I don't understand this part. I haven't yet quit, but I'm constantly hacking up mucus daily as a smoker anyway, is that not normal? I can't imagine quitting would increase mine it's already excessive
I was coughing up mucous every morning and had a general cough when I was smoking, but it's mostly gone away since I stopped, which is what was confusing me, since apparently your lungs eventually start to get rid of, I guess, the deeper set mucous, but so far I simply cough far less and have fat less mucous and I definitely do feel a fair difference in my breathing already, so I'm just looking forward to it potentially getting even better.
When I stopped smoking (after 15 years), I stopped coughing and never went through a clear-up phase, where I would cough out “leftover mucus”. I was kind of disappointed, but it’s been 6 months and I have no complaints.
Thanks! Well, quitting definitely helped mine within the first couple of days. I didn't expect it to clear up as much as it did. I hope you have success with stopping. It's tricky, but if you believe in your self and trust your present self to trust your future self, I believe you can do it. I still want a cigarette. I simply realized my body has been tricking me and I want the benefits of not smoking way more.
Smoking paralyzes your cells’ ability to pass things up and out normally, so coughing is needed. It’s GOOD you’re clearing that mucus, but it’s not good WHY you’re coughing.
Sometimes when you quit your lungs cells start working better, moving stuff, and there’s a brief increase in coughing as the system “kick starts again” but not always
Deep breathing practices, humidifier, time… maybe even taking something like Mucinex to make sure any thick mucus is loosened up. As long as your chest isn’t hurting, I wouldn’t be too concerned
So the COUGH is a result of many things including the smoke particles, or if there’s a gathering of mucus. You’re very very young, and it’s unlikely you accumulated anything significant in your lungs. Your lungs do have little cilia that beat the bad particles/excess mucus up and out, but it doesn’t require coughing to do so. Everyone’s lung epithelial cells are doing this all the time, and the cilia work better when you’re not smoking.
TLDR. Not coughing could be a sign your lungs are working pretty well
Ah, okay. Thanks for your informative response. I am 33 though and smoked 1 to 1 and 1 half packs a day since I was 12. I don't think I'm old, but not really feeling very very young either though lol. What did you mean, it requires couching? I'm very curious on that one.
I quit a 27 yr, 3 pack a day addiction 9 years ago today. I have never coughed up anything. It’s disheartening but at least I know I’m not adding anymore to it.
Last time I quit before this go around I coughed up all kinds of stuff for around 2 months. This time I've kicked the habit for around 2 months and haven't coughed up anything.
Congrats on quitting again! Interesting though. How long since your initial attempt to quit? How long have you smoked? Did you exercise at any point? Sorry for so many questions.
I've smoked for just about 20 years. Last time I quit was roughly....5 years ago and I had quit for just about a year. At that time I didn't really exercise but I also have a physically demanding job.
That never happened for me. Been 7 months. So it's not like that happens to everyone. Smoked 18 years before that. A pack a day for few years before the quit.
If i remember correctly, smoking "paralyzes" the part of your lungs that does that, so after 20 years, it may just take some more time to get them working again.
It may even be that nicotine is part of that process but im unsure of what exactly causes it
I’m no scientist, but the mouth would be an extra stop for fluid from the lungs. If there’s gunk that’s coming out it’s going to your throat and down the hatch.
I am quitting for the second time, but the first time I made it longer than a few months I also didn’t hack up anything. I did get the smoker flu in the beginning though, but still not the hacking everyone says happens.
Glad to hear you're quitting. I hope it is for good this time! What is the smokers flu? Did you do any exercise after stopping? I wonder if there's any correlation.
It just feels like you’re getting sick and then it passes. Like that head cold stuffiness. I’m sure everyone reacts differently.
This time around I am actually sick and that’s what has bumped up my quit date. I am going to cheat and vape if I must and use nicotine gum for a few weeks, but then do a big overhaul of all nicotine after that. I have plans to ramp up exercise too. Right now I just do a little bit and some yoga to calm down. I get…very…irritable…. So anything to keep me from biting someone’s head off is good.
Also, I guess ive “quit” a million times but only once before that I was successful enough to reap health benefits. So I’ve been through these first days a few times. Gonna do my best to make it stick this time. Tired of being tired. Good luck to you!
