Anyone with asthma ever quit smoking? (Nurses/Docs ? too)

[CathrynRose]

Sunday night I ended up at the ER. From a violent, nebulizer wouldnt touch it, asthma attack. I truly cant even tell you the last time I had to go to the ER for asthma....Ive been with my husband for 7 years and never had to go.

Now - all this being said. I recently quit smoking again. Id say solidly for a good month now. WTH? Asthma worse NOW??? WHy on earth???

Can someone share some insight? WTH is going on?? Im having a tough time tonight, too??

Shouldnt I be breathing wonderful now????

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

It's not uncommon for people to temporarily get worse when they quit smoking. It's because all the stuff in your lungs has to be coughed up...the coughing can sometimes make asthma worse, but this is temporary. Please hang in there! The benefits to not smoking are going to be massive for you. Be on high alert for asthma symptoms and as soon as you feel sick, make sure there is somebody to drive you to the ER just in case. Be sure you're taking all your asthma medications and perhaps see your doctor and ask if you should increase your meds for the time being.

Congratulations on making it a month! I would love it if my partner would quit, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

 

[CathrynRose]

It's not uncommon for people to temporarily get worse when they quit smoking. It's because all the stuff in your lungs has to be coughed up...the coughing can sometimes make asthma worse, but this is temporary. Please hang in there! The benefits to not smoking are going to be massive for you. Be on high alert for asthma symptoms and as soon as you feel sick, make sure there is somebody to drive you to the ER just in case. Be sure you're taking all your asthma medications and perhaps see your doctor and ask if you should increase your meds for the time being.

Congratulations on making it a month! I would love it if my partner would quit, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

It's so confusing. Freaking me out - y'know?

I told my DR just yesterday. He gives me this new inhaler (the one they have a lot of commericals for now) Simbacort or something.... anyways, it's the commerical where the voiceover QUICKLY says "This medication is only to be used if other stuff doesnt work, cuz this one MAY cause asthma related deaths" *paraphrased*

I dont wanna take it.

BLAH!

I am hanging in there. Its tough though. I quit October 30th of 2006 until June-ish of 2007. I didnt have this problem that time. WHY OH WHY did I start again??? BLAH!

Thanks Dakota.... *sigh*

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Aww, I’m sorry you’re having a tough time. Don’t freak out though. We asthmatics need to not freak out…it makes it worse! Lol. Stress…asthma…not a good combination.

Your body is trying to expel all the stuff in your lungs. Trust me, you will start to feel better! As that stuff gets coughed out, you’ll feel like a new woman again. Unfortunately, when you have asthma, this process can be a PITA. I have a good friend who is also asthmatic and quit smoking several years ago. She went through all this same stuff you’re going through. Her asthma got worse but then it got amazingly better. She doesn’t even carry a rescue inhaler around anymore because she never has attacks. The period where it got worse only lasted a very short time…like days if I recall. So try not to stress out about this too much!

Who gave you this new medicine? Was it a primary doctor or was it an asthma specialist? If it was your specialist, then I would trust him that the medicine is safe! If it is a primary doctor, I would seek a second opinion. Do you take a preventative drug like Advair?

 

[phamton]

Many smokers have worse coughs (not sure about asthma though) initially because of the cilia starting to work properly and the lungs working to clear the tar out of the lungs that has accumulated over the years. Plus cigarette smoking temporarily numbs the lungs. I don't know if any of this would explain your asthma but this link does explain a little bit:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/asthmaandallergy/201709.html

 

[KristaTX]

Do you take a preventative drug like Advair?

Like Advair, Symbicort is a preventive medication that has a long-acting bronchodilator and a steroid. They are just different ones from what Advair has.

 

[CathrynRose]

Aww, I’m sorry you’re having a tough time. Don’t freak out though. We asthmatics need to not freak out…it makes it worse! Lol. Stress…asthma…not a good combination.

Your body is trying to expel all the stuff in your lungs. Trust me, you will start to feel better! As that stuff gets coughed out, you’ll feel like a new woman again. Unfortunately, when you have asthma, this process can be a PITA. I have a good friend who is also asthmatic and quit smoking several years ago. She went through all this same stuff you’re going through. Her asthma got worse but then it got amazingly better. She doesn’t even carry a rescue inhaler around anymore because she never has attacks. The period where it got worse only lasted a very short time…like days if I recall. So try not to stress out about this too much!

Who gave you this new medicine? Was it a primary doctor or was it an asthma specialist? If it was your specialist, then I would trust him that the medicine is safe! If it is a primary doctor, I would seek a second opinion. Do you take a preventative drug like Advair?

It was a general DR. Im thinking about staying with my FloVent - until I do go see the allergist. That commercial scared me BEFORE this guy gave it to me "This may cause asthma related death" - said really fast. Isnt this what I'd be trying to AVOID?

