Hello,

I gave up smoking about 15 weeks ago, and have only had one 'naughty night' at Xmas do. At the same time I gave up drinking. All this to get fit & healthy.

The thing is since I have given up I am like a dead dog on my bike. Whilst I was smoking I was quite happy blasting around the lanes to no ill effect.

However, on the rides out since I gave up I am staggering off my bike after 5 miles, exhausted and coughing stuff up, feeling like I have just done 50km!

Is this just part of the process of getting rid of years worth of cr^p from my system or is a trip to the Doc in order?

I feel fine otherwise and am not coughing at all. Its making me very miserable and unwilling to get out even after Santa brought me sum nice MTB gear.

Anyone had similiar experience? Any advice please?

Thanks

Meowser - I am not a medic but I do feel that you should see your GP to put your mind at rest.

Well done on giving up smoking and I think that by exercising, you should see results. I find that I am really intolerable towards smokers since I gave up years ago!

Well done on giving up....that's great!
Hope you're feeling better now.
I'll ask Dr Kim what she thinks too!
bex

Of course I think you should see your GP, that goes without saying, but to set your mind a little at rest, I had a bad cough when I gave up several years ago. It lasted for longer than I expected it to, but did go away in the end.

A big well done to you though. I was only a social smoker so it was quite easy. Big respect to 'real' smoker who give up. Good stuff.

Keep up the good work, I gave up 8 years ago and that was how I came to buy my first bike, never looked back since.

Probably would go and see my doc but I reckon the exertion and heavy breathing is finding the crap that normal everday breathing doesn't even know is there. Better out than in I say and the more you do it the quicker it will be out of your system. Personally, I didn't cough up anything but my lungs took years to feel like they actually moved. Now I have no trouble deep breathing and it is only cycling which helped me with that... good luck & don't ever give up giving up :-)

Thanks for all your encouragement and advice.

I came very close to going to the pub yesterday and having a smoke. Had the most stressful day at work. But I didnt.

Now I am going out on the bike for the first time in weeks. Fingers crossed! If I still have the same results I will have to go to the Doc's, which I do tend to avoid like the plague.

well done Meowser, it is really hard and you are doing so well. It will get easier I promise :-)