Is Recovery From Smoking Supposed To Be This Horrible Or Do I Most Likely Have Some Kind Of Lung Disease?

[John5859]

I quit smoking 7 months ago, after smoking 20 a day for years and it has been hell. For 5 months, there was so much mucus, that i could barely breath through my left lung. Then the mucus magically went away and i could breath quickly and deeply for the first time. I still get mucus but nowhere near as much.

Next came inflammation in my left lung, that was so painful, that it kept me up at night. This ended a few weeks ago. I then went to the hospital and based on an examination, x ray and blood test. They told me that i definetely don't have lung cancer and most likely don't have copd as i am too young ( i am 38).

I only have a few of the symptoms and nothing showed up on the x ray. Nonetheless i am terrified of being diagnosed with some kind of disease. Doctors are not always right and i am not sure if it is normal for recovery from smoking to be this horrible.

[JimF]

You're going through withdrawal symptoms, as you know. Have you gone completely cold turkey, or are you trying to ease the symptoms with nicotine replacements?

It will get better. You have made one of the best decisions you'll ever make in your life.

[237SJ]

I was always under the impression that smoking supressed the cilia in the lungs that bring up mucus so that when you give up, they start working again which is why you get lots of mucus. The pain in the lung might have been pleuricy or something unconnected to smoking

[John5859]

The problem is almost exclusively with the left lung. Nearly all of the mucus is coming from there and when there was pain up till a few weeks ago. It was only in that lung.

[Atheist]

I think that you're doing the right thing. I wish I had your strength.

[barry1010]

Giving up smoking was the hardest thing I have ever done voluntarily and it took months before I felt well or even comfortable.
I had chest pains, breathlessness, mucous, several bouts of bronchitis and URTI.
I also went in to depression and almost felt bereft.
After 18 months or so I felt properly well and much better than I had for years.
That was nearly 30 years ago and it was one of the best things I ever did.

[Bobbisox1]

Well done John , it does get better , hang on in there

[bednobs]

how do you now the problems are in your left lung (and how do you "breathe through" one lung or the other and how can you tell? ) Genuinely curious!

[johnk]

Keep not smoking, you will come through all the pains and it will be well worth it, and well done so far

[ladybirder]

I smoked for roughly 35 years and now have serious/very serious COPD and struggle to breathe when walking even the shortest distance such as from the sofa to the bathroom. So do carry on, you don't want to end up like me. Good luck.