Stopped smoking

[Gailmurph]

Why can’t I breathe I have stopped smoking 3 weeks now. An I can’t breate worse now than ever when I smoked

[mrsmummy]

Hi Gailmurph and welcome to the forum. How long were you a smoker for? I bet it was a lot longer than 3 weeks. It can take some time to clear out years of mess from the lungs so don't give up on giving up just yet.

[Dubba61]

Stick with it Gail, it does get better. It takes a while for your body to get used to it. But you'll be so glad that you did it! 👍😀

[Gailmurph in reply to Dubba61]

I really hope so as I feel like crap. I can’t do anything without getting out of breath x

[corriena]

Well done you. You have done realy well. Your body is still going through withdrawal symptoms and getting rid of all the stuff in your lungs. its tough but stick with it you have done well to get to three weeks. It will be worth the struggle. Good luck

[Gailmurph in reply to corriena]

I really do hope so, I’m seeing were some people are no better for stopping. I can’t do anything, even hoovering I have to stop when iv only done a little, cus I can’t breathe. x

[Magpuss]

Good on you👏👏👏 stick with it, you're doing well! You will feel better after you're lungs have got rid of all the rubbish, it takes a while but it's worth it. In the meantime save up all the cash you've stopped burning and get some treats planned - you'll have earned them. Good luck!

[Kristicats in reply to Magpuss]

Saving the cash daily was a real incentive for me. Couldn’t believe how it mounted up.

[Magpuss in reply to Kristicats]

Was??? What's happened, it should still be your incentive! Keep putting those pounds in a pot, they're your bonus.

[Kristicats in reply to Magpuss]

I call it my holiday money now 🌴🌞. I would not have been able to afford my regular weekends away etc when I smoked!!

[hypercat54]

Hi as an ex smoker (gave up last August) I can tell you that your lungs need to take time to recover and clear all the gunk out of your lungs. This can take up to 6 months or so but it is a good sign as it shows your lungs are still in good working condition.

There is a very good site on here called 'Quit' where they will be able to give you a lot more details about the effects of stopping smoking. x

[Gailmurph in reply to hypercat54]

Thank you x

[Hidden in reply to hypercat54]

I agree, 6months away and you'll feel so much better. It seems a long time but be proud of yourself when you get there it will be worth it x

[Shaurene]

Quite common. I stopped and the first month or so breathing was worst than before. The build up of the muck that blocks your airways starts to loosen and you start to caugh a lot. It was a good 3 months before I felt the benefit. Remember how long you smoked from, it took all those years to fill your air ways and lungs. So do not expect miricals in a few days. Just stick with it and caugh as much as you can to help it loosen. I stopped for 5 months and went back on them, 4 weeks later my breathing went back to the hard times.

[edited by moderator]

[Gailmurph in reply to Shaurene]

Thank you for ur encouragement as I was really ready to throw the towel in x

[Sparkywoo]

Please please stick with it. Almost everyone experiences this. Smoking is an addiction and it’s all part of the trick your mind and body plays to get you smoking again. Don’t fall for it. You can do this and you will soon feel so much better x

[Gailmurph in reply to Sparkywoo]

Thanks and I just wish I could feel a little better lol x

[Roessner541]

Smoking causes damage that can't be undone you can only control what you do now so it doesn't get worse.

[Hidden]

Hi Gaiurph

Firstly, well done for stopping smoking, that in itself is mega, now comes the tricky bit number 2. Getting your body used to not smoking.

I remember back to when I stopped, only two years ago but feels so good now, I had a terrible cough, wheezy-ness, phlegm and at times, breathless oh so breathless, ugg it was horrendous.

I remember thinking to myself, If you were to spark one up now, you’d cough, splutter, mutter somthing about kick-starting the lungs and then briefly and only briefly you’d feel great as that drug buzzed around your body taking away all the good things it’s capable of feeling. It’s true, for me it would have made me feel better, breathlessness gone..... but wait a second, ah ha, there it is..... everything back now but twice as bad and with a feeling of guilt that would replace the feeling of respectfull achievement I awarded myself with for quitting.

