OT: after you quit smoking?

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

Anybody experience health problems afterwards that weren't there before? Not a loaded question, just trying to clear up a myth for my wife.
She stopped smoking about 9 months ago and since has had a carpeltunnel surgery, pneumonia (cause she refused to go to the doctor when she had obvious bronchitis), has an infection/fluid in the membrane that surrounds her heart, and has been getting weak, dizzy, and just generally run down. I can tell when she has her little spells because she turns white as a ghost, then I see when she feels better because her color comes right back. She went to the doctor earlier and has got the infection pretty much gone but didn't bother to tell the doc about the spells. Anyway, back to the doc yesterday and he tells her that it seems that her heart stops and starts again. Sent her to a specialist and she goes Wednsday to get wired up to a portable EKG for a few days and go from there.
Anyway, reason for the smoking ??? , she's got some well meaning idiots that have her convinced that giving up smoking brought everything on "just like it did with them" and when they started smoking again everything was OK.
I probably left more tobacco on butts in the ashtray than she used in her life, and I quit 10 years ago without any problems.
Just venting cause she's driving me nuts :roll:

Thanks, Dave

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

After I quit smoking about 11-1/2 years ago, I was nervous. So to take the place of the nicotine, I drank more coffee, and the caffeine just made me more nervous. So I cut back on the caffeine, and started gaining weight...about 10 pounds a year.

But I never had any lung- or heart-related problems until recently. This past summer my doc put me on a water pill and a blood pressure med; prior to that, my BP was in the normal range and wasn't considered a problem. The fact that I'm now 55 probably had more to do with that than any past history of smoking.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

Tried to answer you but the damn error message blocked me.Ill try again,there is evidence that nicotine can hide some heart problems.

Uncle Ernie · Dec 12, 2009

Like 36 said it may MASK some problems. It does NOT bring them on. She should be thankful she has quit in time to unmask them and can do something about them instead of them becoming so serious there is no recovery BECASE she smoked and they were masked!

Smoking is a drug, that like all others, decieves.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

Just gotta keep her from lighting up before the docs get her fixed. Aside from being an idiot,she's also a tightwad and don't want to get off the german price (about 10 bucks) for a pack of cigarettes and I took her ration card to buy on post, so we're good for now.

Dave

Riverslim · Dec 12, 2009

Quitting is the best thing! Quit twenty years ago, no problems as a result. The only thing that did not happen (at least I did not notice it) is that supposedly your sense of taste and smell will be greatly enhanced. Did not notice any difference in regard to those two things.

haymaker421 · Dec 12, 2009

My wife decided I should quit about six months ago. I promptly gained 20 lbs. but that was about it, accept for the hole I chewed in my own tongue, of course!

John M · Dec 12, 2009

I got mean! I was jumping at my kids and wife and other family, cussing out people at work, etc.... I think I may have laid in to a few on here. I started back after 8 months and didnt realize I was that bad.

Hotflashjr · Dec 12, 2009

A good friend of mine's father quite smoking after 40 some odd years. He is almost 70 years old. He had some health issues after. He had a terrible cough for about 8 months which also caused pneumonia during the winter. He also felt weak, dizzy, and generally just felt like crap. After about a year, he started improving. Many doctors he saw told him it was withdrawls and his body trying to fix the damage done from smoking for years. Basically, his body was trying to rid itself of the toxins. Kinda crazy thoughts, but he saw specialists in Boston and they all told him the same. Tell your wife to stick with it, support her, and take it a day at a time. I wish my father would quit as it is really affecting his health and I still need him around. He isn't done teaching me yet.

showcrop · Dec 12, 2009

Obviously the infection problems are from things that she picked up traipsing around the germ laden USA

Kansas Cockshutt · Dec 12, 2009

Yikes!

Hope your wife does not read that!

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

(quoted from post at 06:35:28 12/12/09) Yikes!

Hope your wife does not read that!

She's not a real idiot. Just when she gets these hairbrained ideas.

