Is this Normal?

[Rise_and_Grind]

I quit smoking 48 days ago. Longest Ive ever gone voluntarily. My question is this. Since I quit smoking Ive had issues with getting a full breath at times. It feels like Im trying to take a deep breath but my lungs didnt get enough air.  After a few attempts I may yawn and sometimes that works. Sometimes it causes discomfort in my chest like a very mild tightness. Has this happened to anyone else? Should I be alarmed. I have gone to the doc and he said my lungs sound clear that my oxygen is normal. 

[YoungAtHeart]

I have not heard of these symptoms being caused by quitting smoking.  I don't know your age or how long you smoked, or anything about your environment now or in the past.......

You might ask your doctor to do a spirometry test (checking the amount of air in vs. out in your breathing). 

Congratulations on 48 days quit.  That is GREAT!

Nancy

[CommunityAdmin]

Rise_and_Grind‌  We actually have quite a few people coming to the site searching "tightness".  Perhaps you would like to read some of those comments?  Using the search function in upper right is a good way to see if other members have had similar symptoms. Glad to hear you have asked your Dr. about it though.  

As YoungAtHeart‌ mentions. You may want to ask your Dr. about other tests.  

Mark
EX Community Manager

[elvan]

Rise_and_Grind  I have COPD and I knew I had it before I quit smoking but I kept denying it.  After I quit smoking, I became more aware of my breathing and I made an appointment with a pulmonologist to find out exactly what I was dealing with.  It took several months to get the appointment.  My family doctor kept telling me that my lungs sounded so much better that he could not believe it. I felt that shortness of breath that you are talking about because I was trapping air in my lungs...I could not get all of the air out and that left no room to get air IN.  After I saw the pulmonologist and went through testing, including a low dose CT Scan, and something called a VQ Scan...it was determined that I was a good candidate for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery.  They removed the most diseased parts of my lungs which were my upper lobes and that left room for my lower lobes to expand and allow me to take more effective breaths. I smoked for 47 years...quitting only for short terms on my own and during pregnancies.  It was a long time...like YoungAtHeart‌ said, any damage that was done needs to be diagnosed by a specialist.  You did the BEST possible thing you could do for yourself, you quit smoking. CONGRATULATIONS!

[Rise_and_Grind]

I smoked for almost 20 years. Im only 32 so I dont know if I have done any damage to my lungs. Ive had Xrays and there are no spots on my lungs. Its a rare occurance that it happens. Generally about once a day or so. And usually its just when Im paying attention to my breathing. It has been going on for at least 2 months now.  I went to a Care Now doctor who suggested that it might be anxiety but I know deep down that this is not what this is. 

[maryfreecig]

Dread, fear, anxiety can cause a lot of illusions--I say this from experience. I would not say this to you at all if it were not for all the medical evidence that you have put forth about your lungs being in good condition. Not all 'symptoms' indicate trouble--some simply come and go and indicate nothing. But it is very reasonable to check in with the doc again if your problem persists. You are your best advocate.

Congratulations on 48.   Quitting now, at the age of 32, means you've increased your changes for good health in a really big way. You'll also save a lot of bucks. High five! Keep up the good work. 

[YoungAtHeart]

It sounds like you have had all the basic tests done.  Next time it happens, perhaps pay attention to any other symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms - which could indicate a panic attack.  Breathing is something you should actually not be paying attention to - and that might actually cause you to unconsciously breathe differently when you think about it.  If you still want to have it checked out, I believe a pulmonologist would be your next step to check for COPD.  I have not had experience with that - so will ask elvan‌ to check in about this.  I can't imagine someone as young as you would have developed it yet...........................but I am certainly no expert!

Nancy

[Giulia]

Have you tried any pursed breathing techniques?  If yawning helps that might help also.  Also see if either of these help:

[Daniela2016]

Welcome, and congrats on 48 days!  Great decision, and even if you do not think it is anxiety, it might just be your way of dealing with the new, Ex-smoker situation.  I found the exercise posted by Giulia‌ to be extremely useful, and even now, 534 days later, I still practice when nervous, anxious, or sometimes, stupidly, thinking about smoking...

[elvan]

Rise_and_Grind  You are very young but it is entirely possible that you have some lung damage and I would not take the word of an urgent care doctor...I would want to see a pulmonologist.  There were no visible spots on my lungs either...on x-rays but there were on a low dose CT Scan.  It is more than likely that there is nothing serious wrong.  I DO recommend the breathing exercises that Giulia‌ recommended.  You may very well have forgotten how to breathe without smoking.  You CAN do this...we are here to help you and congratulations on coming so far on your own!

Ellen