A friend tells me that when you give up smoking?

Question

Your chest gets worse before it gets better. Is this the case?

Oh no fardy! Put on a few pounds! I forgot about that bit!

Answer 1

What happened with me was a head full of phlegm for about 5 weeks. Not a cold, just loads of gunge coming up. But once it was clear - I felt great.

A few tips, Shan. All those failed attempts to stop can be useful, think of them as "dry runs" because you have learnt from them what your weak points are. So, choose a date in the future - New Year is good - and promise yourself a new life on that date. Don't choose a time when you know you have a stressful event coming up - family party, kind of thing. Subconsciously I used to set myself up to fail by stopping a few days before a "big" (ie emotional) event, and then taking a ciggie from someone and blaming the event for my failure.

Start when you have very little happening, and do as many things as poss. where you never used to smoke. I spent a lot of time in the bath, walking round the shops and reading - all activities where I never smoked. I did not write anything for months, writing always required a ciggie on the go. I kept a pen and pad by the phone to doodle during phone calls, toothpicks on the table to fiddle with after meals, these all helped me.

It's a simple chemical addiction, and by keeping it out of your bloodstream for a few weeks, you will loosen its grip. Think of how you feel when you see a (heroin) junkie. "All they need is a bit of self control" you tell yourself. Well, that' all you need too. You can do it, your self esteem will soar and you will be much richer. Go for it girl !

EDIT re weight gain - keep busy! Get up after meals and wash up straight away. Tidy cupboards, knit while watching TV, go to bed early, give yourself a manicure, pedicure, do lots of grooming type things which use both hands...Go out for walks - don't worry if it seems a bit manic, it's only for a few weeks, honestly.

Let us know how you get on, won't you ?

Answer 2

Oh Yes, it's the lungs getting rid of the pollutants which at first makes you feel worse. If you haven't already got a smokers cough, you soon will have! However the more you cough the quicker you'll get better! Don't use a cough suppressant use a nicotine replacement to curb the cravings and within days you'll be breathing a lot better and feeling the benefits! Find an incentive to stay off, put the money to one side daily and watch it grow and treat yourself to something with it!
All Youngsters take note > For a 40 year 20 a day smoker like me it's no worse than any chest infection I'd have through the smoking. I can get through a week or so. Every day will get easier after that! I just keep telling myself that and remembering my heart appreciates it! I'm just hoping I don't get addicted to the gum!

Answer 3

Not that I can remember...of course, my chest was so tight and painful by the time I quit that the only step down from that would have been DEAD!!

I DO remember that within a week of quitting, I felt LOADS better--could take deep breaths without choking and wheezing, which was a plus.

You DO need to watch out for weight gain because our tendancy is to want to put something in our mouths to take the place of that cigarette. I would suggest chewing on ice cubes instead, as they are about the only thing that don't have calories!!

Answer 4

I gave up smoking on 9th October and have had no adverse affects at all, ( I got Champix tablets from my GP).

I have had nothing but benefits. I can breathe again - and get the whole way up the hill to my house without gasping.

I can taste the goodness of my food now. My sense of smell has improved enormously. My clothes and hair don't stink any more - I cannot tell you how good it feels.

Go for it girl! Even if you do have a wheezy chest for a while, it will be well worth it.

The very best of luck to you.

Answer 5

Yes when I gave up smoking it did but only for a week or so then I found I could run further and it was not so hard to cycle up hills.

I have a very sweet tooth so although I have always been shall we say cuddle-some over the years there is more of me than there was at one time

Answer 6

Get a grip girl.

Forty years ago I smoked.
Then my new wife had a baby when we were dirt poor.
We were so hungry and so poor, I didn't even know I had kicked the habit.
These days people make such a fuss - having to give themselves treats for a bit of discipline.
Get a grip!

Answer 7

You do cough more. The cilia loosens up. It only lasts a couple of weeks. The thing to watch out for is weight gain. Your metabolism changes somewhat and of course you'll have a tendency to eat more as a substitute for cigarettes.
Good luck to you. I've smoked for 48 years and tried to quit more times than I can count. I gained weight each time. I wouldn't care if I could quit smoking for good.

Answer 8

I think smoking suppress lots of feelings(more than we imagine) its one of the reasons we do it, and you will get lots of lost appetites back amongst them your sense of smell which makes you feel hungry and you might eat more with predictable results the other down side is Body Odour (yes you notice some people stink)
But if I had not stopped smoking all those years ago I would not be here to preach at you( have I found another down side for you) Keep at it girl you will win through.

Answer 9

I won`t lie to you, it has been 12 years for me, but I quit a couple other times before that. And you will cough up stuff for awhile but also things will smell better and taste better and you will not be so out of breath. Just stock up on celery sticks and carrot sticks and low fat peanut butter . buy some gum and even flavored toothpicks. YOU CAN DO IT!!

Answer 10

Yes it's just your lungs trying to get rid of all the mucus. When that part is over with though, you will feel great. Start saving all the money you would have used to buy cigarettes each day, and plan to buy yourself something really nice with it. It's a good motivator. You can do it. :-)