The Five Most Common Side Effects of Quitting Smoking
80Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms
Unfortunately when you quit smoking experiencing some smoking withdrawal symptoms is common. The side effects of quitting smoking can be diverse.
After quitting smoking not everyone is affected by smoking withdrawal symptoms and side effects to the same degree. This is because our bodies deal differently to the lack of nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco smoke which is no longer inhaled daily.
This hub aims to prepare you for the side effects you may experience after you quit smoking.
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Typical Side Effects of Quitting Smoking
• Cravings
After you quit smoking cravings for nicotine are most common. Typically a craving can last around 5 minutes and can be very overwhelming. Using a nicotine replacement therapy aid such as patches or gum can help reduce how powerful a smoking craving is. You will still need a contingency plan to get through smoking cravings.
There are no quick fixes for smoking cravings. Focus on the reasons you have decided to quit smoking and the benefits you will gain when you succeed. Try diverting your attention by going for a short walk or practicing breathing exercises.
• Insomnia
Your body reacts to the lack of nicotine (a stimulant) after quitting smoking by absorbing more of other stimulants such as caffeine. This is often why, after you quit smoking, you become irritable and restless while your body adjusts.
To minimize this side effect of quitting smoking you should reduce your intake of coffee, tea, cola and stimulant caffeine drinks. Try decaffeinated products or replacing tea and coffee with fruit juice or herbal teas.
• Coughing
Often after you quit smoking you may develop a cough. This is caused by the cilia (the small hairs) that line your lungs and windpipe re-growing and working to clear out the tar and mucus that has built up over the time you were a smoker. Your body is healing itself. If the cough is lasting more than a couple of weeks consult your doctor or healthcare provider as the cough may no longer be a side effect of quitting smoking.
• Depression, anxiety and irritability
One of the most dreaded side effects of quitting smoking, particularly by those around you, are the bad moods and tempers that are often associated with quitting. Try and remain stress free, eat healthily and plan some light exercise into your day as that will help you relax.
• Weight Gain and Increased Appetite
Many people, particularly women, dread putting on weight after quitting smoking. There are a few reasons why people experience weight gain.
You may experience sugar cravings. This is because nicotine is a stimulant and gives you an adrenaline rush which in turn causes your body to “dump” sugar. After quitting smoking your body has a lower bloody sugar level as it is no longer stimulated to release sugar. Eating small healthy snacks throughout the day helps reduce the sugar cravings
Eating becomes something to do instead of smoking, so make sure you have healthy snacks available and do not replace cigarettes by candy or chocolate!
Your taste buds suddenly discover the true taste of food and you eat more!
If you are experiencing increased appetite try drinking a glass of water before your meals so you feel fuller more quickly.
So there you have the five most common side effects of quitting smoking and smoking withdrawal symptoms. By knowing what to expect after you quit smoking you can prepare in advance. Preparing for smoking withdrawal symptoms you are more likely to succeed with your goal to become smoke free.
Quick Tips to Help Deal with Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms
- Make a list of 5 minute distractions to use when you need a cigarette. Examples would be activities like phoning a friend, playing solitaire, go for a brisk short walk, eat a piece of fruit, and play with a pet.
- Changing your routine helps you to stop smoking cigarettes. The urge to smoke is often associated with certain activities or triggers. If your first smoke of the day is with coffee over breakfast, drink tea or have breakfast out. If driving triggers your need to smoke then change to walking or find alternative transport or car shares.
- Replace cigarettes with healthy snacks so you can break the hand to mouth cycle. Try celery or carrot sticks, chopped fruit, sunflower seeds or nuts as alternatives.
- On a similar theme, try shelling and eating nuts when you have the urge to smoke. This has the benefit of using hands and mouth to replace the physical smoking habit.
- Learn some relaxation and deep breathing techniques that you can use if you feel stressed. Stress is often a trigger for having a cigarette as well as the stress of quitting.
- Create a smoke free zone that you can relax in. If others are smoking around you then you are likely to start again. Have somewhere you can escape to when needed.
- Write a quit smoking plan outlining your personal benefits of stopping smoking, goals and reasons to stop smoking cigarettes. Refer to it often.
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Hi sord87. Congrats on successfullky quitting!
Weight gain is a common side effect of quitting and one I struggle with too. I just love my food I think lol
Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment :)
I am not a smoker but I know that the weight gain is number one change if you quit smoking. Thank you for the information.
Hi Lady Seren,
Good information about quitting smoking, especially the idea of changing your daily routine to eliminate activities previously associated with smoking. Voted up and useful. Take care.
Healthwriterbob
The cravings where not so bad after the 6th day. I then started getting irritable. And I crave sweets soooo bad. I am going to gain so much weight.
Hi Lady Seren, I have just quit smoking and on the 4th day now :), it was just a sudden stop of it all without the help of anything ie. gums and it was not even a gradual reduction - just a gift to my wife on our aniversary of 17yrs engagement:)and a balance of half-rim with me... thnx for the above, I know what to expect now...
Good info. I was looking for reason why I can't stop coughing. I have given up ciggies for 1 month now and wonder if the nicotine replacement mini tabs can make the cough worse. Still not sure.
