I"m back, I've quit, but I'm not feeling very good :-(

[Angelina1]

Hello there.  Well it's been ages since I've been here and it's great to see that the faithful regulars (KathyJo!) are still here.  I'm very happy to let you know that I am 79 days into my quit.  I stopped on the 6th of December and I can tell you now that there is NO GOING BACK.  This attempt has been so much easier for me in the sense that i have no desire to smoke - no temptations whatsoever - even when my friends continue to smoke around me.  So what made me decide to stop for good?  Well, I found that while I was smoking my breathing was getting worse  - physically I was not feeling good at all, so if that wasn't a good reason to stop I don't think anything would be.
Ok, so fast forward almost 3 months later and I'm finding that I seem to be catching colds all the time - something I never had when I was actually smoking (strange, isn't it)?  I now have a respiratory tract infection and my doctor will not put me on antibiotics.  Apparently it needs to clear up by itself?  He checked my peak flow and that was very good but I had to do another test (can't remember what it was called but I had to blow into a little machine again) and the results were not so great.  He has put it down to me having the RTI but it's abit worrying.  Has anyone else suffered from frequent bouts of 'quitters flu'?  If so, how long does it take to get over this?  I am so feeling sorry for myself today....LOL

[Angelina1]

Awwww thank you hon!   For now I will stick with the Lozenges but I will probably look at quitting them in the middle of the year or so.  Haven't thought about a date yet as I am taking one baby step at a time.
Ok, so I'm checking out WhyQuit.com right now.  Thank you my friend! x

[Jade59]

Oh gosh, we share the same middle name, so I hear you, honey!  Now that I think back, I went to my dr several times within 2wks because after the 10days of initial antibiotics and not feeling one iota better, I returned, but my dr didn't put me on any further antib's which ticked me off at the time 'cause I felt so sick and scared, but guess what?...I got better on my own and I bet you will too.  Of course, return to your dr as planned, but if your xray didn't show anything terribly serious and just something like bronchitis that would affect your breathing, then it's just taking a long time to go away.  

The Recovery Time Table would still apply even though you're using an NRT because you're not Smoking!! See?  I would really like to encourage you to set a quit date for the Lozenge since you can get just as hooked on those as the cigs.  MANY people have posted about being addicted to the gum or lozenge for YEARS.  Don't let that be You, hon!  We'll help you! : )

[Angelina1]

Thank you so much Kathyjo.  It's lovely to hear from you!  I hope you are well!
Yes I do remember some of the health issues you were experiencing & I'm glad that you are only using Advair a couple of times a week. That's great progress.
Unfortunately my doctor has not put me on antibiotics but if I continue with this I will demand them - infact I am have another appointment next week.
I had an xray last year after I quit and thankfully cancer did not show up.  There was some lung damage though which would affect my breathing ( and I can't even talk about it here as I just get into a state thinking about it). The thing is - my doctor was not concerned and infact  did not send me for further tests. I have to say that he is a very good doctor so I went along with whatever advice he gave me and that was to simply keep the quit and in 5-10 years time my lungs will be like those of a non smoker.  
I am very scared though.  My middle name should be 'Anxiety'.... Lots of hugs to you x

[Angelina1]

Thanks Jade - I have had a quick look in the past at Whyquit.com and I thought the recovery table was mainly for people that were taking no NRT.  I am using Nicabate Lozenges (I think in the US they are called Commit Lozenges?), but only a few a day, so I wonder if the time frames given in WhyQuit would apply to everyone or just people that quit cold turkey (unfortunately I don't have the strength yet to quit the lozenges...). x

[kathyjo]

Congrats Angelina! I am so happy to hear it, 79 days, wow!
I don't know if you remember all of my issues but yes, I was sick for 4 months...multiple colds, sinus infection, bronchitis, pleurisy....I had it all! It did go away eventually and I'm sure yours will too, hang tough : )

I had a few of those breathing tests, not so good for me either. What my doctor has initially diagnosed as asthma is now COPD. I am supposed to use my advair twice daily but I am able to use it once every week or two and thankfully no more than that. Good news is that it hasn't gotten worse.

Angelina, I'm sure with this round of antbiotics you will be feeling better soon. If it doesn't, just go back for another until it clears up : ) It will!
Again, congrats!
---
3y 4m 2w 1d 0:02 smoke-free, 27,148 cigs not smoked, $6,515.52 saved, 3m 3d 6:20 life saved

[Jade59]

Thank you, Angelina, it's taken me a long time to get to this point, but I'm So glad to be here now and I am So happy to leave that habit behind me!!  Do you remember whyquit.com? Here's a link to the Recovery Time Table.  Specifically pay attention to the 1-9mo mark and the regrowth of the cilia.  I hope it helps and eases your mind a little.  For me, it took 40days just for the increase in Anxiety to lessen, then another month or more for the depression to ease up and all the while, I Still felt like I had bronchitis up until a few months ago.  This was all after 36yrs of smoking, but today, my lungs are finally feeling like they're healing.

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Benefits_Time_Table.html

Keep posting.  We're here for you, hon!

[Angelina1]

I do remember you Jade!  I'm so glad you are here as well.  Wow, 10 months - THAT IS AWESOME!!
My doctor has put me on Symbicort (one puff in the morning and one at night) and Ventolin to use as required.  I am so hoping this is temporary and that once this cold (or whatever it is) is over I can re-do the 2nd test and pass with flying colours.  I'm not kidding myself that after 20+ years of smoking that there wouldn't be any lung damage but I hope that i can heal again.

[Jade59]

Hi Angelina.  I remember you!  Congrats on 79days - great job!  I quit coming up on 10mos ago for something like the fifth time since my first quit in 07.  If you remembered me, you'd remember me as FMXSMKR - I just changed my user name.  I've not had the experience of getting sick chronically, but I am still needing my inhaler on occasion. I've seen others speak of it getting lots of colds and flu after quitting so you're not alone and Kathy Jo had alot of trouble herself for the first 4mos of her quit.  I'm sure she'll be along at some point to share with you.  

Sorry you're not feeling well, but it WILL get better, just hang in there!  Never Take Another Puff and No Going Back!