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This is a group of articles that members have found extremely helpful in beating this addiction. Please feel free to browse, comment or print any of the articles found here.
It takes 21 days to break a habit and smoking is a habit.
Acid Indigestion/Heartburn - If you had acid indigestion before you quit, it will get a bit worse and then it will go away. If you never had heartburn this symptom can last for about 3 weeks to 3 months. Try Tums or DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice), which may help acid reflux too.
Gas or flatulence - This may last several weeks. Don't eat gas producing foods like beans, cabbage or cauliflower. You can also try Beano.
Diarrhea -This can last a few days. Try any over the counter remedy. The body is adjusting to the new digestive changes.
Constipation - This may last for several weeks. Cigarettes used to act like a diuretic and also like a laxative. Try an over the counter remedy for relief.
Nausea - This symptom almost seems like the flu. It usually lasts a week. Drinking any carbonated beverage should help.
Skin Blemishes - Your body is getting rid of toxins from smoking and sometimes people will get acne, blemishes or a rash when they first quit smoking. These will last about a month and then your skin will look better than before.
Hives - This can be due to nerves from quitting cold turkey or the quick detoxification of nicotine from the body, it should go away in a week or so.
Sinus Congestion - This is caused by a clearing out of the sinuses. It is almost as if (for a short period of time) someone turns on a little water hose in your head. Take an over-the-counter medication until the "dripping" stops or use a Netipot to help clear things out. This symptom may last up to 2 months.
Cough, Throat Clearing - This is due to a cleaning and clearing of the reactivated cilia in the lungs; your body is clearing out the debris, tar and phlegm. This may last a few days to several months.
Phlegm - This is also due to reactivated cilia. It can last a couple of months.
Hoarseness - This is also due to the fact that smokers are not "smoking" the soft tissues in the throat and the new non-smoker is getting some tender "baby" tissue almost like when a baby is teething. Basically, the tissue in the throat is regenerating. This may last several months. Use lozenges or whatever you would do for a sore throat. Hot tea with lemon and honey can help.
Gasping for breath - The feeling like you can't get enough breath. You do deep breaths and you keep taking deep breaths like you can't get enough air. This will last about a month and it will even out and you will breath normally again. You have been so used to deep breathing with smoke that you need to give it a little time to adjust.
Dizziness - The dizziness is due to increased circulation of oxygen to the brain and the symptoms should only last a few days until your brain gets used to the extra oxygen. Give your body time to readjust to all the extra oxygen!
Stiffness/Leg Pains - This means improved circulation. Remember you are changing at a cellular and muscular level. You will have temporary muscle changes. This almost feels like when you were having growing pains as a little kid. Take a hot bath, get a great massage, rub on Tiger Balm or just put your legs up to rest. This process may take several weeks so give yourself a break!
Tingly Fingers & Toes - Have patience. This is also caused by improved circulation. This may last a few days to a couple of weeks.
Swelling/Bloating/Tight Waistbands - This is due to fluid retention. Drink a lot of water and cut down on sodium. People tend to gain 3 to 7 pounds of temporary water weight when they quit smoking cold turkey. For you men, this is the closest you will ever come to PMS!
Insomnia - After you quit smoking, you don't go into such a deep sleep as you did when you smoked. You tend to go into REM-Rapid Eye Movement (or a lighter dream state) more often, usually every 90 minutes. Sometimes new non-smokers are not used to this "lighter" sleep and mistake the high quality REM state for not sleeping well. It almost feels like you have been up all night. Your body will get used to the new higher quality, lighter sleep.
Dreams - When you quit smoking, sometimes you might have vivid dreams, maybe even nightmares. Having dreams or even nightmares is a very good sign because it means that you are working out the problems of the day at night and not smoking for them during the day. Everyone needs to dream and if you don't dream at night, you will need to daydream during the day.
Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, therefore, constricting your blood vessels and stressing out your heart. As a smoker your heart must work harder, making your heart beat 10,000 more times a day.
When you stop smoking your heart rate slows down to 10,000 beats a day, thus slowing down your metabolism. When you are not getting that punch of nicotine, you get tired, sleepy and lethargic.
Physically - Drink as much water as you possibly can and cut down on foods that are high in sodium.
Foods that are high in sodium are soups, pickles, packaged or highly processed foods, or any food that you can see the salt on.
Itchiness -If you are doing a lot of
itching, it is just better circulation, and it will only last a few weeks.
Depression is caused by water retention. Cut down on salt and processed foods for a few months and start to do a little bit more exercise and drink a lot more water.
Headache - This is usually caused by cutting down on caffeine. Increase your caffeine and it should go away in a week.
Excitement - Your emotions are all over the board. Give yourself some time to smooth out.
