Dear Phillip, You doing better today? Just thought I'd check in cause you know I'm thinking about you. Remember, we quitters are a pretty tough group! Best, Joonie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/22/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 33 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 676 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $115.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8

Hey Phillip, I'm going through the waiting game too. The tech that gave me the PFT was pretty open so I know there is an abnormality in gas absorption. It may be a week before I know anything such as whether I need additional testing. I am here for you and I can certainly relate to how scary it is. I too am disappointed with myself and how long I let this terrible addiction run my life. You know though, let's enjoy life without it. We can handle anything that comes our way! Please stay in touch! Joonie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/22/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 32 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 658 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $112 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 14 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

There have been several quitters on the site that have had scares before, during and after their quits. Almost every time nothing is as bad as it seems and people who thought they had problems find out it is something very minor that passes. Honestly, I've seen people worry and then they are releaved when they find out they are fine. Take some deep breaths. Being someone who has suffered from panic attacks, I understand the fear and anxiety they can create. Breath, drink water and try to distract your self as much as possible from the thoughts running through your head. Hang in there and let us know how you are doing and what you find out. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 327 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,551 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1144.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 28 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 13

This has happened to me and I can tell you that it is SCAREY...You just dont know unless it happens to you. You want to take a big deep breath but you arent able to. You can only take little breaths at a time..You SO much want to be able to breathe deeply but are just unable.. Heres is some information I found on this. Yes it does involve panicking..You may not even realize it but you find you are ALL tensed up and that prohibites your breathing properly. Diaphragmatic Breathing It is common for people to stop breathing properly when they quit smoking. They begin to breathe shallowly from the top of their lungs. Shallow breathing causes stale air to remain in the bottom of the lungs. Also it causes an imbalance between the carbon dioxide and oxygen in our system. This condition is hyperventilation and can result in symptoms similar to an anxiety or panic attack. Diaphragmatic breathing is also very beneficial if you suffer from Panic Attacks or General Anxiety. Learning how to breathe from your diaphragm is very beneficial in overcoming the symptoms that develop from the shallow chest breathing which occurs during a panic attack and when you are experiencing anxiety. If you breathe shallowly or actually are hyperventilating you may experience several, if not all of these symptoms: lightheadedness dizziness feelings of unreality shortness of breath trembling tingling in your hands, feet and lips What's happening to you is that by "overbreathing" you are exhaling too much carbon dioxide in relation to the amount of oxygen in your body. Note that these symptoms are some of the very same ones that you experience during a panic attack. So, if you do suffer from panic attacks then these symptoms which mimic a panic attack can actually lead to one. People who are generally anxious but don't suffer from panic attacks will feel these same symptoms but to a lesser extent. The traditional cure for hyperventilating is to breath into a paper bag. This actually does work by breathing back in the carbon dioxide that you exhale into the bag and restoring the carbon dioxide/oxygen balance in your system. BUT, because it's not always appropriate to put a bag on your face in public, learning the diaphragmatic breathing technique is a good alternati

River, There are many that can identify! Hold Strong and take the you time you deserve :) Know that you will not further any illness because you quit. You can make sure the no further damage is done, and you don't even know if there is damage. Take the time to relax and let these feelings go away for a while :) Keep Strong, Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.