For those who have quit whether its been in the past few days or in past decades and to hopefully give some inspiration to others who are trying to quit. How have you benefited what did you notice first? Personally I noticed I stopped coughing within days and I have never woken up since at 3am due to tightness in the chest. Its wonderful having a pleasant smelling home, car, clothes etc etc. Not that we noticed before but now when I walk out of the shopping center and smokers have lit up the minute they get outside the door the smell nearly knocks me down! And the very best is not being a VICTIM. Having a few cigarettes left in a pack at 11pm and thinking I need to go to sleep before I run out. I mean really how pathetic was I. Looking forward to hearing some of your experiences Suz x (Pic just putting a face to the name!)
Congratulation you quit! Months or ye... - Lung Conditions C...
Congratulation you quit! Months or years ago? What benefits do you enjoy the most?
Good morning,Suz 01. Agree with all the pluses you have mentioned, gave up about 47 years ago, We were young with four small kids,never had any money,so we both gave up, After the first year we had saved 80 Pounds,in a tobacco tin, Thank goodness we never looked back, but have to say, with us, it was all about money, best wishes, Bulpit
I gave up 4 years ago as I blamed the smoking for getting angina. I used to do normal things before giving up smoking, like swimming, etc. about 8 weeks after giving up smoking I found I was gasping for breathe. I thought it was my lungs clearing out the rubbish but I went to the doctors anyway. Eventually it was found I had emphysema. Not mild or moderate but very severe. To go to the extreme like this still has me puzzled. Some nurses say I had it anyway and it was just coincidence. I don't believe that for one minute. I think something in the rollups kept the alvioli elastic and as soon as the lungs cleared so did all the rubbish. If I had been diagnosed as mild or moderate it would have made more sense but to go from one extreme to the other like that is frustrating to say the least.
My lungs feel clear and fresh and what's left of them are fine.
As for the angina i have had no problem with it since that first day in hospital 4 years ago. My heart has been described as normal.
My advice ? Give up smoking. I and a few others on here are the unusual ones.
Hi Puff,
You were in hospital recently weren't you? Do hope your feeling better and getting stronger. You don't think it was coincidence that your quitting was closely followed by lung issues you hadn't experienced before? I've always been led to believe that emphysema damage occurs over many years but I have read of people who felt worse after quitting and that there is an additive in cigarettes that keeps the airways open? Had you never noticed any problems before this apart from the angina? As you say its very strange to go from nothing to very severe. Im pleased your heart is now good! That at least is one worry you dont have. I've read some of your replies to various posts and noticed that although your FEV1 isnt great you continue to work etc. I admire your tenacity. Suz x
Emphysema does occur over many years. All I had when I was smoking was the old " smokers cough ". I used to muck out stables for 14 years until I was about mid 50's so I was quite fit even though I smoked. At 60 I was doing amateur surfing on the south coast with my daughters. Sometimes on a stormy day the breakers would roll in at 6 to 10 feet high. When I took a break I'd sit on the beach and have a rollup then go back in. I still have my surfboard and will try and get back out there again.
Going from that to how I am now doesn't add up with the general idea of emphysema. From that to this in 8 weeks.
I'm still getting over my recent infection ( only the 2nd proper one on 4 Yeats ) but I am finding it hard to breathe in after small exersions, even though my SATs are OK. xx
Lots of benefits indeed! I gave up the day I was diagnosed COPD, never thought it would be as easy and if I had known that I could have given up long before. No E cigs, patches, nothing. Hard to answer the phone without one and all the dozens of things I used to have a cigarette with, but soon got used to it.
I don't have to wash my hair all the time, change my clothes before going anywhere, don't have to spray the house whenever someone is coming. Even my handbags stank. Like you, couldn't sleep if I only had a bit of tobacco left, and running out of filters or papers was almost disastrous. It is the freedom that I feel now, and so much more money left. I still really feel for the people who cannot give up and who try to. I am so lucky that it was not too hard for me.
Hi Polly4acre,
I'm with you in going cold turkey. Looking back I don't think it was as hard as I thought it was going to be. It was at worst unpleasant. I don't know the cost of cigarettes in the UK but here in Australia I was paying $20.00 per pack of 25 when I quit. They have kept going up and up so the same packet is probably now $25.00. The money saving aspect wouldn't have been enough reason for me to quit. We all know we would prefer to go hungry if we had to, to make sure we had cigarettes! But you do notice the extra cash in your pocket after quitting. Suz x
Gave up 5 years ago - 45,142 hours ago according to my spreadsheet!! Stopping coughing was the big bonus but obviously it was beneficial in many ways. I was ill/flu- like and felt generally hellish in the first six months but it was worth it.
