After you quit smoking, when does your body start to...
Lizzy D asked:
I quit smoking 24 days ago and I don’t physically feel any better. I even started walking 30 min a day and still don’t feel better.
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50 Responses to “After you quit smoking, when does your body start to feel better?”
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October 30th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
took a couple of months for me.
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:02 am
immediately, drink a lot of orange juice and take some ascorbic acid.
i havent really quit smoking yet tho. but at least im honest!
November 5th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Try going on some kind of an antioxidant diet. It will help move things along. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT.
November 6th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I thought the same thing when I quit but it was worth it. I no longer cough all the time (especially in the morning), I can exercise without labored breathing, skin and teeth clear up from nicotine stains, etc. Keep it up and you’ll feel better.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Wait another month or so, it takes time for your body to adjust to the lack of stimulates.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:02 am
After about 3-4 weeks I felt better and wasn’t going crazy for a smoke anymore.
November 13th, 2008 at 8:02 am
My lungs felt better pretty quick. You’re probably still dealing with withdrawel issues. Keep going, it takes a little time. You probably feel a little bit better each day but aren’t realizing it. Then one day you’ll get up and realize you feel a lot better.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am
It took me 6 months to get rid of my awful cough. I think it is normal to feel not so hot after you quit, because your body is missing something you were physically dependent on.
5 years later, I am in the best physical shape of my life. I can now hike mountains, run 5 miles without stopping, and never look back. I actually can’t believe that I ever smoked, life is too precious to just throw away.
Excercise is important, but for your situation right now, your body will try to get rid of as much stuff from your system as it can. You will thank yourself years from now, trust me.
Congratulations on quitting. Don’t ever look back.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
it does take a couple months. I remember being extremely tired, which no one told me would happen. Keep up the good work, you will be so glad you did.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
yeah dont worry if you dont physically feel better soon but dont start again. you need a healthy body. and im proud of whoever you are. the inside of your body will need to detox all the nasty tobacco and tar out. give it a few weeks :]
November 19th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
you should start feeling better. things should start tasting and smelling better,
November 20th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
when i quit i felt better immediatly…like 2-3 days without smoking. and i noticed it right away. if you don’t physically feel any better, maybe you should see a dr. and find out if something else is the matter. or…maybe you didn’t smoke enough or smoke for long enough for your body to feel the full effects of being drug down by smoking. i’m notsure. we’re all different so what happens for some might not happen for all.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Give it a few more weeks, everyone is different so its hard to say for sure when you will start to feel better, but trust me it does happen. All of those icky cigarette related symptoms will go away. I was most happen when my nose stopped running and feeling all yukcy and when the cigarette sludge in the back of my throat went away. Being able to breathe again is nice too, and not waking in the middle of the night to have a coughing fit.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:17 am
you are about to die… just let it happen
November 27th, 2008 at 5:28 am
I’ve heard that about half a year. It depends on how many cigarettes you used to smoke everyday and of course how long.
Wrrrrr – I have to quit smoking as well.
November 30th, 2008 at 1:02 am
just drink a glass of water
all the time u dont feel beter
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:40 am
It takes a while. I don’t think I felt “normal” until about 6 months after. Hard to tell though, its a gradual process of ridding your body of the toxins.
One thing I did notice a couple weeks in ….waking up in the morning I felt much better, I could breathe and didn’t have the burning lungs.
Its been almost 2 years since I quit and I still have cravings, and still dream about smoking. No way I’ll go back to it though!!!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
if you stopped for 24 hrs, you ARE feeling better already. dont worry if you relapse. they say that cutting down doesnt lower the heath risks, good way for the pros to help out huh?1 smoke in like 2 weeks aint bad. smoking really isnt so bad. some ppl just cant control it.cant blame a product for a weak will. if that was the case, alot of other things would be just as bad.
December 7th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I never noticed any changes from being smoker then non smoker but I kept it under 10 cigarettes a day, many times less than 6 a day so I would say that is pretty light.
December 8th, 2008 at 3:19 am
i did but it’s pretty gradual…what i noticed first was that i could breathe without that gurggling in my chest….and i was happy about not having an addiction and i was happy about not spending all that money on cigarettes….i think i felt empowered that i could quit…that is a good feeling right there….
December 10th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
try eating heather too
December 11th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
awesome job by the way, it will be any where from 1 month to 3 months be patient. It is worth it and each day after those first couple of months. you will notice more and more good luck
December 14th, 2008 at 12:39 am
I suppose everyone is different. It took me about 6 months.
December 15th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Good for you! I’m not that strong. It should be another couple of weeks before you start to notice a difference, but it will happen.
Keep fighting.
