it happeneing. my doc told me to slow down my breathing and calm down, said it was an anxiety attack. i ended up gettign a blood test done which came back normal so i went to another doctor which ended up doing a chest x-ray, neck xray, EEG,ECG,CT scan another 2 blood tests and a holter monitor for 24 hrs. they all come back normal. Since reading this forum im actually wondering if it is withdrawl symptoms from quitting. i quit cold turkey and didnt have any cravings while i was quitting and these symptoms have been on going for 4 months now.On a side note, congratulations to every1 on this forum for the great effort of quitting nicotine.~Luke

Thank you Luke for sharing your story. I have been a part of another forum for almost a year which has helped me immensely. This however, is the only site where other people described the exact symptems that I was having. I am scheduled for a Pulminary Test tomorrow just to make sure everything is okay. Since the first time I experienced shortness of breath about a month ago, I have had about a handful of times where I couldn't catch my breath and one time where I broked down and took the anti anxiety meds I was given. This process takes time, patience, understanding, faith in ourselves and much much more. So worth it. Thank you again for sharing.

I quit chewing tobacco cold turkey 4 weeks ago after 25 years of constant use. I tried to quit a few other times, but other than those I probably didn't go more than an hour or two without a chew for all of those years unless I was sleeping. The immediate withdrawl issues were not hard for me. I think this is because chew is a lower amount of nicotine and over a longer dosage period where a cigarette is a fast immediate hit. The first 3 days were pretty easy. I was constantly buzzed as I overcame the addiction. The next two weeks were not fun, but bareable, as I tried to get over the oral fixation and trigger events like having a cup of coffee, post meal, or while drinking alcohol. I have not been sleeping well, but that has been normal for me for a while. I think all the years of addiction have disrupted my sleep pattern. Hopefully that will get better with time. Honestly the absolute worst thing for me is the shortness of breath and anxiety that comes with it. I had absolutely no idea this was a possible condition of quitting until I did a google search and found this site! I am a highly active person. I have done Ironman triathlons, I race cyclocross and mountain bikes. I workout twice a day 6 days a week. Two weeks ago I was out of a ride; as I warmed up and starting working harder I couldn't catch my breath. I started to panic and felt trapped. I had to take off my helmet and sunglasses because they felt constricting. I had absolutely no clue what was going on and it totally freaked me out! Now every time I start warming up to work out it happens. Once I get warmed up and further into the activity it is fine, but the initial spike in heart rate or whatever triggers an attack. Again, thank God I found this site. I had no idea what was going on. I thought I was going crazy. NONE of the stop smoking organizations talk about how long the symptoms last. I don't care if the "physical" or "chemical" addiction technically ends after three days; whether "psychological" or not these symptoms are real. And the sure as heck take longer than 3 days to get over. And not one site ever talked about having shortness of breath! So glad I found this site and understand its not ME its a symptom of quitting my addiction!!!!!

Hi everyone, I found this after googling my condition, sure I was dying.  It was comforting, in some way, to see that I wasn't the only one who'd suffered from this misery.  That is, spending the whole night pacing the two rooms of my flat, trying to catch my breath.  Finally falling asleep at 9 in the morning only to wake up an hour later, gasping.  Certainly, some of the most trying/awful nights of my life.I'm 29, I was a smoker for 16 years.  I quit a week ago.  I have mild asthma.The reason I decided to write here was, I've gotten over the shortness of breath and thought I'd share what worked in case it might help someone else.First, lots of vitamins, C, B, Amino Acids, Tumeric, Mullein, other expectorants.I stopped eating wheat, no caffeine, no dairy, no processed sugar, or foods for that matter.But last, the thing that I think really was the catalyst of my now deep breaths (I haven't thought about when and how to breathe in a few days)vigorous exercise.  Hundreds of jumping jacks.  I went and played soccer for hours, gasping the whole time, but, when I caught my breath, I actually caught it.  It hasn't gone back since.  I jogged.  Did push ups.  Walked really fast.I don't know.  That's my suggestion, vigorous exercise.  Even when it hurtsI hope it helps someone and hopefully doesn't hurt anyone.

