Kicked the habit - making a difference?

AndyF16

I've been off the 30-a-day now for almost 2 weeks and not finding it that difficult to be totally honest (using 25mg patches at moment) - just ONE at a long party Sunday night :oops:

I needed to do it for general health reasons, and to spend the £70 a week on bike gear instead but out on last night's 35 miles I honestly felt like I had more oxygen in the legs, and could do a few climbs out of the saddle all the way up and gaining speed, where I'd previously just grind up them sitting

Is this likely to be psychological do you think, or has anyone any similar experience please?

u05harrisb

afraid i cant comment on effects and such, never smoked. but still just wanded to congratulate you! and hope you keep up the good work!

keep it up bud!
Ben

MattC59

Nice one !!
I would assume that there is a physical effect with quitting.

Carbon Monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces your bloods ability to absorb Oxygen, so if you're not smoking, then your blood can absorb more O2. Then there's the effect of the tar coating your lungs, which acts as a physical barrier to your lungs absorbing Oxygen.

Cut them both out and you'll see an improvement.

rubertoe

Well done indeed.

As a smoker myself i am looking forward to days when the legs and lungs stop burning and the money starts to roll in!

Like Matt, it is definatly a physical thing, the lungs will start to clear themselves of tar making oxygen absorbation more efficient, allowing the muscles to garner the 02 to garner the fuel that they need.

I ordered my stop smoking kit earlier in the week and have made an appointment to see the quit nurse - so Fingers crossed for me and Good luck to you.

DCowling

Well done,
and cannot say it enough, I smoked 20 a day for nearly 21yrs and just quit last Jan (2010) just because I wanted to and was ready for it.
I started cycling in June 2010 and can now do things that I would never be normally able to do i.e. ride at a half decent pace . I never wake up coughing anymore, I have more spare cash ( but now spend it all on bikey bling :oops: ) and most importantly I do not smell of that ashtraystalecoffeescumskankmingy odour.

Just think , you will get fitter and stronger as your aerobic capacity increases

seriously well done, for those that have never smoked and cannot comprehend the craving, think thirsty and want a sip of water but have to will yourself against it .

(yes I know that you need water to survive but not ciggies but it's the craving I am trying to describe not the after effects)

neilo23

I was amazed at the difference it made. Instead of my lungs giving up on climbs (and having to cough my guts up) it's the legs that go first - and a lot later than when smoking. I've been on and off the ciggies for years and always felt like a new man and ten years younger after a week or two off them. I'm stopping again on Sunday. See how long that lasts. I own a pub where smoking's still allowed so it's not easy. With any luck the smoking ban will come in soon. Not that my bank balance will appreciate the ban. Good luck staying of them. I always find it gets harder not to smoke as the time goes by.

Too old for this

Well done you. Take it from me it just gets better and better, i stopped Oct 2009 after a 30 - 40 a day habit. I now don't struggle for breath as soon as getting out of bed. i can do 20 miles + on my mountain bike. and have now decided that i want a road bike as well so have ordered a nice shiny Raleigh 100 with the proceeds. 8) 8)
Just wish the wife would stop.

red dragon

Keep it up, think of the money. It gets better, I gave up four and a half years ago myself, it gets easier. Best of luck.

deptfordmarmoset

Being weak-willed I've never managed to give up smoking but cycling does tend to make me forget I'm a smoker. My lungs have never been the problem, for me it's more the muscle stamina that screams ''stop!'' Of course, giving up completely would probably improve circulation and increase stamina, but I'm more at the stage where I feel happy that I've cycled, say 25 miles without even thinking of a cigarette rather than being involved in a tortured 2 hour ''I won't have a cigarette'' battle. It used to be 15 miles before I remembered I was a smoker so I suppose that's a kind of progress....

mattshrops

gave up just over 2 years ago after smoking for about 30 years :shock: sometimes still doesnt seem real. Strangely i have a dream where i smoke and wake up all worried that ive gone and had a fag- bizarre.
keep it going ive never been this healthy since i was about 15.good luck

jim453

Well done.

Smoking stinks. You're well out of it.

RichN95.

AndyF16 wrote:

I've been off the 30-a-day now for almost 2 weeks and not finding it that difficult to be totally honest (using 25mg patches at moment) - just ONE at a long party Sunday night :oops:

I needed to do it for general health reasons, and to spend the £70 a week on bike gear instead but out on last night's 35 miles I honestly felt like I had more oxygen in the legs, and could do a few climbs out of the saddle all the way up and gaining speed, where I'd previously just grind up them sitting

Is this likely to be psychological do you think, or has anyone any similar experience please?

