Exhausted !!!!

[Tired10]

Hey everybody I'm new to this Community, I've given up smoking July 31st 2012 I'm still feeling very very Exhausted and still have not seen the benefits of giving up I still get tingling sensations down my arms and Chest pains Is this Normal and is it my body Healing from the many years of Smoking?? Thankyou for any advice much appreciated xx

[EmJay Partner]

Hi Tired10,

Welcome to our friendly online community, a place where you'll get bucket loads of support and be able to chat to others who have already or are about to give up smoking.

Your body will have started the healing process the minute that you put out your last cigarette. If we could have a little viewing screen that allowed for us to look at what was happening inside our bodies when we quit we would see all kinds of positive changes. Unfortunately however, we don't have that little screen and so are always on the look out for something more visual. Hopefully you will have noticed that your sense of smell and sense of taste has returned

Tingling in your hands and feet is a good sign that your circulation is returning to normal, this usually happens within the first couple of weeks of stopping. If you are overly concerned then it may be worth making an appointment to see your GP and let him /her know that you have stopped smoking.

Some people have reported chest pains or a heaviness, again I would seek advice from your GP to be on the safe side.

Just so we can get a bigger picture can i please just ask you a couple of questions? How long had you been smoking for and how many each day? Are you using anything to help you stop smoking at the moment , such as NRT or a non-nicotine based products? You have done really well to get this far and I can assure you that by stopping smoking you most definitely will be helping yoursekf big time. Given time it will become easier, I promise Are you not even noticing any financial benefits?Stopping smoking can be so hard for some people and is such a great achievement in itself. You have stopped smoking now for over a quarter of a year and do should be really proud of yourself, I think a well earned pat on the back is deserved. It won't be long before you are into your full 4 months Try to remain positive and please remember that you are doing the best thing for your health.

Well done to you

[Tired10]

Hi Emjay, Thankyou so much in reply Really appreciate it Firstly Thankyou for your kind words and Support I had been smoking since I was 13 very young so smoking nearly 13 years :/, I rolled my own rollies and smoked at least 20a day even more on an evening out socializing I Gave up cold Turkey as I went in for a small operation end of July I went from 20 to 3 a day the week prior to surgery and Have up cold turkey from there So my body was not only trying to heal from the operation but the giving up Smoking I am really proud of myself for stopping with such a stressful Career too Somedays I keep thinking I never felt this bad whilst smoking is it doing more bad than good I went to see my GP a few weeks ago I had a chest xray all came back fine blood pressure is fine too, It's crazy how smoking has this effect on the body

Thankyou for your reply x

[EmJay Partner]

Morning Tired10,

it's really good to hear that you feel proud of yourself, and so you should

Many smokers feel that they felt a lot healthier before they gave up smoking, however due to the many toxic chemicals (over 4,000) in tobacco smoke, a lot of signs and symptoms of being poorly are hidden. Given time, your body will find it's own natural healthy self and you should start to feel much better

As you have stopped smoking by going 'cold turkey', you will find that you have overcome most of the physical (in your body) withdrawal symptoms and hopefully won't be experiencing too much in the way of psychological (in your mind) withdrawal.

You are right in that it is crazy how smoking can have such an effect on the body, but just as crazy how it affects the mind too

On a level of 1 to 10 (1 being not very confident and 10 being really, really confident) how do you feel about you not smoking today?

Just remember that you can do this and no matter how bad you feel from time to time, that feeling will go away whether or not you choose to smoke.

Keep smiling

[Tired10]

Hi Emjay, It's true Pgycologically I think I've dealt better with Than the physical symptoms haha I haven't really coughed up a lot of phlegm still either ( Sorry to be crude_) I haven't been able to do any excersize since I gave up due to the recovery of my Operation and getting over the Anistethic On the scale of 1 to 10 with cravings some days its def a 10 wgen when I socialize with a drink I've stopped with the craving off having one stressful days the scale Will be a 6 haha I just hope these Physical symptoms Will subside soon Feeling exhausted no energy, Tightness of chest Shortness of breatg sometimes but i tgubk that maybe due to when I was smoking my breathing wouldn't of been so deep due to The Lung capacity I'm hoping That ill feel a lot better soon I really think that stop smoking Sites should be realistic at the withdrawal symptoms and how long it actually takes

Thankyou Emjay for your comments and Support xx

[andi22]

Hi Tired10 and welcome to our community.

If you want reality about quitting smoking then you've come to the right place. We're all at different stages of quitting and using different methods so feel free to read back through the archives to see how we've all fared. We've had our ups and downs and come on to the daily chat to air them. The only constant that we have though is this site and I keep telling everyone that I could not have managed to quit without the help of all the lovely people here.

Please come and join us. Look forward to seeing you again.

Andi

[tiggysmith1]

Hi Tired 10

Well done, four months down the road, I'm sure it will get better for you.

I too gave up when I went in for an operation and the trouble I find is not the gravings but the fact that I am always hungry and can't stop eating, I am like you and not been able to excersize very much, but have gone back to work now which does take my mind off food.

