Quitting Effects

[crjohnson53]

I quit two weeks ago yesterday.  I of course still want one at the usual times.  But, since I quit I've had a lot of symptoms that I just realized were due to quitting.  I had a wreck back in October and have had a lot of problems from that.  So, I've had a lot of tests; blood tests, CT Scans, MRI.  Neurologist does believe that I had a concussion which caused some memory loss in the first week after the wreck.  

Since I started cutting back on the cigarettes around the first week of February and subsequently quit smoking on March 4, I started having tingling in my feet, legs, arms, and hands which has sometimes been worse at night.  I have discovered through research now, that can be a symptom of quitting smoking along with anxiety,insomnia, difficulty concentrating, irritability, sweating and depression, of which, I have had all those. I have also experienced a recent worsening of my memory problems.

I also just read that all this is caused by a lack of nicotine which basically reduced the amount of serotonin and dopamine that is naturally made and therefore, until those essential feel good things come back after quitting smoking I will continue to have these terrible symptoms

Just wondering if anyone else experienced these symptoms and how long did it take before your brain started making its own serotonin and dopamine?  Also, did you regain some memory?

[AnnetteMM]

The tingling is probably your circulation getting better, quite frankly.  I had lung pain for the first couple of weeks after I quit.  The emotional effects are most likely the dopamine, like you said.  These things will all resolve themselves eventually.  Keep up the great work!

[crjohnson53]

Thank you!

[Kimshine]

I have had some withdrawal symptoms also. I don't have any tingling. Keep hanging in there, it does get better! There's no reason to smoke. 

We have to be cautious of talking ourselves into smoking again because of these ill effects. The nicotine is gone from your system, no need to re-introduce it.

Breathe deep and this too shall pass. 

[crjohnson53]

Thank you!

[Lisaml]

Congrats on your quit! The tingling could be serotonin depletion. Add some 5HTP (over the counter at health food store) supplements. 

5HTP is precursor to serotonin and falls into the "can't hurt, might help" category.

whatever you do, don't give up. 

Lisa 

[crjohnson53]

Thank you!!

[elvan]

Congratulations on your quit.  Things WILL get better and better and please don't think that everything you are feeling is because of quitting smoking.  It is entirely possible that you are actually paying closer attention to what you are feeling.  When we smoke, we mask emotions and physical feelings because all of our concentration is on the next nicotine fix.  No one can tell you when things will get better or even if things will be the same.  We CAN tell you that if you stick with your quit, you will get stronger physically and emotionally.  I have rheumatoid arthritis and when I quit, I felt like my hands hurt more than usual, I suspect they were getting some circulation that they had not been getting before I quit.  The concentration thing may have to do with a need for more oxygen...try taking a deep breath and letting it out very slowly as if you are smoking and inhaling deeply and then letting the smoke out slowly.  I had a doctor tell me that, he said that our lack of concentration has to do with the fact that while we were smoking, we forgot how to breathe.  

Read everything you can on nicotine addiction, stay close to the site, read blogs, pay attention to what is working for others.  This is a journey and you are still in the early stages.

Welcome to EX,

Ellen

[crjohnson53]

Thank you so much!

[Daniela2016]

Congratulations  crjohnson53 on your quit, the best decision you could have made for your health. 

From my own experience, check with your doctor for the levels of Thyroid at your next visit. Many of your symptoms are common for hypothyroidism too.  Just so you can eliminate that from the picture.