Andy,

I smoked the sort of amount as you, until two months ago. I suspect that your initial improvements are both biological and psychological. My lungs are still pretty shitty but far better than they were. I imagine it will take a full year at least to get to non-smoker status - so the improvements should continue. Friends seem to have noticed more difference in me than I have.

Also, having tried to quit on a few occasions in the past, a word of warning. I notice you say you had 'just ONE'. Don't ever think you can have 'just one', because 'just one' becomes 'just two', then 'just three' then 'just a half pack'.

t.m.h.n.e.t

I quit in July 09 and it was without doubt the best decision ever. I had 25mg patches for two weeks,15mg for two weeks and a week at 10mg. Nothing like the recommended usage pattern but it worked for me. I'd worked it out that 40 a day =10x7 which is a lot more than £15 a week for Nicorette's

The biggest problem I faced was keeping my hands busy,mashing away at my keyboard on a nightly basis with a smoke in one hand and the ashtray beside me felt weird to an extent. But it got to the stage towards the end of the first 5-6 weeks that I just couldn't go near a smoker,I felt like I was turning Shrek green.

I started consuming a packet of chewing gum a day and then the food intake increased soo. 5 large ish portions a day right up to July 2010,I broke my foot fishing then realised just how much extra weight I was carrying when it came to using crutches for 8-10 weeks.

Cycling and a better lifestyle overall has helped me to get closer to 14st6lb ideal weight from 17st +

Ollieda

Out of interest, do any of you know of a tobbacco alternative for pipe smoking? There seems to be loads of tobbacco free and herbal types for cigarettes and shisha but nothing for a proper pipe. Anyone ever heard of / know of any?

And I'm not trying to be subtle and ask about any form of recreational drugs! (For some reason I always need to put that disclaimer at the bottom, don't know why!)

mask of sanity

I reckon any physiological changes are going to be more as a result of improved lung function than the oxygen carrying ability of the blood. CO binds permanently to haemoglobin so for the blood to be able to carry more oxygen then before it would have to have replaced those cells, which can survive for about 100 days. (If you go and donate blood you could replace those red cells in a matter of weeks )

The reduction in irritants present in cigarette smoke going to your lungs would mean a big drop in mucous secretion, therefore a much more efficient gaseous exchange.

IF what I say is correct (I'm no Dr.) then it would seem very plausible that you've made physiological gains.

coombsfh

Huge congrats on quitting.

I can't say for sure how quickly your lungs will "clear out" mum (a nurse) has explained how instantaneous the spike in blood presure after a cigarette is; I wouldn't be at all surprised if you are noticing a change already.

Best wishes,

Fred.

AndyF16

Cheers for the words of encouragement everyone - and best of luck Rubertoe and others

Got my follow up appointment Tuesday and am going to ask for another BP reading, was 130/60 so not too bad, but an improvement on the 130 would give me extra impetus - and blowing less than a huge 33 on the CO2 test will be good too - apparently 30 is the 'top' reading :oops:

Seanos

http://www.highlighthealth.com/cancer/s ... -you-quit/

Smoking cessation timeline – the health benefits over time

[*]In 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate decrease, and the body temperature of your hands and feet increase.
[*]Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. At 8 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood decreases to normal. With the decrease in carbon monoxide, your blood oxygen level increases to normal.
[*]At 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack decreases.
[*]At 48 hours, nerve endings start to regrow and the ability to smell and taste is enhanced.
[*]Between 2 weeks and 3 months, your circulation improves, walking becomes easier and you don’t cough or wheeze as often. Phlegm production decreases. Within several months, you have significant improvement in lung function.
[*]In 1 to 9 months, coughs, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease as you continue to see significant improvement in lung function. Cilia, tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs, regain normal function.
[*]In 1 year, risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is reduced to half that of a smoker.
[*]Between 5 and 15 years after quitting, your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
[*]In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer drops. Additionally, your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease. Even after a decade of not smoking however, your risk of lung cancer remains higher than in people who have never smoked. Your risk of ulcer also decreases.
[*]In 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack in similar to that of people who have never smoked. The risk of death returns to nearly the level of a non-smoker.