Month not smoking

[prue1956]

After I went for a chest x-ray last November I knew I had to give up smoking and after getting my results I was told I needed a Spirometry test which showed slight changes,the nurse said it was COPD. It's been over a month since my last cigarette and I feel terrible I have IBS c and now my constipation is worse,and I've also put on 5lb,but I'm trying to walk further each day to burn some calories off.I must admit I can walk without getting as breathless now,but doing chores in the house is much harder!!!

[corriena]

Well done a month is brilliant. But unfortunately yes we often feel alot worse befor we see any real benefit but please keep going it realy is worth the effort.

[Oshgosh]

Well done. I gave up 30 years ago I was a struggle at first. The first thing I was prescribed when. I was first diagnosed with IBS was Fibrogel.perhaps it’s worth asking your GP.

You’re doing well upping your activity levels.

[Spacecat1]

It is hard giving up it does get better. In the house it could be your central heating causing breathlessness. I cannot stand the heating it effects a d the getting up and down the stairs are a struggle but for me its getting better. I'm determined to do the 6 minute walk . Dont give in but dont overdo it. Take care.x

[prue1956 in reply to Spacecat1]

Yes its harder than i thought and i am breathless just changing the duvet.

I'm not giving in this time baby steps i think.

My partner also has copd but worse than me and sometimes he has to use both his inhalers.Best wishes x

[Hidden]

Well done on a month stay away from people who smoke.

I stopped 3 years ago after a ctscan and got told i had emphysema changes, It's the hardest thing i have ever done.

[prue1956 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou and well done to you.

What great achievements everyone has had on this site,i tealise that eberyone has different symptoms.

I have arthritis,anxiety and ibs c too and i feel like i am climbing a mountain.

[grannyk3]

Yay! 😁🎉👏

grannyk 🌻

[Badbessie]

Many people report improvement to breathing once giving up smoking. However it does take time. In my mother in laws case her spirometry now suggests her COPD is borderline at worst. In my own case my spirometry improved by 15%. As I have said it takes time. In my case it was about a year before I felt all the benefits.

[prue1956 in reply to Badbessie]

I am not sure what my percentage is but i will ask wjen i go back on the 25th feb.

[Tetrazzini]

Well done. Keep going - it is worth it,

[Hidden]

Stick with it - you are doing an amazing job and it’ll be worth it in the end. I don’t have any respiratory problems at this point (luck rather than judgement), but it still took a good 12 months for me to stop being horribly breathless and coughing up nasty rubbish when I gave up smoking almost 5 years ago. Prior to stopping, I had no cough to speak of and wasn’t productive unless I had a virus or was unwell, so even though I was expecting to feel worse before I felt better it was still a bit of a frustrating shock to the system, but I know how fortunate I am.

It’s not something discussed regularly but it is a known issue: I also found a change in my bathroom habits, so I had to massively increase my fibre intake and improve my diet generally to compensate for the loss of laxative effect from cigarettes. In the short term you could try something like fibrogel to try and help keep things moving, or a senna based product, but avoid anything more medicinal like bisacodyl as frequent use of things like that will lead to the bowel becoming dependent on them for movement. Getting some extra exercise in will also help on that front as well as compensating for the extra calorie intake that often comes with stopping: the brain mistakes the lack of nicotine for a need for a sugar, which is why many people end up gaining a few pounds when giving up. You just have to remember: short term pain, for long term gain. Even an extra stone is not the end of the world if it helps you stay off the cigs, and you will be able to lose it once you’ve got some proper distance between you and the temptation.

Good job, keep going!

[prue1956 in reply to Hidden]

Well done to you too.

I have to be careful with fibre as i have ibsc and cannot tolerate fibre only in very small does.Its the weekend amd i have not done much walking,i call it chill out time bit i am thinking its a mistake!

[peege]

Well done you Prue! Fantastic.

I've never been addicted to tobacco but have been on this forum long enough to learn how hard it is to quit.

Keep at it, it's the best gift you can give yourself, after years of toxins it can take some time for your body to recover.

Have a look on BBC iplayer, there's a programme called The Truth About Fitness by Dr Michael Moseley. In it he advocates doing 10 minutes brisk walk 3 times a day working better than 10,000 steps. (I should take note myself, my goal is 5 miles daily to burn calories) The programme is definitely worth watching.

Also the BLF have an exercise dvd specifically for lung health.

Best of luck to you. P

[prue1956 in reply to peege]

Hi thankyou for the info i will have a look...for some reason i have pain in my right ribs.

[Kristicats]

A lot of people say that lungs will expel the ‘gunk ‘ from smoking for up to 6 months hence the coughing. Well done and please don’t give up.

[prue1956 in reply to Kristicats]

Hi i dont why but i have not got the cough.

[bryan45735]

Did yr chest xray show anything

[prue1956 in reply to bryan45735]

My doctor said there was a slight change but nothing serious although i may need an inhaler which i got after my spirometry test.

[lKeith]

prue1956

Hi, I Know giving up the ciggies is hard but bear with it, your lungs will appreciate it and you will eventually feel the benefit. We all only have 1No set of lungs, they are difficult to repair so look after them.

IKeith.

[Nik5769]

I stopped for 6 months it was good at first but I started vaping it made me worse than ever. I started smoking again because I felt like the muck was at least moving of my lungs. It wasn't the right way. Now I have a mass which I think was already there but only showed from a ct scan. Smoking has caused this and causes other things they say to me do stop because it don't fix it but for better quality of life now. Keep trying not to smoke and look at what you eat and drink I never eaten cakes or sweets in my life but I can't eat cheese can cause me IBS. We are all different you need to find what's right for you. Good luck it is hard I know.

[Izb1]

Well done to you prue1956 on stopping smoking, its one of the worse addictions to get over. Now that you have stopped, try to change your diet, cook things from scratch as you now have your taste buds back you will enjoy it more and it will do the world of good for your ibs. Great that you are walking more, your lungs will appreciate this. Good luck x