25 days smoke free 😉👍

[Rjg45]

Hi all. I'm new As was looking tonight on that web about stopping smoking ...

I'm 52 yrs old Been smoking for probably 30 yrs ...

On the 17th of last month while on holiday I started to get ill , bit like the flu , aches , pains , headaches, chest started to hurt and horrible cough which got worse ...

we ended up coming home from holiday early , I started to get even worse ..I ended up going to hospital in an ambulance, I couldn't breath very easily ,with a fever , my blood pressure was very low and my blood showed I was border line sepsis..

After tests inc an X-ray, I was diagnosed with pneumonia in my right lung , my chest sounded terrible and was full of bacteria..

I was put on an iv of antibiotics for 2 days , the pain in my chest got even worse , was coughing up every colour of pus and muck under the sun as well as blood and the lining of my right lung was inflamed causing it to feeling like it was tearing from my ribs , so was in a pretty bad way and tbh was shitting myself !!!

Was put in an respiratory ward .. What I see in there was not nice !!!!

I do not want to go back there !!!!

Was allowed home after 2 days and put on a strong course of more antibiotics, was also told by 3 doctors , recommendations not to smoke again , although I picked something up to give me an infection , smoking is also contributing factor and my X-ray proved that !! One doctor said my X-ray was " interesting " !!! And then said " no more cigarettes " !!!

When I got home , not that I had any inclination to smoke , I threw out my tobacco..it went in the bin ...

Next morning , the smoking demons started , " get the tobacco from the bin , it can stay in the drawer just in case " ... unbelievable !!!!

So done that ..then had to think long and hard , my health , my family ..My Family , my 8 yr son , my wife , my health ...over and over ... it went back in the bin and stayed there !!!

25 days I've not had a smoke ... I cannot believe I've done this through cold turkey...

I remember years ago , I tried , with patches , lasted a couple of weeks !!!!

I know I've been ill and had a big wake up call , but still impressed with my cold turkey giving up ... cravings pretty much non existent now , and if they are there , they last not very long ...

I think it's weird at times not smoking , you feel something is missing , so I guess that's the being used to doing it for so long routine then suddenly stopping ...

a glass of water helps and getting on with something , also a little difficult as still signed off from work .. hopefully I can return back to work next week , that will help even more getting my mind away from smoking ...

I have noticed how much my chest feels now and how clear it feels when breathing , I had a horrible wheeze noise before which is all gone , I have though started feeling a little shit , excuse the French !!!

Not sure but I think maybe my body starting to rid the nicotine as I'm getting more oxygen in my blood ....that's what I've read anyway lol , Also sleeping , was a mare ,as kept waking up , that's starting to get better now ... majority of the time now , I don't even think about it ... so so weird that is , as smoked for so long , to now forget that I did... that's just a big wow ... I have read it gets easier the longer you go cold turkey and I think , " yep , it does " !

So on the whole feeling very chuffed , positive thinking and attitude...myself , my family..

Hope I've not been to graphic with what happened, but that's my wake up that's stopped me smoking ... for the good of me

Be positive 👍

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Huge welcome to our community Rjg45 and congratulations on 25 days smoke free - I too quit cold turkey almost 2 years ago due to waking up coughing in the early hours and not able to get my breath - decided there and then, enough was enough and the rest is history, I remember so well what you are describing in the early days so well and never ever want to go through those withdrawals again - they are all perfectly normal and will improve and ease, you are in a wonderful mindset with positivity and focus that will stand to you.

Below is a link to some pinned posts worth a read if not already done so.

healthunlocked.com/nosmokin...

Wishing you continued strength and a speedy and full recovery, keep in touch with us

[AlexandriaUK Valued Contributor]

Hi Rig welcome to to the forum, congratulations, its a scary process this quitting lark, I know that at the moment your feeling very strong and focused but beware Mr Nicodemon, he has this nasty habit off hiding in side roads waiting to jump out on you and usually when your having a bad day, just keep as your mantra NOPE not one puff ever, it helped me to stay focused when I like you quit cold turkey, I think your scare, and I imagine it was an absolutely freak you out scare will be enough to keep you on the road to success, mind I know they say there's a light at the end of the tunnel, there is but its not to be used to spark up LOL remember though that like someone who has managed to quit the drink you will always be an x smoker and years down that very bumpy Road you will have to keep vigilant because its so easy to slip back, I'm sure you will be fine though because you have chosen to quit with out someone else badgering you.

Fresh orange juice is good to sip when you feel the crave and is full of vit c.

After a couple of months your senses will be fully activated, the smell of someone smoking can actually smell rank, I can't tolerate it when i smell the old smoke smell on people, reformed smokers are the worst, welcome to the club.

[Rjg45 500 Days Smoke Free in reply to AlexandriaUK]

Thanks , funny enough , I've noticed already that smoking actually stinks when I'm walking past someone who is smoking ..

also weird how I notice other people smoking now , weather there in a car or walking and I think about what it's doing to them ...but yes the smell is pretty horrible and I've only been off them 20 odd days !!!

Yes, I'm only getting a couple of reminders a day from Nicodemon but it passes very quick ...it's normally when I'm sat doing nothing or just finished eating ..but as said , the majority of the time , is unreal ...it's like I've never smoked ..Very strange lol !

Glass of water seems to work though and go and do something ..

I can hopefully go back to work next week and get busy again as it's getting boring at home !

Cheers for the heads up 👍

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to Rjg45]

Yeah, its like when you buy / get a new car and ya keep seeing the same car as yours, you are doing great Rjg45

[Rjg45 500 Days Smoke Free in reply to AlexandriaUK]

Just going back over old posts ..Lol , ow in my 12 months and a couple of weeks ..

yes the smell of cigarette smoke is absolutely disgusting and so so offensive.. I hate it lol

[AlexandriaUK Valued Contributor in reply to Rjg45]

Hi I'm so glad that you are still smokefree, now your in a good place and hopefully you will never smoke again, did you put any pudding on, I do find it harder to get the weight of now and having just come back off of holiday and have put on about 7/8 pounds, how bad is that, I'd sooner be a bit plumper than smoke though

I bet your wife is so made up with you.

Onwards and upwards

[Rjg45 500 Days Smoke Free in reply to AlexandriaUK]

Yes my family are very pleased and very impressed ... yes , put some beef on , about 2 big ones , have noticed the belly !!!

Just need to get me bum in gear and get working on it ..

trouble is your diet stays the same and ten some extras to make up for not smoking .. easily done

[TimTimT 1 Year Smoke Free]

I just went back and read this story and it is truly inspirational. Thank you for sharing and I’m glad things are still going well for you!

[Rjg45 500 Days Smoke Free]

Thanks Tim and good luck to you too .... thinking positive and forget about smoking 👍👍👍