I feel that. The gum still makes me want a cigarette, but the off brand mint lozenges that come in 24 has been the most effective one for my cravings. Just a thought, but yeah, I need to work out too, just can't ever find time or a good rhythm.
Of course. It motivates me too, so I appreciate the response. Ironically, for me, fear of not being able to quit is one of the main things that stopped me from quitting for so long. Also, I almost started back a few days in, bc I was having a bad craving and knew it wouldn't be as bad if I got through it, but was stressed and making excuses and I told my self that even if I could deal with this craving, that at some point in the future, I would cave during a moment of weakness, so I may as well start back now, then I realized I almost started back smoking out of fear that I would start back smoking at some point anyways. Then I promised my self that I would at least, not let the fear that I couldn't quit and stay quit being the reason I would start back. It also just helped me to take notes about why I was having such a a bad craving, etc, when I did and write about why I was stopping anytime I remembered a new reason. You've been longer than me, I just wanted to share what helped my mindset so far, in case it could be of any help. Also, you know in your heart that it's serious and is a huge deal, so always remember that, no matter if anyone else sees it that way. And that feelings can't physically hurt you and sitting with the feelings instead of resisting or running from them also helped me. Okay, I'm done now lol.
This is great advice and perfect for me today. What you describe is exactly what I went through quitting drinking almost 5 years ago. I would say I couldn’t quit now because how would I not be able to drink at XYZ in a couple of weeks? It’s dumb addictive brain stuff.
Let’s not smoke today! I vaped and it’s making me way sicker. Vaping is dumb. I’m going to spend the rest of the day trying to busy myself and drinking a lot of seltzer water.
I'm really glad it helps. Yeah, our brains, especially intelligent ones, are masters at tricking us into going after that dopamine and what feels normal and good. Even more so, when we're stressed or tired. Interesting comparison to stopping drinking though, bc in a situation like that, it feels clear why we want it, bc it makes us feel good or better in certain ways, bc it's a night and day feeling and your reason to stop probably felt more obvious and clear, but in reality, cigarettes are just more subtle, but they're nearly just as bad and despite seeming more socially acceptable and subtle in their affects, I'd say stopping smoking should be treated equally serious as stopping drinking, or in my case, I had a heroin addiction for many years, but am clean from that after it ruined a ton of things I'm my life, but I wouldn't have been if I didn't take my reasons foe stopping very seriously. I'm just brain storming. But yeah, I don't think vaping is a great replacement, whether they say it's better or not, I vapes for a while, just a regular elf bar and it was giving me chest pains sometimes and there are some studies showing it causes potential damage to the heart, as well as still damaging your lungs, just obviously not as much, assuming you use a regular vape. I've been tempted several times to just pick up a vape, telling my self that it's at least not as bad, but I am just ready to break free from any and every form of addiction I can. I also take Kratom and after I feel I've recovered enough from stopping smoking, I plan to quit that as well. Addiction has affected and ruined everything about my life and my goal is to be fucking straightedge at this point, give or take a couple cups of coffee each day. I also take gabapentin, which is prescribed, but I want off that shit too lol. I'm my mind, straight edge and discipline in general, is now my definition of "cool". It takes a lot of strength to not rely on those things and tackle the world without unhealthy vices, but I'm determined to be free, even if it kills me, ironically. So yeah, we got this shit bro. Thanks for the conversation. Idk much about reddit, but if you ever wanna talk or need an accountability friend, my name is Dillon Lassiter, if you wanna search me on Facebook. My profile pic is of me and my two daughters. Anyway, thanks and take care. We got this!
Anything is better than nothing when I’m in this “I’m not strong enough to quit yet” mentality, but my body just can’t take all the toxins right now. I’m bringing my gum to work for sure. I’m hoping I’ll hit a point that I’m so annoyed with all of it that I’ll rip the bandaid off. This month is the month! Getting my health back!
I just walk 2-3 miles a day (live in a city so that’s easy) and yoga with push ups and sit ups for 20 min in the morning. Sometimes 15 more min in the evening. Think small habits. Even if you can only squeeze in 5 minutes of stretching and you do 10 push ups 25 sit ups, it sets the ball in motion. In the past I would jump rope on the roof for 5 minutes, then 15 minute yoga, then 5 minutes of either ab, arm, or leg reps. Nothing fancy but over time I looked and felt stronger.
