What if I quit ... will I ever get better?

article copyright of alt.support.stop-smoking

Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. These benefits apply to people with and without smoking-related diseases. The following information is from a booklet produced by the American Cancer Society:

Within 20 minutes of your last cigarette

blood pressure drops to normal
pulse drops to its normal rate
body temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal

Within 8 hours

carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal
oxygen level in your blood increases to normal

Within 24 hours

chance of heart attack decreases

Within 48 hours

nerve endings start regrowing
your abilities to smell and taste things are enhanced

Within seventy-two hours

bronchial tubes relax, making breathing easier
lung capacity increases

Within two weeks to three months

circulation improves and walking becomes easier
lung function increases by up to 30 percent

Within one to nine months

coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection
the body's overall energy level increases

Five years

lung cancer death rate for average ex-smoker decreases from 137 per 100,000 people to 72 per 100,000 (... almost half!)

Ten years

lung cancer death rate for average ex-smoker drops to 12 deaths per
100,000 (... almost the rate for a non-smokers and a full order of magnitude less than a smoker)
precancerous cells are replaced
other cancer rates (e.g., mouth, larynx, oesophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas) decrease as well

In addition

ex-smokers tend to live longer than continuing smokers
smoking cessation decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease
women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first three to four months reduce their risk of having sickly babies, as compared to women who continue to smoke

OK, I quit. Why do I feel worse?