10 Quit Smoking Symptoms Explained
Posted: Friday, July 27, 2007
by Peter Howells
easyquitsystem.com
There are many different quit smoking symptoms that appear
in smokers who are trying to quit. The range of symptoms is quite wide but
luckily, most smokers will not suffer all of the symptoms, only one or two.
Nevertheless, some of the symptoms can be quite uncomfortable and can motivate
smokers to start up and abandon quitting.
In alphabetical order, the most common quit smoking symptoms
are:
Quit smoking symptom #1: Anger: When you quit smoking, your
brain chemistry isn't able to work normally because you haven't any nicotine in
your system. As a result, smokers who have been off the smokes for a day or too
can get a bit cranky. They tend to be pretty unpleasant company and are liable
to fly off the handle pretty easily.
Quit smoking symptom #2 Bad Breath (Halitosis): This is one
of the more anti-social of quit smoking symptoms. Many people recommend chewing
gum as this not only gives your mouth something to do but also covers up the
bad odour. What most smokers don't realise is that they had bad breath anyway.
It is only because they quit smoking that they actually came to notice it!
Quit smoking symptom #3 Constipation: It is not known
specifically why, but many smokers complain of constipation when they quit
smoking. The intestinal tract tends to slow down but it is normally only
temporary. The only recommended remedies are to drink plenty of water and eat
plenty of high fibre foods such as wholemeal and fruits.
Quit smoking symptom #4 Cough: When you quit smoking, the
lungs finally get a moment to start cleaning themselves the way they are
supposed to. This process doesn't work normally when smoking every hour or so.
The body is simply expelling the mucus that has accumulated over the years.
This wet cough should only last a week or two and it is your body naturally
cleaning itself from the inside.
Quit smoking symptom #5 Cravings: When you quit smoking, you
stop taking in a regular supply of nicotine. After only 3 days there is none
left in your body. As such, because your brain is so used to nicotine it
'wonders' where it is and asks for more by giving you cravings to smoke. Your
best course of action is to distract yourself for a while. The average craving
only lasts a minute or two and they become fewer and farther between over time.
Quit smoking symptom #6 Dizziness: When you quit smoking,
your body starts fixing the red blood cells that have been handicapped with
carbon monoxide. After a couple of days, the 15% of a smoker's blood that was
dysfunctional becomes proper working blood again. The dizziness is a side
effect of the extra oxygen your blood is delivering to your brain!
Quit smoking symptom #7 Headaches: Your body has been used
to nicotine within the system whilst you were a smoker. Now that the nicotine
has subsided, your brain chemistry is trying to reset itself. Sometimes this
manifests in headaches. To deal with this, your best bet is to avoid
caffeinated drinks such as coffee or cola and drink plenty of water. Take some
painkillers when required.
Quit smoking symptom #8 Hunger: Craving for cigarettes can
be confused with hunger. You have been used to having a cigarette (or
something) in your mouth about once every hour for the last few years. That is
now gone. Try sucking a straw, eating low-calorie raw vegetables or chewing
gum. Don't turn to chocolate or potato chips - you will get fat!
Quit smoking symptom #9 Insomnia: Because the nicotine your
brain was used to is no longer there, the brain isn't working the way it is
used to. As a result, it may keep you in a bit of a nervous panic that stops
you being able to sleep. Have a hot bath and a hot drink and see if you can't
nod off like normal.
Quit smoking symptom #10 Sore throat: Your body has been
used to secreting plenty of mucus in your airways whilst you were a smoker to
deal with the irritation of the smoke. When you quit, it stops producing this
mucus and leaves you with a dry throat that becomes sore. Drink plenty of water
to try and alleviate the symptoms. If they get really bad, try an over-the-counter
anaesthetic spray.
All of these quit smoking symptoms will conspire against
you. They will irritate and annoy you when you try to quit smoking. But
remember, they are just symptoms and they will all pass in time. As irritating
and annoying as they all are, none of them are as tedious as an early death
from cigarettes!
Whatever you do when you are trying to quit smoking, my
advice is to never stop trying to quit.
Pete Howells has written the EasyQuit System
that will help any smoker quit tobacco. He also blogs quit smoking advice at http://quit-smoking-motivator.blogspot.com Visit http://easyquitsystem.com/
to find out more about his incredible process for quitting smoking that boasts
96% customer satisfaction.
PETE HOW CAN I BUY YOU'R BOOK? THE WEB SIGHT DOES NOT WORK! CHUCK
Try the sister site, ending dot net instead of dot com I will try and find out what is wrong!
No. Since i quit smoking 8 days ago, i feel lifeless, have no energy. i wanted to know how long i can expect this wonderful(not) sensation to last. it's driving me nutsBy the end of week three, any side effects should be over. Are you still sleeping OK or is that causing your lethargy? How about doing some exercise, it should invigorate you. I used to swim because it is easy to moderate so you don't become too breathless. Cheers - Pete
Hi i have only stopped smoking for 2 weeks so fare but i had stopped for 6 months before hand about a year ago, but this time when i have stopped my coughing is constant and my lungs are in pain, along with this when ever i start running i can only run for short times or i struggle breathing and start coughing, please advise what this could be worried alot about this.thankyouandy
It is known that people can suffer from breathlessness after quitting but you need to see your doctor. I am not an MD so cannot help with medical problems!
hi i went to the doctors and i found out that i have a chest infection that is going around just has come on worse because i have stopped smoking, so i am all fine and dandy,
I smoked for 15 years and quit smoking a year ago and have had headaches ever since - I am now starting to get panic attacks and dizziness - is this normal?
I would suggest visiting your doctor to determine if the headaches are related to something else. After 12 months I doubt you are getting them from nicotine withdrawal. Perhaps there are other influences in your life that are causing this.Smokers have an 'addiction mentality' which means they try to think up ways of deciding that not smoking is the cause of new problems when it is very likely not. If you think that starting smoking again will solve this, you are wrong, it won't! This concept is well explained in Tom Dainty's book, The Quit Smoking Bible - just google it to find the website.
Hi, I quit smoking 3 days ago along with my husband...we have not smoked a ciggy but my husband has now taken to smoking a cigar as he thinks it will help him kick the ciggys is this true?Sue, smoking cigars is still smoking. It is an excuse to carry on and is tantamount to 'junki logic'. Your husband will merely replace cigarettes with cigars!
I'm seriously thinking to quit smoking right now after reading this.I smoke for 2,5 years and im 20 years old.Could i have damage my lounges in these 2,5 years?!The only thing that bugs me is that i get a lot of self confidence from smoking.It sounds pathetic but that's how it is.I know that this is wrong but i feel like i'll lose a part of my style..a part of me. :(I also know you're not a psychiatrist, but hey!Thanks for this article!! :)
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