Irreparable Damage

[nsd_user663_7822]

Hello

I've just reached the six month mark and have found this forum so I've signed up to share my experiences :).

I quit with the help of electronic cigarettes which I think are fantastic.

I have a question that I think a lot of six monthers may have wondered about: have I done any irreparable damage?

I smoked from the age of sixteen to twenty one so five years. On average over this time I would say I've smoked twenty cigarettes a day.

I have read lots of contradicting information regarding this. Some people say you'll be back to 100% in ten years, some say you'll only ever be 90% for example.

Michael

[nsd_user663_4786]

Hi and welcome to the forum, 6 months is fab and I hope you feel very proud of yourself, you should, I posted the following after been asked a similar question some time ago, my OH is a doc. Hope it helps answer your question

Ok here goes, the scarred and dead lung never recovers, however lung funcation returns to close to normal after a varing amount of time (depends on age amount smoked etc). Trapped carbon (black bits on lungs) never clears.

If you don't have lung cancer when you quit the risk of lung cancer returns to normal after a few years.

[nsd_user663_5598]

I was told by a doctor a few years back that it normally takes about 20 years of smoking to actually start to do any damage. Not sure if research since then has shown anything new though.

[nsd_user663_7822]

Hi and welcome to the forum, 6 months is fab and I hope you feel very proud of yourself, you should, I posted the following after been asked a similar question some time ago, my OH is a doc. Hope it helps answer your question

Ok here goes, the scarred and dead lung never recovers, however lung funcation returns to close to normal after a varing amount of time (depends on age amount smoked etc). Trapped carbon (black bits on lungs) never clears.

If you don't have lung cancer when you quit the risk of lung cancer returns to normal after a few years.

I was told by a doctor a few years back that it normally takes about 20 years of smoking to actually start to do any damage. Not sure if research since then has shown anything new though.

Thanks for the replies. I think (hopefully) I fall into the bracket where the damage which is irreparable hasn't been done :).

Michael

[nsd_user663_4754]

its a shame we cant "pop one out" and have a look isnt it :p. Does anyone know if you can get booked in for a CAT / MRI scan and actually "see" the damage / repair?

[nsd_user663_4786]

its a shame we cant "pop one out" and have a look isnt it :p. Does anyone know if you can get booked in for a CAT / MRI scan and actually "see" the damage / repair?

I could ask my OH if you would like? sounds a bit urgh to me!

[nsd_user663_7822]

That would be morbidly fantastic lol :)!

[nsd_user663_5401]

Hi

Sorry about this but I had a member of staff who died two years ago from lung cancer and he had quit 25 years previous, they said there was a link but who knows. I also had a neighbour who died of lung cancer and who had never smoked in his life. My granddad smoked like a chimney since he was 15 and died at 95 peacefully in his sleep.

What I'm trying to say is who knows what will happen, but I do know that life is too short to worry about it and at least with us quitting it may add a few years to our lives.

However for the record I will be miffed if I get hit by a bus today after going through the pain of quitters for 3 months!

Well done on your quit though, you should be very proud of yourself.

[nsd_user663_4786]

its a shame we cant "pop one out" and have a look isnt it :p. Does anyone know if you can get booked in for a CAT / MRI scan and actually "see" the damage / repair?

Ok had the following conversation with OH last night

Me "Is it possible to see the damage smoking has done to your lungs?"

OH "Yes"

Me "oh brill, someone was asking on the forum, so what would they need to do/"

OH "it's easy, just cut them open and have a look"

Very helpful I thought:eek:

but to summarise the rest of the conversation (without the swearing), if you have an MRI you will be able to see any damaged lung, however it will not show how that damage occurred. It could have been from smoking but there are also many other things that can damage your lungs and you would not be able to tell, what had caused any damage seen. Hope this is fairly clear.

Any other questions for OH, just ask either on the forum or by PM if you'd prefer.

Have a good day everyone, very nearly the weekend

[nsd_user663_4149]

Hiya Michael and well done on your 6 months. I smoked 53 years, don't know what damage I've done and not really bothered now, only thing I can do to help is not smoke. I have been taking meds for Hypertension for about 30 years now, I asked a nurse at my doctors if stopping smoking would cause my blood pressure to fall (after all they tell us that smoking makes it rise) she just shrugged her shoulders and said no (Doctor also said no) now, twice in the last three weeks doctor has reduced my "Atenolol" from 100mg to 75 and now 50mg and see the nurse again next week so, I don't know. David

[nsd_user663_7822]

Thanks to everyone for all of the information, I am a lot clearer on the subject now.

Thank you for the words of encouragement, I am proud yes :). Well done to all of you too!