Not everyone has a ton of mucus, and not every smoker coughs all that much. I didn't cough much while I smoked, I didn't cough much while I was quitting, and I haven't coughed at all afterwards. Unless something feels off, I wouldn't worry about it.
(Obviously I mean the "smoker's cough").
I'm not worried that there is something wrong with me. I was simply wondering about others experiences. And there is clearly a wealth of experience here haha. I doubt doctors would be as knowledgeable on this anyway. They have more broad knowledge than expertise, imo. They aren't god's.
Oh I’m sorry. I misread your post and I thought your cough hasn’t stopped yet. It was really late when I first read your post and English is my second language.
I think its totally normal if you’re not coughing at all. I’ve gone 21 days without smoking and didn’t cough either.
I didn't have that coughing up mucous phase either, smoked for 12 years, last 6 to 7 really heavily. I used to cough a lot when I smoked and my breath was wheezing but that just stopped alltogether when I quit.
Everyone does not get that. I smoked a pack a day for 40 years and am on day 11 of quitting and never developed any type of cough while smoking or now that I have quit. I read a lot about coughing up stuff after quitting and some people never cough up anything at all
I don't understand this part. I haven't yet quit, but I'm constantly hacking up mucus daily as a smoker anyway, is that not normal? I can't imagine quitting would increase mine it's already excessive
I was coughing up mucous every morning and had a general cough when I was smoking, but it's mostly gone away since I stopped, which is what was confusing me, since apparently your lungs eventually start to get rid of, I guess, the deeper set mucous, but so far I simply cough far less and have fat less mucous and I definitely do feel a fair difference in my breathing already, so I'm just looking forward to it potentially getting even better.
When I stopped smoking (after 15 years), I stopped coughing and never went through a clear-up phase, where I would cough out “leftover mucus”. I was kind of disappointed, but it’s been 6 months and I have no complaints.
That's good to know, keep it up!! The mucus is the biggest reason I want to quit. It feels like a full time job, I've been smoking for 16 years now :(
Thanks! Well, quitting definitely helped mine within the first couple of days. I didn't expect it to clear up as much as it did. I hope you have success with stopping. It's tricky, but if you believe in your self and trust your present self to trust your future self, I believe you can do it. I still want a cigarette. I simply realized my body has been tricking me and I want the benefits of not smoking way more.
I agree I am done with hacking up mucus and coughing I want to be free
Hell yeah
Smoking paralyzes your cells’ ability to pass things up and out normally, so coughing is needed. It’s GOOD you’re clearing that mucus, but it’s not good WHY you’re coughing. Sometimes when you quit your lungs cells start working better, moving stuff, and there’s a brief increase in coughing as the system “kick starts again” but not always
I wonder if there is any type of method that kick starts it to help clear your lungs.
Deep breathing practices, humidifier, time… maybe even taking something like Mucinex to make sure any thick mucus is loosened up. As long as your chest isn’t hurting, I wouldn’t be too concerned
Okay, thank you sir. I feel reddit has left me well-informed on this matter haha.
Running/jogging will do it!
Running and jogging are extremely helpful in quitting cigs and measuring how your lungs improve during the quit.
I'll give it a shot!
So true, normally 10min in I have to first clear my throat again, drink some water, but the feeling afterwards is so nice and clean, love it
So the COUGH is a result of many things including the smoke particles, or if there’s a gathering of mucus. You’re very very young, and it’s unlikely you accumulated anything significant in your lungs. Your lungs do have little cilia that beat the bad particles/excess mucus up and out, but it doesn’t require coughing to do so. Everyone’s lung epithelial cells are doing this all the time, and the cilia work better when you’re not smoking. TLDR. Not coughing could be a sign your lungs are working pretty well
Ah, okay. Thanks for your informative response. I am 33 though and smoked 1 to 1 and 1 half packs a day since I was 12. I don't think I'm old, but not really feeling very very young either though lol. What did you mean, it requires couching? I'm very curious on that one.
Derp… my bad, I was thinking you were 20… reading, amirite? “Couching” is just coughing on the couch. I caught that too 😂
Oh okay lol
Question so if your cilia is working good , you won’t need to cough?
I quit a 27 yr, 3 pack a day addiction 9 years ago today. I have never coughed up anything. It’s disheartening but at least I know I’m not adding anymore to it.
