Hi I'm just over 6 months quit, I've got copd and I'm breathless on inclines. I had really bad chest infection last November and could hardly breathe cleared after 2 lots of steroids and antibiotics that's when I decided to quit. So I quit and was very breathless on doing anything, saw the GP who said I needed to exercise and build up slowly, so it's just over 6 months and I am much better than I was but still suffer SOB, this can sometimes be by doing the smallest thing and other times I'm OK like walking upstairs. I'm just wondering where other people are on their journeys? I am walking daily but I'm much slower than other family members I'm not sure if I should be much better by now or if this is it. Would like to hear from others in a similar situation. My GP has mentioned pulmonary rehabilitation but it's not available yet. I know it can take a while for healing maybe a year or more. Would just like to know if anyone has been through the same. Replies much appreciated.
Copd quitters: Hi I'm just over... - Lung Conditions C...
Copd quitters
I sure wish I could quit COPD 
Yes it is usual to have shortness of breath on a daily basis.
I quit smoking about 17 years ago on diagnosis, I have always had shortness of breath on exertion, more so uphill / slight inclines and stairs, bending over and exercise. Its just something many of us live with day to day.
Being short of breath does mean we have to pace ourselves with activities and exhaustion occurs when trying to do too much but this is all part of COPD.
Of course some who are very mild to moderate may not experience the same difficulties as the next person. Some people with severe COPD on oxygen can sometimes do more than another person with moderate COPD who is not prescribed oxygen because their blood oxygen is ok.
In many cases people experience the same symptoms and in other cases people do find their tolerance achieving different things varies.
Use your inhalers as prescribed and hopefully you will remain mostly stable.
Definitely get your name down for the next Pulmonary Rehabilitation Education Course, either at the hospital or online. So Worth doing.
Best wishes BK
I have bronchiectasis. Last year I had a really bad flare up and it's taken months to get over it. There is still room for improvement- fingers crossed. With any lung disease it's slowly, slowly and take it easy on the 'bad' days, which many of us have, I think. It's good to keep exercising gently and of course to stay off the fags. Hope this helps. Good luck.
Slightly different perspective, in that I didn’t have a respiratory diagnosis when I quit (may or may not have one now, not yet sure, but I’m primarily a member here for my daughter who has a lung disease), and stopping smoking knocked me for 6. I’d been relatively fit and not breathless whilst on the cigs, stopped, and for the next 9 months was plagued with frequent shortness of breath on exertion, coughing, and manky sputum. It took a year before I felt fit and well again from a chest standpoint, and I hated it. It did give me some real insight into some of what my daughter regularly goes through, though, and members here. You may well have some degree of daily symptoms from your COPD, but it’s possible that some of what you’re experiencing is still your lungs trying to sort themselves out from packing in the smoking. Well done for quitting, though - it’s no easy feat.
Thanks for your reply Charlie really appreciate it
Congratulations on quitting. As for breathlessness and exerise, just keep walking as often as you can but don't compare yourself to what others can do.
From a quit smoking point of view it's quite early days so there is a chance that you will be able to gradually improve on what you can do. If you can't don't beat yourself up, just do what you can manage.
There are quite a lot of useful exercises on you tube if you do a COPD search and the BLF do a DVD of exercises if it is still available, worth phoning the helpline to find out.
As mentioned by CDP016 above - check out BLFs pages on exercise + videos while you are waiting to attend the PR course
blf.org.uk/search/site/Exer...
Drink plenty of water while quitting and ongoing,
Check out BLFs pages of diet as well.
Congratulations on quitting. That’s such a huge achievement. blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...
I really need to exercise more. As others have said, the BLF has exercise DVD and book to buy, or videos to watch. Maybe I’ll get inspired to start exercising again. Thank you for making me think of finding this video for you and by extension reminding me I ought to watch it again myself! Wishing you all the best.
Thank you for your reply Hungry. I will watch the video. 😊
Yes I have (probably now) moderate copd and found when I stopped smoking my breathing was worse and I felt so ill I did go back to smoking 
I know I need to stop again.
