Health Issues After Quitting Smoking

RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Sam (Guest Post) (10/29/2008) I quit 6 days ago and I'm starting to get a cough and I'm slightly wheezing when I breath. Does anyone know if the symptoms are weaker if you've been smoking smaller periods of time? I've been smoking about 4 years now and I'm 18. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By (Guest Post) (10/27/2008) Hi, I'm a mom of 2, like you and many others here I''m experiencing withdrawal symptoms. I started puffing in mid '96 in college and was a pack-a-week smoker till 1 quit in 2001 for 4.5 years. back then my symptoms weren't so bad as I was in my late twenties. Tthen in 2007 I began smoking regularly till March this year, but was weaning myself of with a ciggie every 2 weeks till August. Now it's 2 months since I puffed and I'm suffering from the following withdrawal symptoms -panic/anxiety attacks where I wake up fearing that I have a fatal disease. - left arm has gone slightly numb but I hear that's my circulation going back to normal (we'll see!):P - coughing and bronchitis - dizziness and occasional lightheadedness from breathing too deeply. again I hear this is a good sign. How I'm recovering is to be conscious of reducing caffeine intake, exercising more, eating more salads and fruits/juices, exercising and most of all remaining positive throughout. These symptoms have made me more determined never to relapse on this icky habit. please don't be afraid to go through these symptoms as your body is just healing. Most importantly, Vitamins C, E , A and consuming lots of ginger, garlic and spices is important to help the healing process. As for weight gain, yes you will eat to replace the need for smoking but your hunger cravings will soon go away. Just drink lots of water, exercise and ensure that you always eat your last meal before 7pm. That has helped me keep the weight off. :) Good luck all! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Rodney R (Guest Post) (10/15/2008) First off; I would like to congratulate everyone here on quitting a terrible habit that is smoking. Since 1994 I smoked cigarettes on and off til early 2008 when I just decided, ' Enough was enough.' Since then I haven't felt that great. About 7 months after quitting I started noticing my stomach distending, felt full of gas, my throat felt slimy and sticky most days and began feeling my chest gurgle sometimes. My sleeping habits changed, not by choice, I just couldn't sleep. I have this feeling something is always stuck in my throat, can't cough it out yet and I always feel tired. But I made a committment to myself that I will NEVER smoke another cigarette ever again. I just hope that I feel start to feel better soon. I exercise at least 3 days a week for about 2-3 hours each day. I eat healthy food and also stay away from alcohol and unhealthy stuff. I know I made a wise decision to quit smoking after 12 years of polluting my body. I hope one day, that all the tobacco companies are forced to go out of business because every living human being on earth quit and abstained from this deadly drug. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Allan (Guest Post) (09/24/2008) Further to me last post on this site, its is now nearly 2.5 years since I quit and at last the headaches have stopped and my energy is comming back, I am now back on the keep fit routine and have stopped falling asleep everytime I sit down. I still believe that there should more in depth information as to what happens to the body when you stop smoking after 30 years. It seams to me that none of the so called "health advisors" want to admit to this. Maybe its because most of them have never smoked in the first place, as such do not really know what they are talking about. I am confident that I will never smoke again and I wish all of you good luck in quitting. Regards Allan Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by dturner242 (1) | (09/04/2008) Contact I feel horrible 10 months since I quit. Horrible thyroid problems and I feel like my whole endocrine system is in rapid deterioration. My body is sore my stomach is bloated like a bowling ball, pressure in my head, adrenaline surges which are out of control. Can't believe how bad I feel since quitting. I'm pretty scared. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Lenka (Guest Post) (07/19/2008) I quit smoking only 3 weeks ago and I got really bad sore throat, something that looks like an eye infection and from time to time it feels like I have fever {but I don't}. Went to see a doctor who said that it is normal and that antibiotics would not help. When he looked in my throat, there was nothing wrong with it. Just that terrible pain I could feel. I have to say, this was strange because I have quit smoking few times before, for a longer period of time but I never felt this bad. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By mom of 2 (Guest Post) (06/02/2008) Well it has been 10 months 6-1 that I have not smoked. Still really stinks. I do have to say I feel so much better. My sinus and ear problems are not as bad as they used to be. I have gained a about 15 pounds which stinks. Right now I would still give my left arm to have a cig. but I know that I would have to quit again and I do not want to go through all the symptoms again. I quit also so that my kids would not want to start. I hope them seeing me and the hard time I had and still having with quiting will let them know that it is a bad thing to even start. I also don't want to start again because I am to cheap to spend the $$$. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Jessica (Guest Post) (06/02/2008) I have stop smoking for 4 days now and its terrible. My arm pains all the time I have muscle pain, I have sleeping problems, I don't know if it is because the blood flow is better. 5 days back I went for hypnosis to quit smoking well that is all in the mind waste of money. I bought Allan Carr easy way of stop smoking with audio CD (better than hypnosis). But I am going to give it a try not to smoke I know that to start smoking is going to make me feel "better", but I don't want my son to start smoking. How can I tell him to stop if I can't stop. I must admit that a lot of water helps with the withdrawal symptoms. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Allan (Guest Post) (05/30/2008) I quit smoking approx two years ago, I was aged 55 at the time and smoking 30 ciggies a day. Since quitting I have never felt so tired in all my life, I could not work full time for six months and am still struggling to do a full weeks work. Up till quitting smoking I never had any health issues, and was fitter that almost everyone I know, I used to have a daily keep fit routine which I still cannot get back to, I have not had any coughing up of phlem etc but, that may be because I was healthly to begin with. I will not be going back to smoking but I notice that the people urging us to quit do not print the full withdrawal issues. I thought I was alone in feeling unwell until I saw this web page. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Jenn (Guest Post) (03/25/2008) Nothing can be worse than the side effects of not quiting! Death is permanent! Withdrawal is temporary! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by Sally_Admin (210) | (02/27/2008) Profile | Contact Just thought I'd chime in that I feel much better after quitting smoking 18 months ago. It took 6 months to feel a whole lot better. A little heavier, but the weight is coming off now. No hacking cough or bad smell, and I'm happy to be smoke free. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by themuffster (39) | (02/27/2008) Profile | Contact Pretty interesting reading these stories. I thought it was in my head; all my problems after I quit smoking last May. To begin with, Chantix, that stop smoking drug, I took for 10 days. Well, I ended up being allergic to it and was in the hospital for a few days. But! While I was taking it, I had absolutely no withdrawal symptoms and got down to three cigs in 10 days. Of course, I finished quitting while in the hospital. Next, my thyroid went wacky...hyper (too fast) and have gained 20 pounds with that being regulated. Then my gall bladder went with no warning. So, yes it looks like it all stemmed from not smoking. But, I still have hung in there even though at times I want to start up so badly. But, for the first time in 20 years, I went without bronchitis this winter...not even a cold so far. I know that I am breathing better. I don't cough anymore. I feel less of an outcast when with other people. My life is not being scheduled around taking a smoke break, looking for somewhere to smoke when I am out, dying for a cig when in a car with someone else, wondering if I will be dying of lung cancer and gasping for air. Those are great things on the side of quitting. The weight bothers me some but that is something if I chose to loose, well, that is another thing to tackle less dangerous than the smoking by far. Good luck and God help you as He as helped me through wanting to start again. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by Joyce wis (96) | (02/27/2008) Contact The same thing happened to me - when I quit smoking. Never again will I quit again. I stated to smoke again & I feel great. My granddaughter asked me to quit. She told me that it takes 7 minutes off of your life with every cig I have. I am sorry but I will not quit again. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by susanmajp (803) | (02/27/2008) Profile | Contact Since you had the earache and sore throat before you quit smoking, they probably aren't related. The cyst probably just grew bigger and started causing worse problems, which it would have eventually anyway. Cysts are filled with waste/infection, so it is possible that this is part of what is causing the pain. Infection will run throughout your body, and make you feel like you've been run over by a truck. Your body is trying to expel the nicotine, and retaining water (bloating) is part of the process. I'm sure you probably smoked for years, and it will take a while before your system straightens out (a side effect caused by the smoking). Unfortunately, we are always most comfortable with what we know rather than going