i have quit smoking for 2 weeks now

[vertigo1]

hi everyone, i had a really bad chest infection in january, im 42 years old and i knew that my body was issuing me with an ultimatum, give up smoking or end up in hospital, i started on the patches but soon realised that i would be addicted to them as well, ive tried everything else, i even went to a hypnotist, at the end of the day it was all down to willpower, ive also given up alcohol too, i do have major cravings- day 4, day 8, day 10 have been the worst so far, i eat fruit during the day and i leave my bankcard and cash at home, i can feel my body is in total shock, i was heading for a stroke/heart attack if i had stayed on the path i was on, my blood pressure was 149/90 at rest which is really very bad, my blood pressure at rest after quitting for 2 weeks is now 87 bpm, and ive lost a stone in weight, i walked past someone 2 days ago who was smoking and i was nearly physically sick. i can now taste what i eat, the best of luck to anyone else who has or is quitting smoking !

[thenunn]

Hi Vertigo a very big well done ! and look at that blood pressure reading best wishes to you heres to week 3

[vertigo1]

thankyou ! im just taking one day at a time from now on !!! what a great place this is for support

[Chickles 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hey Vertigo, that's awesome! Keep up the good work:)!

[monky Administrator 35 Months Winner]

Aup Vertigo, a big welcome to this lovely quit smoking site there is loads of help and support from lovely people

A great big well done to you for getting to 2 weeks quit, and look how your blood pressure has come down you stay focused and you will do it

Emjay, one of our lovely quit support advisers, posted this a few weeks ago, it might just help to keep you determined on your quit speak soon, Pete

The health benefits of stopping smoking

Posted by EmJay ROY CASTLE

15 Nov 2012

4 comments

Report

Stopping smoking is the single most important thing that you can do to improve your health. That is a fact.

Unfortunately, not every benefit is visible and you can be left thinking to yourself that you don't feel any different.

However, there are a lot of changes going on behind the scenes that you may not be aware of, but you can rest assure that your body is busying itself away and repairing as much of the damage that smoking has done to your body as possible.

Your body will begin to repair itself as soon as you stop smoking and you'll go on feeling the health benefits for the rest of your life.

20 minutes after stopping, your blood pressure and pulse rate will return to normal. Circulation improves in hands and feet, making them warmer.

8 hours after stopping, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood will be cut by half and oxygen levels will return to normal. Chances of a heart attack start to fall.

24 hours after stopping, the level of carbon monoxide in your body will be that of a non-smoker and your lungs will start to clear. You could always ask at your local pharmacy or GP surgery and see if they can check your carbon monoxide levels for you.

48 hours after stopping, your body is becoming free of nicotine and your sense of taste and smell is improving.

72 hours after stopping, you should be breathing more easily. Airway passages in the lungs begin to relax. Energy levels increase.

2 – 12 weeks after stopping, your circulation is improving, making walking easier.

3 – 9 months after stopping, your lung function has increased by up to 10%. That means less coughing and wheezing and fewer breathing problems.

5 years after stopping, your risk of having a heart attack is halved.

10 years after stopping, your risk of contracting lung cancer is halved and your risk of having a heart attack is the same as if you’d never smoked.

[buddyboo]

well done you...and welcome to the site, it's wonderful to hear how you're doing and know that we're all in this together! keep on keeping on and stay in touch. Roll on week 3!! x

[Bellabella 18 Months Winner]

Hello Vertigo and welcome, welcome!! Now you must tell me your secret.... three weeks tomorrow, hours of running and working out at the gym and I haven't lost a pound. Still good news is, I ain't put on any either Must be the wine

Sounds like you doing all the right things, well done you.

I'm using patches, started on medium strength, one day of full strength and I felt like I was having a nico overdose! Gonna complete one more week of mediums then week four I'm going for low dose. Hopefully that'll do the trick for me

Best of luck in your quest look forward to hearing from you on our daily blog

[jillygirl Administrator LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi Vertigo, I am so glad you have managed to stop. You are doing really well. By the sound of it you would have been really poorly if you hadn`t quit. I quit nearly 1 year ago. trouble was 6 months after quitting It was too late lung cancer was already there However even now its the best thing i did I have had my op and all clear now. I am sure i wouldn`t be here if I had still been smoking. I wrote a blog a couple of weeks ago about my traumatic year. Its under the title thank you quit support.

I feel so happy when people like you are quitting , so you dont face what I did. BIG well done you non-smoker.

[sue52 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi Vertigo, big well done on getting to 2 weeks, it's great you got your blood pressure down, week 3 here you come

[EmJay Partner]

Hi Vertigo,

You're doing brilliant

Taking one day at a time is a good idea. It's lovely to hear that you are feeling the benefits of stopping already.

Keep up the good efforts, you're getting there