Smoker's flu is not an infectious disease, but rather the process a person's body goes through while transitioning to life after quitting nicotine. Smoker's flu refers to the physical effects of detoxing from nicotine and the chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco products. These symptoms can mimic those of an illness.
Withdrawal symptoms, including smoker's flu, tend to peak within one week of quitting but can linger for up to a month.
Some people may experience nausea when they stop smoking. If you used to get things moving by smoking a cigarette, your nausea may be caused by constipation. Once you get things moving again, your nausea will subside.
Unless you once smoked cigarettes or know someone who stopped smoking recently, the chances are slim that you have. In general, smoker's flu refers to a series of nasty, flu-like symptoms that can accompany severe forms of nicotine withdrawal.
With common flu-like symptoms, smoker's flu is not infectious or a contagious illness, it is just a process your body goes through when detoxing and healing after you stop smoking. While people often get worried and experience panic about the way the body reacts to nicotine withdrawals, it is actually a good sign.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications. Pain relievers and cough drops can help relieve some symptoms of the smoker's flu. OTC remedies for upset stomach, runny nose, sore throat, and trouble sleeping might also be helpful.
Many people find withdrawal symptoms disappear completely after two to four weeks, although for some people they may last longer. Symptoms tend to come and go over that time. Remember, it will pass, and you will feel better if you hang on and quit for good.
It can take some time for the body to adjust to the absence of nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarette smoke. This time of adjustment, called nicotine withdrawal, can feel uncomfortable. People usually feel worse during the first week .
Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
Flu-like symptoms are common during the first couple of weeks of smoking cessation. In addition, you may experience irritability, anxiousness, and increased appetite, among other symptoms of withdrawal. 1 The amount of discomfort you'll face depends in part on how well you take care of yourself during this phase.
Improved circulation, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and better oxygen levels and lung function all reduce your risk of a heart attack. 1 to 9 months after quitting, you'll feel less short of breath and cough less. Coughing, shortness of breath, and sinus congestion will decrease.
Around 3 days after quitting, most people will experience moodiness and irritability, severe headaches, and cravings as the body readjusts. In as little as 1 month, a person's lung function begins to improve. As the lungs heal and lung capacity improves, former smokers may notice less coughing and shortness of breath.
1 to 12 months after quitting
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Tiny hair-like structures (called cilia) that move mucus out of the lungs start to regain normal function, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
Analysis of the symptom self-reports showed that depression, muscle aches and appetite all increased in smokers during nicotine withdrawal. Although fatigue did not increase significantly with nicotine withdrawal, smoker's fatigue scores were already higher at the start of the study when compared to non-smokers.
However, besides the direct damage cigarette smoke (CS) can inflict on the pulmonary system, it is also a well-known risk factor for the development and exacerbation of infectious diseases such as influenza virus [2,3,4,5].
Study finds some individuals have genetic variants that allow them to have long-term exposure to a carcinogen without developing lung cancer.
On average, respondents in this group considered that smoking can cause cancer only if one smokes at least 19.4 cigarettes per day (for an average reported consumption of 5.5 cigarettes per day), and that cancer risk becomes high for a smoking duration of 16.9 years or more (reported average duration: 16.7).
Smoking, anxiety and mood
Most smokers say they want to stop, but some continue because smoking seems to relieve stress and anxiety. It's a common belief that smoking helps you relax. But smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Smokers are also more likely than non-smokers to develop depression over time.
We conclude that smoking cessation is associated with increased daytime sleepiness and impaired mood. The daytime sleepiness may be due to the combination of sleep disturbance and withdrawal of the nicotine normally provided through smoking.
Also, it may help to know that nicotine withdrawal symptoms do subside over time. They are usually worst during the first week after quitting, peaking during the first 3 days. From that point on, the intensity of symptoms usually drops over the first month.
Within two weeks of quitting smoking, you may start to notice you're not only breathing easier. You're also walking easier. This is thanks to improved circulation and oxygenation. Your lung function also increases as much as 30 percent about two weeks after stopping smoking, notes the University of Michigan.
When you go 24 hours without smoking, your oxygen levels increase while your blood pressure decreases. This makes is easier to engage in physical activity that promotes good heart health. Within two days of putting out your last cigarette, you may notice an improved sense of taste and smell.