Dave

730d se · Dec 12, 2009

We are all different, but at the same time, chemically and biologically we are basically the same.
If smoking had any benefits, EVERYBODY would need those same benefits. Almost all of smoking, the addiction, the false sense of "benefits" that we pretend we get from smoking are simply not true.
I smoked from age 17 until age 35. I had "quit" a few times along the way. When I finally realized that it was the biggest advertising and social pressure hoax in the world, I stopped cold turkey. I mean, I never even took a puff off of one more cigarette.
I never had any of the silly little "reactions" that people use to convince themselves that they really need to smoke.
Smoking is horrible. Along with the temporary boost we get from the nicotine, all the tars and junk clog up our lungs and blood.
I am 56 now and so gald that I stopped.
My doctor says he cannot find any signs that I ever smoked. That happens if you stop soon enough, get plenty of exercise, eat right, etc.
Trust me on this one, all of the thoughts that smoking "calms our nerves" or has any positive benefits is just not true.
One of the reasons we tend to put on weight when we stop is we are healthier, foods taste so much better, and we try to replace the habit of smoking with the habit of over eating.

jbp · Dec 12, 2009

Quit more than 29 years ago with no ill effects. Best thing I ever did, but did gain a few pounds as the senses of taste and smell improved.
Joe

Ron Anderson · Dec 12, 2009

I fought with myself about quiting for several years finally after a bout with pneumonia, Bronchitis, and emphysema I got the message that I was going to quit one way or another and would just as soon it be on my terms. Its been three years and can honestly say after 3 days any withdrawal is in your head and can be overcome.
Gain weight- yeah some but there again nobody is forcing the food into my mouth its my choice the same as smoking or drinking. Boils down to personal responsibility.

MarkB_MI · Dec 12, 2009

I've never been a smoker myself, but my experience has been that once they decide to start smoking again, nothing you say or do is going to have any effect. I've known several smokers who quit for several weeks or months, then started smoking again.

If your wife is getting advice from her smoker friends, I'd say it's likely she's already smoking, just not around you.

JDemaris · Dec 12, 2009

Yes. Anybody that has had a long term addiction to any drug is going to have problems with their body adjusting without it afterwards. That includes smoking and drinking. With some people they hardly notice and with some it takes years. Smoking is partially a drug addiction to nicotene. I know some people that quit for years and never felt right, and went back. All depends on the individual.

Also with many exsmokers, their eating habits change along with new "hobbys" that might take up, to take the place of smoking.

I smoked two-three packs a day since I was 13 up to around age 35, then quit cold. Never bothered me except for a lack of energy for a few years. Seemed I moved around a lot faster when I was smokking. But I'm almost 60, so I'm probably a bit slower anyway.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

she can smoke if she wants with nothing to hide. She's just being hard headed.

Fawteen · Dec 12, 2009

My wife will be "tobacco free" for one year next month, after 58 years of smoking.

She has had numerous health issues in that year. None life-threatening, all VERY aggravating.

Docs chalk it up to coincidence, but every reformed heavy smoker I've talked to lately has similar stories. Consensus seems to be it takes about three years to get it all out of your system.

On that topic, I was in line behind a young feller in the local "convenience" store and watched him pay nearly $7.50 for one pack of cigarettes.

How stupid do you have to be?

fixerupper · Dec 12, 2009

My friend had a doctor tell him smoking suppresses nasal allergies. Has anyone heard that one?

He developed a new allergy after he quit smoking so he went to the doc and that's what he was told.

I never did start smoking because I knew I would die young - my dad would have killed me! He started smoking when he was 18 and that would have been around 1942 or so, and an old timer told him it was bad cause he wouldn't be able to quit. Besides, he's so close to his money I can't picture him shelling money out for smokes.
Mom started smoking and then quit before she married dad and she said it was really tough to let them go. Jim

trucker40 · Dec 12, 2009

She will get better after a while.I know I did.Just seeing people especially women who were maybe 60 barely walking with an oxygen tank or even in a wheelchair,still smoking,made me realize that I should quit.I got pneumonia and bronchitis and infection around my heart while I was smoking.Spent nearly a month in the hospital.Some of it was flat on my back not able to walk after I had bypass surgery and nearly died.Her"friends"are leading her astray.Worst thing Ive had since quitting is gained about 20 pounds thats hard to get off.Its not easy but after 3 days of not smoking its all downhill after that.Yeah you might want one now and then but I dont think it makes you less healthy.I feel quite a bit better since I quit 3 years ago.At first it was a struggle with still wanting to smoke for about 3 months,but it got easier after a while.The first 3 days was by far the worst.

DownSouth · Dec 12, 2009

I only smoked for 15 years (did I actually say ONLY?) and quit 20 years ago. Nothing negative happened other than some weight gain. Everything else was a positive. I could smell things again, and talk about gaining the sense of taste again. No doubt those two things contributed to the weight gain, nothing better in life than being able to smell and taste good food!