Hello Tetrazzini,
I love the breakdown into hours. And my goodness 45,142 is extremely impressive! Pleased you reaped lots of reward for your effort. Suz x
Destained teeth, sense of smell and taste improved. Not feeling all wired up and low anymore when overdoing it. Just feel more relaxed as a whole.
Hi Bernard,
How are things south of the border? Did you get that storm late this afternoon? The one problem with the return of sense of smell and taste is that some of us for the first time in our lives put on weight. But hey who cares! Suz x
Nice to see you suz, you're looking good. Some nice bits of thunder here but that was about it. Cooler weather today by the look though. Photo is a bit old by now but: linkedin.com/pub/bernard-ro...
Nice to see you to! Makes it more personal to be able to put a face to a name. I don't think it was too much cooler today but surely this humidity won't hang around for too much longer. Its really knocking me. Well I hope that is what the problem is. I have no idea how you cope! Suz x
It got nasty by lunch and I was throwing down a cold and sweet ginger beer as well as a small siet coke. Evil moments indeed!
In our house the past month the craze has been ginger beer full of ice and a thick slice of lime!!! Very. very, nice. Refreshing!
Yes! I sometimesmade my own using lemon myrtle leaf.
Hi Suz, nice pic. I have never smoked but probably smoked passively in the pubs and night clubs years back when you would return home and your clothes reeked of stale smoke. Never stopped me going though but I guess my lungs could have done without it.
My problem is my 18 year old son smokes, his girlfriend and mates do also so I hope you don't mind but I facebook only to him I add, any post that gives him a real life insight into the problems that smokers get in later years.
I have shared this post to 'him only' so he gets to read it and hopefully the penny will drop one day that smoking really isn't a good idea. Hope you don't mind but I keep reminding him in anyway I can.
Tony.
Hi Tony,
Hope your feeling well this morning. You and people like you make me feel guilty. This brings it home that my problems were self inflicted but you sadly got the short end of the stick through no action of your own. I have no problem with you sharing this post with your son. I do hope he and his friends wake up very soon and protect their precious lungs! Suz x
I can't believe how many young people smoke when their all well informed of the dangers.
I do my best to keep chipping away at my son from all directions and with luck he'll see the light in the end. He's recently passed his driving test so hopefully he'll need to give up cigarettes to buy petrol. 
. Thanks Suz x
Tony xx
Ah now think back Tony to when you were 18. Six foot tall and bulletproof? I know you didn't smoke but did you have that type of attitude the one where your going to live forever? I only thought today apart from a sister in law no one in my immediate family or rather vast circle of close friends smoke. Even nephews your sons age and their friends don't smoke. Maybe the message is getting through. Congratulations to the lad on passing his driving test. Hopefully the cig' fund will go toward fuel or a new car and accompanying expenses! Suz x
Car running costs should help him kick the habit. . A friend of mine smoked 40 a day for 20 years but wanted a caravan for family holidays. It was the caravan or smoking so he quit and never looked back.
Hopefully your right and smoking is a dieing habit as people become more educated about what the future holds for them. Tony xx
I gave up in 1992 after being admitted to hospital with double pneumonia but also found I had heart problems. So I was put on all sorts of tablets to sort all the issues. But I have not reacted well to some of them and was changed for many years ( and still do 
)so I have only noticed my voice has gone up an octave and not as deep?
Hi Offcut,
You got a double whammy. Pneumonia and heart problems. You would have been a reasonably young man in 1992 so you had a lot to deal with. Do you think the change in your voice is from meds or giving up the smokes? Suz x
Afternoon Suz.
I gave up completely after having respiratory failure about thee years ago. I didn't find it too difficult as I was down to one or two a day by then. I use the elite cigg now and still love the smell of a freshly lit ciggy. Don't miss the stink of old ciggs and ash and the house smells so fresh now.
My advice to anyone who still smokes is don't give up, 'giving up' You will crack it in the end.
Sara
Hello Sara,
I can only imagine how very ill you were with respiratory failure. The last thing you would have wanted would have been a fag! Isn't it funny I hate the smell of cigarettes now. Old or freshly lit. Actually they smell like chemicals to me. Suz x
Hi Suz - I gave up 13 years ago - overnight! I only smoked about 10 per day but I had started to smoke a bit more than usual due to a bit of stress/boredom combined, and noticed one day that I felt a bit tight in my chest, so I stopped. Just like that (Tommy Cooper style!). I had no health probs at all prior to that. The benefits : not depending on something so much, I suppose. Also, knowing that I smelled awful when I was with non-smokers but pretending to myself that they didn't notice a thing! Another major advantage was the saving I made. I could never never never never afford to smoke these days and would have spent a few thousand over those years had I continued to smoke. I am glad I gave up when I did. I may have had COPD at an earlier stage than now. It could have halted COPD in its tracks when I stopped 13 years ago. That's how I am looking at it now.