I did some on-line research (google) and found this thing called breathing exercises, why would I need to exercise my lungs, I no longer smoke, they’re good now, arn’t they?

If you think how long you abused those lungs, filling them with all sorts on unhealthy stuff and compare it to your body, filling it with unhealthy stuff(food). Once that abuse stops you’ll need some exercise to bring back that fitness. Yes, you’re no longer putting bad stuff into your body but your body needs some help, exercise to get back in shape.

I found breathing exercises helped me and my lungs. I do them even more now that I have emphysema, singing as loud as possible (in the car, in private) helps, and so do lots of other exercises.

Well done for stopping smoking, now let’s get those lungs back in shape with some exercise, I can’t gaurentee the breathlessness will stop altogether, but I can assure you the way you deal with it will get better.

Here’s just one of many links (search google for ‘breathing exercises for lungs’ 🤓

livestrong.com/article/3871...

Best Wishes

Simon

[Kristicats in reply to Hidden]

Excellent advise given here. Reminds me why I should not faulter 👍

[Gailmurph in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Simon, I can’t sing loud for long as I get out of breath, infact I can’t do anything without getting out breath x

[Harry13]

Hi Gailmurphan. 1st Well Done on Packing up the weed. 2nd Never stop giving up and 3rd Ask yourself the same question In 6mths Time. Good luck

[Gailmurph in reply to Harry13]

Thank you x

[Saramana]

Gailmurph,

I stopped smoking when I was 51 and it felt great but at 89 I came down with emphysema. I'll let you figure that one out. Saramana

[Azure_Sky in reply to Saramana]

My husband gave up smoking for 5 years. He died of cancer, he had it all over his body. A month after diagnosis he was dead. The death certificate said ischemic heart disease and lung cancer. His liver was enormous when he died. It made me wonder why the full extent of his illness wasn't given on his death certificate. Symptoms of Lung cancer, breathlessness, cough, weren't there until the last week.

[santisuk]

If you have smoked less than 20 pack years (if you have on average smoked 1 pack of 20 normal strength cigarettes a day for 12 years then you have smoked 12 pack years and so on proportionately when you vary the average number of packs and/or number of years) then it is "very unlikely" you will ever develop lung cancer from smoking.

When my pulmonologist finally drew a blank on what was causing my X-ray lung shadow 5 years ago I consulted the leading lung defence team at Papworth Hospital. One of the senior consultants there told me that they would never have suspected lung cancer after I told them how much I had smoked before giving up several years prior. My previous consultant had spent nearly a year trying to prove I had a cancer which he could sort by removing half one lung*. It was this consultant who gave me that guideline about the likely impact of the extent of smoking on cigarette-driven lung cancer.

I was surprised and still am that this stat, if more broadly believed by the oncology community, is not given more publicity. I guess it might motivate smokers in the right category to give up more effectively. I'm sure that giving up at any stage is likely to reduce the impact of any lung disease that might be lurking or emerges later.

*After many scans and tests that supported his contention, including PET (nuclear) scans a CT-guided biopsy proved negative and he was stumped]

[Kristicats]

I think probably your lungs esp are working harder now to clear themselves plus your whole body and respiratory system is learning to work without all that poison. I felt awful for the first 3 months but could tell the difference greatly afterwards. My lungs were abused for 30 plus years so I figured it wouldn’t be easy..... but now my lung function is much better. It takes time and determination though . Well done and keep it up it will get better for you Gail please let us know how you get on.

[Gailmurph]

Thank you x

[Monkey261]

Trust me ,it dose get better

[stamford1234]

I stopped 3 years ago, I think it took nearly a year to get rid of the gunk. Not pleasant but really worthwhile. I feel heaps better. I am told I look better. Mild COPD, haven't had an infection for 6 Months