Smoking has a suphoric effect on the lungs and can also mask other health issues which is why you get these symptoms when you stop. Also for those like us with lung damage the idea that you feel much healthier doesn't apply. It can do for those who haven't done any damage but not for us. Your breathing will probably stay a bit worse but the important fact is you are helping to stop any further damage and stay as healthy as possible for longer. You will feel better over time but not the regulatory 6 months I'm afraid as it will probably take longer than that.
I joined the quit smoking site on here and they are great if you haven't yet stopped or have and are struggling. When I moaned about my breathing someone said 'Did I expect to get off scot free after smoking for so many years'? That made me think and now I am just grateful I am not worse or at deaths door.
Please stay with your quit and don't give up like me. I am now faced with having to go through the whole rigmarole again which I am dreading.
Hi hypercatThankyou for your reply it was a shock when I quit and could barely walk a couple of yards. My advice to you would be never quit quitting. What helped me was Tabex if it wasn't for these tablets I would probably be still smoking.
You are welcome. I was shocked when it happened to me. Oh I knew about smoking masking other things and was aware my breathing would probably get a bit worse, and I would probably put on weight which I did.
I searched the internet in vain for any information like this and there was nothing! It was all about how you will feel so much better and healthier and I wondered if I was the only one who experienced anything different. Even the quit smoking site told me I would feel healthier after 6 months and a couple of people said I was putting them off quitting so I left the site. I have rejoined it now though as I do need to give it up again and need their support.
I realised this was all aimed at 'healthy' people and not those of us with knackered lungs. I just wanted to let you know you are not alone in how you feel.
Funnily enough I found the quitting relatively easy but it was my symptoms still there after 17 months that in desperation I went back to it. I now know I was stupid for doing that as have to gird my loins and do it all again. x
Good morning hypercat54I stopped smoking for nearly a year, I'm starting over again I'm stage 4 copd now and on 02 for walking, I keep having to fight of the negative thoughts of its a bit late now for giving up again some friends have even told me, there's still life in this old girl so I will keep fighting the old cigarette battle😊
Hi they say it's never too late to give up and in 99.999% of cases I would agree. The only reservations I have is that if your lung function is say 20% or lower then if your FEV1 gets worse it might push you into the danger level where survival becomes more difficult.
Others on here might disagree with this but to me it is realistic and it's better to recognise the risks than live in la la land. x
Thank you I am stopping the old smoking again, I love life and my family, I was down for a lung reduction, luckily my consultant has kept me on, there very strict rules it's a bit of light to work on and keep going, thank you I'm a newbe have a good day,
Hi pulmonary rehabilitation is very beneficial it worked for me and gave me much more stamina. I have a back problem which flared a month after the course and it set me back due to the Devon NHS orthopaedic department hiding behind Covid, I could do with the course again as my problem is apart from walking the dog I'm not a lone exerciser and work better in a group. I would highly recommend it, hydrotherapy is also beneficial.
I was the same as you , sudden COPD after two nasty viruses and the last one left me breathless. I used to exercise and expel my stick flegm which clogged my chest until I did my own research on here about best medication as my gp. was closed to patients due to covid . I am so much better now and just ask my docs for the medication I need as they are so ill informed. I take a steroid inhaler morning and night , Montelukas which is marvellous for clearing phlegm and antihistamines to prevent any inhaled allergies which are worse in the summer. I used to smoke the odd roll up as a gardener but I’m certain it was the virus as a gardener I was outdoors all day . I pop a tiny Niquitin tab up the top of my gum and have a puff of No Nicotine vape with my cup of tea. And keep Walking it’s good for you. Very best wishes and get as well as you can possibly be 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for the reply dizzart.I take Anoro inhaler once daily, and salamol rescue inhaler when required. I don't have any problem with phlegm l. I'm glad what your doing works for you. 😊
Thanks for your kind reply Jake do hope through trial and error you also find something that works for you 👍🏻👍🏻 I found all my answers on here on health Unlocked as I’d never heard of Montelukas before and no one suggested it so do experiment you are your own best expert 👌👌
Hi Jake..I have the same as you , I gave up smoking 8 months ago october with the help of champix.
