My asthma is still lingering around, it hasn’t left yet.
Although I’m about 85% better, there are still moments when I get tight-chested and short of breath. Sometimes it can happen after eating, and other times it happened simply by walking up a hill.
I’m not going to be doing any running anytime soon, so I believe as long as I continue to rest and take it easy and don’t overdo it, it should go away with time.
I’ll be honest, today I had an anxiety attack at work. I was perfectly fine all day long, and I felt absolutely fantastic.
But, after I ate on my break and went back to work, I had an anxiety attack.
I’m not exactly sure if it was because of nicotine, or if it was because of the food that I ate.
I’ve done research and gluten is a big contributor towards anxiety attacks.
However, even if it were the culprit, I’m not willing to give up gluten all together anyways because bread and pasta are two of my favorite things. There are just too many things I like that have gluten in them.
The anxiety attack I had lasted about 20 minutes.
After it went away, I was back to feeling perfectly fine as before.
It did take me by surprise when it hit me, though. Suddenly I became very dizzy, and my coherence in regards to what was going on around me was greatly affected.
I felt like a zombie.
This has happened before after I ate a big plate of pasta, so that might have something to do with it, instead of blaming it on nicotine, which isn’t even in my body anymore.
That being said, it could be either of them right now.
Other than that 20 minute ordeal with anxiety, there is nothing else to report for today. I felt great almost the entire day.
My singing voice is improving, too. I LOVE to sing, and this morning it actually struck me that my voice is getting stronger. I can hit notes I couldn’t hit before as a smoker.
To me, that is a huge reason to continue this healthy lifestyle, because singing is one of my absolute favorite things to do.
All of it is behind closed doors, but that doesn’t matter. I still love to do it.
I hated having a bad voice when I was a smoker. I knew once I would quit, my voice would return (within reason) and I could enjoy it again.
My skin is improving, too. I’m drinking way more fluids than I used to drink.
Before, I would go to the bar almost every single night.
Alcohol does not hydrate you, it DEHYDRATES you, which makes your skin look bad.
Now I’m just a healthier person, eating and drinking better things, and it’s showing in my skin.
Being 34 doesn’t look so bad anymore.
Sleeping is fantastic right now.
Last night I slept like a rock and got total REM sleep the entire time, and didn’t wake up once. REM is the sleep that restores brain function.
If you’re living a healthy lifestyle and getting plenty of rest, you’ll enter REM sleep every night.
That’s partly why you feel so awful the next day.
That also has an effect on your skin, your energy level for the day, your bodily functions, and overall healing.
REM sleep is important, and I’m getting plenty of it now. I’m very happy about that.
I wonder what fantastic things will happen tomorrow?
Day 22 i was reading the comments and remembered breathing in and feeling like there was something vibrating in my throat, i get a slight pain as i breathe in sometimes. I had a dream if i didn’t quit soon i would get a diagnosis when i was 40 that meant the rest of my life would be horrible. I have been wanting to quit ever since i restarted many years ago. I feel like its been 4 or 5 years since i restarted. Ive been smoking since i was 10. My great grandma lived till her 70s but not happily… She spent the last 20 years on oxygen. She smoked 2 packs a day, really reminds me of me. I don’t want to die like that, i was told her last years were nothing but misery. I already dont like how i feel even after 3 weeks without one in my mouth. I don’t want to ever smoke again. Thanks for putting this blog up. It helps, ive read it twice today. Im only hours from day 23!
Starting my day 22, every morning I read the blog, so helpful! Yesterday was a bit of a nightmare, I drank a bit and the cravings were awful, still have to make it through going out to bars, having ppl smoking around me…so far it’s been me, at home, my kids, the gym, park with the dog etc, nothing too triggering, a bit worried about that but in the meantime quite happy 🙂 I dont crave cigarettes much, I just want to start losing weight and not eat to “substitute”, be “unhungry” like when I used to smoke, fast metabolism etc.. sometimes i think i did it just to be skinny. Now trying to find healthier ways to get there. Anyway we all have our stories, right?
I notice not as many comments the higher up in days we go. I guess people relapses and there are less commenters. I feel good. Less anxiety less mental blah. So many perks. I’m especially happy my hack is gone. It was sooo embarrassing
Ok so day 22 for me no smoking but i used patches for first few weeks think its 5 days no patches and im feeling pretty miserable. im not getting quality sleep an still very unmotivated. can feel the triggers to smoke but am able to dismiss them. I’m waking with anxiety now. i was constipated but that seems to be lifting. have burning in hands an feet still. be nice when it all settles.
Day 22 I quit cold Turkey! All I wanna do is sleep and never feel rested. My anxiety is hell
He guys. Started day 22 16 minutes ago and wanted to read you all before hitting the sack. Only 4 comments come on. Where are you all? Anyway D22 will be like D21 and D23, a choice as to whether light up a fag or not
Day 22 I am breaking my record of 22 days I was at in 1997. This time there is no going back.
Okay I had this dream that I was at a park and this lady was SMOKING and I asked her for a cigarette she said she would sell me 3 for 25 cents. I got the cigarettes from her and was headed to go smoke when my alarm went off. Damn I was glad I did not smoke but it was close. And it was in a dream. sometimes when I’m not feeling well a voice in my head will say “you would not feel like this if you just smoke a cigarette. What a lie that is . And then I say out loud so I woul feel great inhaling nail polish remover. And then my brain is silent. I come to far for some one to tell me to smoke.
Day 22, clearer skin, better sense of smell, clean breath. Doing yoga. Walking every other day up to 2.5 miles. Way more health conscious! Feeling strong.
Day 22 in the books! I am so happy and so proud! I do not have cravings for nicotine anymore but being very careful and not being naive either lol. I have learned that craving can sneak up on you at any time. Now if I can just focus on eating healthy and exercise that would be great
22 days
Singing is different.
Sounds younger.
But I like the gruff sound too
Tom Waits etc. Just have to fake it from now on.
Yes, I wanna be a rock singer.
More relaxed, not more active actually, but then I always was physically lazy, I like the intellectual lifestyle.
Coffee bars, the little ones .
Espresso, water, jazz.
Good evening.
Day 22, Feeling amazing! I just came back home from my 10km jogg/run and put some chicken breast in the oven. I believe quitting smoke came with many rewards than just quitting… I started a daily walk/jogg of few kms and now it’s not walk anymore I jogg and run at least 10km a day! Also massive changes in the eating habit have Become a total health freak hahah
I don’t crave for a cigarette in fact I stopped craving from day 6 forward it was all cause of the healthy choices I made
I’m proud of every smoke I don’t smoke!!!!
Your comment is inspiration
Hey everyone. I’m on my 22nd day as a non smoker. I’m 31 and have been a cig-sucker for 17 years. It’s my longest non-smoking period in a 17 years so quite happy and proud about it.
Fully agree regarding voice improvements! It’s much more easier to nail higher notes, also strength of the voice improves and lack of air, which I felt earlier, greatly reduced!
As perhaps most of you, after quitting smoking I searched for information what happens with your body in time, but nowhere I found any information about this voice/singing thing. I think this is a big advantage of being smoke free and it should be highlighted near other advantages. Really, really cool thing!
Keep up the good work everyone!