Non-Smokers: How many days were the ABSOLUTE worst?

Made it Through the 1st 24 hours

Good for you. Funny we have a similar story. turned 50 October 2017 and in November, I went to Lake Tahoe with my husband. Being an asthmatic it was silly to be smoking. I had inhalers and every year would get a bronchitis or pneumonia and have to go to doctor and get a shot of steroids. Back to the point. I woke up in lake Tahoe and could not breathe. Between my husbands cold that he gave me, asthma, elevation and smoking a different brand, woke up at 5am with an asthma attack and could not breathe. Wen't to urgent care and they said my oxygen saturation was at 79-80 normal is 95 to 100. Rushed to hospital and put on oxygen. Couldn't believe it. 4 liters which is a lot being pumped up my nose and all of a sudden I was forced to quit. I knew I would be out of there soon but did not know if I needed to stay on it the rest of my life. Felt horrible for staring at people who wore oxygen. For the next 2 days they would take the oxygen off and my levels went back down into the 80's. They said I could go home but with a green tank on wheels and had to call an oxygen company for the bigger  box of oxygen delivered to the hotel. We could not stay in the beautiful mountains as they suggested we drive down to San Diego, CA. Anyways all I could think of in that bed was how long would it be? Would I have to walk around for life like this. Not religious I decided to pray to whoever listened. Said" if your listening I promise to never smoke again if you give me back my oxygen. 8 days later still on it was scared. I bought one of those things that tells you your pulse and oxygen level at cvs. Stuck my pointer finger in and it was 92 without the oxygen. So I slept with the O2 on and took my steroids as prescribed. Next day took it off and waited about 10 minutes and took my levels again 95!! Checked it every 10 minutes for about 3 hours in disbelief. Point to all of this is you do not want to end up on the end of a tube. I was always like "oh you're obese and you are telling me to quit" "I can smoke and stay thin" Now 4 months later this week I still miss the sitting outside and smoking. No lies it sucks. It isn't easy. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. As much as it sucked to be in the hospital I am glad I went because the first 3 days are the hardest and I had no cravings while on oxygen and was trying to save my life. I gained 15 flipping pounds from that. I know must get on a treadmill every day and sweat and redo hair and make up Ect... Don't give up. You can do this. Think of yourself on a tank and not being able to take it off. Right now you have a choice to stop. Who knows how long it will be before the effects of smoking catch up. It does get less frequent and I breathe a heck of a lot better and can work out for longer periods of time every day. Just walk when you have a craving. Go to a gym if its cold outside. Do jumping jacks until the craving goes away. Anything active to get your life out of the habit. Stay away from Walgreens 7/11 and go to CVS lol. Pay for gas outside and do not walk into the station. If all else fails call the national quit line and they will give you free patches. Do not go to a bad place. Live the time you have left and make yourself a deal. If you can make it till 75 or 80 and feel you've had enough than you can start again. Hopefully if you make it you won't want one by then. Good luck in your journey. Every day is a challenge and should be celebrated. Soon it will be a month and soon 2 months and hopefully a year. You will save enough to get a gym membership and then some.

two days and I lit up

Here it is in a nutshell. Smoked for 36 years turned 50 in oct 2017. November we took a vacation to Lake Tahoe. Smoked there too until the elevation combined with the asthma and cold I had. Gave me an attack that was the worst and I lost my oxygen. Yes normal levels are at 95 percent mine was at 79. Rushed me to the ER and put me on Oxygen. Never thought I would be one of those people. The ones you stare at or see on Truth commercials. I looked up at the ceiling and said whoever is listening God Aliens ECT if you give me my oxygen back I will never smoke again. 4 months later I still walk by a smoker and want one. Gained 15 pounds from the oxygen and the steroids to breathe. They let me out with a green tank and said call this Oxygen company and get off of this mountain. We went to a hotel in San Diego where the company delivered a huge box with 50 feet of hose so I could walk around the room. I had a meter to test my levels. Every time I took it out of my nose it went down to 84 85 so I put it back in my nose. Thought that would be my life on oxygen forever. Guess what? Day 9 comes and I take the thing outta my nose wait 10 minutes and take my reading 95 percent!! Kept checking it every 10 minutes and waited 3 days just to be sure to tell them to come pick up their stuff. Went out one time with a green tank and everyone stared at me. Could not go out again. I prayed to God and not being religious someone was listening. This is your wake up call. Stop smoking. Yes it is hard it sucks and the smell still makes me want to buy a pack. Every day is easier but can't say I don't think about it. Good luck and if all else fails call the national quit line and get free patches. i won't post a photo but the hardest thing you'll ever do will save your life. I am still not out of the woods but thank my lucky stars that 4 months has gone by without a tank or a cigarette. YOU CAN DO THIS!! THINK OF THE WRINKLES YOU WON'T GET AND THE BREATH YOU WON'T HAVE TO CHEW GUM AND YOUR CLOTHES CAN BE WORN TWICE LOL. DO IT FOR YOURSELF. IF YOU HAVE LOVED ONES DO IT FOR THEM TOO!  I HOPE THIS HELPS.