Just Quit and Can’t Breathe Normally
I am so glad I found this group!
I have been smoking since I was 17 and I’m 35 now. 6 days ago (a Friday
night) I was unwinding with my husband (smoking) and smoked more than I
normally do. I woke up the next morning feeling a very tight chest and felt
like I couldn’t breathe normally. It felt like a panic attack as I have had
one before but I thought it was brought on by too many cigs.
I felt like this most of the day but by evening, felt better and smoked more
cigs though not nearly as many as the night before.
The next morning I woke up the same way only the tightness lasted all day
and at times I felt I couldn’t breathe and felt dizzy. I was panicking so I
feel I probably made it a lot worse than it was. I decided to quit that day.
On Sunday. I did not sleep well at all that night.
Monday I still experienced the tightness and felt more and more panicked. I
did not smoke. I thought maybe the cigs had triggered an asthmatic attack
and so on Tuesday I went and got an inhaler. Did not smoke on Tuesday but
noticed in the evenings when I had a couple of glasses of wine, I did not
suffer the breathing problem.
Wednesday still experiencing the periodic tightness. If I am walking around
doing things I notice that I don’t feel the tightness. I don’t have problems
doing hard, physical labor. But if I start thinking about it or how I’m
breathing, I immediately feel the tightness. Did not smoke Wednesday and
found your site. I saw that chest tightness is a symptom of nicotene
withdrawal. I never new that.
Thursday still experiencing the periodic tightness. At evening, had a couple
of glasses of wine, something stressful happened, and I craved a cig. I was
still experiencing some tightness at this time. I caved and smoked 2 cigs. I
felt immediately better and felt that I could breathe deeply and normally!
So, I’ve had 2 cigs in 6 days and I still feel this tight chest. I know I am
obsessing about it and it is sore now from the on and off clenching.
I have never experienced a week like this in my life. And of course I’m
paranoid that I’m going to die. I am so frightened.
JW