The next step - giving up smoking.

[Desmo]

I thought the nicotine was gone within only a few days but I could be wrong.

[iCraig]

Originally Posted by Desmo

I thought the nicotine was gone within only a few days but I could be wrong.

No you're probably right, it's something else that takes 1-2 weeks to leave your system.

[Tak]

What happens after you quit smoking?

20 MINUTES
• Blood pressure drops to normal
• Pulse rate drops to normal
• Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

8 HOURS
• Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
• Oxygen level in blood increases to normal

24 HOURS
• Chance of heart attack decreases

48 HOURS
• Nerve endings start regrowing
• Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

2 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS
• Circulation improves
• Walking becomes easier
• Lung function increases up to 30 percent

1 TO 9 MONTHS
• Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease
• Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection
• Body's overall energy increases

1 YEAR
• Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker

5 YEARS
• Lung cancer death rate for an average former smoker (one pack a day) decreases by almost half
• Stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker five to 15 years after quitting
• Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus is half that of a smoker's
Link

Day by day timeline

[iCraig]

Pretty scary that carbon monoxide levels take 8 hours to get back to normal. That means smokers typically rarely have a normal level of carbon monoxide|oxygen in their blood? Apart from just after a full night's sleep.

[Haly]

I remember my Dad loved it when his sense of taste improved He'd smoked for years since he was in the army as a teenager so don't think he could remember what food tasted like before

[Belmit]

What that list doesn't mention is that cigarettes are a mucas suppressant (IIRC), so you may find you get a buildup not long after stopping smoking, complete with coughing etc. Stick it out and it'll pass.

Keep it up dude!

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by Takhisis

Day by day timeline

Thanks for that link Sam. reading through it gives a more realistic idea of what to expect. All the other websites I've visited (including the NHS) focus on the positive effects of giving up smoking whilst choosing not to mention How difficult it will be and what to expect. That blog seems much more realistic - actually warning you what to expect but encouraging you to stick with it as the positive benefits outweigh the few days of misery.

Originally Posted by Haly

I remember my Dad loved it when his sense of taste improved He'd smoked for years since he was in the army as a teenager so don't think he could remember what food tasted like before

My Dad was the same. He had to stop taking so much salt on his food - he'd been covering his food in salt for years to make it taste of something and when he quit, his food tasted disgusting.

[Kell_ee001]

Originally Posted by lostkat

Really keeping everything crossed for you and this final big challenge Stan. I'm sure you can do it. And Kel, if you're reading this, you should be doing it too

One of us at a time or we wouldn't come out alive I will be cutting down a little through this anyway as I'll be avoiding smoking around Stan obviously

[Nutcase]

Fingers crossed for you s'ah You're doing great so far, keep it up

[Tak]

Originally Posted by Bigstan

Thanks for that link Sam. reading through it gives a more realistic idea of what to expect. All the other websites I've visited (including the NHS) focus on the positive effects of giving up smoking whilst choosing not to mention How difficult it will be and what to expect. That blog seems much more realistic - actually warning you what to expect but encouraging you to stick with it as the positive benefits outweigh the few days of misery.

I noticed that too - a lot of the results I got when searching were similar to the other timeline I posted, all positive "you have less chance of dying of something here" style but I was hunting for something a bit more in-depth including the nasties as I thought that would be more useful knowledge to aid supporting you