hard to quit.
Almost lost my left arm from blockage in artery if I kept on smoking.
Subclaivian Steals Syndrome is very serious.
Please stop smoking.
I stopped cold turkey 4 months ago.
Killed my dad about two years ago now. He still kept smoking, even while on oxygen. Sad.
I stopped in 1982. I would love to smoke again if I could limit it to maybe three a day, but I know I can’t, so...l
Smoked for 50 years and quit cold turkey one day on a foreign business trip. I never knew how easy it was for me to quit. Should have quit a day after I started smoking cigarettes while still a teen.
I never smoked but my brothers did.
They stopped recently when both encountered serious heart and lung issues, both related to smoking. Sadly I think it will be too late for my older brother.
After smoking for 50 years, I switched to vaping. It was the best thing I ever did. I vaped for close to 5 years and loved it. I dropped the nicotine amounts gradually and got to Zero nicotine and still vaped for a few months and then quit.
If you smoke cigs, switch to vaping.
Check out to get started:
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/
20 Minutes
In less time than it takes to watch a sitcom, your body’s already getting better. After 20 minutes, your pulse and blood pressure start to drop back to normal. And your hands and feet warm up to their usual temperature.
8 Hours
By the end of a work day, you have half the amount of nicotine and carbon monoxide in your blood. Why does that matter? Carbon monoxide is a chemical in cigarettes, and it crowds out oxygen in your blood. That causes problems from your muscles to your brain because they don’t get the oxygen they need.
But as the chemical’s levels drop, your oxygen gets back to normal.
On the flip side, it’s likely you already feel some early cravings and doubts. That’s normal. But they usually last just 5-10 minutes. To get you through, try to find ways to distract yourself until the feeling passes. You could try making a craving playlist, chewing gum, or sipping water.
12 Hours
Halfway through your first day, your carbon monoxide level is back to normal. And your heart will thank you. Now it doesn’t have to pump so hard to try to get enough oxygen to your body.
24 Hours
If you smoke a pack a day, you’re twice as likely to have a heart attack as a nonsmoker. But go one full day without a cigarette, and you’ve lowered your chances. That’s huge.
48 Hours
With 2 days down, treat yourself to something tasty. By this point, your senses of taste and smell get sharper as your nerve endings start to heal.
Your body’s also busy with a lot of cleanup. Your lungs kick out mucus and other gunk left from cigarettes. And you don’t have any more nicotine in your body.
This is also about the time when the toughest withdrawal symptoms show up. You might feel anxious, dizzy, hungry, or tired. You might get headaches or feel bored or depressed. It’s normal, but it’s also makes it a lot harder to keep from lighting up.
Stick to your plan. Go to a movie or a store where you can’t smoke. Lean on your support network, whether it’s friends or family who are rooting for you, an app, or a free call with a quitting hotline, like the National Cancer Institute’s quitline (800-44U-QUIT).
If you have asthma, your symptoms may get worse around this time. That can be confusing, but it’s part of the process and won’t last much longer. You’ll likely see improvement by day 3. You can talk to your doctor about how to keep your symptoms in check.
3 Days
By the end of day 3, you breathe easier and have more energy. Your lungs start to recover and will keep getting better.
2 Weeks - 3 Months
During this time, you make huge strides. You can do more because your lungs are stronger and clearer, and your blood flow has improved. You can exercise without getting as winded. And your risk of a heart attack goes down even more.
You’ve also made it through the hardest part of withdrawal.
Even so, you’ll probably still get cravings. Everyone has different triggers for wanting to smoke. You can’t stop all of them, but you can stick to your plan. Ask for help if you need it. Think about the money you’re saving. Or try 10 deep breaths, nice and slow.
3-9 Months
At this point, you can take deeper, clearer breaths. Instead of hacking, you cough in a helpful way that actually clears things out. That helps you get fewer colds and other illnesses.
You’ll also have more energy.