December 15th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I does, I quit 3 months ago it took about 2 to REALLY feel the difference. I went back to smoking (like an a-hole) for two days and quit again, just after those two days, I felt like I did three months ago—like crap!! Stick it out ITS WORTH IT!!! I’m with right there with you, your not alone.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
after a few months…u can definietly tell, atleast my friend could
December 20th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Hello
In theory your body should feel better immediately as it is not being subject to smoke.
Just congratulate your self you are not adding to global warming
Good luck
December 21st, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Remember you damaged your body considerably. You will respond and you will heal. It may take awhile, probably no less then 2 months. I smoked for 33 years, quit 10 years ago and it was almost a year before I really felt better. But the last 9 have been great. I am 59 years old my pulse is 50-60 my bp is 130/62. So I do believe it helped. Stick with, please. Don’t go back. Get help if you need it, but don’t go back.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I started feeling better within a day or so. The first thing my body did was hack up a bunch of mucous out of my lungs. Did you go through that stage? Maybe some Mucinex will loosen up that garbage and let you get rid of it.
Consult your doctor. Whatever you do, don’t start smoking again!!! 24 days is great!! Great job!! Congrats on a healthier life!
December 24th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Within the first 2 weeks and then it improves rapidly…
December 25th, 2008 at 7:57 am
You’ve probably done so much damage to your body that you’ll never feel any better. Not until the day you take your last scratchy, coughing breath and die.
Hope you have new lungs in heaven …or elsewhere.
December 27th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I dont think you really feel better…
unless you smoked so much that you were coughing all the time…Perhaps your frame of mind feels better, because, for myself as a former smoker…I always was worried, about what the cigs were doing to my health…and, that I should quit…and, I got tired of trying to find extra change to buy that pack of cig..
its a hard habit to break…it takes about 2 years to really get over it..(for me anyways)…
good luck to you!!!
December 28th, 2008 at 4:30 am
It’ll probably take a few months. Right now your body’s probably still going through the withdrawl stage. Once you’re over it, it’s AMAZING how much better you’ll feel. I smoked for 13 years and I finally quit about 2 years ago. It did take a while, but I’ve never felt better
December 30th, 2008 at 2:01 am
When you just quit smoking, do some running every morning not only walk. Just a little running (800 – 1 Km). When you are finish running usually it’s not easy to catcth your breath so don’t bend down your body (see the ground) but bend up your body (see the sky). I do that till now, and each morning you’ll feel more better.
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 am
Check out this site for when things start to feel better.
You need to give it more time. I quit just over 9 months ago – and things didn’t overall start to get better until a few months into the quit.
Smoking does so much damage to our bodies – it takes time to recover from it.
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:18 am
Right away, it’s just that you don’t know what good feels like & have to get addicted to feeling good.
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:25 pm
after 30 days and you won’t have any more strong cravings and it can take a year or so to clear it all out of your lungs and it depends on how long you smoked and how much damage has already been done.
I quit cold turkey 10 years ago. Today, I can’t even stand the smell of it, I can smell it on my grandson when he comes to visit.
It smells bad and I think My kids must have smelled like that.
When I walk into somewhere where there is smoking or they have smoked I can’t stand the smell or how it yellows your teeth and walls and curtains in your home. you will feel better and breathe easier over time.
January 4th, 2009 at 6:28 am
how long did you smoke before you quit? the damage that smoking has done to your system is cummulative, so the longer you smoked before quitting, the longer it will take for you to “feel better.”
do you notice a difference in your breathing after, say, climbing a flight of stairs (are you less out of breath than before)? does food taste better or more flavorful? pay attention to those small things, as you will notice improvement there first.
also, your body is used to having near constant stimulation of the serotonin hormone processors, and now it is having to produce those ‘feel good’ hormones on its own… it will take a little while for your production to be back at normal rates. give it time…
January 4th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I have been smoke free for 2 months now, and nicotine has a way of fooling you to believe that it wasn’t that bad for you, because all you get are the cravings at this point. Just remember it is a battle between you and cigs and you are going to win! don’t let the cigarettes win. get the patch to calm your cravings and start an excersize program now!!! I gained 15 lbs and I **** it… almost makes you want to go back to smoking. nicotine also numbs your body, so when you start working out you are going to feel more of the pain. good luck!
January 6th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I think it depends on how much you were smoking when you quit
My BIL was smoking 3 packs a day, he started feeling better after about a year
I quit a 5 pack a day habit, I started feeling better after 15 months
January 8th, 2009 at 12:56 am
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
January 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
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!!!!!!!!
January 11th, 2009 at 4:25 am
At least it stopped stinking straight away!
Keep it up!
January 11th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
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!!!
January 13th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
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.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:47 am
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”
January 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
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
January 19th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Wait a few days or so, it takes time for your body to adjust to the lack of poisons and chemicals in cigarettes.
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:22 am
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.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
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.