Day 29

Not quite sure what's going on today. I'm spending a lot of time clearing my throat. Suppose, now that I think about it, that I haven't really been coughing for the last few days so maybe the last of what needs cleared from my lungs is taking longer to work it's way out. It's not very pleasant though. I'd far rather cough up the lumpy stuff than feel that it's sitting at the back of my throat.

As I've previously stated in this blog, giving up smoking has never really sat very high on my to do list. I can however remember some of the changes that I went through as a result of each of my previous attempts back in the day. What I'm remembering though is that the 'throat clearing stage' was maybe about day three of giving up. I'm wondering if Champix somehow makes you give up in some sort of 'slow motion'. I said a few days ago that it's two weeks since I've smoked but that I didn't feel any different whereas, on NRT, I seem to remember feeling different within a few days albeit also feeling like I would smoke at any minute and being right.

Now I may not be feeling rejuvenated or fighting to get on the waiting list for a gym however I will admit that, for the first time in at least 20 years, there is absolutely no audible sound to my chest. There has always been a sound, a bit like someone breathing through a comb, attached to my breathing. It used to be worst first thing in the morning and last thing at night. In the morning it was easily dealt with by smoking and coughing but at night it was a bit more difficult when trying to get to sleep. God when I was unfortunate enough to get a cold the noise of my chest could drown out a small factory. Just in the last couple of days that seems to be clearing.

I'm not happy about not being a smoker. Yesterday when I was standing out with 'my people' after lunch and they were smoking I realised how much I liked that part of the whole thing. I was standing there in a T-shirt with sleet falling. They were putting their cigs out to go inside and I was wanting to stay out even though I wasn't smoking. What's been annoying me up until now is that it's been all pain with no gain. If my breathing gets better and, who knows, maybe I soon regain some taste buds then I might start to get a bit more pro this whole thing.

Funnily enough it seems to have got a bit easier after my little stumble the other night when I smoked. Not saying I haven't been tempted since but it's easier to ignore when you know that it's not going to give you what your after. I'm not recommending that you smoke after the quit date with Champix but, maybe, some of us need to prove to ourselves that something is happening.

The weekend is almost here so watch this space to see how it goes. Stay hooked