Feel terrible

[Lesley-]

Hi stopped smoking 7 weeks ago why do i feel so bad. Can't eat,feel tired all the time just feel horrible. Can anyone tell how this will last. Been smoking for nearly 40 years . Thanks

[Schmicter]

Hi Lesley,

7 weeks is a huge accomplishment, please stick with it. The withdrawal symptoms can be subjective and different for everyone. I also was over 40 years a smoker and have been quit for almost 2 years now. For me it was about 10-12 weeks. And admit I still occasionally think about smoking, but it is just a passing thought.

The good thing is you must be seeing the benefits with your breathing already. There is a supportive site on healthunlocked called "quit support" it is great site for support and information.

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

You are doing really well Lesley keep it up. You are bound to feel a little unwell after smoking for so long, but it will pass. You will start to feel so much better, just be strong and please don't go back to smoking. You have already achieved so much. You take care have a great day and please keep posting so we know how you are doing..

😊 Bernadette xx

[Jinkstrixy]

Hi Lesley

You are doing really well and have done the hardest bit. I was the same and I think it was because all my routines changed. Having a brew, watching TV, finishing a meal, taking a phone call etc etc. These were all times when I would have a cigarette and it felt like something was missing and I felt an emptiness but over time it does change and the dreariness of everything is replaced by a feel good vibe and energy. I began to feel a strong sense of achievement and the anxiety I was feeling about smoking left me and that was worth a lot. Four years on, there are still times when I find myself wanting a cigarette but it passes quickly. Stick with it, it is so worth it to your health.

[Karenblue in reply to Jinkstrixy]

God I was in hospital for 4 weeks give up smoking a heavy smoker for 4 months but if stress bk on it again no hope for me

[y_not]

Hi Lesley, like you I was a forty a day man for 40 years. Stopped (overnight) in 2011 ... 11th November 2011 to be precise!

By Christmas I'd seen the GP around 4 times, end of January and I was up to a total of 11 visits.

Only in March did they diagnose COPD! Nights sweats,flu like symptoms, lethargy, lack of concentration, spells of dizziness, feeling s of vomiting ... the list goes on.

I would recommend as many visits to your GP as needed to get a diagnosis and treatment.

If stopping smoking makes you feel this bad there would be no point in stopping, I don't think your symptoms are something you should have to put up with.

My experience is that it IS worth stopping but why try and do it alone?

Well done and good luck with getting a GP appointment

[Lesley- in reply to y_not]

I will thanks very much anyway for the advice

[hypercat54]

Hi Lesley first well done for stopping smoking as this isn't easy is it. There is a very good stop smoking site on here called Quit so why not join and put your question in there as well.

I was a heavy smoker for 44 years until I stopped 14 months ago now and for the first couple of months felt terrific - I could walk a lot further, stopped coughing, and had lots more energy. Then I started feeling bad, I couldn't breathe very well and I felt sluggish, lethargic, and very fatigued. I went up the doctors and they told me I was borderline under active thyroid. Smoking can mask many things including this and can also cause damage to it. Your thyroid might be affected or something else might be going on.

I recommend you go to your doctors and ask for some investigations. One thing which helped me a lot though was a comment I got on the Quit site. This was after being a heavy smoker for so long did I really expect to get off scot free? On thinking about this then no I don't really expect too, but at least I have hopefully stopped my copd from accelerating which is why stopped. I would much rather this than be severe and end up on oxygen. x

[lKeith]

Lesley

Hi, good for you to give up the cigs. Unfortunately it takes time for the system to cleanse itself of the nicotine it will likely take longer than the 7 weeks you gone thro' already, but bear with it. In the long run your lungs will thank you. Out of interest what made you give it up, have you been diagnosed with something? On this forum you are not the only one to go thro' withdrawal symptoms, many of us have been there so we do know what you are feeling.

IKeith