its been a month since i quit smoking....i used to smoke around 1/2 pack a day for around 10 yrs or more....well i m suffering like you guys are.... having all the symptoms like you guys have...It was so fun remembering those days smoking and having cup of tea wid frens ....damn this anxiety is worse ...i aint social these days ...irritated by everything..... appetite gone damn....high normal pressure shit all the worst symptoms....but i wont give up ....I take it as a challenge ..i wont let this hell win ....i have joined gym ....1 half hour workout at evening1 hour walk /jogging in the moring3 to 4 liters of water a day and lots of good food...you can buy pack of cig anywhere but not a life .....life is beautiful .....fight for it dont give up you can message me ...you can talk to me ...m on face book too......share your experience wid me ...you will feel 100% better..... 

I quite smoking and was have SOB for a long time One doctor said it was asthma gave me inhalers which nothing worked. I went to another Doctor in a different state. He told me to talk Prevacid. My sever coughing stopped after the first week and my shortness of breath went away. Turns out I had Gerd. It might help you all out too!

i went through same like yours ......

I have to say coming across this chat group has been a blessing!! I was pretty much a pack a day smoker for 30 years, and quit April 2010 cold turkey.I noticed before I even quit that I was getting the SOB and lots of anxiety and a few nasty panic attacks (though I smoked weed for years too and seems when I quit that the anxiety started) The SOB was so bad sometimes, I would have to leave my desk and walk around outside while feeling like I was being partially choked and had a fast heart beat. I still get the SOB and feel the tight/burning chest feeling in the morning, and from what others are saying, it's going to be around for a while. Recently I walked my bike up a hilly street in San Fran and really thought I was going to die or pass out when I got to my house! At least knowing that I'm not going crazy and others are going through the same makes me feel a lot better!!! I had no idea all this was going to happen from quitting, but there's no turning back now. So glad I quit and I beg you all to not start again. It is a filthy habit, and now I can smell someone smoking across the street and it makes me sick, especially knowing I was that guy for a looooong time. The deep breathing through the nose is a big help. I've noticed that I always breathe through my mouth which is not right. 

Congratulations to those who have kicked the vile habit or are attempting to. After a massive bout of vomiting ( bile) on Friday night I tossed all my ciggies. I have smoked for 45 years and have the wrinkles on my face to prove it. I now have shortness of breath and a miserable cold. 2 yrs ago I was admitted to hosp suffering from pulmonary edema which was a result of untreated pneumonia. I don't know if this sob is from quitting or pneumonia so will see dr. tomorrow. I know this is not an option for many but mandarin juice has some very specific properties that helps with breathing. I am fortunate to have 3 mandarin trees on my property but they did not bear this year. I had over 2000 ( yes 2000) mandarin last year and never had any breathing probs.

Thank you to all the people that have contributed to this thread. I gave up smoking 3months ago and SOB has had a profound effect on my life. I have suffered terrible depression and was put on a course of srs inhibitors which has made my life so much worse. I came off these as the foggy dream like state combined with SOB was terrifying. ECG and X-rays all clear and to be told by doctors that it's all in my head was not helping as no deep breathing techniques would aliviate the anxiety (almost makes it worse all that concious effort). This thread has given me new hope and I woke up this morning feeling incredible (first night where I haven't woken in a month), knowing that this terrible burden was just a symptom of body cleansing/rebuilding not something dire. Again thanks I will keep posted here re progress. LJB

I quit smoking and started having really bad SOB. I Spent thousands of dollars on X-rays CAT scans lung doctors. No asthma medication worked. I had a constant cough. I saw another asthma specialist and he told me I might just have GERD. this was already 7 months after i quit smoking. I was still having SOB and a cough. I was about to give up on life. I started taking Prevacid my cough and SOB went away after about 4 days on the the med. I went and had a scope and my throat stretched. I hardly cough and No SOB.  I am only 26 

Update from LJB, to people in uk with SOB after smoking just try Veno's expectorant cheap off the shelf variety for chesty cough.