Time has come
I have never been a heavy smoker and apart from the occassional one when a very young adult, I didnt start smoking regularly until I was 30. I am now 47 and have had bronchial type symptoms for about a year that have gradually worsened and for the past 3 months I have been continuously unwell with a productive cough, nasal congestion, sleepless nights and generally feeling terrible. Have had xrays, blood tests, nasal swabs that have all been clear. A spirometry test this week after using a preventer and ventolin as needed for the past month has basically confirmed I have smoking related lung disease. I am so angry with myself, who was I kidding? I detested smoking as a child, my parents both smoked and I swore I would never take it up. Now look at me - 47 years of age with lungs that function the equivalent of a 72 year old. Time to quit. I have already started to cut down with refraining from smoking at work over the past few weeks. I really want to do this, I want to be fit and healthy. This is the first day of my commitment to quit. I can do this! I am glad I found this site as I dont think I would be able to do it on my own.
Hi Josi, I'm having a spirometry test in a couple of weeks. I felt like you do after my chest xray came back not perfect & said the same words here just as you have. I was so angry and thought well who was I kidding, what was I expecting? I had chronic asthma as a kid. However, my anger was short lived as you can only move forward from here and we are now doing only good for ourselves we can't dwell on the past, just look to a positive, healthier future! good luck.
Hi josi,
Just before I quit, I was feeling down in the dumps and quit depressed. I was drinking heavy and hated life generally. I was feeling like a loser. But something clicked in my mind, I decided to quit smoking, I cut back the drinking and started to transform my life. As the days passed, I started to feel better, I started to believe, I started to feel like a winner. Today I feel absolutely awesome. I've let my problems of the past go, and look forward to getting up everyday. Quitting has totally changed my life for the good. It will do the same for you. So good on you for deciding to quit, stick at it, believe you can and go out and do it!!!