Quit smoking 5 fags a day for 14 years and asthma has kicked off..

[tom_wales09]

Hi peeps,I'm new to this forum 👋. Never really struggled with asthma since I was a teenager 20 years ago. At the age of 21, I started smoking roll ups. Never had asthmatic cough during the 14 years of smoking. Reason I gave up was because I took up vaping & preferred the taste of that to fags. But then it really irritated my chest, so now I'm cold turkey.

My asthma is being a right pain. Just taking it from day to the next. Can asthma flare up after stopping smoking? I know it's different for everyone, but should my symptoms improve after a couple of weeks of no smoking or vaping?

Tonight, I went for a jog around my block, for the first time in years. Now I'm having another coughing fit! It creeps out on me when I least expect it to.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

[Spikedog66]

Its your chest getting rid of the crap done by smoking. Well done you 👏👏 you'll improve and run marathons in time. You are are young its for the best. They say gets worse before it gets better. 🥰 Keep up the good work.

[tom_wales09 in reply to Spikedog66]

Thanks for that really appreciated. 👊

[Karate109]

It might be worth considering contacting your local NHS Smoking Cessation Service if this service is available in your area. They can offer support to you and explain what is happening to your body due to you quitting smoking. It does get worse before you get better but well done in taking the first step to stopping smoking.

[tom_wales09 in reply to Karate109]

Thank you for your support. I have an appointment with my asthma nurse this week.

[fraid]

Well done giving up the evil smoke habit! I smoked for years, weaned myself off gradually and yes it is your lungs finally being able to eliminate the tar and muck that has built up. It is much easier to treat asthma than lung cancer! Hope you have a treatment regime in place. I have learnt so much from this forum, it has really helped and my asthma- which I also didn't have for years- is now occ. and mild. Keep going. 👏👏👏

[tom_wales09 in reply to fraid]

Thank you. Well done on your smoke free journey as well and keep going. I've turned to exercise and strong mints to keep the cravings away. It's coming up to 3 weeks on Wednesday since I quit. I have so much more energy now than I've ever had in a long long time! Just this damn cough is a nuisance! But only when I'm in enclosed spaces. I was out all day walking yesterday and didn't cough persistently. Then as I went into an enclosed space (ie the pub for some grub!) I was coughing like crazy. Why is that?!

[fraid in reply to tom_wales09]

Oh, I'll never go back to smoking now! In fact I absolutely hate the smell, even a whiff annoys.You don't realise how nasty it is till you can smell the fresh stuff clearly, or how everything you breathe on also stinks of smoke which is one of my major asthma triggers now. In enclosed spaces I found my damaged lungs had to compete against healthier ones and lost out, re the cough, your walk had probably stirred up all the muck from your lungs and they were trying to clear it. Or some stinker smelt of smoke and lungs were begging for more of the fresh stuff! Just use some cough sweets, benylin soothe your throat which is irritated. Be patient, it takes a long time to clear damage done.

Find a pub where you can sit outside? I know it's raining, take a brolly. 😄

[tom_wales09 in reply to fraid]

Yeah I feel the same! I was driving the other day and waiting at a traffic lights. The driver behind me was smoking a cigarette and the smell was awful!! 😣 I used to do what he did, smoke in my car. It felt cool at the time. Doesn't any more!!

[Troilus]

We’ll done! When I quit I went cold turkey. Seemed to me the best way to do it. Why keep the dependency going through patches etc.

I found this very useful and when my resolve started to weaken I referred to it to remind me of how far I had come and all of the benefits waiting for me.😁

whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Benef...

Hope you find it useful.

[tom_wales09 in reply to Troilus]

That is really useful thank you so much for the support. So this week turns into week 3 without smoking, so, hopefully my cough will disappear.. I'm seeing my asthma nurse this week too.

[Troilus]

Pleased to be of service 😁

[tom_wales09]

Quick Update: jogged/walked/jogged round my block twice on Friday night. Then on Saturday I did a 11 mile hike... I have so much more energy I haven't felt this good in a long time 🤩 not coughing as much today feeling loads better. 🤩👌💪