Comments on: After you quit smoking, when does your body start to feel better?

By: brandy821

brandy821 — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:35:44 +0000

Thank you for all your input. I quit 2 months ago and feel worse now than when I smoked. I will keep on and hope that by the end of the year I feel better.

By: leo

leo — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:22:01 +0000

that depends on your age, how much you used to smoke and for how many years. you can basically say that it will take your lungs at least 10 years until they get rid of the last chunk of tar.
you should feel getting a little better after a few days, weeks or even month. that really depends on you. maybe it can help you to also chance your eating habits. and, of course, your body has to get over the fact that it won’t have any nicotine anymore…
keep up that walking and stay healthy!
good luck.

By: The Ultimate Answerer

The Ultimate Answerer — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:50:58 +0000

Wait a few days or so, it takes time for your body to adjust to the lack of poisons and chemicals in cigarettes.

By: Graham

Graham — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:58:49 +0000

It’s not an overnight turn of events that will make you feel better all of a sudden. One thing I noticed that my lung capacity increased after a few months. I could do flights of stairs and still have lots of energy and strength to keep going. I wouldn’t look for big differences, it’s the small ones that add up to make your overall health better. And btw, congratulations on quitting. I know it’s hard. My one year anniversary is in 2 days, and I still think about smoking at times, but I’m very happy I’ve quit! Keep up the good work, and enjoy the new you!
G

By: Fab

Fab — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:47:24 +0000

Well it all depends on how long you smoked. In fact you are probably feeling better now, but maybe you are a little tense because you are not smoking anymore and can’t really feel the difference… but believe me, your body is working to repair some of the damage and soon you will be a totally different person. You are walking, and maybe you feel a little too tired when you finish… you’ll see the difference when you run instead of walking, and you are going to feel good… one day you’ll regret you ever smoked.

Maybe you feel a little lighter now? you don’t smell like smoke all day, your hair and skin will look better, and you won’t have abad breath again because of it.

There’s som many reasons why you should quit smoking…. don’t go back to it. Once… when I smoked, i offered a friend one cigarette, (just courtesy), and he said… “Hey, I wouldn’t try to kill you”

By: tlc4irs

tlc4irs — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:45:45 +0000

Technically you are going to feel like crap. But keep in mind that as soon as 24 hours after quitting smoking your lungs start to heal from the damage smoking has done to them..They start to get their healthy pink color back. Within a few days food will start to taste better because it won’t have the nicotine blocking those receptors in your brain that affect your taste buds. These are just a couple examples of the healing your body is already doing. While you may not feel the greatest, your body is beginning to heal and is thanking you for the decision you have made. Best of luck to you.

By: sparkler

sparkler — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:25:11 +0000

good for you, hang in there. it was a very gradual process for me, i guess everyone is different but PLEASE do not give up, you can do it!!!

By: steveofrotherham

steveofrotherham — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:25:53 +0000

At least it stopped stinking straight away!
Keep it up!

By: artelissa2

artelissa2 — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:30:59 +0000

the effects of smoking on your lungs will take up to 10 yrs for them to heal to the point of when you never smoked. but phisically you need to give yourself more time. you dont realize how much damage you do to yourself when you smoke until you stop. dont be discouraged, every day you dont smoke is another day of being healthy. good job!!!!!!!!

By: snvffy

snvffy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:56:34 +0000

Maybe you don’t feel different yet, but internally LOTS of things have changed for the better. CONGRATULATIONS !!! Seriously, you have taken a major step in prolonging your life and the QUALITY of your life. Look what I found on the web site for the American Lung Association:

Search LungUSA

When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.

At 20 minutes after quitting:

* blood pressure decreases
* pulse rate drops
* body temperature of hands and feet increases

At 8 hours:

* carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
* oxygen level in blood increases to normal

At 24 hours:

* chance of a heart attack decreases

At 48 hours:

* nerve endings start regrowing
* ability to smell and taste is enhanced

The first year after quitting:

At 2 weeks to 3 months:

* circulation improves
* walking becomes easier
* lung function increases

1 to 9 months:

* coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases

1 year:

* excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker

Long-term Benefits of Quitting

At 5 years:

* from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.

At 10 years:

* risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
* risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
* risk of ulcer decreases

At 15 years:

* risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
* risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked

Good luck and good health