I was never SOB walking to work in the mornings but I now am and soon as I sit up in bed I am SOB 😔
Nurse at surgery won't see me to do a breathing test and doctor not listen to my chest.They useless hiding away when need there help.
Been gaven a inhaler and it doesn't work, I am feeling fed up about it all and do wonder why I even bothered stopping as I also have gained a stone in weight and SOB.
Hope you have better luck with your docs then I do.
Lesley
Hi well done in packing in the ciggies. See my reply above. x
Hi Lesley thanks for your reply.When I ring the doctors it's all over the phone consultations, it's like they don't have time for you, I still haven't had a yearly checkup with the spirometry test yet. It's scandalous.
My surgery don't do spirometry.Iv had one only at a different doctors before I moved to who im with now..At doctors Im with now she just has little plastic thing to blow into. Which is useless.
She assesses you by symptoms only and thats not working out well for me.I have a kitchen door with loads of inhalers at nearly ten pound a pop.
Hi Jake,
Congrats for your decision.
If you please, try to use a salt pipe for a while and see if it's working out well for you. Also, I kindly suggest to try thyme tea with some fresh lemon juice.
All the best!
Congratulations for quitting jake25, I'm a newbe on here many apologies for posting in the middle, I found pulmonary rehabe helpful, good luck hope you feel better soon 🌸🌸🌸
I'm hoping pulmonary rehabilitation will be available face to face soon. Thank you for replying ☺️
Well done on quitting Jake25 😊, it really is one of the best things you can do to help control copd. My husband gave up about 16 years ago when he was first diagnosed, it was incredibly difficult for him (and he still occasionally fancies one ) but he’s convinced that had he carried on he wouldn’t be here today He’s in his seventies now and on supplementary oxygen but he did the pulmonary rehabilitation and was so much better for it , still tries to exercise when he’s well enough and eats healthily . At this moment he is in the garden playing with his power tools 🙄building a bench Although there are immediate benefits to quitting they aren’t always immediately apparent , the lungs of ex smokers take years to clean completely but hopefully with a healthy life style you will start to feel better soon . As someone has already said don’t compare yourself just keep on walking at your own comfortable pace Good luck 😊
Thank you so much for your reply, it means so much to me 😊
Jake..I was diagnosed 5 years ago same exact as ypu ..started a cold..my cough lingered for 3 months..I had been cigaretye free for those 3 months because I knew it was time..my oxygen dropped to 76...with a couple doses of steroids and on oxygen it started to go back to 96 at times but my heart raced like horrible ..I cried and cried..finally woke up and said I'm only gonna be 50..I started walking that day...a few months I was up to 5 miles a day..almost 5 years later I still walk 5 miles before I take my med..I'm on Anoro ..that it.. Mild to.moderate..I have not at this point progressed...I'll be 55 soon..I do everything I used to I'm just old lol..sometimes depending on humidity going up a incline just like normal ppl sometimes a slight winded but nothing mahor..I do not need oxygen ..I do not use a inhaler but I have one..everyone's different...
I hope you find your peace with it..
Out of curiosity how old are you?
Hi gaggaI am 55 years old same age as you, its the breathlessness that worries me. Were you quite breathless when you quit? It's just over 6 months quit for me and if I'm walking on an incline I've got to stop and have a rest. I'm hoping the breathlessness improves 🤞thank you for your reply 😊
I can't remember I was very breathless after being diagnosed.I went from never being sick to haveing c.o.p.d no issue until that..I didn't like my heart raceing..breathless is what took me to the dr...I have emphysema..multiple holes ..but they were so difficult to see that they really haven't completly gone through? I wouldn't listen I was in shock my hubby listened for me...Anoro is what gave me my life back
I guess ppl who don't cough..or no mucus can only have it..it's hard to say what's normal for aging and what isnt...my husband is.completly healthy goes every year to the dr and hills and stairs are horrible for him..yet don't bother me like that?
