Shortness of breath after stopping smoking

i smoked 50 years have quit 14 mo. never was i short of breath until i quit smoking  thought i was the only one . this really stinks more than smokin  i quit when i got bit by a  mosquito and put me in the hospital

I smoked for 40 years and quit six months ago.  I have been riding a bike some and am really pretty active, I have noticed a shortness of breath, but I think it's because I am working hard at getting healthy.  Hopefully it will get better.  No matter what I will never again put one of filthy #€%£ to my lips.

Hello all, i am male 43yrs and smoked heavily for 26yrs. i have stopped about a year now but still get shortness in breath even more than i had when i was smoking. i get panic attacks with just a slight agurment with someone or when i get too exited.   Those this eve go away? i am so worried to make love with my wife for the fear of passing out midway cos of lost of breath.   The worst habit i ever had was smoking and i so wish i could turn back the hand of time.   But wait a minute........................i got Christ so all is well in Jesus name          

Hello all, i am male 43yrs and smoked heavily ( 60 to 98 sticks a day) for 26yrs. i have stopped about a year now but still get shortness in breath even more than i had when i was smoking. i get panic attacks with just a slight agurment with someone or when i get too exited.Those this eve go away? i am so worried to make love with my wife for the fear of passing out midway cos of lost of breath.The worst habit i ever had was smoking and i so wish i could turn back the hand of time.But wait a minute........................i got Christ so all is well in Jesus name

Hello to all, today makes 140 days smoke free for me, thats 20 weeks.got a cold can barely breath. fear is here again. I wish you all a speedy recovery.

42 And smoked for 26 years.   I quit in order to get healthy again and after about a week, I ended up in the emergency room thinking i was having a heart attack like so many others here. Spent 3 days there, ran all kinds of tests EKG, CAT, stress test etc. Was told i am actually in good shape and sent me home. I still had shortness of breath and lightheaded. Worried that it was something they missed, I would get anxiety attacks which starts a spiral. Finding this site has helped a lot. I thought i had it under control but yesterday i went out shopping and within 20 minutes i was tight chested and lightheaded, i was on the verge of calling an ambulance. The worst part is....I have started a new job and i am out of town and will be out of town on and off for the next few months on training. I can't sleep, and when i do i always wake up around 3:30 am and cant go back to sleep and I'm taking ambien as well. This just might cost me a once in a lifetime job......     

I know exactly what your going through, what you went through has happened to me also. Doctors also told me I was fine but I really think it's our minds playing games on us and the reactions to our bodies not having nicotine and whatever chemicals were in cigs. It's gonna be a fight for probably the next 2 years. I smoked for 10 years, and quit almost a year ago. Don't go back to smoking, it will get better. Try to exercise everyday. You just gotta roll with all the symptoms that come up when they do. There will be days you feel great and days you will feel like absolute crap. Also, avoid secondhand, for me it re triggers symptoms. Keep your head up.

Test from my own

Thanks for tbe support, it means a lot. I actually did some rigorous excersizing today. Water survival training, which got my heart rate to around 140 or so for about 10 minutes. My lungs were actually sore for a while afterwards and now I can feel the garbage in my lower lungs. I was worried about having anxiety beforehand but I was too busy to have one........lol. Had a small one afterwards though.

does somebody know some one who get out of this shortnes of brath?

Today is 150 days since my quit, my breathing is begining to get a little better ,Friday was the first time in 2 months that I was able to take a shower.its been a long dark road,today is monday the 18th day of November 2013. I just hope I keep improving and have a nice thanksgiving an christmas , Its been 4 years since i had my last good ones. and I want to wish the best to all of you.

Just A reminder to all of you people, There is nothing in your lungs to cough up till you quit smoking. your lungs keep free of garbage till you stop smoking, then your goblets come alive again and so do your cilia lots of mucus for some people a little for most. Don t worry about tar and mucus. It takes about 3 to 6 months to get to breathing pretty good. couple of years to get back to normal.cigs is like all drugs withdrawal takes time, if you are over weight then it may take years to get back to normal. GOOD LUCK RALPH.

this screen is messed up , Fix it please

Today makes 5 months for me, Its been a long nightmare with no ending in sight at times. If I had it to do all over again I would just smoke till it killed me Now I see why 94 % of people can t quit. the side effects are more than any drug known to man.It took me 3 times of trying before i couldn t take it so I ended up in the hospital 5 times You know your in bad shape when you can t go to the bathroom , cant take A shower for 3 month have to stop 3 time to rest going to the kitchen in the morning.wake up 6 to 8 times at nite trying to get your bteath. now i can take a shower . it takes a while but its getting better went shopping yesterday my scooter broke down this time AAA was there in 20 mins.. sooner or later everthing comes ta a end, maybe this will end before I die I hope so , Got my eye on a couple of nice looking ladies. anyway good luck to everone an may you all have a speedy recovery and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Hello, I'm so glad to find this thread, it kinda helped me thinking there was something really wrong with me. I'm 21 years old, started smoking around 12-13 years of age. I stopped smoking about month ago and I got shortness of breath maybe after 2 weeks of stopping, it felt like nothing i've experienced before. A good thing is to have a paper bag if you start getting anxiety attacks(note: you need a paper bag, plastic bag is not as effectful). It helps a bit, calms your nerves. Remember this is all in your head, and your body is cleaning your lungs so it will make you feel at unease, but fear not. It will be better in time. Find something else to do, start taking walks. It helps a bit, talk to friends. Tell your close ones you have this problem, making them know what it is helps you aswell.  There could also be "groups" nearby you that are also trying to stop smoking, they also experience it and maybe could bring in a few tips now and then.   I'm in my 4 week now, and after reading this thread it really made me at ease, even though i have the SOB I dont mind, since I can still breathe and I know theres nothing wrong with me, the lungs are just recuperating from all the toxic it took in and your body is reacting to that. STAY STRONG!