Please - quit for two weeks and feel physically ill. Need feedback - Smoking Cessation Message Board

tilly2 · 08-13-2003, 07:38 AM

I quit two weeks ago yesterday. I am using the patch and I will be perfectly honest and say that I have smoked two cigarettes most nights (after removing the patch OF COURSE), but am down from 1.5-2 packs per day.

I don't think this is because of nicotine withdrawal since I am using the patch, but I feel physically horrible. Exhausted, sinus troubles, depression, retaining a ton of water, body aches, memory loss. My lungs don't feel any clearer (I have not coughed anything up yet) and I am totally depressed and discouraged. PLEASE - any feedback or advice is really needed. I am not going to smoke at night anymore, but I want to understand what is going on. Thank you thank you thank you in advance.

Tilly

Redhead23 · 08-13-2003, 08:36 AM

It's normal for you to feel very tired after quitting smoking - your body has started to repair itself, and that takes time & energy!

Also, smoking not only causes but often masks other problems such as sinus trouble etc. so it is to be expected that little aches will come to the surface now that your body isn't being numbed any more - your sinuses etc. are also cleaning themselves and recovering from the effects of smoking.

Not everyone will caugh up loads of gunk though - how long have you smoked before quitting?

Congrats on trying to quit though, I'm on day 12 myself (quit cold turkey)

PS: I'd lose the 2 fags in the evening though, maybe take some stress relief (natural supplement like passiflora, hops, valerian etc.) to cope with the stress?

Also, exercise, taking vitamin supplement (B vitamins are especially vital for the nervous system) and eating healthy foods will also make you feel better

[This message has been edited by Redhead23 (edited 08-13-2003).]

tilly2 · 08-13-2003, 09:01 AM

Hey thanks for replying!! I am definetly going to give up the cigs in the evening. I am tired of feeling so terrible.

I smoked for 19 years before this quit. I did smoke light cigarettes but a lot of them - 1.5 to 2 packs per day. There must be something in my lungs that needs to go!! My boyfriend quit at the same time as me, he smoked Camel Lights at the same rate, and he has been coughing stuff up and I'm jealous!! I know that sounds wierd....

Tilly

Redhead23 · 08-14-2003, 02:05 AM

LOL I know what you mean, I'm still waiting for the "tar sculptures" to come up myself...
Camel Lights were my DOC when I wasn't smoking rollies, but it's amazing how easy it was to just stop!

I did have a bit of mucus after a few days (with TINY brown bits in) but no major coughing up yet - then again that is supposed to start when the cilia start erecting themselves again so maybe they were not quite as badly off or they are just taking a little longer. Still I know it'd be a LOT more reassuring if there was actually some result!

Glad to hear you're going to stop the evening cigs, maybe that's what it'll take to kick your body into spewing out the horrid muck in your lungs?

tilly2 · 08-14-2003, 07:33 AM

Hi Redhead,
How long have you quit for? I just really want to expel the stuff in my lungs. Then again I never had any breathing problems or coughed up phlegm while I was smoking, so maybe there really isn't much in there. That, however, would be a miracle in and of itself.

I didn't smoke last night and it wasn't that hard. I feel better today. I've just got to do this. If I fall off the wagon once in a while that's one thing, but to regularly smoke even two in the evening is still smoking to me in a way.