I have had bad dreams and the sense of smell has been very strong as has the light headedness, but I am sure we are all different in the ways we recover from that horrible little stick. Keep it up

[Tired10]

Hi Andi22 Many thanks for the lovely Welcome, Doctors and Quitting smoking sites do not tell you the horrible things that happen few months down the road So that's why I have come too join you Lovely People , Hi Tiggysmith Thankyou for the support It is difficult when giving up after an Operation because your body is dealing with so Many things too heal haha I Myself The same as you have now gone back too work and Trying to curb the eating The first few weeks were bad with Eating I don't know if its just me but Food Actually tastes Great now haha So I was eating everything But now Looking too start some Mild Excersize now so hopefully I can start seeing a difference How long have you given up for??

Good Luck too everyone on their Road too a non Smoker xx

[tiggysmith1 in reply to Tired10]

Hi Tired, sorry I have not written for a while, I just don't know where these weeks go to. It will be nearly three months since I quit and enjoying the benifits of it in a way of strong sence of smell and things tasting so much nicer. I am back at work now which I find alot better to take my mind of eating but when I am at home in the afternoons I am looking for food all the time.

I have to have my other hip op done in the new year so until that is done I can still not excise as much as I would like so can't see the weight getting any better I afraid, anyway how are you doing now?? well done for getting as far as you have, any useful tips on what to eat between meals anyone would be helpful thanks

[Chickles 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi Tired,

I too have had chest aches, it transpires that it's actually gastric acid reflux (even though my stomach doesn't ache at all). I have had ECG's and a blood test done as the doc packed me off to A&E (long story), I also had a dodgy heartbeat, my heart occasionally adds a beat, which is quite common.

A big well done on stopping smoking! The body must go through all sorts of withdrawal symptoms when you think of all the poisons and chemicals it's been polluted with over the years.

I do know that stopping smoking can have an impact on the thyroid gland, and if you haven't had it done, I would ask your GP for a thyroid function test, as a symptom of an underactive thyroid is tiredness, just a thought.

You're doing really well!

[Tired10]

Hi Chickles, Ohh I'm sorry too hear you were rushed to A&E I hope everything is okay Now I'm glad you mentioned your heartbeat being irregular as I've had that too and The feeling of being Anxious too I may have too go to my GP and ask for that test Too be done as That's all I seem too want to do at present is Sleep haha Would be lovely if I didn't have work Thankyou so much for your support It's So nice to know what I'm going through I'm not alone xx

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi Tired10, nearly 4 months stopped now, your amazing

I know what you mean about the eating, i can't stop either, at this rate i'll end up looking like a balloon , but i can diet after, i feel okay as long as i don't let it get really out of hand

I hope you feel a bit better today, and as Andi said you've come to the right place, you should join us on the daily chat, when you can

Look forward to seeing you on there

[Tired10 in reply to sue52]

Hi Sue, apologies in late reply haha I know what you mean food tastes amazing at the moment and normally if I was hungry I would just light up but now I have to have something sweet haha Not Good because I Will balloon too I feel okay today but slept this afternoon haha Thankyou for the support How long have you given up for?

Look forward too speaking with you Thankyou for the support

xx

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer]

Aup Tired10, nice to see you

A BIG BIG well done for being smokefree for 4 months, thats just ace

As the other members of this lovely site have said, we are all here to help each other, and if we cant then there is Emjay who you have met and Jarvo another quit adviser who are allways in the background to help with their expertise

I think we've all been through erm what i call the empty feeling, thats why we snack and eat more, but like i have said before, quitting the smokes is the hardest thing i have had to do in my life, so when we have finally quit the habit, then we can beat the weight problem and anything else life chucks at us

Hoping to see you on the Daily chat

Pete

[Tired10]

Hi Pete,

Many thanks for the lovely welcome your very right I'm at the stage where I am starting to watch what I eat It's just the tirdness and exhaustion I can't deal with because I'm such a bubbly person haha Well done too yourself aswell for quitting It is tough but we are doing it so a big yipeeeee for all off us

Everyone on here is being great Will look forward too speaking to you all more often

Gem

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to Tired10]

Hiya Gem,

Just wondered whether you sleep ok ??

Do you exercise at all ??

[Tired10]

Hi Pete, I normally Slept fine but have been Sleeping better in the day then I have evenings which doesn't help I hate feeling so tired I'm 26 so I'm sure I shouldn't be this tired because I work Full time I am not a big excersizer But Will start Getting back into swimming I actually had a small operation at the time I gave up so haven't been able to excersize as much as I would like I have a quite stressful job so constantly on the go So in the new year I Will Join a gym How is your sleeping? And have you found that excersize is helping??

