Quit smoking - throat clearing

Daithi 1

Hi, I quit in the new year and have a constant need to clear my throat. I read up and get that it's probably my lungs clearing out and some gunk is going down my throat, it can take 6 moths to 18 months maybe even more to clear.

Si, I'm wondering how anyone else coped with this ? Is there a way to speed up the lung cleansing ? Of something I can take to clear my throat more effectively ? Anything ?

It's extremely annoying and kinda take the fun outta quitting..

Thanks in advance

drunkmonkey

Haven't heard of it, you might just have a throat infection try some strepsils, Your mouth and throat will go through some changes.
Mouth ulcers are another common side effect, don't worry there all only temporary, if you get some don't take back up smoking to cure them, they'll heal perfectly fine without cigarettes. Your going to have cold like symptoms as well, again the body is just re-regulating itself.
Well done on giving up.

Daithi 1

Nope, no throat infection, ulcers or symptoms of anything, I feel great apart from this. I googled it and it seems common enough. Some people cough up mucous some don't, just seems to trickle down my throat, extremely annoying and can last years. It seems doctors just tell people to wait it out, nothing can be done. I might try a lung detox to speed it along..

Thanks for your reply and support.

Pompous

Is there such a thing as a lung detox? I'm 6 months off after 10 years smoking and I'm still coughing **** up in the mornings / after a long cycle. It would be nice if there was a way to speed the process up.

I would imagine cardio exercise is the most effective though, since it usually causes me to cough some nasty **** up.

Daithi 1

Yes, there are a few methods on the internet. I haven't looked to much into it but I read something vaguely about a 3 pineapple diet. I scanned over a few other things too. Seems to be plenty of options out there..

https://www.google.ie/search?q=lung+detox&oq=lung+detox&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2731j0j8&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

Pompous

Oh man, so much information. Post back here if you find anything that works!

spitfireIRL

I have this too, thought it was just me. Someone told me an hour or so in a sauna/steam room really helps, but I've yet to try it.

Daithi 1

Hmm, I would imagine that is only very temporary, still, it would be nice to have a few hours relief.. How long are you off the smokes ?

spitfireIRL

26 days! Long way to go til our lungs are cleared I'd say but ah well!

Daithi 1

I quit for 6 months last year after smoking 20 years. I got a complacent then having the odd drag and stupidly ended up back on them. I had the same throat issue right up until I was smoking a few weeks again.

So, I suppose I can expect at least 6 months again. But I can honestly say, I will never put another smoke in my mouth again.

I have found that deep breathing orally helps somewhat, not huge breaths, it's probably just the normal way to breath actually, but consciously take deeper breaths, try it.

Oh, congrats on quitting !!

spitfireIRL

That's the thing, I know myself if I even had one I'd be back on the wagon so it's a big no no for me. I actually hate the things, used to be fit and would be wrecked going up the stairs, nothing is worth that! I'm able to go into smoking area now on a night on (most of my friends are smokers) and it was fine (albeit the odd pang) I did yoga a couple of mornings, I find the breathing exercises helped loads! Deep breaths from now on

And congrats yourself!

Eff Four

Firstly, congrats on stopping smoking!

Just wanted to let you know you might have what's known as postnasal drip, I suffer from it quite a lot (sounds worse than it is). Go see your GP if it carries on a while. Best of luck.

Daithi 1

I'm pretty much cured from this. In the past 3 weeks I had a cold and a throat infection which allowed me to cough up a load of gunk and phlegm. It's such a relief. So my advice is to get sick. Best of luck guys

fayvirtue

After 30 years of smoking I was still coughing up blobs of tar for about 8 month's. I found after I took up jogging that when I would return home I would have coughing fit that would release a lot of black mucus. The running seemed to have a cleansing effect.

Spearsharp

So, it is almost 2015, what is the result of your quit?

