I’m still feeling quite horrible from the massive asthma attack I had yesterday, all because I ran 15 minutes on a treadmill.
I didn’t sleep at all during the night, maybe 10 minutes here and there. I ended up calling in sick to work at both my jobs.
I just couldn’t breathe this morning.
My lungs still hurt really bad, and there was just no way I could work a double shift and be active all day. I could barely even get up.
If it’s asthma, then it’s all because of smoking, and that makes me very sad.
I should’ve quit years ago, and now I’m facing the consequences of my actions. This is just way too painful and not worth whatever pleasure nicotine was giving me.
I’m still not 100% sure if it’s bronchitis or asthma.
Bronchitis is a virus, though, usually accompanied by cold-like symptoms, like a runny nose and headaches. I have neither of those two things.
It is also characterized by large amounts of mucus being expelled by coughing. This is also something I do not have.
I cough up stuff, but not in large quantities, or how I think it should be happening.
I wish I was coughing up a lot of junk, because then my lungs would feel more clear, and I’d feel a lot better.
Asthma is not a virus, and is not accompanied by cold-like symptoms, like bronchitis is.
Coughing is mostly “dry” meaning no mucus is being expelled. This is what is happening with me, and therefore I believe I had an asthma attack.
You don’t just get bronchitis from running on a treadmill.
It’s a virus.
It makes me very angry that I cannot buy anything over-the-counter at the store to help my asthma symptoms.
Everything has been taken off the market, primarily Primatene Mist, because inhalers “deplete the ozone layer.”
Who is in charge of these decisions?
Probably not someone who is suffering from asthma. I understand the environmental implications of it all, but at least have a backup alternative ready to replace the one you are taking off the market.
This is just ridiculous.
Please voice your opinion down below if this decision is affecting your life.
What are we supposed to do? Just suffer and go through the endless torture of not being able to breathe? What kind of a life is that?
What they apparently want us to do is go to the doctor, pay the co-pay, and get a prescription for an asthma inhaler.
That is over DOUBLE what an OTC product would cost, maybe even TRIPLE, let alone the time and energy going to the doctor in the first place.
Makes me mad.
The only thing available to consumers to buy are those asthma “tablets,” and even those are hard to find.
I couldn’t find any last night when I was painfully walking around town trying to find an inhaler to comfort myself, only to end up in complete failure.
As for what is happening in regards to withdrawal, well, there is none to report. I can’t even imagine craving a cigarette right now because my lungs feel so raw and swollen.
One drag would send me into a coughing nightmare and my rib cage hurts so much already.
I don’t want to cough anymore.
Luckily, there are no cigarette cravings of any kind. Perhaps, if I wasn’t feeling so awful I would be craving one, but I’m not.
I have the next two days off, and I WILL reach my milestone of 3 weeks of no smoking, I just hope I’m feeling better and that this asthma attack has subsided.
If it doesn’t, I’m forced to go to the doctor, because I can’t live everyday like this.
I don’t care about the money, I just want to feel good, and I feel absolutely horrible right now.
Coming to the end of day 19 and the last few days have been good. The cravings are happening less and less and are not as intense when they happen. Mind the cravings are sneaky and creep up at any time, but I’m just riding them out now and thinking each one I resist, I get stronger.
It was great going to work today and not worrying about how I would fit in smoke breaks throughout the day.
I’m loving not smoking and I’m nearly at the 3 week mark. It feels like time is starting to return to normal now, it felt so slowed down in the first week or so.
I know I’m still going to hit some rough patches but I’m determined I will win.
Way to go! Keep up the great job. Today is my day 19, and feeling about the same. My father stopped smoking indoors, so this has made it somewhat easier. It is still quite a challenge, though. Now I will try to give up smoking cannabis for a time, not that I smoke it that much.
I can relate somewhat to this blog with health being the inpetus for quitting. I hadn’t had many adverse effects from smoking on and off for 20 years, except the requisite, regular morning – and throughout the day – phlegm cough up. So I rationalized all was fine, as the doctors said my lungs were good. But, a bit over a month ago I accidentally ate/swallowed a dried bay leaf in a meal. It felt like a knife in my throat! And I continued to smoke for over 3 weeks. The throat didn’t feel like it was healing optimally, because smoke hits the throat! I feel a bit better since quitting. Not 100%, but probably much better than if I continued to smoke. It’s just not worth smoking if you might aggravate m/start a health condition, even if you feel the need to “self-medicate” for stress-relief.
I wish you and Mateo continued success along this life journey and the utmost well-being!
Day 19. Luckily no breathing issues but nausea has been in issue for a few days. Not smoking isn’t as difficult as the first days but feeling bad is getting old. I also realized today what a lonely adventure this is. My husband is still smoking but supportive. Nobody close to me understands how over 2 weeks since my last nicotine I can still be having withdrawal issues. Thank you for this blog. It helps a lot with the loneliness. We can all do this!
So this has been easy . I’m 19 smoke free I quit smoking cold turkey. I haven’t had cravings and I excersize regularly. I want everyone to know that this is a mind set. Tell yourself this is easy.
100% right
To you both. If it’s easy you’ll fail. If it’s easy you’ll be back on the cigs in a week, a month, maybe longer. But you’ll be back. Unless you go through the torment you won’t understand why you need to quit. You may think you’re taking it easy but it’s because you’ve not quit for good.
I’ve quit 12 times in the last 18 months. This time for good and it’s been torture. The other times, sure. Could stop for a week or a few weeks and not feel it. But in the back of my mind that just made it easy to get back on the cigs.
Be warned taking this lightly. You two clearly haven’t told yourself: THIS IS MY LAST EVER CIG. Write it on paper or tell yourself in the mirror. You’ll find all the withdrawal issues hit you like a truck.
On day 19 now. Day 18 and 17 were some of the toughest, almost as bad as 7 and 8. Fell asleep at work on day 17 and day 18 was hard to breathe. One piece of advice I will give – eat anything you want! I got through a bag of skittles due to the crave and stress. It really helped me and it is far better than a smoke. Good luck all.
I too suffer from asthma/ COPD and never had any business smoking. My attacks could be deadly if not treated immediately. I used the primatene mist in the day and it did it’s job plenty of times. These days I always have albuterol inhaler close by and try not to use too often. Only when I am having an attack. I’ve used about every maintenance medication out there and now use Symbicort. It works awesome! 2 puffs in the morning,2 at night. Plus, the pharmacy has coupon available and I pay $25 a month. Actually, there was a promotion, survey type thing I filled out and it will be free for a year. Check it out. Not sure how it works with insurance, copay or whatever. I’m just pleased that my pharmacy is on top of these discounts. Anyhow; symbicort has been the answer for me. Day 19 for me; no nic. I got so sick before I quit nic. It happens usually once a year. The only solution is prednisone; heavy dosage for 5 days. No sleep and really weirded out from drug but gets me breathing. In my case, I coughed up mucus to the point I thought for sure I was coughing up my lungs. So when I quit I had already coughed so much and hacked up tons of crap. I too can’t imagine trying to smoke a cig right now. I take that back, I can easily imagine it but it hurts my lungs just thinking about it. I’m thrilled to be off nicotine and breathing better than I have ín years. I’m also recovering from ankle surgery so definitely don’t want nic in the blood. One day ata time! Kev
Bronkaid and Primatene tablets are OTC, they might add on to your anxiety though because they’re pretty much an upper. But they definitely help with asthma and working out.
I used to use the Primetine Mist before they took it off the market. I hated them for doing that. I really needed it at the time.
It’s back on the market now! Hopefully you don’t need it anymore but maybe someone does and this helps.