Many smokers have worse coughs (not sure about asthma though) initially because of the cilia starting to work properly and the lungs working to clear the tar out of the lungs that has accumulated over the years. Plus cigarette smoking temporarily numbs the lungs. I don't know if any of this would explain your asthma but this link does explain a little bit:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/asthmaandallergy/201709.html

Thanks for the link! Im not alone apparently in this weirdness. Its annoying simply because I QUIT because I saw my breathing was getting worse from smoking. Then I quit and- lookie there! Asthma attacks?

 

[noratata]

Hi, Im having the same issue, suffer from asthma - used to smoke - went to the E.R - quit smoking - now my asthma is worse than ever.

Now, I can see that this post are old but thats good cause you should be arround 6 months cigarrete free, please, did your asthma got better? around which month did it normalize?

 

[lovemygoofy]

Hi, Im having the same issue, suffer from asthma - used to smoke - went to the E.R - quit smoking - now my asthma is worse than ever.

Now, I can see that this post are old but thats good cause you should be arround 6 months cigarrete free, please, did your asthma got better? around which month did it normalize?

You need to drink LOTS and LOTS of water to get the stuff in your lungs out. Now that you are smoke free it's trying to loosen up and come out and it will aggrevate your asthma. I suggest you try some mucinex as well as take your asthma medicine but drink as much water as you can to help get the gunk out.

 

[terri01p]

Ok I have not had asthma since I were a child and all of a sudden I have started having asthma , I got the flu around March and never seemed to recover, it has steadily got worse and before you know it August was here and I've been weezing and coughing for months, non-stop coughing and weezing.

I ended up in the ER about three weeks ago and the gave me Predisome and a Symbicort inhaler along with some asthma medicine...

I still came home from the ER after a breathing treatment and could hardly breath, it took me two full days of taking all medicines before I felt better, what I was going to tell you is that the inhaler worked great for me I could really tell a difference but it cause me to have sores in my throat and I lost my voice.

Three weeks later, I'm off of everything and I think for now I seem ok, but I'm still a little afraid that it will return, it was horrible.
Now my problem is I coughed for so long ( months and months) that it's cause my bladder to drop, ok I know TMI, so now I'm seeing a doctor for that...geez!

Godspeed!

 

[C.Ann]

The coughing, hacking fits can last as long as a year after you quit smoking.. Some people actually end up going back to smoking because they can't deal with being so sick..

How are you doing now?

 

[Cool-Beans]

I coughed a lot right after I quit.

But I breathe so much better now. Everything is harder right after you quit, but as the years go on, everything is much, much better!!!

 

[Totally Tink]

You need to drink LOTS and LOTS of water to get the stuff in your lungs out. Now that you are smoke free it's trying to loosen up and come out and it will aggrevate your asthma. I suggest you try some mucinex as well as take your asthma medicine but drink as much water as you can to help get the gunk out.

How is drinking water going to clear her lungs? I'm confused.

 

[terri01p]

How is drinking water going to clear her lungs? I'm confused.

Whenever I went to the doctor he did stress how important it was for me to drink 10 glasses of water a day and no chocolate or soda...why I don't know but he was insistant. So maybe lovemygoofy knows, I guess I should have asked.

 

[pigletgirl]

The water helps thin the snot in the lungs, so you can cough it out easier.

Could this maybe be anxiety related even if you don't realize it? I know that probably sounds strange, but the brain can be so powerful like that.

Also, does the nicotine aid in like a temporary bronchial dilitation? Since you've now quit, maybe thats what making it worse?

Also the Symbicort, is not to be used in a crisis. It won't help your symptoms. Do you have Albuterol?

 

[Disney Doll]

OP, I'm curious if you were able to stay not smoking?

What is your med regime now?

 

["Got Disney"]

I quit smocking years ago....maybe 18 or so. years ago. Cigs went up to a $1.25 a pack and I said no way will I spend that for a pack of cigs...I coughed and coughed and coughed for at least 4 months.

It was the best decision I ever made. I was a 3 pack a day smoker. I did not have asthma than but I developed it about 2 years ago. One not related to the other.

What ever you do keep up the hard work...don't start again. You will feel better every day, every week, every month.

I replaced my smoking with coffee so instead of having a cig in the am I have a cup of coffee....after 2 weeks your system will be cleared and with drawls stop....but the hand to mouth habit and the "I need to have a cig when I get upset" habit or when ever you did something like after eating, waking up, drinking, habit will take longer to get rid of....but that is not physical but mental problem.

Stay with it and dont use your asthma as a reason to start up again becuase in all reality your Asthma is worse from smoking.

I wish you great luck!!!!!

 

[CPT Tripss]

This is a really old post (OP's last post in March) . . . she's still posting, so she must be OK (at least sort of ) . . . why bring it up again?