Just one thing I think of occasionally though: would I have got so anxious if I was still smoking? It is a difficult one that - I always found cigs helped me unwind and relax. I cannot replace that...! xx
Hi Stillmovin1,
How good were you giving up 13 years ago just because you had some chest tightness. I wished I had been bright enough to give them away many years before I did and had I done so for the same reason as you I would have. I found excuses for the tightness....rather than do what needed to be done. Its terrible the mind games cigarettes create. We all think they make or made us relax yet it does the opposite raises our BP etc etc. Evil things. Hope your doing well. Suz x
I have gave up 10 years ago after being diagnosed with COPD a few days after no cigs I was standing in a queue in Tesco and the women in front of me was a smoker and I couldn't believe how bad she smelt. I went home emptied the wardrobe and washed all my cloths.
The fact I'm still alive and not on oxygen is the biggest bonus for me
Hi Suz
Is that you in the photo? Funny how we picture how people look. I pictured you as a brunett! You look so young! Nice photo.
You guys make me feel guilty. I am still smoking. Why? The people on here that get worse after they quit. Thats scarey!
I have cut way down and did get an ecig.
I'm just scared as I am good now. Don't
want to rock the boat.
Sorry guys I'm a bad girl!
Rubyxx 😊 😊
Hey Ruby,
That is me.....we do get images in our mind of what people are like. I imagine you as being dark haired?? Not so young unfortunately but hanging in there! You are a naughty girl for still smoking. But you will stop when you feel its the right time for you. Please don't quote people saying they are worse for giving up though as your reason for not quitting. Your an intelligent sweet thing and you know better!!!!! You know how you say you are good now.... whats the bet when you bite the bullet and toss the fags you will feel great and wonder why you took so long! Hugs Suz xx
Hey Suz
got it wrong!
I'm a blonde. Just turned 60.
Actually, I resemble Victoria. I told her one time we could be sisters. Ok fess up suz how old are you? Yes I want to stop smoking.and I will soon
Rubyxx 😊
Well there you go Ruby! I imagined you wrong. (Smile) Who is Victoria? I'm 57 till next month....xx
Victoria Blue is one of our members Maybe she will show up if she reads this.I wish everyone had their photos. Its more personal. Like your really talking to them.
I'm using my phone so I dont think I can do a picture. You think?
😊 ☺
Gee Ruby I'm a tech dummy! If you have a pic saved on your phone you should be able to add it...do you think?
Guess I'll have to try it and see😊😊
No more chest infections. No more standing outside in rain and cold puffing madly. No smelly hair
/clothes. No worrying that I may not be able to get my fix I.e.plane. Cinema etc.
voice is not so deep these days. Breath is sweeter, skin pinker, money isn't wasted and although I have damaged my lungs , I haven't hAd a cold/chest infection/bronchitis in 4 years . My blood pressure is now normAl. Wished I'd quit years and years ago. All that time and money wasted.
Good luck to all trying to quit, it's really worth it as hard as it is
Hi Jessica,
You know I forgot about that one. Standing out in the cold or rain just to puff madly on a lousy cigarette.....its all coming back. And having to fly or travel on any public transport...thinking where is the closest exit, and in more recent years where can we smoke!!!!! I didn't know my colour wasn't brilliant at times till a friend commented months after I had quit what a lovely colour I was and had lost the "grey" look....yuck. So pleased you have been cold and bug free for many years. Suz x
Hi good luck on giving up and well done, I gave up 10 years ago and felt really well, ended up with COPD just recently, what a shock that was, I have been told its mild, I am dreading the thought of severe COPD, yes I to was a total idiot when I was a smoker, had a cigarette Before I went into a supermarket, would not go to the cinema, it was a total joke, its fantastic to be free, glad you done it Annette
Hello Suz01, it took me two goes to give up but am now a decade down the line. Sadly the only benefit I have had was mainly financial. In the first six months I bought myself several small items for the kitchen and I now have holidays in hotels and abroad, unfortunately I did not loose my cough, became very ill which was blamed on other things. Now my illness is diagnosed and it is under control and no longer put down to smokers cough !!! Without giving up I would probably be six feet under by now who knows. Like you I find the smell intolerable, and it's lovely to have fresh smelling rooms with no brown tobacco stained areas. The down side is I eat to much as it tastes better now but the penalty is I am overweight. That's my story to add to others input.
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