into something blindly with new consequences (not smoking). Please hang in there. Since you are strong enough to quit, I'm sure after all this is over, you'll be glad you did. Have you considered natural ways of allowing your body to detoxify? They might be difficult at first, but will benefit you in the long run. Try soaking in a hot tub with epsom salts (to draw toxins out of the body), a massage (will also move toxins through you faster), buy a vibrator and run it all over your body (will relax the muscles and help empty the lymphatic system--OK, move toxins out), chiropractic adjustments, pumping good vitamins, an exercise program, etc. Now's the time to pamper yourself; use the money you would have spent on the cigarettes to gain control over your health. If you can work through this, you can do anything you set your mind to. God bless. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by KELLYCAJUN (52) | (02/26/2008) Contact My husband and I both quit smoking a few years back and we too began to have severe health problems. He gained four pant sizes and it was all bloat, no pounds. Trouble sleeping, all sorts of aches and pains. I woke up one morning completely numb from hips down.By the next day from the shoulders down. Went through battery of tests etc. Was told I had M.S. Gained weight, we both coughed horribly, decided to try smoking again. Probably dumb but it worked. Within a week all symptoms gone, no more problems and doctors couldn't explain why.One did say it was our bodies reacting to withdrawal but after six months I really don't think so. Who knows? We smoke now and it's probably the wrong thing to do but we both feel great, back to normal, no health problems at all. Fyi we're both senior citizens. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by Puddintane (27) | (02/26/2008) Contact I believe taking Essential Enzymes on a regular basis would help you. Research that and ask your doctor. I've heard so many good things about it that I'm starting them. And I don't have GERD. It aids in digestion and can virtually eliminate GERD, cramping AND cause you to lose weight. This, in turn, could possible help that sore throat. Please, don't go back to smoking. I quit 9 years ago and I know I can't have even one. Please don't allow your thoughts to delude you that you're not better BECAUSE you've quit smoking. Our brains can do that you know. Hope this helps. God Bless you! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By J-Coll (Guest Post) (02/25/2008) I'm sorry to hear of your troubles! I get terrible sore throats w/ ear pain from my reflux. Its awful and incredibly painful. It's b/c the reflux splashes up in your throat - in my case, causing canker sores, which in turn cause all the pain. Good luck at the Gastro's! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post by luvmygingerkids (376) | (02/25/2008) Profile | Blog! | Contact Congratulations on quitting smoking! Did you know it is more difficult to give up nicotine than it is to kick heroin? PROOF: look at all the people who have kicked the heroin habit but still smoke! I got THE worst bronchial cough 5 days after I finally quit smoking. It lasted 3 weeks. The icky feeling goes away, however. Keep it up. I'm 16 years smoke free this coming March 27th, and it was the most difficult thing I ever did....but not a day goes by where I'm not grateful I no longer smoke. Call your local American Lung Association chapter if you have any questions or concerns. They were a godsend for me while I was quitting and I know they will help you too. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Sonya (Guest Post) (02/25/2008) I too am an ex smoker. I quit 3 years ago March. The smoking aggravated my asthma (I know it was stupid to start) so I quit. But now, I have thyroid problems and too have gained 30 pounds. The Dr. is unable to regulate it so I now must learn to live with it. Just don't go back to the smoking, it really isn't going to help improve your health. I often think about going back to smoking just to lose the weight but then I look at my two children and think that I'll manage without a cigarette. Cigarette smoking is being ban everywhere so you will just have harder time fitting in. My guess is that we would both be having health problems with or without the smoking, we just are able to recover a little quicker now with a little more money in our pockets. If you think about going back again spend the money you would have spent on cigarettes, on something for yourself, something to remind you that by smoking you wouldn't have this item. Or you could take your kids out for dinner or something fun. Just do something good with the money you would spent on cigarettes. Best wishes and all my hope, Sonya Report Spam or Abuse RE: Health Issues After Quitting Smoking Post By Cathy (Guest Post) (02/25/2008) I hate to admit it but my health went south when I quit smoking. I am glad I quit because I smell better and I can breath better, but I have spent over 5000.00 in co-pays in the last few years. My sister in law has experienced the same thing so it makes you wonder. My husband refuses to quit. Report Spam or Abuse