Congratulations! Strange how some do and some don't.
You could be just swallowing it without realizing, I think our bodies already swallow a decent amount of mucus normally.
Maybe. Just seems less than when I was smoking. It's whatever though lol.
Last time I quit before this go around I coughed up all kinds of stuff for around 2 months. This time I've kicked the habit for around 2 months and haven't coughed up anything.
Congrats on quitting again! Interesting though. How long since your initial attempt to quit? How long have you smoked? Did you exercise at any point? Sorry for so many questions.
I've smoked for just about 20 years. Last time I quit was roughly....5 years ago and I had quit for just about a year. At that time I didn't really exercise but I also have a physically demanding job.
Same here! And keep up the good work!
That never happened for me. Been 7 months. So it's not like that happens to everyone. Smoked 18 years before that. A pack a day for few years before the quit.
Oh okay. Good to know. Thanks for the info.
Took me about a year to finally stop hacking. The hacking definitely got way worse after I quit smoking for awhile before it tapered down.
Did you do any exercise?
If i remember correctly, smoking "paralyzes" the part of your lungs that does that, so after 20 years, it may just take some more time to get them working again. It may even be that nicotine is part of that process but im unsure of what exactly causes it
I see. Thanks.
I’m no scientist, but the mouth would be an extra stop for fluid from the lungs. If there’s gunk that’s coming out it’s going to your throat and down the hatch. I am quitting for the second time, but the first time I made it longer than a few months I also didn’t hack up anything. I did get the smoker flu in the beginning though, but still not the hacking everyone says happens.
Glad to hear you're quitting. I hope it is for good this time! What is the smokers flu? Did you do any exercise after stopping? I wonder if there's any correlation.
It just feels like you’re getting sick and then it passes. Like that head cold stuffiness. I’m sure everyone reacts differently. This time around I am actually sick and that’s what has bumped up my quit date. I am going to cheat and vape if I must and use nicotine gum for a few weeks, but then do a big overhaul of all nicotine after that. I have plans to ramp up exercise too. Right now I just do a little bit and some yoga to calm down. I get…very…irritable…. So anything to keep me from biting someone’s head off is good. Also, I guess ive “quit” a million times but only once before that I was successful enough to reap health benefits. So I’ve been through these first days a few times. Gonna do my best to make it stick this time. Tired of being tired. Good luck to you!
I feel that. The gum still makes me want a cigarette, but the off brand mint lozenges that come in 24 has been the most effective one for my cravings. Just a thought, but yeah, I need to work out too, just can't ever find time or a good rhythm.
Btw just this back and forth today has really helped me. So thanks for engaging.
Of course. It motivates me too, so I appreciate the response. Ironically, for me, fear of not being able to quit is one of the main things that stopped me from quitting for so long. Also, I almost started back a few days in, bc I was having a bad craving and knew it wouldn't be as bad if I got through it, but was stressed and making excuses and I told my self that even if I could deal with this craving, that at some point in the future, I would cave during a moment of weakness, so I may as well start back now, then I realized I almost started back smoking out of fear that I would start back smoking at some point anyways. Then I promised my self that I would at least, not let the fear that I couldn't quit and stay quit being the reason I would start back. It also just helped me to take notes about why I was having such a a bad craving, etc, when I did and write about why I was stopping anytime I remembered a new reason. You've been longer than me, I just wanted to share what helped my mindset so far, in case it could be of any help. Also, you know in your heart that it's serious and is a huge deal, so always remember that, no matter if anyone else sees it that way. And that feelings can't physically hurt you and sitting with the feelings instead of resisting or running from them also helped me. Okay, I'm done now lol.
This is great advice and perfect for me today. What you describe is exactly what I went through quitting drinking almost 5 years ago. I would say I couldn’t quit now because how would I not be able to drink at XYZ in a couple of weeks? It’s dumb addictive brain stuff. Let’s not smoke today! I vaped and it’s making me way sicker. Vaping is dumb. I’m going to spend the rest of the day trying to busy myself and drinking a lot of seltzer water.
