chest pain after quitting smoking

Hi,

I'm 32 yr old female.  I had been smoking for 19 years...woo long time.  About 2 1/2-3 mos ago I went from a pack a day to 3-5 cigs a day, then about a 3 weeks ago, I went to 1 cig a day and now I've been completely cig free for a week.  BUT...my chest hurts.  It's become steadily worse.  It mainly hurts on my right side and now I can feel it in my back, where I couldn't before.  It's gotten bad since I quit completely, but I have felt it this whole time.  I went to the ER a couple months ago and my chest xray was clear, also, had a chest xray done again and it was also clear.  The internet is a terrible place to research anything (go figure).  Everything there points to Lung Cancer, which obviously being a smoker, I'm terrified of.

The point is...has this happened to anyone else, simply from quitting smoking.  I've had other symptoms, insomnia, irritability, and the like.  But, the lung pain is really bothering me.  Especially now that I can feel it in my back.  Is it normal to have this kind of discomfort from quitting smoking?  Is my anxiety making it worse?  I'm a bit worried.

thanks a bunch!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
If you have been a smoker for 19 long years then it is commendable that you have quit smoking. Cough and chest pain can be the withdrawal effects of quitting. However any chest pain in smokers—past or current should immediately be investigated. It can be due to pleural effusion, inflammation, lung cancer or due to a clot or embolus. Rebound increase in blood pressure too could be the cause. Please do not delay, and seek medical care immediately. Take care!