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How long does it take for your body to heal/recover after smoking cigarettes?

By February 13, 2009 - 2:19pm
 
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I quit smoking nearly 10 years ago after nearly 20 years of smoking almost a pack a day.

I read somewhere that it takes the body a very long time to "heal" itself after all that poison in the system which is a bit disappointing after all the work it takes to quit.

does anyone know if the body ever really recovers from a 20 year smoking habit? I was under 35 when I quit.

thank you

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I read somewhere that it takes the body a very long time to "heal" itself after all that poison in the system which is a bit disappointing after all the work it takes to quit.

December 11, 2012 - 4:33am

well smoking is bad for the person who is smoking but it is even harmful for the passive smokers. So it is bad for you as well as your family members and close friends.

November 28, 2012 - 2:54am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I've smoked for about 17 years. I've tried chantix, nicotine gum, e cigarettes, patches, etc. etc. Today I've been one week without a smoke. Yes this is a very small victory but belive it or not I've never gotten this far in 17 years. My secret, Grace. My unborn little girl. She will be here November 17th and when she looks at me for the first time I think she'll be proud.

September 16, 2012 - 6:41am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I am taking champix and it has not only helped me not smoke for 3 weeks after an 18 year habit it has also helped me not feel like gambling. I take it with food because I have to fight not vomiting if I take it on an empty stomach. I am calmer which helps me spend more quality time with my family

June 30, 2012 - 5:21pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Alveoli are tiny sacs in the lungs that perform gas exchange. That is the main process of respiration where the body gets rid of carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen which is used in metabolism.
They have supply of oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood surrounding their surface giving them a high blood supply. They also have thin walls and a moist surface. This is all required for them to work correctly. It's my understanding that they are the only part on a human body that I am aware of that does not heal itself... AT ALL, if damaged from say smoking. So while yes your lungs will feel clearer from not smoking... And you might even be able to take deeper, longer breaths. But due to the damage caused to Alveoli from smoking, No matter how much you breath in... Your still only going to absorb the same amount of oxygen into your blood stream. So really the sooner someone quits smoking... The less permanent damage is done. Not to discourage anyone. Because when you stop smoking every other part of your body does heal. Which can even be broken down to someone's immune system from infections or viruses. (Better, cleaner body... better immune system )

June 19, 2012 - 1:31am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Cold Turkey, Baby! 7 weeks and going strong. I feel better then I have in years! I had a pack a day, 20 year love affair with cigs! Good Bye and good riddance! I smell pretty again too!

June 8, 2012 - 9:35am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I'm on four months of not smoking and im doing it with God and my faith its hard but keep praying and everything will work out to whoms every trying to stop my God be with you

May 30, 2012 - 3:39pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

The names Mike Bainter from central valley, I have been smoking since I was 15, and now I'm going on 27 I decided to conquer this addiction 2 days ago it has been hard just like all the other addictions I have conquered. Meth was almost as hard as quitting Marlboro Menthols, for me cigarettes were a gateway drug once I hit High school. Before that I was an all around athlete always winning gold medals in track, wrestling, basketball, and baseball. But after I started smoking I lost motivation to play sports past freshman year I was pretty popular too. Then I smoked weed socially and Meth killed my life, I went to juve, boot camp, county, then prison at 18. After I parolled I Hung out with the same friends and fell back into Meth until I met my Sons mother she got me away from Meth for 5 years but then she introduced me to ecstasy and in fresno everyone does E but she cheated on me and I left her and the house and the pool and the BMW and my son. So I left with the clothes on my back and the clothes in the back of my tahoe broke but iI was an Inventory Control Specialist so I would work in fresno and drive to Lemoore but the economy crashed and so did my life I lost my job and was introduced to unemployment for two years. So I said f it I'm going to party but needed friends to hang out with and I called my old friends and fell into Meth again but I met my love at a night club we fell in love went to Hawaii and all one the place she got hundreds of thousands of dollars from her deceased navy father but once she met me I helped her spend almost 500,000 dollars in three years. I would push her around and treat her horribly and I was always on Meth but she didn't know until she caught me in the bathroom 2 years ago but she let me keep on doing it even though I treated her bad while I was on it. It wasn't until one night when she told me she said, "baby I have always been here for you because I love you, I take care of you when your sick, I feed you when your Hungry and I always love you no matter what. What does this drug and your friends do for you?" After she said that my life flashed before my eyes and decided this is the worst and best drug I ever had it crushed my life but It brought me my son and my love Lucy who changed my life forever. I can proudly say I'm 26 I have a good job, I'm earning my Business Degree, I'm training to fight MMA again, I have my best friend back who also over came all addictions, I have been clean 4years from shrooms, ecstasy, and cocaine, 2years from bud, 1year from Meth, and 2 days from cigarettes which is the longest I've ever been content without it and I'm going strong. I just hope its not too late to be in my sons life.

April 18, 2012 - 2:51pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Your lung will never return to be normal. The Doctor's words are true. Even if your body tries to cure your lungs your lungs will not return to 100% healthy. Smoking can also cause you to hae short breath so you can't run as a normal person your age should run. You can get addictited to it that if you don't have one, you will go crazy or even pick up one used cigerette that is thrown on the floor and smoke it. Smoking is bad for you, you'll regret it later if you don't quit or even try to quit. Don't start smoking. It can effect your jobs, friends, family, and ect. as you can say, it can effect your life, or people's lifes who inhale your cigarette smoke. It can cause them all these damages to the body as a smoker can have. Some have there first cigerette and they feel dizzy because their boby has not been exposed to cigarettes. When people have their first cigerette, they either stop at that point, or start smoking. When they continue to smoke, their body gets more exposed to it that they will be asking more and making you feel crazy that you should have one. Smoking can also cause lung damage. It can cause lungs damage to. A lung is healthy when it has a redish color. When smoking, parts of the lung becomes a black color. They are the parts where you breath and inhale. A thick yellow liquid will cover little by little of the part where your oxgen goes throw, making you breath harder and faster. Cancer can be the cause for people dying but if you don't have cancer, you can have other problems. You should listen to past smokers and they well tell you they regreted that they ever started smoking. Usually, if you start smoking late, as 18 and up, you have a better chance of quiting than the early smokers, 17 and below. Nicotine can cause you to be addicted to it. Some people smoke because they think its cool and some smoke because of peer presure. Some smoke because they have a group of friend who smoke and want to be their "true friend", remember and person who tells you to smoke or do bad things that can affect others or your life is not you friend. Death from smoking is about twice more than car acidents. Say "NO" to drugs!

April 15, 2012 - 6:20am
(reply to Anonymous)

I wrote this! the one that starts with "your lung will never return to be normal..."

April 15, 2012 - 6:29am
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