I quit 8 weeks ago. I can't get enough sugar and have gained 8 lbs. but my hair smells great the cough is gone and I'm starting to exercise. I smoked for 40 years and I'm feeling good
I quit 1 month ago , having a bad cough,dizzing and body pain, still have some impression of these
im trying to stop smoking but im worry cuz i tried to stop two weeks ago i start to fell like im high (i dont do any drugs or weed). im very scare the becuase some my friend syid its may depression but if i feel its something related with smoking.
it has been 3 months since i'd stop smoking and i'm still coughing and when i cough i feel like i'm coughing up a lung is that normal
I quit smoking a month ago. The coughing subsided, but I am suffering from insomnia and a very horrible mood!! I feel like I am depressed for no apparent reasong and I feel very angry or aggressive most of the time! But overall I'm glad I quit smoking I feel much more refreshed and clean inside out too, but I wish these feelings would go away.
been 7 days since i quit cold turkey. occasional cravings for cigs, make sure i eat more because so my blood sugar don't drop. my symptoms are swollen hands and feet and sore throat and mouth. i read somwhere why this happens but it wasn't happening at time so didnt take notice now trying to find again
I smoking 40 a day for 20 years and I gave up 17 days ago cold turkey. I feel lethargic and still crave. When will I start feeling good?
2 months quit after 25 yrs of smoking, side effects less sleep an weight gain, but I don't understand after such a long time smoking no coughing or mood change, anyone any ideas.
I quit 4 weeks ago cold turkey and I have bought a pack to carry around with me to see how much control I have. So far, I have given them to others who ask and not smoked one. I have experienced anxiety and sleeplessness but what I do like the most is that I can smell again and when I get near anyone who's smokes, it can realize how bad I smelled to others.
Dear Readers,
It feels so good to read this page as it give a reason to be smoke free, as i was actually thinking whats hapenning with me
BY THE WAY I QUIT SMOKING WITHOUT ANY SUPPLEMENTS OR SUPPORT OF ANY PATCH SINCE LAST 4 MONTHS
BUT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT FOR QUITING THIS ADDICTIVE HABIT OF ALMOST 18 YEARS AROUND 15-20 STICKS A DAY
SPECIALLY TIGHTNESS, PAIN IN LEFT HAND, AND PALPITATION SCREWED MY LIFE SINCE LAST FOUR MONTHS AFTER QUITTING
I THINK QUITTING CIGARATES IS NOT DIFFICULT IF U HAVE DESIDED BY THE AFTER EFFECTS ARE REALY YOU CAN SAY WILL DISTURB YOU LIFE BUT ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO QUIT
AFTER EFFECTS OF QUITTING I HAVE BEEN THROUGH:
PALPITATION
PAIN IN LEFT HAND
CHEST TIGHTNESS
KNEE PAIN
DIZZENESS
SHORTNESS IN BREATH
CRAVING
HUNGRY A LOT
SORE THROAT
MOUTH ULSERS
NECK PAIN
LOT OF ECGS, BLOOD TEST, X-RAY, THYROID TEST, AND OXYGEN LEVELS, AND WITH DOCTORS AND MACHINES,CHECKED WITH ALL THE POSSIBLE DOCTORS, FROM G.P TO NEUROSUREGON, ORTHOPADIC,CARDIOLOGIST, EMERGENCY ROOMS, INTERNEST,THE DOCTORS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING RELATED TO HEALTH, BUT ONE DOCTOR WHO HIMSELF IS A SMOKER I WENT TO HIM AND HE WAS LIKE YOU QUIT SMOKING SO IT IS GOING TO BE FOR A WHILE BEFORE YOU WILL HAVE A NORMAL LIFE
WELL THINKING IF ANYONE ELSE FELT THE SAME, PLEASE DO REPLY AS IT IS THE BIGGEST SUPPORT
THOUGH I HAVE HANDLED AND HAVE SOME OF THE EFFECT LESS BUT STILL THERE
Stopped smoking 3 months ago.....starting to feel
STRESS
PALPITATIONS
INSECURITY
ELBOW PAINS
DIZZENESS
CRAVING
INSOMNIA
HUNGRY A LOT
MOUTH ULCERS
Phew - this really does not leave you alone - just wanna booze to sleep / not much quality of life at the moment
I have been quit 4 months after using Champix so I had no symptoms for the first few months of quitting. Now I have a constant feeling of needing to clear my throat. It feels like mucous is constantly running down the back of my throat. It kept me up ALL night last night. I hope this doesnt lasnt long
I am on day 46 of stopping smoking. I smoked from age 12 to 51 and I am very surprised at how awful I feel after stopping. The first ten days I felt numbness from my elbow to my hands, knees to feet, and the back of my tougue. This went away, but I also lost all motivation, felt tired, lathargic, and sometimes very agressive. Now am suffering from depression...It has been brutal. I hope things will start to stabilize soon...I still have no intentions to start again. I like that I can smell, taste, I dont smell like a cigarette, and I dont cough.. Although I have gained 15 lbs and tend to like to snack now. My skin is looking great, healthy and full of oxygen.. The negative side effects for me have been tough. If you have only been smoking a few years, quit now before it becomes painful to quit..
sord87 Level 1 Commenter 2 years ago
There are some affect me when I quit smoking a few months ago but It won't for long ,cough a bit,moody,feeling anxiety ,that all are normal but gain weight,increase appetite this one really can't stop ,and exercise is ver y much needed to control weight!A good explanation!