Any advice on managing emphysema please

[Lololove13]

Diagnosed with emphysema last April had COPD before that for a long time Got down to a couple of cigarettes a day and now need to stop ASAP but chest goes very scarily bad!? Any advice please

[Bingo88]

Good morning Lovolove13. If you click on the 9dots in the bottom left hand corner and then click on quit support. Jillygirl and the team will support you in trying to help you quit completely and it will hopefully help you in the long term. They are very supportive. Good luck Brian

[Alberta56 in reply to Bingo88]

Good advice, Brian, but the 9 dots are in the top right hand corner on my lap top. Depends what you're using, I suppose.

[Bingo88 in reply to Alberta56]

They are in the bottom left corner on my mobile phone. That's the problem with using different systems it's all completely different set up. Brian

[Ergendl]

It will make a difference giving up those last few cigarettes a day, so keep persevering. After I gave up, a lot of phlegm came up from my lungs over time and they finally cleared after about six months. I was amazed at how different things tasted - peanut butter tasted like it used to do in my childhood. And I could breathe better, especially when I exerted myself.

Take the support suggested by Bingo88, keep trying, and remind yourself of all the good things you will gain once you've stopped.

All the best.

[Troilus]

Hi Lololove. Well done on reducing down to a couple of cigarettes. When I got to that stage I continued for a while (fear maybe?) until a taxi driver told me I stop easily if that was all I was smoking - I did and it was easy. She(the taxi driver) said I would cough up all kinds of gunk - which I didn’t- maybe because I done it gradually, not sure. Is this what you mean when you say your chest goes scarily bad - excess phlegm? If coughing is the problem and you can actually cough it up without struggling then maybe just put up with it? It will only be short term - as GP’s say - the benefits outweigh the risk - or in this case the discomfort. If,on the other hand, it interferes with your breathing see you G.P., maybe he can increase your meds or give you something else to help until your chest has cleared.

[Patk1]

Welcome to the forum. Those last few cigs will continue to cause damage.do access help to stop,if u need it

[anng18]

Hi Lololove,

Do you find you are breathless prior to having a cigarette? If so, does the breathlessness improve after you have a cigarette?

[Mopsey1897]

you have to be ready mentally to quit totally so please try and get yourself in that zone. It took me two years of frustration, tears, anger at myself for not being able to quit before I finally did. Something just clicked in my brain and I did it and I’m so pleased I did. It’s been 17 months since I quit and funnily enough, I got diagnosed with emphysema and COPD less than a year later so it was good timing. I hate to think how much worse I’d been if I hadn’t stopped. There must be some motivation that will get you to quit totally, family maybe who don’t want you to get ill and suffer? Get yourself Nicorette mints and a fake plastic cigarette and just use those instead - they helped me. Don’t give up on yourself but your brain needs to be told it can’t have the nicotine it thinks it does as your health is more important. Good luck

[PaperQueen]

Good luck with giving up those last couple of cigarettes, it will make a difference, I know how difficult it is. Unfortunately you do have to go through all that coughing up the gunk. All part of the process but you will feel so much better once your lungs are clear of it.