Yet to see health benefits

[Rastis]

Hey guys I've given up smoking almost 6 weeks now. I had to give up because i had a partial lung collapse but besides that little hiccup I have always been super fit and healthy basically use to zoom all over the place and was full of energy. Since giving up smoking I get short of breath really quickly (I didn't even experience this with one lung not functioning properly) I have no energy and feel super unfit, I realise that smoking helps keep your airways open thus my shortness of breath is probably due to my airways now relaxing however, I thought I would feel much healthier for giving up the smokes. Did anyone else feel more unfit/unhealthy? Is this a normal faze? So far I'm not feeling anywhere near how I thought i'd feel health wise. Anyones experiences would be helpful thank you.

[reader2019 5 Years Smoke Free]

Hello Rastis, on Jan 1st it will be 19 months that I quit smoking. Something smokers don't think about is that our bodies won't heal overnight. We all expect to feel better but it doesn't work that way. I smoked for 40 years so can you imagine the shock to my body when the nicotine was cut off. It is one day at a time. Then one day you realize that you feel good. The mind will play all kinds of tricks to get you to light up again but stay strong. You can do this and eventually you will feel better.

[Rastis in reply to reader2019]

Thank you very much for your reply and your encouragement, I most definitely won't be going back to smoking I've come too far already to go backwards.

[CocoaXChange Valued Contributor]

Hi Rastis, 5 years for me and the beginning was the hardest. It is normal to seem to feel sicker. The small hairs (cilia) that line our lungs and windpipe regrow and start to clear out the tar and mucus that has built up over time. It's not a quick, or pleasant process. I slept a great deal, though some people have insomnia. Definitely normal.

[Rastis in reply to CocoaXChange]

Thank you for your advice, im glad to hear that its normal. I haven't had any mucus or need to clear the lungs so i do wonder if that is still coming for me. I want to sleep a lot but i do have insomnia which isn't amazing and probably not helping with not feeling any benefits yet also im expexting too much too soon. Also congrats on 5 years!

[Lanark Valued Contributor]

I'll be 15 years as a person who doesn't smoke in March. I've never regretted stopping smoking. The health benefits come in things like not dying further down the line. I think it will take a wee while for your collapsed lung issue to resolve itself properly. That is what is affecting your breathing - not stopping smoking. Stay with it... you are correct... you have come too far to go back now. Smoking was never your friend. Remain as you have been when you stepped over that line. A non smoker.

[Rastis in reply to Lanark]

Wow 15 years that is epic! Congratulations. I definitely will remain a non smoker even though my cravings this week have been worse than any I've ever had. One benefit is that I have gained a bit of weight now which is great as i was always skinny and struggled to put weight on, I wouldn't be able to get clothes that fit properly, so the plan now is to go to the gym and turn my new found fat into muscle whilst doing that i will get fit and this will no doubt along the way resolve the feeling unfit issue above 😀 if they ask me to give up sugar completely that's a deal breaker 😛