Freebird, I would definately see the doctor to be on the safe side. I know that there is many sensations that feel strange once our lungs start to come alive again. Nicotine has a paralyzing effect on the lungs and when they cleanse they start to awaken. It could be that. Still...see your doctor. Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 316 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,320 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,412.52 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 41 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

I quit smoking January 1st and a couple months later I was feeling really good so I took up bicycling to try to lose weight. I worked my way up to about 3-5 miles a day and was feeling GREAT. Then -- in May -- that all changed. Suddenly I felt sick, sicker than I'd ever felt in my life. I couldn't walk down the hallway without feeling light-headed and I was constantly short of breath. I felt like I couldn't draw a deep enough breath to satisfy me and so I hyperventilated to make up for it. Again and again I would try to yawn because only a deep satisfying yawn made me feel like I was getting enough air. After a zillion tests, my doctor finally diagnosed me with Graves Disease. It's a disorder where my own immune system attacks my thyroid and makes it overproduce. I was put on daily drugs and soon felt much better. Except I still could not take a breath! The doc finally came to the conclusion last month that something else was causing the shortness of breath (duh) and sent me to a pulmonologist. I had a chest x-ray, blood tests, and a breathing test. I was so afraid -- figured it was just my luck to (ten months after quitting!) find out I had cancer or at least COPD. Amazingly, though I smoked a pack-and-a-half a day for thirty years, my lungs were fine. Better than fine, even! No blockages, no signs of emphysema, nothing. My breathing capacity is at more than 100%. He's now looking into sleep apnea as the underlying cause of my shortness of breath. My experience is very specific, but you asked if anyone had had difficulty breathing at some stage after quitting, and I did. My point, if I had one, is this: Get it checked out! I truly believe that smoking masks certain conditions so they are either written off as side-effects of smoking or not detected because the symptoms are skewed by the poison we inhaled. And ya know, breathing is important, so don't wait. It's better to know. Good news or bad, it's still better to know. Good luck! And - you're in my prayers. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 336 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 10,080 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,008.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 34 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 46 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24

Your body may still be healing, however, it is a good idea to check with your doctor to rule out anything medical and to discuss what you have been doing since your quit :) Josie, Support Specialist

It's probable best to see your doctor, Freebird. Have you had a cold or flu lately? If so, it could be some bronchitis. Even after over 3 months quit, our lungs are still not that strong & recovering from things like that takes longer. Not as long as if we still smoked, though. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 204 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,080 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,244.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 20 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 57

I smoked about 30 a day for over 25 years. I suffered from shortness of breath for years before quitting. I just kept on smoking and ignored all the warning signs. When I stopped, I noticed almost straight away that it got a lot easier to breath. Then, last weekend, I have this shortness of breath back again. It's like you have to gasp to get enough air into your lungs and I get a slight chest pain on inhalation. I haven't slipped at all, I don't "smoke" anything else. In fact, I've been eating really well, sleeping well, exercising and only moderate alcohol intake - quite frankly, leading an almost saintly existence. Why, after almost three months would this symptom suddenly come back? Has anyone else suffered this? I'm feel pretty dispirited actually and have an awful suspicion that I left quitting until too late, that I have done irreparable damage to my lungs and now it's payback time. So saying that, it only makes me more determined to never smoke again. No matter what! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]9/23/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 71 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,775 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $852.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 34 [B]Seconds:[/B] 33