short of breath

i used to smoke heavey for 30 plus years had coughing fit that turned into a violent caugh have stop smokeing now but i get attacks of short of breath i never had this when i was smokeing  thanks david

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

If you are a smoker and have developed long standing lung infections/inflammation it can compromise your lung function.  Breathlessness on exertion could be due to the decreased lung function. The lungs age with smoking as in comparison to the person’s age. If you stop smoking at this point, the lungs are not damaged any further, though the damage that has already been done cannot be reversed. To improve lung function practice breathing exercises and quit smoking.  Lung function tests could further help in evaluation. If the symptoms are getting worse or if you develop additional symptoms please consult your primary care physician.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.