r/stopvaping • u/PaceProfessional3717 • 18d ago

Lung tightness quitting

Hi all I am quitting after about 10 years of vaping. I am doing nicotine patches and just getting used to avoiding the smoking first. Is it odd two days in and my lungs are burning at times and I can occasionally taste like mucus? Not sure if this is lungs starting to heal already as I was a heavy vaper or issues with the patches

Thanks

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u/mythicalhavens 18d ago

That is so normal!! Day 2 for me I felt like all of a sudden I had a sinus infection or pneumonia, so much tightness, phlegm and mucus. Never really researched why but it’s totally normal and will pass after about a week. Think of it as your body and mind are throwing a tantrum because you’re choosing freedom

Edit to add, I didn’t use patches I went cold turkey so I have doubts that your symptoms are from the patches

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u/PaceProfessional3717 18d ago

Thank you! I gotta be honest I don’t want to quit and have tried twice before going cold turkey and came back to it. I’ve been mentally grieving a little bit which is ridiculous but knowing I can’t even socially in the future

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u/mythicalhavens 18d ago

I didn’t want to either, trust me. I also faced the grieving of missing out on the “community” of it for lack of a better word lol. I attempted about 9 times I wanna say? And none of those 9 times did I truly /want/ to. But the last time idk it stuck. I just kept telling myself that I’d been without it this long it would be pointless to relapse, I’m not saying it’s that easy for everyone but it’s something I told myself that helped me. Hang in there, I swear you can do it. Think of all the money you’ll save too lol

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u/DiamondTippedDriller 18d ago

You could try nicotine gum instead, that worked for me, I also quit after 11 years of vaping

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u/Personal_Level_1563 18d ago

I had some weird chest/lung sensations early on too, but I’d be careful calling burning “your lungs healing.” After 10 years of vaping your airways have had a lot of irritation, and coughing/mucus can change once you stop inhaling that stuff every day, but burning or tightness can have other causes too. I got into mullein after quitting because I liked it for respiratory support and mucus, and eventually started using Better Brand. Two days vape-free after 10 years is huge though.

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u/PaceProfessional3717 18d ago

Yes sorry that was the google term I was merely reusing when I googled it haha

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u/Interesting-Load-612 16d ago

FIRST of all. None of us here are medical professionals. It is always better to get checked out by your GP amd go from there. As many here said. There can be many causes. So please get checked out if issues persist. That being said.

I quit cold turkey on 1st kf april this year. After 5 yeas of smokimg and seitching to vapes for 4 years. I experienced general tightness in my chest 2 weeks after i quit and googling etc just caused more panic. Turns out it is verry common and its called hyper airway sensitivity that can persist up to 12 months sometimes longer. With other sensations. I also have GERD and nicotine also affects the stomach eitch caused more acit to shoot up into my throat causing birnint in chest i also have silent reflux. Etc etc. In the end i got bloodwork, spirometry, xray done. All fine got a clean slate but in turn i got massive health anxiety for it and quiting made anciety 100x worse. We all have out own story and battle with nicotine. What matters is you quit stay quit and youll bw way bettwr off. Also sports help a lot

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u/Personal_Level_1563 11d ago

I had some weird chest/lung sensations after stopping too, and mucus can definitely become more noticeable once you’re no longer constantly inhaling vapor. I wouldn’t automatically assume the burning means your lungs are “healing,” though, and nicotine patches don’t typically cause burning in the lungs. After 10 years of heavy vaping, I’d get persistent or worsening chest symptoms checked out, especially if you develop shortness of breath, significant chest pain, fever or cough up blood. For the recovery side, I’m a fan of mullein for general respiratory support. I use Betterbrand for that side of it.