Day 23

[nsd_user663_34742]

Hi guys

Not been on here for a few days. Took my mum over to visit my sister in Switzerland to help her celebrate her birthday.

A lot of smoke-free firsts for me: the whole airport thing (where can I smoke? How many can I cram in before boarding? etc etc), a coffee or a beer in the sunshine watching the world go by, meals out, duty free - the list goes on..

Seemed to me there were more smokers than non-smokers over there. Maybe it's a cultural thing, or maybe it was just me!!

I managed though and it wasn't too painful!

Anyway, day 23... A month soon enough. Determined to keep on going.

Not quite embracing it the way I did.

Sounds daft but the first few weeks I thought I could feel a definite improvement in my chest, my breathing, my mouth, everything.

I am exercising almost every day but starting to feel crappy again- unable to take a full breath in, lack of energy, horrible taste in the mouth.

Is this the next stage in my body clearing out all the yuck that's been deposited over the years?

It was the obvious improvements that motivated me initially. I'm a little scared of becoming demotivated and weak if I can no longer feel/see the benefits

[nsd_user663_33894]

Did you do much exercise before you quit? If you've started a new regime then that could be causing some of the loss of energy - it can take a while before your body gets used to it and you get more energy.

And yes, some of it probably will be your body still repairing. My nurse says that it takes a while for the cilia (little hair things that prevent stuff from getting in too far) to repair and so you still get dust etc going in, which could be why you feel a bit like you can't take a deep breath.

Don't know about the taste in your mouth - perhaps see a dentist? Oh, and if the other symptoms continue for a few more weeks, or get worse, then I would go see a doctor too, just to get checked out.

And well done for keeping the quit on your Swiss trip!

[nsd_user663_34742]

Thanks CJ

I didn't do any exercise prior to my quit so it would make sense that I will perhaps feel tired until my body adjusts. I am running 5k now and have built up to this over a period of 3 weeks.

None of the problems are so bad that I would go to my doctor. I just don't feel as great as I felt to begin with, despite dealing with the withdrawals.

Maybe a lot of it had to do with novelty value and I need to think about it differently now.

Nice to hear from you

[nsd_user663_32615]

Hi JQ

None of this seems out of the ordinary. Even after 11 weeks, I am still feeling worse than when I was smoking. It seems there is just a lot of repairing to be done....

Add to this the fact that the novelty wears off, it can all leave you feeling a bit flat on some days. But don't forget that this is a long game. Even while you are not feeling any obvious benefits, you have stopped doing more harm, and you know that eventually, those rewards will come! Just hang on in there - you are doing really well.

[nsd_user663_34742]

Thanks Mrs T. What you are saying makes perfect sense. I am just the impatient kind that wants everything here and now!! I am in for the long haul on this one however