I thought it was a death sentence ..maybe it will be ..maybe I'll die of something else.i know longer worry..my heart never races...and from walking 5 years my resting heart rate is 54..I had 1 time in 5 years I had to be hospitalized but I went in my daughter's attic full of 100 year old dust or maybe I had covid it was Dec 5th just before covid was recognized
I just know keeping active is key for me..I gained 10 lbs from being smoke-free for 5 yrs..I have lost most of it
And I'll add I don't cry or regret 1.cigarrette.at the time I enjoyed each one.could easily light one..I still have that pack in my dresser I see it daily..
My Dr told me the key was to keep moving that's why I walk everyday, I do need to shed some weight. Thank you for replying it gives me hope that I will improve 👍
Hi, when I had recently quit my breathing was bad at times snd I’d struggle to have a conversation when walking. I also put on a lot of weight but I started eating healthy foods and walking every day in lunch break and after work. I am not 3 stone lighter AND my breathing has improved tremendously! I can talk and walk even going up a big of an incline now.
Sorry I don’t know why that was all underlined!
It looks nice and neat lol.
Thanks deep, all your stories give me hope that things will improve ☺️
. Mike is c orrect, you will benefit exercising In a group or out walking and chatting to friends. I dont believe in watching videos and excercising alone in front of the TV. Nothing more boring than that. Get out and meet people just walking will improve your breathing. Take it slowly at first and gradually go a little further each day. Stopping to catch your breath as you go and hopefully chatting to passers By. It's the sad ones that excercise alone at home, 😱get out and also get the Vit D on your skin. I have increased my mobility this way. Even been taken off oxygen , iIf I can do it you can do it. Being happy and Positive but most of all grateful for doing what you are able . Theres no rush, in your own time
Good luck .xxSheila 👍🙌💕🤣
Hi sheilaI have been walking in the local park for 6 months now I prefer to be on my own I listen to music with headphones in and enjoy it very much. I am happy that you have improved your fitness levels and no longer need the oxygen. Thanks for your input it means a lot to me 😊
Well done you, quitting smoking is one of the hardest things to do for most people. I stopped 12 years ago next month. Keeping fit is really important, especially at your age, so keep on walking and go at your own pace, you can increase this when you feel ready. I dont use my inhalers everyday as they dont do much for me, but will use Ventolin when I have mucus that is hard to shift. I have bronchiectasis and sinus problems so face these problems daily. Do you have a consultant at the hospital, if so you could ring the secretary and explain about the sob and ask their advice. Keep positive it takes quite a while to get your lungs feeling better and be proud that you have achieved this x
Thank you for your reply lzb1No I don't have a consultant I was diagnosed in 2017 with spirometry test and given inhalers I had one xray after having bad infection last November but was told it did not show anything new. At the moment Dr's are just doing over the phone consultations and the respitory nurse is still not available nor pulmonary rehabilitation. It's time that they started seeing their patients.
When I was about 6 months cig free, I was upended for a medical procedure and a large amount of mucus came out of my lungs, loosened by my abstinence.
If you'd like to try getting rid of old mucus without the upending, try joining a singing for lung health group or YouTube channel that uses diaphragm breathing. I find about 15 to 20 minutes into a session, any mucus in my lungs starts clearing with ease.
Hi ErgendlThanks for your reply and tip. I don't suffer from any mucus, I try walking up hill daily pursed lip breathing, and when I first started doing this any mucus I had, doing this would make me cough. But I don't seem to have any mucus on my chest. 😊
The curious thing was, after I had given up, I didn't have any mucus for 6 months, until I was upended in a medical procedure and gravity brought it all out of my lungs into my throat. When we smoke, we leave a lot of tarry pollution in our lungs - take a look at the specimen lungs of a smoker and they are black. It takes time after we give up for the cilia in the lungs to get rid of all that pollution, which is why the charts about giving up say it can take several months to get back to normal lung function.
Visit webmd.com/smoking-cessation... for a slide show of the benefits of giving up,
All the best.
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