Shortness of breath after stopping smoking

It took for me about 6 months for SOB to go away.  At some point of the time you suddenly noticed that you don't have it . Other symptoms will last for a while. It was 30 weeks for me yesterday!

I quit smoking cold turkey in Feb 2010 and was fine for 3 months before I got SOB.  It felt like my lungs were working at 60 to 70%,  had all the usual tests at the hospital and was told there appeared to be nothing wrong.  My Nurse practitioner then went down the Asthma route, my GP disagreed strongly but referred me to a specialist anyway.  By June 2011 after undergoing a Manitol challenge test (following various other tests) Asthma was finally ruled out and I was back to square one!!!  My breathing throughout this time had remained more or less constant, breathing was tough under physical exertion, I couldnt lie on my back and I could no longer swim! (Everytime I got in the water and my chest would spasm and breathing would become impossible!!) By this time I saw a new GP and he decided to have a look up my nose and said that it looked inflamed.  He referred me to an ENT specialist and also told me to use a Nasal rinse alongside a Flixonase nasal spray.  After seeing the ENT specialist I had pin prick allergy tests (which tested negative) and was diagnosed with Chronic Sinisitis and was given prescription strength Flixonase nasal drops.  This was around Xmas 2011 and by Feb 2012 my breathing was getting back to normal, sleeping on my back, jogging and back in the pool swimming.  Its now November and I'm still using the Nasal rinse, have reduced the nasal spray dosages.  I swim 5 to 6 miles a week go jogging and cycling and feel as if I'm back to normal. All I can say is that after all the frustration, it WAS worth packing in smoking!! I hope that my account can help anyone who is going through what we have all experienced.  Its also worth noting that there is not much help available regarding this SOB after quiting smoking and it was only after long hours surfing the Net that I found the help and support were after.

Thank you For Sharing Your Experience. / Glad To Know That Your Active and Breathing Better. More Than Anything Else, Glad To Know You're Smoke-Free

I smoked weed for 6 months straight everyday, and now seem to be experiencing shortness of breath after quitting, it's been about 12 days or so, and these symptoms didn't show up until just a couple days ago. I've looked around the internet a lot, and my guess is, it is just our bodies trying to get back to normal for smoking for so long, I would love for this t. o be over, but I realize that I stupidly did this to my self and now have to live with the consequences until this goes away, however I wish it would go away soon...

Gilm.. I Also Smoked Weed for a few years. I twisted Joints Daily. 4-5 Times all through high school back in the 80's. WEED is WORSE then Ciggs because there is NO filter man. I URGE you to see a Doctor about SOB. Please Do-Not rely on the internet for Exact Answers. I say this with humbleness. Happy Holidays and Hope You Feel Better Soon Man..:)

I'm glad to hear we have all given up smoking. I tried my first cigarette when i was 14, then started smoking regularly when I was 16. So over the last 18 yrs, I probably averaged a pack a day for 13 yrs. This is my 3rd cycle of quitting and my last. Back when I was 20, I took a 2 yr break after getting pneumonia. Then I smoked 7 years and quit one day, cold turkey. Very little shortness of breath. Then back in 2010, I divorced and started smoking again. And I also started chewing. Now, as of December 13, 2012 @ 5pm, I have been tobacco free. Not a single stick or dip. Being 34, its a good time to quit, i want to be here for my kids and hopefully get to meet some grandkids (not for AT LEAST, 10 years). Physically, I had no desire to quit, I could jog a mile uphill backwards while smoking. No, quit tobacco to show a couple work buddies its not that hard, they have both chewed Copenhagen for over 15 years and are trying to quit. , I have no desire or urge to smoke or chew. If I ever smoke again, it will be nicotine free, coffee flavored E-cigs. I do enjoy the physical act of smoking. Anyway, I, too, am experiencing SOB. Horrible SOB, didn't start till 1week after I quit. I feel all your pain and know it will be better soon and then i can get on with my life. Hang in there, everyone! ~William 2.0

William..Glad to hear you're smoke free.. I Too am smoke free near 3 months now../ I still get episodes of SOB. / I Miss Smoking Almost Daily. Our Bodies Heal Day-By-Day from the Poison On Cigarettes. I am Into My Late 40's now and knew it was time to throw those away forever.. Beer doesn't taste the same and its No Fun Drinking Beer Anymore.. LOL William.. Be Strong Friend.. Merry Christmas to you and yours.:)

