Stomach pain symptoms from quitting smoking?

Can anyone describe in as much detail as possible what kind of pain or symptoms (if any) they felt after quitting smoking? I have felt this gnawing pain and sometimes sharp pain like being poked with a needle in my stomach somewhere during the time I quit smoking. I can't tell if it is from quitting or a symptom of something else. I know I should go see a doctor but I am so low on money w/ no insurance. Please help. Thanks in advance.

[brice1967]

I can't remember where I saw the list of "quitting symptoms" but it had just about every kind of pain, in about as many locations as you can think of.  I recently quit tobacco after about 30 years of use and I've experienced mild to moderate headache, mild stomach ache, mild fever, slightly dizzy/queezy.  It could be anything.

How long ago did you quit?  If it bothers you enough to mention, perhaps its worth getting it looked into.

[PinPinPatrick]

I can tell you my list of symptoms I just had last week.

Shortness of breath, burning like feeling in the entire area of my lungs, tightness in my heart(lack of oxygen to heart I think), high blood pressure(I can tell because of a pulsing feeling in my head), 1 time I had a sharp pain in my larynx lasting 15 seconds, my eyes were blood shot, I had nausea, also had a headache.

All these symptoms were for the first 3 days after quitting.  

They gradually subsided  From days 4-6... but the shortness of breath continued on day 4.  Now I'm on day 6 and all I feel right now is very very mild heaviness in my chest.

I get pains in my liver from drinking alcoholic beverages, and today I ate McDonalds and immediately after I had pain in my stomach.  Also I get pains in my kidneys sometimes from drinking.

Are you sure the pain is in your stomach?  A little to the left of the stomach is the pancreas, and to the right in a large area is the liver.  

[kathyjo]

Are you coughing?? Sometimes you can pull a muscle when you cough too hard. My son got an inguenial hernia from coughing and my daughter bruised a rib!
I truly haven't heard of stomach issues connected with a quit, other than with coughing too hard. If it continues you might want to see a doctor.

[RachelK82]

One time when I tried (and failed) to quit smoking I found myself alot hungrier all the time, which seemed like it made my stomach growl more. I dont know if that was psycho-somatic or what, but when I get that hungry stomach feeling it would start to make me feel a bit queesy and like I had a stomach-ache from not eating - even though I was mostly eating the same as before, if not more. It wasnt long before I gave in and started smoking again, like I always do, because I didnt want to put on the weight and just missed smoking too much.

See if your diet may have anything to do with it, and if not, you may want to see a doctor. Goodluck with your quit, hope it goes better than mine did.

[CrystalQuit]

I dont specifically remember any abdominal pains when I attempted to quit smoking recently, although I couldnt take the other withdrawal symptoms, headaches, cravings, etc and I broke down and started smoking again after only 4 days - so other people may know better.

Not sure about stomach pains from not smoking, but you may need to look at if you've changed your eating habits like other people mentioned. If you are eating more or less, or eating greasier foods, etc it could be upsetting your stomach. Alot of people turn to food when trying to quit smoking, which is not the way to go.  

[Dfilcos]

Hello everyone. Thanks so much for the responses. It has been a little over a month since I quit but had 3 slip ups (only a few drags). I believe the feeling is in my pancreas or somewhere near that area since it feels like middle right below my rib cage toward middle abdomen. It seems like everyone gets an assortment of symptoms from quitting and none the same. I have read some have stomach discomfort or pain for months after wards but I am having my doubts that nicotine is the cause. I have smoked for about 5 years, about 6 cigarettes a day. The pain hasn't gotten any worse and it comes and goes. A few days ago I haven't really noticed it and thought it was finally going away until it came back again. I am getting insurance now and going to try and get this looked at.

[Dfilcos]

Actually in my opinion I've been eating more healthy in terms of greens and vegetables, plus little or no greasy stuff compared to what I was eating before I quit.

[CrystalQuit]

Thats great that youve been eating more greens and vegetables, its always good to do right by your body. Also glad to hear you're getting insurance and may can get it looked at if it comes back or gets worse.

Hope you get to feeling better!

[Gabriel923]

Rachael, I don't think the hunger pangs are psychosomatic.  I found this info at:   http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/nicotine/a/nicotineeffects.htm

Nicotine and Insulin
Nicotine also inhibits the release of insulin from the pancreas, a hormone that is responsible for removing excess sugar from a person's blood. This leaves the smoker in a slightly hyperglycemic condition, meaning he has more sugar in his blood than is normal. High blood sugar acts as an appetite suppressant, which may be why smokers think their cigarettes reduce hunger.

Apparently, nicotine acts like an appetite suppressant.  I didn't know that until here recently.  Reminds me of the 'Kate Moss' diet:  Coffee, cocaine, and cigarettes.  lol.

Don't give up on trying to quit.  It gets a lot easier after 3 to 4 weeks.  Nicotine gum will relieve almost all of the withdrawal symptoms, especially the anxiety and depression.  I quit six weeks ago, and all I felt were a few hunger pangs, maybe a headache or two, and I was a bit irritable.  I drank orange juice or chocolate milk for the hunger pangs, or just had a snack.  Ibuprofen will help the headaches.  You can handle the irritable part of it as well.  Carry on with life as usual.  Stay away from your friends who smoke for at least 3 days.  If they won't support you, or tease you about wanting a cigarette, just avoid them.  After a few days, you begin to feel a lot better.  The gum really does make it a lot easier.  Cigarettes will stink when you do smell them, at least most of the time. You will still have psychological cravings to smoke a cigarette, but you won't experience the anxiety as bad, if at all.  The cravings decrease in intensity and frequency after 3 - 7 days, and are almost completely gone after 4 weeks.  After that, the occasional, weak craving is easily resisted.  After a month or so, just taper off of the gum.  You can cut it into progressively smaller pieces every week.  Read Allen Carr's book, 'The Easy Way To Stop Smoking.'  I can send it to you on pdf if you need it.  It will help you to see the real truth about cigarette addiction.  It's not as hard as we have been led to believe.  Don't give up, you can do it.  YOU are in control of your smoking habit, not the addiction.  You can quit whenever you want, but you will have to be willing to endure a temporary, somewhat unpleasant time period.  If you or anybody else needs more advice on this, just message me, and I'll get back asap.

Good luck,
Andrew

[Mell324]

Andrew would you be able to send me the PDF please I'm on day 2 an if tomorrow is any worse than today I'm in big trouble I too have had stomach pains and bloating and awful headaches not much else tho apart from being very snappy lol I now this is a while ago so ill see if by reply before I post my email address : )