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to Tired10]

Hi Gem,

So your only 26 then,just in your prime gal, i'm 56, that makes me erm erm 20 years, erm 30years older than you are, look most of the Ladies on this site have got at least 1 or 2 brain cells i aint got note up there gal but not bothered am not, cus i know they will help me if i need it, this is such a lovely site to be apart of,

As for your sleeping Gem, you've stopped smoking, so all them nasty chemicals you had in your body, have now gone your body has to adjust to that, but we are all different, like some people suffer bad dreams at night, because your body has lost those horrible chemicals, that thought was doing you good, erm does that make seance

I'm very lucky, as dont get any side affects, from quitting smoking apart from the Girlies on this site, that is but i love em to bits, i do

As for me, yes i do exercise, only on a rowing machine, but i tell you it dont half help, cus when i get off it, i am in another world, and i can concur anything such a lovely feeling

Gem i dont know whether i have helped you or not, but i have tried

Pete

[Tired10]

Haha Hi Pete, Yayyy I'm a youngster But feel older at times lol Your right there Maybe it is my most trying to adjust I still get Anxious ? Don't know if this is normal 4months along ...... Haha I'm Sure the Ladies.love you on here too Haha it seems you can make them laugh too forget about lighting up which is fab haha I Will start taking back excersize and see how i feel in a months time see if things get better

You have been Fantastic pete, Many thanks

And I'm very much Grateful for all your good advice

many thanks

Gem

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi gem, sorry for my late reply

I've been stopped for roughly 8 weeks now, think i'm the only person on here who never does :D, one of the others ends up telling me think that's because i take it a day at a time, so i'm never looking forward or backwards, it seems to work for me

It's brill that your stopping now, and great that you've come this far, your a star

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It's taken me to the age of 53 to stop, but better now than never

keep strong, you will do this, you should join us on the madhouse on daily chat, like the others have said it's a great place

will chat soon

[Tired10]

Hi Sue52 ,

Thankyou for your message really made me smile

I Will look forward too joining the mad house and we will support you hehe Well done for giving up for 8weeks your nearly there where u don't crave hehe Stay strong

I'll be on here a lot more so we can track one anothers process

Gem x

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi Gem, how's things, are things better for you? I hope so xx

[Tired10]

Hi Sue, Sorry for late delay was a long day in the office haha I'm still feeling exhausted but 4months smoke free yesterday wahoooo haha and also 4 months down the line I'm finally noticing my lungs are actually now clearing themselves out ...... 4months seems such a long time How are you Sue ? Gem Xxx

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi Gem, 4 months, that's brilliant, your a star

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It's great that your lungs are clearing themselves now as well

Are you still not managing to sleep, or having nightmares? Emjay has written a couple of blogs on these that might help, i'll try and find them for you

you should come on the daily chat as well, we have such a laugh, as well as helping each other, when needed

I was 9 weeks stopped last Tuesday, and apart from the odd craving am doing fine

hope you have a great day

Susan x

[Tired10]

Hi Sue , haha Thankyou for the smiling star congratulations on giving up for 9weeks that's absoluteley fandabby doozyyy lol well done I have had a few nightmares last week but they are slowing down so that Will be fab if you have some info appreciated I Will pop into the daily chat one evening next week after work be good to chat and have a giggle with everyone hope you have had a lovely weekend 23 days untill Christmas yayyyyyyy

Keep going with the non smoking your doing really really well and I Will see you on the daily chat

Gem xx

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi Gem, Thanks for that, it has been hard, but it's getting easier now, thank goodness

I've found some info on vivid dreams that I hope will help you, that Emjay posted

For those of you who are newly quit, I thought I'd repost the following...

James, one of our lovely Stop Smoking Advisors has found some information that I thought you might all find interesting;

Vivid dreams are found to not be a side effect from stop smoking products. It has been discovered through research that it is part of the recovery process. The brain begins to repair itself and reverse damage caused from smoking. Neurobiologists have discovered that brain cells sprout new axons and nerve fibres during dream sleep. A chemical named serotonin in the brain triggers the brain to dream.

Smoking depletes serotonin production in the brain. When serotonin levels in the brain are balanced it creates a happy and contented state of mind. When serotonin levels are low a depressed and anxious state of mind is created. It is believed that smoking cigarettes can deplete serotonin levels by up to 50%. What compounds this problem is that the brain accepts the chemicals in a cigarette as a serotonin substitute on the basis that any chemical response is better than no chemical response at all. So therefore, when an individual stops smoking, serotonin production improves and the brain begins to compensate itself for lost serotonin production. The brain then produces more serotonin than needed, resulting in vivid dreams and nightmares.

Research has shown that it takes the brain 3 weeks to regulate serotonin levels.

Further research suggests that with an increase in serotonin levels there must be an increase in oxygen levels too. When a person stops smoking, carbon monoxide no longer takes priority over oxygen on the red blood cells. As a result of this change, oxygen levels of the individual increase. More oxygen is carried around the body and to the brain. When the stop smoker sleeps there is a higher percentage of oxygen reaching the brain than when they where a smoker. This process helps promote a process called rapid eye movement (REM) while sleeping. REM is an important process in dream production along with serotonin production.

It is essential to reassure a client that the first three weeks of a quit attempt are crucial. Vivid dreams are all part and parcel of the recovery process and the pathway to a healthier life style.

It is a positive symptom as it is the brains way of repairing itself and returning to a better deeper sleep.

I look forward to seeing you on the daily chat xx