1 Year
At the end of year 1, treat yourself. You’ve reached a milestone. And your risk of heart disease is now half of what it was a year ago.
5 Years
Your chances of a stroke and cervical cancer are now the same as a nonsmoker. And compared to when you first quit, you’re half as likely to get cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, or bladder.
10 Years
Compared to someone who still smokes, you’re now half as likely to die from lung cancer. And the chances you’ll get cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas both drop.
15 Years
Finally, after 15 years of not smoking, the chances that you’ll get heart disease are the same as if you never smoked. Your body has done a ton of recovery and healing.
When you start out, it seems like a long road. But at 15 years, the headaches and discomfort of those first few weeks are a hazy memory. They can seem unbearable at the time, but you can get through it. The rewards are very real and clear.
WebMD Medical Reference | Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian on August 17, 2016
My parents, two sisters and my only brother all smoked. I never smoked. Both my parents, and one of my sisters died of lung cancer. My father was 72, my mother and sister were 69. Five years before my sister died of lung cancer, she was diagnosed with four aneurysms in her head. One was so bad they had to operate and tie off the inner carotid. She'd stopped smoking cold turkey at that time, and never picked up another cigarette. But lung cancer got her anyway. She died on her birthday. My brother died of a massive heart attack at age 51. My oldest sister died of a stroke at age 74. I just turned 70, and have my own set of health issues.
A plead for someone to stop smoking is nice, but generally won’t work. Myself, coffin nails during the day and a pipe at night, yellow bowl, and it tasted great.
But tobacco is the most habit forming of all drugs. I quit a number of times. But pressure and “habit” sent me back. I even quit for two years once. But my situation afforded me the opportunity to get weak.
Here’s how you quit. You want to. You say in your mind that they are the most horrible things on earth and you throw away any you have. And if you really mean it, you will quit.
I smoked for over 40 years and quit a number of times like I mentioned. But in early June of 95, one day, I said that’s it, and I have not touched anything since. Oh, the opportunity was there, but no way!
I’m no better or have any more will power than any of you. You can do that too. You just have to really want to. And you know what, after all my failures, it was easy. Just want to. And you can. But it’s up to you. You can’t quit for the kids, or the wife, or the expense, or the job. You have to want to for you. And you can.
rwood
As for me, I avoid any area where smoking is allowed. My local American Legion finally got the hint and went smoke free. Unfortunately, my local VFW still allows smoking, so I don't go there. Which is really too bad, as it's almost crawling distance from my house.
So sorry. Hang in there. I agree; smoking is really bad for one’s health.
However, I’m ok with unhealthful things being allowed and everyone able to make their own choices. I hope people hear your plea and think about it.
I was up to 4 packs of Regular Camels and about a case and a half of Budweiser + assorted mixed drinks a day and in the same week in 1991 I stopped both with nothing but my nerve and promise to myself.
Never looked back, carried a pack around for awhile and when they came out with it went to Odouls but haven’t had one of them for over 2 years.
Yes, I was a functioning drunk -never missed work, made good money - and raised two daughters who probably NEVER saw me sober while growing up.
I did drive the ‘old lady’ crazy - it was a short trip - but the two daughters ended up fine despite her.<: <:
Except The fat kid from north korea
Thanks for the warning and sharing your experience.
I hope you were able to quit and are getting better health-wise.
I personally never smoked. But I knew two people who smoked.
Both got lung cancer that spread to their brain and they both died.
It was very sad.
I am sure it is very hard to quit, but I hope people do make a realistic assessment and indeed quit, before it’s too late.
I know smoking is not good for a person’s health. I’m a smoker and it’s so hard to quit.
My dad was a tri-athlete, healthy eater that never smoked a day in his life. He died at 77 of a glioblastoma seven years ago. He did everything right.
My mom smoked and just recently died at 80 of unrelated causes. I’m of the belief that we live until we die.
Good advice, I quit May 16th. this year, smoked for 43 years and just decided it was time to quit and haven’t had a drag since.
Ed