Shortness of breath after stopping smoking

I understand your frustration i quit in Feb and the shortness of breath is awful mad oh boy i am so mad at myself my kids are watching me suffer like this i cry cause i get so scared cause i can not breath i pray everyday it will get better everyone says it will I cough and cough not always getting anything up sometimes it feels like I'm drowning.. I can't even hold my grand baby with out being short of breath really stinks.. Oh I can not wait till the day comes that i can walk around the block again I will never ever smoke again.. it just is not worth this

Hang in there. A lot of what you are going through is mental. Where you like this as a smoker? If not the you don't quit and get worse. It took me a good year to understand this and I then got better. I'm 2 years in now and feel great. Keep pushing yourself. Go for the walk around the block. Push yourself ignore all of the things your brain is telling you and you will see the more you do this the better you will start to feel.

hyperbaric oxygen chamber? has anyone tried this yet??????

Just remember....It's NEVER a bad idea to get a check up, Especially for real long time, heavy smokers. After you get an idea of you overall health from you doctor, start your excersize regiment.

I'm going through all this problem.... its almost 2 months I stopped smoking. I'm asking god to help me this situation.

I quit 8 months ago,,,,last few months been hell...Can not breathe,,,short breath,can not work etc. I went to a Dr Wolf on Moorpark av in San Jose...Say he is the best in the world......He did tests etc..Nebulizer etc...He then preceeded to try different inhalers on me....That night I was almost dead...OD ed from the inhalers,,,no breath,,,could not walk( even two feet).....My wife started to rub my back...LAyed down, got some sleep.....Next day began fast and prayer.....Tossed away all inhalers,,,,got an nasal spray bottle,,,filled with hydrogen peroxide....Spray three times , like an inhaler,,,into mouth,,3 percent hydrogen peroxide......Today is 6 days later....Walked 5 miles,,,worked on scaffold,,,,no shortness of breath..( had a relationship with my wife,,,hint hint,,no prob),,,,,Id recommend you avoid inhalers ......

PS Jesus is Lord and my God John 20 vs 28

I posted as unlivedkyle before but forgot my password. I'm still going if anyone's curious, the sob is gone now. Anxiety is there but only sometimes. I wish Ralph would check in.... Cheers everyone

Sounds like sleep apnoea to me. (Not sure of spelling but you get thee idea..)

It is* not* an illusion. You have real hubris to tell grown people that it's in their heads. It is a common side affect of quitting to lose one's breath more often and more quickly than before you quit. It's frustrating and can be used as an excuse to stay up again. Hang in there, I and other ex smokers that I know have been through this. Ignore the regurgitated information you read on nearly every single website about what happens when you quit. It will take 6 months to get your breath back. Learn breathing exercises, but take them slow for real. It's a real thing, you are not alone, just like you gave your brain time and support to heal from the addiction, you must also give your lungs some healing support. ~ 29 years of a pack a day or more

yes i have the same symptoms but on top of having breath shortness i have flue symptoms(running nose but no cough..) and this happens every time i try to quit (1-2 months)

Oh man, all very reassuring. So thankful for this thread... Going through the same thing right now. Specially at night the airways close up. I have found that Vicks Vaporub on the chest helps. Also I am right now deep washing all my bed clothing to minimize all kinds of allergens like dust mites etc.

Glad I found this site. Only place that talks about SOB. 2 months into quit. Did cold turkey but Dr. said to wear 14 mg patch for a few weeks for other symptoms and then will wean off the patch. All testing done and everything looks good except the breathing. Smoked for 40 years so I guess it would take some time to undo that. Now wish I had never put a cigarette in my mouth. Has anyone taken mucinex or some other expectorant to help get rid of some of the mucus? I feel it but it never gets coughed up. Doctor says it is still getting out of the system other ways. He said I could take mucinex to see if it helps. Cough is very dry. Has anyone tried this?

I am at 2 months with same SOB an dry cough. how long before it goes away

Smoked for 47 years, 2 packs a day, Quit 25 months ago. Feeling better and less SOB is a gradual process. Feel better all the time but still get SOB. Seems more mental then physical, anxiety gets better also. The first few months are tough, you need to just hang in there, it will get better.