Omg!!!

[laines]

On 18th October 2013 I quit smoking. I had been smoking for over 30 years and probably spent 20 of those years trying to quit. The past 12 months have been full of ups and downs. In the early days i felt so ill, I was breathless and anxious. I became depressed and had an insatiable appetite.

12 months on and omg it is a completely different story. My breathing has improved, i have loads of energy, I sleep so much better. My taste and smell is unbelievable. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done yet when I look back it has been easy. OMG!!! I have quit smoking!!! To anyone who is in the early days of quitting keep at it, ride the storms you can do it. I hardly ever think of smoking now and the smell repulses me. Believe me the sense of achievement is a reward on its own but along with the improvements with my health it is the best thing I have ever done for myself!! I haven't posted this to look for praise or to show off I just wanted to show everyone who is trying to quit or anyone who's struggling it can be done. I never really posted on here a lot, what I did do was read and read other people's posts so hopefully my post will help others.

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky]

Massive Congratulations laines on your 1 year quit, a great achievement and inspiration to all of us

Brilliant to hear that no matter how tough it is to do, we can do it, well done x

[laines 30 Months Winner in reply to Briarwood]

Thanks Briarwood x

[KC1946]

Many congratulations laines always good to hear from an ol timer !

[glolin LONG TERM WINNER]

congratulations on you one year quit..that is sensational...and thanks for sharing your story as I am sure it will help many of

[LilyMay73 LONG TERM WINNER]

Huge well done on your 1 year quit, such a liberating achievement and a great inspirational personal story x

[Hidden]

I Can truly relate to this. I quit about 5 mths ago. However I now have COPD which makes me sad all the time. I can't always breathe freely,and constantly tired from CO2

Retention. I have lost a lot of weight

with Copd u burn to many calories

And eating is exhausting. Yes I am glad I quit just wish I could have done it sooner

[jillygirl Administrator Queen Bee]

Hi laines, Thank you for sharing your story. I am sure it will encourage others.

[laines 30 Months Winner]

Thanks everyone and I hope it does help anyone who's struggling! deeFB I have copd too! Your breathing will improve. Last year when i quit I couldn't walk up the stairs without getting breathless, I can run up then now and I don't get breathless! Exercise and never smoke again, you won't recover fully but you will improve. I have!!☺

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to laines]

Aup Laines its lovely to see you again gal and a massive big well done you for reaching a Year quit doing my bum wiggle dance for you

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A little something for you

And thank you for posting this lovely post, I'm sure it will help a lot of other members who are going through similar symptoms xx

You enjoy running up and down stairs, cos thats what I want to do again

[Elovarun]

Hey congratulations. My first post. Gave up around same time 2 years ago. Now doing the NHS Choices Couch to 5k programme. I cannot recommend it enough. 6/9 weeks in I can easily run 20 mins without stopping. I smoked 25 years at 20 a day. I'm only 43, was told by a smoking cousellor that if I continued I could expect to live 5-15 years 2 years ago. That woke me up. Totally agree with everything you've said in your post. Spot on. Message to anyone reading. Do it. 2 years on, I'm running 3.5k in 20 mins, and afterwards I can still talk :-). 2 years ago I'd get the next bus if you know what I mean. It seriously only gets better. Really hard at first, but totally worth persevering.

[droopyJ in reply to Elovarun]

Hi Elovarun, well done to you hun and on getting into the couch to 5k.... I remember when I first started it I couldn't run for 30 seconds without my lungs trying to explode out of my body...

have started walking now as did my Achilles in.....

[Fresher 8 MONTH WINNER]

Well done to you, amazing and will help lots of people including me I'm sure x

[Elovarun in reply to Fresher]

Thanks, at 7 months in, you've basically done it. Bet you don't think about it so much. If I can offer any pearls to those looking here, it rally is a decision. You have to want to quit. Really want to. I found the app My Last Cigarette rally helped in first few weeks - told me what I'm saving, told me when co2 had left my body, when nicotine levels were zero. Btw for rally read 'really'

[droopyJ]

Hi Laines that's one helluva fantabulous quit you got going on there... well done and thanks for sharing, its really inspirational

[laines 30 Months Winner]

Thanks everyone and thanks for the cake monky xx

[astrids 20 Months Winner]

Congratulation Laines ! Thanks for this post; it is very encouraging for me. I read some of your older posts and saw some similarities. I am approaching month 3 now, after 35 years of 20-30 cigs a day. As you did earlier, I am still wondering when the breathing will get better (I tried the couch to 5k running program but did not last as I did not feel any improvements; I tried for 3 weeks; doing yoga 3-4 times a week which helps a bit but not much with the breathing) ...

I am also having major problems with anxiety now ...

On the bright side, I regained my ability to focus and concentrate after about 6 weeks and my weight normalized - after a major weight gain I lost some of it again without any effort and am pretty happy now with my slightly heavier self.

After such a long time of smoking, 3 months may not be long enough for breathing to normalize .... You do give me hope that it eventually will get better .

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to astrids]

Aup Astrids its great to see you and still smokefree tooooo

Anxiety seems to hit a lot of members on here when they quit but I think its got something to do with your breathing As in, you think when you stop smoking, your breathing gets better automaticly For me it did but I have found out that I must be very very lucky

You've been smoking for 35 Years, soo, your body has to get rid of all that 35 Years worth of poisoning sooo, please just give it time

We are all different Astrids, our bodies are all different, our minds are all different so it takes some of us longer to reap the benefits of quitting smoking but they will come in time

Please stay with us Astrids, as Laines says, it will get easier

Take care now

[laines 30 Months Winner]

Hi Astrids well done for quitting! I suffered terribly from anxiety, this passed at approx 7 months but it has been the 12 month mark that seems to be the turning point for me. I remember quiting when I was in my early 30's and didn't suffer anywhere near as much as this time. I have put 2 stone on in the 12 months lol I've just manged to lose 5 lb! Good luck with the rest of your quit x

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to laines]

Thank you sooooo much again Laines for helping other members xx

[Rubyredfeet5 7 MONTH WINNER]

That's fantastic well done 👍