After quitting smoking

[southfisho]

Anyone has had experience in continuing diving after quitting smoking cigarettes?

I feel strange, a bit dizzy after a while, but definately more 'breath'.

Anyone?

 

[Bill]

It was so long ago that I don't remember much except everything working better in a very short time. Congratulations!

 

[colinox]

Yes!

Well done quitting smoking, it's a big achievement. I quit on March 13th this year. Most of my apnea practise has to be dry because I don't have a buddy near where I live. I find that my breathe-ups have to be very gentle... Just 2 quick deep breaths can bring on an intense feeling of hyperventilation so now I breathe slowly through my nose during breathe-ups, either using the 5seconds in and 10seconds out method, or the 2, 4, 2 method (count to 2 while inhaling, hold for a count of 4, then count to 2 while exhaling, then repeat).

When I was a smoker it was also very easy to hyperventilate, but since stopping I have to be extra-careful. If my breathe-up is slightly forced my head goes fuzzy, and my hands and feet can get a tingling and numb feeling, like if you lean on your arm or leg for a long time restricting the blood supply. Since stopping smoking I have had to abandon at least one training session every week because the dizzy, tingling and numb sensations were so strong.

On the positive side I've broken the 5minute barrier and gone on to 6:05 in the short time since I quit, and I can run up hills now! So definitely more 'breath' for me too!

How long since you quit, and what sort of feelings do you experience?

 

[Mr. X]

Not used to all that oxygen I expect. Seriously, I would get your GP to check you out. I see in another thread that you just retired, no point taking unnecessary risks. It's probably nothing serious but you never know -- you don't want to have heart attack in the water. Spearing can be a demanding activity. I expect it takes a while for your body to get used to not being poisoned & deprived of oxygen several times a day

BTW How is your general fitness level? I'm wondering if you might just need to build up your cardio-vascular/aerobic fitness a bit - walking/jogging*, cycling that sort of thing (see your GP first tho!!!)?

*Don't overdo it -- aerobic level activity should feel sustainable not hard. A heart rate monitor can be a useful and interesting way to keep things under control.

 

[bite ya]

Well i'm still puffing away, down from 20-25 a day to 12 a day now. No improvments in performances apart from some small improvments due to training schedule for competition. I would really like to give up but just cant get my head around doing it.

Congrates to anyone who has stopped! I would like to try it just to see what happens to my performances, P.B in static is 6,08 at present and 125mtr in dynamic would love to know how far i could go.

It's interesting to hear about how you have had to change your breath ups due to dizzy feelings, i take it this is what it really feels like to purge out most of the Co2, dont really feel it as a smoker....maybe i should just bloody well quit!

 

[shoutatthesky]

Come on Chris (and others) none of this pussy footing around cutting down! You got to just bit the bullet and QUIT:martial I know it is hard but c'mon others have done it and so can you. This week marks one whole year for me. Oh how nice it is to BREATHE:inlove

Congrats and good work Southfisho:friday It can take months to come right but your body is probaly just adjusting to such different conditions. My lungs took about 4-5 months to really get to a stable level where everything feels 'right'.

 

[Kman]

Nothing worse than a reformed smoker(s) huh??

Ohh yeah... I am one too! Stopped after my son was born, 9 years ago now.

I dont remember getting any of the symptoms that you describe above Southfisho, but due to apnea brain, I dont recall bugger all these days :head

I think the best advice I saw above would be to get checked out by your Dr.

 

[sayNO2o2]

one year and 3 months.
i stopped as i was getting sooooo sick. i needed a reason to stop so i got back into freediving. the 1st night i hit the pool just for a swim to start my quitting i met Ant Williams, i spotted him swimming 200m. i new that was what i wanted to do.
( i cant thank Ant Williams and Andy Ross enough you guys changed my life that night!)
back then my P.B was 100m now i swim 175 3 times a week and do 10X100m every monday.

i just got the Aust record in static and my spearfishing seems to have no limits!

Bite ya... i got to a point in my life where i needed to change! you can either wait untill you hit this point or jump the gun and be as focused at quitting as you are at training and just stop! you will reap the rewards and your apnea with than you.

quitting smoking was the hardest thing i have ever done.

well done to all of you that have done it.

 

[bite ya]

I'll give it a try.....i'm 4wks out from a competition so maybe now is not a good time but i will after?

 

[colinox]

I personally felt the biggest relative improvement at about the 4-week mark, so I'd say go for it now and you'll be reaping the rewards in 4 weeks time. But I have very little freediving experience and have never competed. What do other people think?

 

[chrismar]

Kerian, Guy, Ant... I almost feel like taking up smoking just so I can give it up and hit great performances

I gave up drinking a while back and found cold turkey the way to go. I really struggled trying to wean myself off; I always could convince myself that 'just one more' was okay. Drawing that clear line in the sand worked for my simple brain. As usual, YMMV.

 

[H.Balázs]

Hi,

I'm not smoking since the end of the last year (december)...My pb was 110m DNF at the time.
Later, I started some uw-hockey tranings (2 month) with the hungarian national team (was really hard sessions). Last friday I swam 132m DNF, without any previous no fin related trainings. My case is similar as Ant's (Judge): i like'd smoking, but I needed a reason the stop it, and this is my passion, freediving

Regards,
Balázs

 

[Sploded]

When I used to smoke I'd have a 3:00 static average. (yeah, not too fantastic, but a point of reference) But when I quit, I would get that dizzy/tingling that everyone described here. (Packing made it way worse!)

Something that helped me was static in bed over and over with a couple mins break between. It's been about 3 months. My static is at 4:30ish with no dizziness or tingling.

Congrats to those that have kicked the habit..

...and to those that are still huffing and puffing... We'll be waiting for ya at the non-smoking section of kelp. :crutch

Woooooooooo! Smoke-free and lovin it!

~Sploded

 

[nz676]

the tingling feeling will go away after a while i to experienced it but it becomes less and less the longer from the quitting time also i found if this happens take a short break walk around then go back to your breath up and go slower thats what worked for me good luck. im one year in after a being a pack a day or more smoker for seven years two packs if i was drinking which i also have given up and dont cut down that just doesn't work i tried so many times you have to go cold turkey its hard but so worth it

 

[Sploded]

...dont cut down that just doesn't work i tried so many times you have to go cold turkey its hard but so worth it

On the head, that nail was hit! That is the only way to go!

If it ain't Cold Turkey.. It ain't gon' workey... roflroflrofl

Yeah.. it's lame. :t