patcher
07-19-2006, 10:12 AM
Hello,
I've quit smoking for a little over a month and I'm still feeling crappy. I went to the doctor about 2 1/2 weeks ago and she listened to my lungs and said I sounded fine. She wanted me to have a chest x-ray but I was too afraid. She said it wasn't urgent, and I could wait a few months. She also said I am experiencing a lot of anxiety, that is why I'm having difficulty sleeping. She prescribed xanax. I've taken it only a few times and it really hasn't done a whole lot for me. She said only take it as needed. My back hurts, right between my shoulder blades. Is that your lungs? Maybe it' s my bed that is causing this? I don't know. But what I do know is I'm petrified that there is something wrong with me, that is all I think about ALL DAY. At times I concentrate on my breathing and it seems as if it is not 100%. I don't feel shortness of breath or anything , but different. I walk 2 miles every morning and I'm not winded or anything. When I was smoking I never even thought about or had any breathing issues, Afterall ,this is my 5th week of quitting, shouldn't I feel good. But then again, I smoked for 25 years, maybe the damage has already been done. I pray that I'm ok. Maybe I should give it more time.
I've quit smoking for a little over a month and I'm still feeling crappy. I went to the doctor about 2 1/2 weeks ago and she listened to my lungs and said I sounded fine. She wanted me to have a chest x-ray but I was too afraid. She said it wasn't urgent, and I could wait a few months. She also said I am experiencing a lot of anxiety, that is why I'm having difficulty sleeping. She prescribed xanax. I've taken it only a few times and it really hasn't done a whole lot for me. She said only take it as needed. My back hurts, right between my shoulder blades. Is that your lungs? Maybe it' s my bed that is causing this? I don't know. But what I do know is I'm petrified that there is something wrong with me, that is all I think about ALL DAY. At times I concentrate on my breathing and it seems as if it is not 100%. I don't feel shortness of breath or anything , but different. I walk 2 miles every morning and I'm not winded or anything. When I was smoking I never even thought about or had any breathing issues, Afterall ,this is my 5th week of quitting, shouldn't I feel good. But then again, I smoked for 25 years, maybe the damage has already been done. I pray that I'm ok. Maybe I should give it more time.
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Liamsmom
07-19-2006, 10:53 AM
I'm at 5 weeks also congrats to us. I think alot of it is mental for awhile I was mourning quitting like I gave up a good friend who I had tons of fun memories with but I knew it was for the best. I had a terrible time with withdrawal the first week was torture and I had unusual side effects good but unusual. The tremendous bags under my eyes went away and my feet started to peel (I know disgusting) but underneath was nice new soft skin. So I'm under the impression that the tremendous amount of toxins in cigs was coming out of my body anyway they could. So far nothing new in the side effects dept. Maybe your just still in mourning.
patcher
07-19-2006, 11:41 AM
Hi Liamsmom,
You are partially correct, I am inmourning. I miss smoking. I have a lot of family problems and smoking was my soother. The problems are still there but my smoking is gone. I know it is for the best and I have no plans to smoke again but I miss it!!! I just want to feel better.
You are partially correct, I am inmourning. I miss smoking. I have a lot of family problems and smoking was my soother. The problems are still there but my smoking is gone. I know it is for the best and I have no plans to smoke again but I miss it!!! I just want to feel better.
smartgal
07-19-2006, 05:25 PM
I had quit for six months (recently had a relapse, but am back on the wagon). I probably felt bad for about two months, then one day I felt fine. I didn't notice feeling fine, so I can't give you a specific day, but it will come.
Liamsmom
07-19-2006, 06:37 PM
Shoot Patcher if you had a few years to hear about me and mine. Jeez louise half the time I'm surprised I don't smoke crack. You can do it just replace it with something you LOVE to do just for yourself. Every night after my son goes to sleep I have a big bowl of Ben and Jerry's chocolate fudge brownie frozen yogurt with cut up bananas and fat free choc syrup. I know most likely I'm packin on the pounds but S**T I deserve a little sweet for now. I'll deal with being a fatso later:)
jjules
07-20-2006, 12:09 PM
Hi Patches, Just wanted to congratulate you (Liamsmom too) on 5 weeks of not smoking. I am still struggling to quit but I haven't given up! I will do it....I am sorry to here you are not feeling great yet I bet that will come. I agree with Deda on what she said. Try and relax and enjoy a non smokers life! Jules:)
BarneyTheDog
07-20-2006, 09:38 PM
Hi Patcher,
Great stuff, making it past the 1st week is hard enough, to have made it for 5 is quite the achievement.
Deda is a wise non smoker, everything she says is spot on.
I first hit this site a few weeks ago in a terrible state. My health was atrocious - something I directly attributed to my having quit the fags.
Something you said earlier has really hit home and described exactly how I was feeling. You said you 'missed' smoking. That makes so much sense. For how many years did we always turn to the smokes in times of stress, joy, sorrow, triumph or satisfaction? How many birthday, wedding, christmas or other celebratory photos are in your album showing you with a cigarette in your hand? They indeed became a close, loyal friend. Letting go of something that has shared the most poignant moments in your life is never easy to do.