Acid Indigestion/Heartburn - If you had acid indigestion before you quit, it will get a bit worse and then it will go away. If you never had heartburn this symptom can last for about 3 weeks to 3 months. Try Tums or DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice), which may help acid reflux too.
Gas or flatulence - This may last several weeks. Don't eat gas producing foods like beans, cabbage or cauliflower. You can also try Beano.
Diarrhea -This can last a few days. Try any over the counter remedy. The body is adjusting to the new digestive changes.
Constipation - This may last for several weeks. Cigarettes used to act like a diuretic and also like a laxative. Try an over the counter remedy for relief.
Nausea - This symptom almost seems like the flu. It usually lasts a week. Drinking any carbonated beverage should help.
Skin Blemishes - Your body is getting rid of toxins from smoking and sometimes people will get acne, blemishes or a rash when they first quit smoking. These will last about a month and then your skin will look better than before.
Hives - This can be due to nerves from quitting cold turkey or the quick detoxification of nicotine from the body, it should go away in a week or so.
Sinus Congestion - This is caused by a clearing out of the sinuses. It is almost as if (for a short period of time) someone turns on a little water hose in your head. Take an over-the-counter medication until the "dripping" stops or use a Netipot to help clear things out. This symptom may last up to 2 months.
Cough, Throat Clearing - This is due to a cleaning and clearing of the reactivated cilia in the lungs; your body is clearing out the debris, tar and phlegm. This may last a few days to several months.
Phlegm - This is also due to reactivated cilia. It can last a couple of months.
Hoarseness - This is also due to the fact that smokers are not "smoking" the soft tissues in the throat and the new non-smoker is getting some tender "baby" tissue almost like when a baby is teething. Basically, the tissue in the throat is regenerating. This may last several months. Use lozenges or whatever you would do for a sore throat. Hot tea with lemon and honey can help.
Gasping for breath - The feeling like you can't get enough breath. You do deep breaths and you keep taking deep breaths like you can't get enough air. This will last about a month and it will even out and you will breath normally again. You have been so used to deep breathing with smoke that you need to give it a little time to adjust.
Dizziness - The dizziness is due to increased circulation of oxygen to the brain and the symptoms should only last a few days until your brain gets used to the extra oxygen. Give your body time to readjust to all the extra oxygen!
Stiffness/Leg Pains - This means improved circulation. Remember you are changing at a cellular and muscular level. You will have temporary muscle changes. This almost feels like when you were having growing pains as a little kid. Take a hot bath, get a great massage, rub on Tiger Balm or just put your legs up to rest. This process may take several weeks so give yourself a break!
Tingly Fingers & Toes - Have patience. This is also caused by improved circulation. This may last a few days to a couple of weeks.
Swelling/Bloating/Tight Waistbands - This is due to fluid retention. Drink a lot of water and cut down on sodium. People tend to gain 3 to 7 pounds of temporary water weight when they quit smoking cold turkey. For you men, this is the closest you will ever come to PMS!
Insomnia - After you quit smoking, you don't go into such a deep sleep as you did when you smoked. You tend to go into REM-Rapid Eye Movement (or a lighter dream state) more often, usually every 90 minutes. Sometimes new non-smokers are not used to this "lighter" sleep and mistake the high quality REM state for not sleeping well. It almost feels like you have been up all night. Your body will get used to the new higher quality, lighter sleep.
Dreams - When you quit smoking, sometimes you might have vivid dreams, maybe even nightmares. Having dreams or even nightmares is a very good sign because it means that you are working out the problems of the day at night and not smoking for them during the day. Everyone needs to dream and if you don't dream at night, you will need to daydream during the day.
Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, therefore, constricting your blood vessels and stressing out your heart. As a smoker your heart must work harder, making your heart beat 10,000 more times a day.
When you stop smoking your heart rate slows down to 10,000 beats a day, thus slowing down your metabolism. When you are not getting that punch of nicotine, you get tired, sleepy and lethargic.
Physically - Drink as much water as you possibly can and cut down on foods that are high in sodium.
Foods that are high in sodium are soups, pickles, packaged or highly processed foods, or any food that you can see the salt on.
Itchiness -If you are doing a lot of
itching, it is just better circulation, and it will only last a few weeks.
Depression is caused by water retention. Cut down on salt and processed foods for a few months and start to do a little bit more exercise and drink a lot more water.
Headache - This is usually caused by cutting down on caffeine. Increase your caffeine and it should go away in a week.
Excitement - Your emotions are all over the board. Give yourself some time to smooth out.
MayberryDeb
This all sounds so depressing but you have to remember that this is all temporary. The benefits well outweigh the side effects and your body slowly heals itself from all the damage we do to it.
deleted_user
I really want to do this. I've got some really good friends who will be a good support for me, and also this group and smoking addiction group. Sincerely, Judy
deleted_user
Any tips and pointers would be greatly appreciated.
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