JD2ACWD · Dec 12, 2009

smoked for 26 years quit 8 years ago the only thing was after about 3 months I started hacking up all the tar and other crap that was in stuck in my lungs after 26 years lasted about a week.and it made beer taste a lot better,didn't think that was possible,it tasted so good before I quit.

HENRY E NC · Dec 12, 2009

As with most others, I quit 35 years ago. Had smoked off and on for over 25 years. Could not smoke in the cockpit when I was flying so I quit for 6 years and then started again. It is a habit and can be broken if you really have a desire to better your life. Beside that the smell and effect on others is quite dramatic. She will get over it. I could blame alcohol for my crones disease but it was there and when I quit it showed up..Didn't start drinking again to cure it. Henry PS I used to buy a carton for 90cents at the navy ships store in Schierstein (Rhine River Patrol 1952-56) and sell them on the black market for $2.50 to the guy that cleaned my room at Lindsay Air Base, Weisbaden. HEH

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

If you quit 20 years ago and there was nothing to it and you never looked back thats great but if your only 56 and no problems why do you go to a doctor?

Rusty wheel · Dec 12, 2009

Quit smoking in 1984, cold turkey. No ill effects. Got divorced in 85. No ill effects. Two best things that I ever did. Gained a little weight but they say fat people are always jolly. Now I'm diabetic, got cancer, and arthurits in my spine abut I'm sure none of this is caused by not smoking. rw

old · Dec 12, 2009

I stopped smoking this summer when the price of a pack got to over $4 and yep seem like my allergy have since gone crazy but maybe that is because I can now smell things better. Any more it seems that my feet smell and my nose runs LOL.

TimMiller · Dec 12, 2009

Your taste and smell do improve, because the smoke actually burns those sensory cells. All of the coughing and hacking comes from your lungs cleaning themselves. Besides you hacking up the lungs also clean themselves by little hairs moving out the smoke particles. I had a college biology professor who did a lot of cancer research who talked about the after effects of smoking.

old popper · Dec 12, 2009

I quit smoking in 1992, no ill effects. forgot to get the divorce. Now i'm still married (42 yrs) am diabetic,have asthma and amfat as a toad.Life is good!

1936 · Dec 12, 2009

BIL was able to stop at age 50 when he was turned into ashes due to lung cancer. Only took about 9 month to die.

Smoking and related products kills 5 million world wide each year.

Sure saves a lots of SS pay outs.

Frank Dodson · Dec 12, 2009

The symptoms you describe concerning her heart has nothing to do with her quitting smoking. It sounds like 3rd degree heart block. This condition is caused by her primary pacemaker. After the episode of her getting pale does her heart beat rapidly? If this is the problem it can be treated by medication or in most cases a pacemaker.

Haywood · Dec 12, 2009

Did she use any Anti-depressents for assistance in quitting? or is she on them for any other reason?

Ever Read What side affects people experience from Chantix or Wellbutrin or Cymbalta?
The stuff is poison and IMHO has no business being prescribed to folks with addiction issues or even mild anxiety which stopping Cigs can cause .
(Toxic Slug Syndrome) To coin a Term.

Review and study up on any drugs she takes.. get here diet squared away and take Some multiple plus omega 3 (fish oil) and vitimin B12 and Vitimin D. Get her thyroid And A1-c Blood sugars checked to be sure they are OK.

Burn insense to tease the ol-factory nerve and stimulate the feel good part of the brain. That is what it craves when you smoke!

But don't let her start Smoking again.

Paul from MI · Dec 12, 2009

July 30, 1987, 3:00p.m. I quit smoking after about 25 years. Never smoked cigarettes, only a pipe. Still the best move I made, no ill effects except I had more money to spend on tractors. Now if I could get my wife to quit going to the beauty shop I'd have even more money for tractgors. I told her the other day "If it's permanent, why do you have to have it done again?". Never did get an answer.
Paul

Anonymous-0 · Dec 13, 2009

Niether of us take drugs except for an occasional aspirin. She quit by getting brainwashed. She studied homeopathic treatment for animals which is the same principal for humans and is convinced that drugs aren't the answer until natural doesn't work. In this case, things snuck up without warning (at least that she paid attention to). As far as depressants/anti depressants, I take care of that naturally. If she mopes, I have a little cattle prod and if she gets hyper, I got a boxing glove :roll:

I don't take drugs because you can't mix with alcohol. I'm not a lusch, but if I can't enjoy a beer or weissen when I want, life ain't worth living anyway.

Dave

OT: after you quit smoking?

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