Hi! I am just reading your post, on here after my 3rd day of quitting a 2.5 year (1pk per day equivalent) juul addiction. I have also spent the past 1.5 years suffering from debilitating chronic pain (from my abdomen to my feet), and I have spent most of my life suffering from different chronic physical/mental conditions leading up to that point. There is a very concise body of research out there about the brain's role (specifically, unconscious, repressed emotions and/or trauma often dating back to childhood) that directly causes a whole slew of very real and very serious physical responses in our bodies—these physical responses include but not limited to: pain, immune disorders, infections, dermatological conditions, neuropathological symptoms (vertigo, nausea, tremors, etc), insomnia, OCD, addictions, anxiety, depression...and the list really goes on. A group of doctors that have developed this research call this response Tension Myositis syndrome. I highly suggest you look into that condition and the work of Dr. John Sarno, (Howard Schubiner, Nicole Sachs and Lorimer Mosley also recommended). What happens with all of these physical and mental conditions is that they can easily shift.... one symptom to another....In this case, addiction is one symptom but now that you have conquered it, your body has created the leg pain becuase you still have unconscious emotional needs that you are likely not addressing. Trust me, I'm totally aware of how crazy and mystical this all sounds! But I believe if you look into the research you will start to understand how it is possible. For now, you might want to observer further and ask yourself if there are any similarities in the emotional experience of your leg pain and your struggle with quitting nicotine and/or the addiction (such as particular feelings of anger/irritation, not being able to let go, mood swings, confusion, frustration, sadness and fear). If you look closely you will see that the struggles of physical pain are very very synonymous to the pain of an addiction. Quitting smoking can be traumatizing in itself, so it does not surprise me this would happen!

Hope you feel better regardless!!

I will definitely look in to this! I am a firm believer that the mind has a very strong effect on the body. Many ails can be improved if not cured with the proper approach. I'm definitely investigating this further. As an aside, I was so freaked out by the whole thing that the thought never crossed my mind. Thank you, it's much appreciated!

Aww yeah! It's so easy...and very very normal to miss!! But if that were me 1 year ago I would totally have thought quitting smoking to be the cause as well lol. If you feel inclined, you can also see a TMS doctor who will tell you if your symptoms are a cause of a physical structural issue or if they are byproduct of the mind (fun fact... in most cases symptoms produced by the mind end up being waay more severe!).  I'm not sure if/how much pain you are still experiencing but if so, these doctors would give you a definitive answer. Practitioners by location are listed on the TMS wiki here ;). 

The symptoms you describe sounds like one I had couple of years ago. I also went in for a ultrasound on my one leg because the doctor and I thought maybe a blood clot. When I laid down for the procedure and rolled up my isn’t a I noticed a little bruise. I took a pic snd sent to a doctor friend and she said I have shingles. I went straight back to my doctor and got meds. My leg hurt really bad too but nothing visible showed for days. Keep a look out. I got lucky because it was caught early. Good luck. 

Hi 

I am almost 5 years a nonsmoker. Oh i experience major body pains after i quit smoking. Leg cramps, foot cramps, hand cramps, twitches all over my body. Lol i remember a constant butt twitch.  Your body needs to heal itself and adjust. I figured it out it was caused by a combo of things. Hormones, balanciing neurotransmitters, anxiety, and the balancing of our gi system.  Oh and did yiu know it takes about 8 months for nicotine products to leave yiur bones. 4 months for kidneys. So in reality you body is withdrawing from nicotine for months even a year.  I was an althlete, so had many pains from injuryies, arthritis prior to quitting. You cant just smoke the pain away. So after you quit you will find other methods of coping.

Aww I'm sorry to hear that. I understand you freaked out. I also had a lot of physical symptoms after quiting but nothing like that. What remained is this facial tension. It makes sense that unresolved issues keep popping up in different forms. I also have large intestine disease and frequent stomach problems, tension pains in a body, occasional skin issues and history of depression along with anxiety of course. It's better now since years of therapy but my biggest problem is that it's so hard to except all that and to let go. I mean I am proud to stop smoking finally, that's a huge deal for me, but this sense, perfectionism or whatever, remains. I does help to read and educate oneself for a while but on a long run ... I don't know. I think it's so simple that is being overlooked continuously. Does that make any sense at all?  I ttruly hope you are better now 

Hi Jaka.... have you been tested for bacterial overgrowth in the GI tract (or SIBO)? I've had GI issues for years/decades and have been tested for pretty much everything under the sun with nothing to explain it (besides the diagnoses "dyssynergia" or "IBD", which don't really mean much in the light of helpfulness). But I just tested positive for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and it makes a lot of sense. It can surely be caused by a mind-body complication, but because it is bacteria, it should be cured with antibiotics, and further management (probiotics, diet...other stuff i don't know about yet). Anyway, I'm bringing it up because my symptoms sound very similar to yours — skin problems (acne, rashes, 'stress' hives), stomach problems (pain, bloating, nausea, BM issues), depression, anxiety, and the tension pain all over. Since I learned about MindBody Syndrome (or TMS) I have been able to train most of my chronic pain symptoms away with psychotherapy and mindfulness but the stomach issues remained and it has been veryyyy frustrating (not to mention, painful!) to live through. But now I know why. Anyway, might be something to look into.

I also am very curious to see if the nicotine addiction had anything to do with the bacterial overgrowth....

Now that you mentioned, I think I was tested years ago when they were looking for cause. After some time they find diagnosis: ulcerative cholitiS which is inflammatory bowel disease in colon. It's not curable and it goes on and off. I had relatively peaceful period for almost ten years. I forget about it thinking it's gone for good. But it came back. Nevertheless I'm among the luckiest ones since medication works pretty well on me. Some people have really difficult life because of it. 

What's really funny about it is that smoking actually helps with inflammations, their frequency. I was holding for that really tightly back than, having wonderful reason not to quit 

If I may make a suggestion. Maybe you already know but an Indian spice called turmeric is a great natural source for many things and one among them is anti- inflammatory. I have friends that drink a teeny bit every morning but I’m not crazy about the taste so I buy it in tea form that also has ginger in it. The tea is sold at Trader Joe’s. You can buy turmeric in many different forms do you just choose what works best for me. I like my tea. I use tea as one of my replacement for smoking, among other things.  Aside from it being anti-inflammatory, it has many other benefits so it’s all good. 

Please google it for more information