Any help or advice would be extremely grateful………..!!!!!!

[nsd_user663_58701]

Hello everybody,

I’m at the point of not knowing what to do anymore. Let me begin, on my 40th birthday I decided to quit smoking after a 23 year pack a day habit. I say quit but there was a plan involved. I understood that I reached the mortality age where you’re no longer indestructible and that I could not possibly carry on with this habit without being dire consequences for sure.

I also knew I wouldn’t be able to quit cold turkey for many reasons to which all of you could probably understand. The plan was to cut down to 10 cigarettes a day with the help of nicotine replacement and then each week cut another cigarette out until I got down to zero cigarettes a day but still to continue nicotine replacement if needed. You get the idea.

At first all was well, I did find it difficult and hard to cut down to the 10 a day even with the help of nicotine replacement but I managed to do it and also stick to my plan of cutting out a cigarettes each week. At the end of about 6 months I was off the cigarettes completely and also the nicotine replacement.

It was at this point that the relentless physical and mental pain began. There is a list of possible physical and mental side effects of quitting smoking and the list is big one. Well let me tell you without any exaggeration I had every physically and mental side effect there was to have and I probably had a few that wasn’t listed!

Well I’m now at 18 months form deciding to cut down on smoking on my 40th birthday and about 7 months into not smoking any cigarettes at all and also no nicotine replacement.

I feel absolutely terrible where every waking day is a physical and mental struggle. My whole body feels like I’m having to walk under water and it’s a complete struggle to do absolutely anything. I had to sit down the other day after just putting a screw into the wall. Constant exhaustion and fatigue constant aches and pains. Mentally I just have constant panic attacks, to where it’s reached a point where I know make constant excuses not to socialise. My whole life has become debilitated.

Now of course I have spent more time in the doctor’s surgery than you can imagine since I quit because off all the physical and mental complaints that I’m having. They doctors have done the basics, bloods etc but can’t seem to find anything wrong. The simple explanation the doctors can come up with is withdrawal.

I’m going to leave you with last comment…….

Age 39, Smoking around 25 cigarettes day. Attended the gym 3 times a week, walked the dog for an average of 15 miles a week, cycling, football. Overall a fit and healthy person.

Age 41, quit smoking. Gym zero times a week, no dog walking, cycling or football. Physical unable to do any of the leisure activates I once enjoyed. Struggle just make a cup of coffee.

Any help or advice would be extremely grateful………..!!!!!!

[nsd_user663_18145]

Hi and welcome to the forum

i am sorry to hear about how your struggling

is there any positives you have had since quitting? as i dont think these symptons you are suffering from are the result of quitting

i would go back to the doctor and ask for a more in deph blood test to check for thyriod and diabetis and how is your diet and sleep pattern?

btw

Well done on quitting you are doing the best thing honest even if you dont feel like you are

[nsd_user663_20558]

scrats,

first off, I'm really sorry for everything you're going through. And well done for staying off the cigs under the circumstances.

I have to say, although the period of physical nicotene withdrawal is longer for some than for others, I just do not believe that after seven months with no nicotene it's this which is causing such serious physical symptoms.

Now, this isn't to say that psychological withdrawal - which is a whooooole other ballgame - can't cause symptoms that seem very physical. It's possible that you are suffering from depression - which brings in its trail major fatigue, that 'wading through treacle' feeling - the panic attacks etc seem consistent with that. it's also possible that your quit coincided with the onset of some other physical ailment.

I have to say, if the best your doctor can come up with is 'withdrawal' then you need to seek a second opinion.

I'd also think about upping your intake of vitamin D and iron - you might find this helps.

I really hope you feel better soon.

Helen

[nsd_user663_58701]

Thank you for the reply.

Yes there has been the positives. Saving the money being one of them.

The thing is I don’t miss the cigarettes either, I don’t miss the smell of a stale room, car, clothes, and ashtray.

I understand of course that after 23 years smoking over a pack a day that your body becomes adapted to the environment that it’s in and so there for adjust and functions accordingly.

When you take this this habit away it’s a big turmoil for the body. What I’m trying to understand is this.

Is there such a thing that a human body has adapted to the environment to which is has been a costumed too for so many years that it is now nicotine dependant.

So there quitting is not going to be too much beneficial for your health. Obviously you’re not creating any more damage to yourself, but as for things on a human cellular functioning level and brain activity level, glucose response etc. that the body now needs this nicotine to continue to function.

I have read that nicotine takes over the normal body response for certain things, etc the blood sugar, metabolism. So could it be the case in some people it can be a simple fact it just need the nicotine to be able to function.

I understand for most people this is not the case, for instance my farther in law quit smoking after 50 years with no side effects what’s so ever!

I think it going to have to be the case of another visit to my G.P. as this can no longer carry on. I think something is being missed. I have had a full blood count done it all came back fine, i.e. glucose blood sugar so on and so forth.

[Unah]

I was much the same as you. Very rarely saw a doctor in my whole 69 years until I stopped smoking and then I was never out of the surgery. Was treated for depression with anti depressants for 8 weeks and I couldn't function at all. Sorted that out with vitamins. I still don't have as much energy as I had before I stopped. Had lots of blood tests and everything was fine. The only positive thing to come from quitting is the money.