STOPPED SMOKING

[boodas0121]

I stopped smoking over 10 months ago, my breathing is so much worse than when I was smoking. My sister also stopped smoking and her breathing is also worse. I have been to many forums , and found huge amounts of people with the same problem, but haven't found an answer as to why it would be worse. I have talked to people who ave quit smoking any where from 10 to 15 years , and they say their breathing has never gotten any better. Does anyone have an answer as to why breathing would get worse ?

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

It would be interesting to see if anyone's breathing has improved, like you mine got worse. I stopped smoking eight years ago but my breathing has never really improved, I feel better for having stopped which is a good thing. You have a lovely day and take care of yourself 😊 Bernadette xx

[2greys]

Well done on quitting.

Smoking tobacco has a bronchial dilator effect, opening up the airways, but of course this is detrimental to your health in the long term, as it damages the lung tissues, permanently. It just adds to the addiction properties of smoking.

So as with an inhaler that helps open up the airways compromised lungs to enable you to breathe better, so will smoking, on a temporary basis. But it makes your lung function worse, so you will subconsciously light up another, plus you have the addiction to nicotine, which is a stimulant, as well as the habit of giving your hands something to do. It all adds up to what makes quitting so hard to do.

If you find breathing harder to do now, imagine what it would be like, say ten times worse, which is what can happen if you carried on smoking.

[boodas0121 in reply to 2greys]

It seems like they could determine what bronchial dilator is in cigs. and use it in an inhaler. My inhalers don't even help, and I have tried all of them.

[Anita_1960]

Hi. I stopped smoking 12 months ago and my breathing has not really changed either. All I can say is that over the last year I've had a couple of colds/viruses and they haven't lingered and haven't gone onto my chest. I don't know whether that's directly related or not. Do we just assume that we will feel better? I don't cough in the mornings now so that's a plus, and I feel better.

[Schmicter]

I quit a few years ago and think my breathing has gotten much better. No wheezing at night, no coughing, less breathlessness when active, and colds don't hang on and turn into infections.

[hypercat54]

This is because when we smoke it acts in a sophoric manner on our lungs making it easier in the short term to breathe thus masking the true extent of our illness. When you stop this becomes clearer so you appear to be worse.

I packed in the ciggies for 17 months and this happened to me as well. I also discovered I had a borderline under active which had either been masked by smoking or even caused by it. I was on the stop smoking site and someone said do you really expect to get off easily from all the years of smoking? Now it isn't so much a case of feeling better but damage limitation. If you wait until smoking gives you up instead you are in very serious trouble!

Unfortunately I went back to it but must try again soon x

[powderpuff in reply to hypercat54]

Smoking definitely masks Thyroid levels Bev! It speeds up metabolism hence when stopping the weight gain can begin.

There’s some very credible resources on the net - the BMJ etc, which go as far as to suggest that Thyroid issues could well be a side effect of toxin withdrawal & that Thyroid hormones might have a place in smoking cessation treatment.

There seems to be a high incidence of people, women in particular, who within 2 years of giving up smoking become ‘underactive’.

[jmsutt73 in reply to powderpuff]

Thank you, powderpuff! I quit smoking 2 years and nine months ago, and seven weeks ago was prescribed Synthroid for hypothyroidism. I believe there must be a connection there someplace.

[Nickcv]

I gave up smoking almost 4 years ago and it was the lack of improvement in my breathing that lead to me visiting the doctor and ultimately being diagnosed with emphysema and more recently with adult onset asthma.

[Izb1]

I stopped smoking over 10 years ago and my breathing felt worse for quite a few years but must say that it now is better than it has been. I can now do slow deep breathes that feel like oxygen is getting into my lungs. I think its right that you cant abuse your lungs for so long and get away without any problems but the sooner you quit the better your lungs will be.

[Kristicats]

One suggestion is that your lungs are still learning to function without the many toxins and poisons that they have been subjected to for years?