Daithi 1

Me ? Quitting again tomorrow :pac:

Daithi 1

Ok, I'm 6.5 months free from smoking now. 2 weeks after i quit I got the "throat thing" as I call it, back. Hoping it will clear up any day now, it's a constant thing driving me nuts sometimes.
It's better than being a smoker though so I wont complain to much.

I used the Allen Carr method, his book "Easy way to quit smoking" is amazing. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to quit.

Daithi 1

Daithi 1 wrote: »

Hi, I quit in the new year and have a constant need to clear my throat. I read up and get that it's probably my lungs clearing out and some gunk is going down my throat, it can take 6 moths to 18 months maybe even more to clear.

Si, I'm wondering how anyone else coped with this ? Is there a way to speed up the lung cleansing ? Of something I can take to clear my throat more effectively ? Anything ?

It's extremely annoying and kinda take the fun outta quitting..

Thanks in advance

jhjhj

Daithi 1

Daithi 1 wrote: »

Hi, I quit in the new year and have a constant need to clear my throat. I read up and get that it's probably my lungs clearing out and some gunk is going down my throat, it can take 6 moths to 18 months maybe even more to clear.

Si, I'm wondering how anyone else coped with this ? Is there a way to speed up the lung cleansing ? Of something I can take to clear my throat more effectively ? Anything ?

It's extremely annoying and kinda take the fun outta quitting..

Thanks in advance

I wanted to edit this because I'm sure people are trawling the internet looking for answers as I was.

After several years of this extremely frustrating problem I have been cured simply by abstaining from dairy products.

I quit dairy products 3 weeks ago and my throat clearing problem is all but gone.

Problem gone.

_feedback_

Thanks for the tip Daithi - I have struggled with this problem for a while and dairy hasn't come up on the radar as a possibility before. Have cut it out this week and hoping it will make a difference.

Did you eliminate all dairy? Have you tried re-introducing anything?

How long before you noticed an improvement?

drunkmonkey

I'm like a baby calf when it comes to dairy, cough is gone now after 6 weeks of no smokes. Dairy made no odds, I'd be checking temperature and maybe getting some tests just to make sure you haven't a touch of something that hasn't cleared up. Dairy shouldn't cause coughing in an other wise healthy adult.

_feedback_

On a previous attempt at quitting smoking, I was off them three years and the throat clearing never went away. Increased mucus and cough is a symptom of a dairy allergy and it seems to have worked for the OP, so I'd say it's worth a shot!

Daithi 1

Sorry Feedback, haven't been on this for a while, how did you get on?

I was on the paleo diet at the time which required me to eat clean - no dairy whatsoever and my problem cleared up after a couple of weeks. I am not on the diet anymore and sure enough the problem returned and since have been searching again for answers and came up with this.

http://www.fauquierent.net/nonacidreflux.htm
This explains my problem perfectly tho the Gaviscon Advance didn't work for me.

I have cut down on dairy a lot tho so my problem is not nearly as bad as it was. I use alpro Almond and Hazelnut milk rather than cows milk, actually it tastes better in cereal.

drunkmonkey

Daihti what way do you breathe? Might sound like a stange one but have you tried different breathing...try in and out through your nose and see do you get any relief...think it's better for you anyway as crates back pressure in your lungs to get the most oxygen out of the air.
I'm guessing you breath out through your mouth.

_feedback_

Daithi 1 wrote: »

Sorry Feedback, haven't been on this for a while, how did you get on?

I was on the paleo diet at the time which required me to eat clean - no dairy whatsoever and my problem cleared up after a couple of weeks. I am not on the diet anymore and sure enough the problem returned and since have been searching again for answers and came up with this.

http://www.fauquierent.net/nonacidreflux.htm
This explains my problem perfectly tho the Gaviscon Advance didn't work for me.

I have cut down on dairy a lot tho so my problem is not nearly as bad as it was. I use alpro Almond and Hazelnut milk rather than cows milk, actually it tastes better in cereal.

Yeah stuck with it for a month and there was definitely an improvement, but I don't think it was significant enough to warrant the hassle! Have since returned to dairy and it has worsened again.

May have a look at the other link you have posted!