Phlegm after 9 months
I have completed 9 months now. I started having phlegm after around 2 months of quitting and still controlled cough out few times (1-3/4) a day. I take this as a part of healing my lung by expelling tar I accumulated from 18 years of smoking. I do not have chest pain and cough though. I have been googling so much about this but it seems to be so difficult to get convincing and scientific answer. Some says it comes out for few weeks, some say few months, some say 9 months, some say 1 year for 6 years of smoking i.e. 3 years if you had smoked for 18 years. Can this be considered withdrawal symptom? Please share your story.
First tony, congratulations on 9 months quit, it seems as though it is easing somewhat from last time, with no pain or tightness of your chest, which is good. You have also done the right thing by going to your doctor to get that important check up which was happily all clear. I did suggest getting onto your eating plan to keep a diary of times this happened etc. You need to keep this up if you have started or you need to start down that track first.
Do not google anymore about it, we are all made up differently., this will only make you more anxious. Do the diet, and get back to your doctor with some of your results or get onto a dietician who will help you organize this. You have been checked out for serious problems so you can do this for yourself now.
Keep on saying NOPE (not one puff ever), keep on with your good work of not smoking, this is important when you are sick, as it will only get worse. Keep on posting and let us know how the eating plan diary is going.
Everyone is different . You have seen a doctor , so rest assured that it will pass. There is no blood or difficulty breathing or other problems indicative of ill health. Your lungs are in recovery, and will do so at their own speed it seems.
Congratulations on quitting smoking and enjoying the good life as a non-smoker. Enjoy life, don't spend it worrying about something that isn't or something that won't happen. Be thankful , happy and PROUD.
Thank you everyone. Thank god I do not have chest tightness and pain now. It was intermittent pain so I am yet to confirm if I really got out of it. Also, I was tested H-Pylori positive and I had taken antibiotics medicines. It could be due to H-pylori-need some more months to confirm this also. So, I did not want to mention this until confirmation.
Also, I spit saliva 2-3 times with some black tar-it may not be phlegm actually. I believe when we share story it could help someone with similar story at least morally. @softly40 you have mentioned about diet before also. Please share and elaborate about this. Thanks.