But food does taste better, mouth feels lighter, breath does feel clearer. And others do not wrinkle their noses at my body smell after a smoke. I understand only after I quit how awful a smoker's body smells after one cigarette. I quit 500+ days ago and am still getting SOB. Doc says it is due to a panic sense, which smokers avoid by going after a cigarette. Well, I invited that, Let me fight it away. William, do not lose heart

I smoked heavily for 40 years.  Quit about 20 months ago.   For the first year I started exercising slowly, then more and more plus dieting to get the weight off.  I lost 30 pounds and could work out and go hiking and mountain biking and everything so much better.  Every day, every week I could breath a little better.   Worked out harder and harder, lifting more weights than I did 20 years ago, and hiking mountains and breathing better and better.   Went to the doctor and got a full check up, all good.  He put me on Spiriva said it would help my lungs clear out.   Then about 4 months ago I started having shortness of breath.  Usually during or after exercise.  Then even at rest.  Went to my doctor and he prescribed anti-anxiety medicine and said not to worry about it.  Gave me another inhaler to try.  The inhalers don't seem to help much.   A week later the SOB got so bad after two days of it I went to the emergency room and spent two days in the hospital.  Scared to death I couldn't breath and what's going on? (I had never been in the hospital in my life).  Got all the tests, chest x-ray, CT scans, echocardiogram (of my heart), EKG, multiple blood tests, etc.   Long story short they said nothing is wrong with me, my lungs are fine and heart of a 20-year-old.  Sent me home with more anti-anxiety medicine.  Said I was hyperventilating.  That was 3 weeks ago.  I'm taking the anti-anxiety medicine daily, practicing deep breathing exercises several times a day (they help).  I still have SOB from time to time, usually in the evenings or mornings after I get up.  I still plan on getting more tests done and a 2nd or even a 3rd opinion.  May be a heart or clogged artery problem?  I don't know.  I don't know why my breathing got so very much better over the first year and now this.  I still hike and exercise but have to stop and catch my breath from time to time.  I am happy the doctors say my lungs look good and my heart is strong, but I don't know why I keep having shortness of breath.  Maybe it will pass in time.

My husband and I stopped smoking 3 months ago today....Man we both have SOB ...It started about 3 weeks after we stopped smoking....We both went to the doctor and he said we are having withdrawls from smoking.....We cannot cough like we did when we was smoking...We are taking Anxiety Pills and Inhaler twice a day...We are also taking (Mucus Relief Chest...400mg every 4 hours....) but it does not seem to help..Do we need to use the real thing instead of generic brand,plus get a higher mg/...Hope someone can help out here...Thank You  

Well for one I would like to tell everyone who has quit smoking...CONGRATS! I am on day 50, and proud, but as everyone else I am having shortness of breath....I am 28 years old, have been a smoker for 15 years and decided to quit cold turkey November 19, 2012....I have been having shortness of breath since I quit and its freaking me out. I also like knowing I am not the only one going through this and that it is obviously normal...I think I might try and learn some breathing techniques to help get my lungs stronger....because I am sure they took a hell of a beating for 15 years...Good luck everyone!!!

Great Kyras Mom.. WAY TO GO !!   I'm Day 97 after smoking about 29 years more or less .  My SOB has seemed to subside lately, but still have episodes. / I never heard (1) Doctor state anything normal about SOB after smoking. I see these TV Anti-Smoke Campaign Commercials and they are SCARY & True. I Wish these TV commercials were on TV in the 80's.  Cigarettes are POISON  and I keep trying to make that a conscious thought. However,  I Want to smoke almost daily, I eat like a Pig to take mind off..  Anyway, Please stay Strong. and Good Luck to you Peace..

After 2 weeks my SOB is gone!!! Don't quit Quitting!

I'm almost two years smoke free! I had triggers for the first 18 months. They will slowly start to subside and you'll notice you don't think about them as frequently and eventually you'll realize a whole day went by without a trigger. I turned to food as well. Whatever it took to stay quit! This is a long-term battle and well worth fighting for your life. I smoked for 35 years and the SOB was terrible. Breathing exercises helped a lot. I still get short of breath sometimes. You don't get to smoke for decades without consequences. Congratulations to all who are fighting to quit and stay quit!

I have stopped cold turkey 2 1/2 months ago and I'm getting the SOB and I had sex last night and I thought that I was goin gto have a heart attack and that has never happened. I did not take anything for quiting smoking