posted February 19, 2007 09:42 AM         

Some of your aveoli (millions of little flower bud looking things) which capture the oxygen in your lungs, and attach it to your blood for circulation have started to collapse and turn black. Resulting in less oxygen in your blood.

The good thing is, your lungs (in time) will return to soft and pink and beautiful when you stop smoking.

Google smokers lungs, you will see what I have described.

posted February 19, 2007 10:34 AM         

quote:

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The good thing is, your lungs (in time) will return to soft and pink and beautiful when you stop smoking.

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No it won't. The damage done to your lungs by smoking is chronic. It leads to COPD - chronic obstructed pulminary disease. Both my parents have this from smoking. It's the result of the progressive damage to the aveoli, which do not regenerate themselves once they are damaged. This leads to compromised lung capacity, asthma, chronic brionchitis and a very poor quality of life overall. My mom's isn't so bad, but she has chronic asthma than she has to take medication via inhaler every day and she gets bronchitis very easily, so she's always sick.

My dad is very bad off. He's in his 70's, and his lung capacity is so dimished by smoking he has to be on oxygen all the time. He can't move around very much without his blood oxygen levels dropping to a dangerous level. I mean anything - even getting dressed, eating, walking a few steps, going to the bathroom. He can't even put on his own socks and shoes. His whole life, minute by minute, is literally an effort to keep his blood oxygen up. He always checking his blod oxygen - he does anything, he has a stop after a few seconds and check it. Four to six times a day he has to use a therapuetic inhaler to keep his lungs from becoming too critically debiliated, so he won't suffocate just sitting there (or in his sleep). And that on top of the other inhalers, diruetics, and other insanely long list of meds he has to be on for all his realted condition - in addition to COPD, he has bad blood pressure, bad arteries, bad (painful) circulatory problems, all also caused in part by smoking. He's very overweight because he can't exercise, and some of the meds he's on for his COPD have complications that he has to deal with too, like swollen ankles and high blood sugar.

Of course my dad wouldn't stop smoking until his COPD got so bad he absolutely had to stop. You're probably thinking "It won't be that bad for me." Yeah well, my mom stopped smoking *decades* ago, and she still has serious problems that has effected her health and quality of life ever sincee she stopped.

Your lungs weren't designed to inhale smoke eveyday. There WILL be consequencees for that. If you stop NOW, you can likely avert the worst of that and you may be able to regain close to the same level of health you had before. On the other hand, if you want a crappy life full of health issues, then by all means keep smoking.

posted February 19, 2007 10:47 AM         

Black, tarry, gross, dead lung tissue that reeks of disease is what I witnesed on this person's lungs.

posted February 19, 2007 11:37 AM         

My question is...

I started smoking before I had developed my personality. Then I was addicted, and tried for years and years and many justifications and guilt ridden conscience to quit.
If offered a cigarette knowing who I am now, I would decline.
I wonder why you would take it up as an adult?

You should stop.
Seriously. Spend your money on other things. Do it before you start noticing other heath debilitations. And do it before you get so very addicted you can't imagine any routine without these vile things.
Free yourself.

posted February 19, 2007 03:52 PM         

Im sorry to hear of your parents condition. An ill family member is a hard thing, I wish you and your family well.

I believe my statement is 100% correct. A number of studies have been done on lung regereration.

If memory serves, for the entire duration of time smoked it takes an almost equal duration for the lungs to return to normal.
(I believe the studies were on pack per day smokers)

So if you have smoked for 2 years it will take aprox, 2 years for ypur lungs to heal.
Smoke for 20 years, 20 more to be normal.

I would think cardiovascular workouts would change that ratio somewhat.

I am forever amazed at the Human body.

posted February 19, 2007 03:56 PM         

Quit for 3 years once and started back up. Acupuncture didn't even work for me.

I am still trying to quit. But I have read that statistically they have more success getting people who are addicted to heroine off of the drug and keeping them off of it than they do with those of us addicted to nicotine.

Most people who quit smoking, no matter how long they have been smoke free, tend to go back to the habit. Usually in times of stress.

So never start. Never develop the habit.

posted February 19, 2007 06:17 PM         

Here's what happens when you quit:

20 minutes

Blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.

Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduce by half, oxygen levels return to normal.

Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body. Lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.

There is no nicotine left in the body.
Ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.

Breathing becomes easier.
Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.

Circulation improves.

Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung function is increased by up to 10%.

Risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

Risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker.

Risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.

posted February 20, 2007 11:01 PM         

actually i'm trying to quit. i started of as fun timepass. but now after each cig i feel i'm loosing control.