Trust me when I tell you your health WILL recover. You just need to give your body time to heal. The longer you grieve the loss of your cigarettes, the longer it will take for you to heal. I grieved for 9 months and my health suffered greatly for it. Reading through this forum and receiving helpful advice and support from great people like Deda helped me to realise that the only one stopping me from being well again - was me!
Take your recovery in baby steps, you have YEARS of damage for your body to repair. Like the shampoo commercial says, it really won't happen overnight but believe me, it WILL happen.
Keep coming back here for inspiration. It really helped me, I KNOW it will help you.
Stay strong Patcher.
Barney.
Great stuff, making it past the 1st week is hard enough, to have made it for 5 is quite the achievement.
Deda is a wise non smoker, everything she says is spot on.
I first hit this site a few weeks ago in a terrible state. My health was atrocious - something I directly attributed to my having quit the fags.
Something you said earlier has really hit home and described exactly how I was feeling. You said you 'missed' smoking. That makes so much sense. For how many years did we always turn to the smokes in times of stress, joy, sorrow, triumph or satisfaction? How many birthday, wedding, christmas or other celebratory photos are in your album showing you with a cigarette in your hand? They indeed became a close, loyal friend. Letting go of something that has shared the most poignant moments in your life is never easy to do.
Trust me when I tell you your health WILL recover. You just need to give your body time to heal. The longer you grieve the loss of your cigarettes, the longer it will take for you to heal. I grieved for 9 months and my health suffered greatly for it. Reading through this forum and receiving helpful advice and support from great people like Deda helped me to realise that the only one stopping me from being well again - was me!
Take your recovery in baby steps, you have YEARS of damage for your body to repair. Like the shampoo commercial says, it really won't happen overnight but believe me, it WILL happen.
Keep coming back here for inspiration. It really helped me, I KNOW it will help you.
Stay strong Patcher.
Barney.
Deda
07-21-2006, 10:02 PM
Hey Barney....
Glad you got your act together on the worrying thing.:) It does make us feel sick...I too think that extreme worry and anxiety can produce all the symptoms of a real disease.
You are right about the body taking a long time to heal...I think it does heal, but like you said, very s-l-o-w-l-y....darn it! We do have to be patient. It's the price we all have to pay for all of those years of abusing our bodies, I guess. (and here we thought we were so cool...huh?) Now we're cool...:cool:
Thank you for the kind words....you give pretty great advise, yourself!
Have a great weekend...I'm going back in the pool...it's 110 degrees today!
Deda:wave: (Where's patcher??)
Glad you got your act together on the worrying thing.:) It does make us feel sick...I too think that extreme worry and anxiety can produce all the symptoms of a real disease.
You are right about the body taking a long time to heal...I think it does heal, but like you said, very s-l-o-w-l-y....darn it! We do have to be patient. It's the price we all have to pay for all of those years of abusing our bodies, I guess. (and here we thought we were so cool...huh?) Now we're cool...:cool:
Thank you for the kind words....you give pretty great advise, yourself!
Have a great weekend...I'm going back in the pool...it's 110 degrees today!
Deda:wave: (Where's patcher??)
patcher
07-21-2006, 11:04 PM
Thanks Everyone for such great advice. I feel sooooooo much better hearing from you guys. I'm going to try and relax a little more. I know the feeling better will take some time. Thanks again.............Patcher
Deda
07-23-2006, 05:14 AM
Good luck, patcher...and try to relax...you'll feel great again one day.
Deda
Deda
Deda
07-23-2006, 06:19 PM
Good for you, patcher. YES...please do relax...and good luck!
Take a chill pill...
Deda :p
Sorry...didn't realize I posted that one up there. LOL
Take a chill pill...
Deda :p
Sorry...didn't realize I posted that one up there. LOL
Aint_Misbehavin
07-26-2006, 03:34 PM
I'd like to know how to post a message about my smoking concerns.
Deda
07-26-2006, 03:51 PM
ain'tmisbehavin....
Just post the same way you just wrote above post. If you want to start a brand new subject, hit the "new thread" button, (I believe that's it), and put your subject in the subject box, and then type your message below in the big box.
good luck..
Deda
Just post the same way you just wrote above post. If you want to start a brand new subject, hit the "new thread" button, (I believe that's it), and put your subject in the subject box, and then type your message below in the big box.
good luck..
Deda
BarneyTheDog
08-01-2006, 02:20 AM
Hiya Patcher,
Have you made it to week 7? How are you going with it? Are you feeling any better yet?
Hope so, for your sake...
Let us know if you get the chance.
Stay strong,
Barney.
Have you made it to week 7? How are you going with it? Are you feeling any better yet?
Hope so, for your sake...
Let us know if you get the chance.
Stay strong,
Barney.