Hey guys, it has been more than 100 days now since I smoked my last cigarette. I really feel liberated. Now I wonder how and why I started to smoke in the first place, I cannot find one good reason. Thanks for the support.
I went through that, too, Amit. Even went to the doctor because I thought I had another of my frequent sinus infections. As usual, he took my word and wrote the prescription. But the prescription that usually kicked it out in a couple of days had no effect. That was when I concluded it must be because of my quitting smoking. Truth is, I haven't had a sinus infection since I quit in May of '05.
What I think happens to some is a rebound reaction to the loss of the smoke irritant. Your body is used to the smoke and produces extra mucus as a matter of course. Then the irritant is removed and the body swings too far the other way, practically stopping mucus production altogether. This leads to dry sinuses, throat, and lungs. It recovers in a few weeks.
These symptoms can last day or weeks after you quit smoking. The healing is a long process of change, even though some of the benefits come more quickly than others. Try drinking more water, herbal tea and even cough drops or candy. Sitting in the bathroom with the shower running or using a humidifier at night may also help to dislodge mucus.
If you have a symptom that persists or seems worse than you expected, you should immediately consult a doctor. Its possible that your smoking has been masking symptoms of some illness, and when you stop smoking the symptoms abruptly become noticeable.
Smoking does mask symptoms, so it is important to really know what your body is going through. Regular appointments with your doctor can be beneficial to rule out anything medical.
I cough a lot too..had many tests, and for me it seems to be sensitive cough recepetors in my throat. Only thing that seems to help is drinking cold water or sucking on some kind of hard candy/cough drops. Wish I could tell you it's gone away. Better than lungs filling up and going black, etc tho.
Quitting smoking completely is my top priority in 2011, I quit on 4th of January. First week was a bit difficult and I had to use nicotine gum to keep my craving under control, but the craving is totally gone now. I felt like winning this war against the nicotine monster before I had this big surprise waiting for me on the weekend when I visited a nearby shopping mall, my lungs got irritated and I started to cough like crazy. My throat becomes dry and itchy whenever I move into crowded places. Any suggestions on how to deal with these outbreaks?