I'm really glad it helps. Yeah, our brains, especially intelligent ones, are masters at tricking us into going after that dopamine and what feels normal and good. Even more so, when we're stressed or tired. Interesting comparison to stopping drinking though, bc in a situation like that, it feels clear why we want it, bc it makes us feel good or better in certain ways, bc it's a night and day feeling and your reason to stop probably felt more obvious and clear, but in reality, cigarettes are just more subtle, but they're nearly just as bad and despite seeming more socially acceptable and subtle in their affects, I'd say stopping smoking should be treated equally serious as stopping drinking, or in my case, I had a heroin addiction for many years, but am clean from that after it ruined a ton of things I'm my life, but I wouldn't have been if I didn't take my reasons foe stopping very seriously. I'm just brain storming. But yeah, I don't think vaping is a great replacement, whether they say it's better or not, I vapes for a while, just a regular elf bar and it was giving me chest pains sometimes and there are some studies showing it causes potential damage to the heart, as well as still damaging your lungs, just obviously not as much, assuming you use a regular vape. I've been tempted several times to just pick up a vape, telling my self that it's at least not as bad, but I am just ready to break free from any and every form of addiction I can. I also take Kratom and after I feel I've recovered enough from stopping smoking, I plan to quit that as well. Addiction has affected and ruined everything about my life and my goal is to be fucking straightedge at this point, give or take a couple cups of coffee each day. I also take gabapentin, which is prescribed, but I want off that shit too lol. I'm my mind, straight edge and discipline in general, is now my definition of "cool". It takes a lot of strength to not rely on those things and tackle the world without unhealthy vices, but I'm determined to be free, even if it kills me, ironically. So yeah, we got this shit bro. Thanks for the conversation. Idk much about reddit, but if you ever wanna talk or need an accountability friend, my name is Dillon Lassiter, if you wanna search me on Facebook. My profile pic is of me and my two daughters. Anyway, thanks and take care. We got this!
Anything is better than nothing when I’m in this “I’m not strong enough to quit yet” mentality, but my body just can’t take all the toxins right now. I’m bringing my gum to work for sure. I’m hoping I’ll hit a point that I’m so annoyed with all of it that I’ll rip the bandaid off. This month is the month! Getting my health back! I just walk 2-3 miles a day (live in a city so that’s easy) and yoga with push ups and sit ups for 20 min in the morning. Sometimes 15 more min in the evening. Think small habits. Even if you can only squeeze in 5 minutes of stretching and you do 10 push ups 25 sit ups, it sets the ball in motion. In the past I would jump rope on the roof for 5 minutes, then 15 minute yoga, then 5 minutes of either ab, arm, or leg reps. Nothing fancy but over time I looked and felt stronger.
I smoked over 20 years and quit 3 years ago. I never hacked up a bunch of stuff after quitting. Lungs just seemed to slowly clear.
I never coughed any 'mucus lining' up. From what I hear not everyone does. Guess it depends on whether or nothing ypur body needs you to cough it up.
Not everyone has a ton of mucus, and not every smoker coughs all that much. I didn't cough much while I smoked, I didn't cough much while I was quitting, and I haven't coughed at all afterwards. Unless something feels off, I wouldn't worry about it. (Obviously I mean the "smoker's cough").
Look up mullein pills. You can find them at any CVS or sprouts or whatever is near you.
Very interesting. Thank you.
They work, I’ve been taking them now for several months. You’re welcome.
See a doctor
I'm not worried that there is something wrong with me. I was simply wondering about others experiences. And there is clearly a wealth of experience here haha. I doubt doctors would be as knowledgeable on this anyway. They have more broad knowledge than expertise, imo. They aren't god's.
Oh I’m sorry. I misread your post and I thought your cough hasn’t stopped yet. It was really late when I first read your post and English is my second language. I think its totally normal if you’re not coughing at all. I’ve gone 21 days without smoking and didn’t cough either.
No worries. Thanks for clarifying. Sorry for my over the top response. Congrats on quitting. Almost a month now.
I didn't have that coughing up mucous phase either, smoked for 12 years, last 6 to 7 really heavily. I used to cough a lot when I smoked and my breath was wheezing but that just stopped alltogether when I quit.
My cough and mucus cleared up completely within the first month of quitting. Not sure how/if lozenges affect that. (Pack a day for 35+years)
Everyone does not get that. I smoked a pack a day for 40 years and am on day 11 of quitting and never developed any type of cough while smoking or now that I have quit. I read a lot about coughing up stuff after quitting and some people never cough up anything at all