Ive been experiencing a tighness feeling in my throat / brochial area/upper chest for about 3 months. It comes and goes, and at times feels like when you've been at the beach all day and you take a breath...it hurts. I notice that the skin on the tops of my hands, epsecially my left is darker than normal, a tinge of blue...and when I pull the skin up, it' slowly return back...almost if Im dehydrated. At times my nail cuticle beds seem darker than normal...a bit blue. Im not sure if these feelings in my chest/throat are because of pollen / allergies (of which never bothered me before) or because of dehydration (I know I dont drink enough water) or over tired (I get about 5 hours sleep a day. I have no mucusy cold-like water eyes or nose sniffling problems. I do feel the urge to cough to clear my throat. If I push my chin to my throat/chest...this initiates a cough response. I have smoked, more recreational with freinds off and on for I'd say a total of 5 years, with the last two years on weekends out, and stopped that about 3 months ago when I noticed the above symptoms. Scared? Sure. I've been to all the web sites for emphysema and COPD. Scared? Sure. The folks I know that have COPD are in advanced stages and a lot older than I, I'm 44. Alot of things go through your head when something with your health changes...I wonder about COPD, asthma, heart issues, panic attack. The strange thing about this tightness feeling is, is that it's not constant and I cant tell when it's coming or going. There are times I run 3 miles and other times I mustlay down, thanks.