Hi Julian welcome to this amazing forum. You have made the best decision ever to start you life as a non smoker! Read as much as you can about quitting and other people’s stories and post as often as you want too. You can do this. 

Linda

Here I am. I made it! Over a month quit. Not even counting the days. I know I'm going all the way. I wish I could report that I feel better though. I am still short of breath.  I fear that I have a respertory disease and it's too late. I wasn't diagnosed with one, but because I smoked so long, people assume I do. Some folks said they started feeling better after six months or so.

Hang in there it does get better.  I quit August 1 I was okay for about three weeks then it felt like I was getting a cold.  Well by the first weekend in September I couldn't breathe, couldn't lie down I was choking and  coughing, couldn't catch my breath for nothing.  Ended up at the doctors they said sinus infection got medication that seemed to help a little but a week later back at the doctors i was now in addition to everything else having panic attacks with breathing.  Well they said viral bronchitis got a nebulizer treatment, and oral steroid in office.  After being on new medication for a week I finally started feeling better.  Its now first week in October, I'm sleeping through the night coughing is finally starting to calm down and I can walk around and do things.  So give it time but take care of yourself and do what your body wants.  

Good for you! Over a month! I fear I have a respiratory disease too. I’ve been waking up at 3 or 4 am wheezing and in a panic.  I take a steroidal inhaler that seemed like it wasn’t  working.. My left chest started to hurt and I got extremely panicked. So I took an anti anxiety pill and drank ginger turmeric tea which helped me breathe. The pill helped me go back to sleep. I’m really scared it’s too late for me. 

Thanks for sharing that. I hope it does get better. Did you get antibiotics or oral steroids for your bronchitis? Is it common to get these infections or viruses when you quit?

Hi julian, welcome :)

It's never too late to quit!  I stopped 7 months ago after smoking for 48 years.  i am not denying its been tough but I can see that it was the best decision i made.  I want to see my Grandchildren grow up and be of good health as I enter retirement... i don't want to be one of those who is always coughing and spluttering and at the doctors every 5 minutes.  You need to remind yourself why you are quitting, that always helps.

Good luck and stay near the forum - as someone else said, there is always someone who will answer you with words of encouragement when you are struggling

Jan 

Thank you for your encouraging words Jan. I too want to live to see my grandchildren and I know I won’t be able to if I don’t quit. I will keep reminding myself.

I have to ask out of curiosity why you would be using a steroidal inhaler if you have not already been diagnosed with a respiratory illness? Were you prescribed this in the past for a severe infection?

I got it for asthma.