25 days and 40 minutes since quitting nicotine

[j2]

Not that I am counting or anything but it has been 25 days and 40 minutes since quitting nicotine. In my case I was mostly using chewing tobacco for the last 20 years. That is the good. The bad is that I am struggling with my health anxiety right now. As a result of chewing tobacco, GERD and HPV I am terrified of throat cancer. For a couple of months I have been having all kinds of sinus drainage that is making me hoarse, cough and stuffy. My ears hurt and I am coughing up ugly phlegm. I was given antibiotics that helped but once they stopped then the symptoms came back again. The doctor did the whole camera up the nose and look at my throat and did not find anything. In my current nicotine deprived state, I am not able to think straight. Can someone talk some sense into me?

Thanks

[WhyWhyWhy]

I've smoked for 17 years and quit 2 weeks ago.

My ears have been crackly, when I yawn the pop and feel full of crap. My throat feels raw and I can feel cool air on my chest when I breathe in. I feel like I've got respiratory problems and I'm snotty, so so snotty. I'm coughing up phlegm more than I thought I could produce, still got a tickle cough and feel like I have a head cold.

What's more is I've been told is all normal and that after quitting we are prone to all sorts

Well done by the way. I think you're fine. It's just our bodies clearing out the rubbish we've given it over the years xxx

[Andrash]

Can someone talk some sense into me?

Thanks

With pleasure :)

Endoscopy is the gold standard for nose and throat cancer diagnosis-the camera didn't reveal anything fishy, therefore there is nothing fishy down there.

Due to my hay fever (which will, unfortunately,start again in some 15-20 days), I've had sinus problems for the last 20 years. One thing about these-they're boring and persistent. Firstly you get the runny nose, then the tube gets blocked and your whole head feels like it's being massaged with a hydraulic bloody press, then it starts draining down and you've got sore throat for dinner, with coughing ghastly yellowish/greenish stuff every three minutes as a side dish. I know the drill, believe me.

My HA and Dr Google convinced me that I either had oral cancer, throat cancer, nasal cancer or brain cancer. Got checked by the specialists, did tests, endoscopy, MRI-nothing there except the good ole anxiety.

Therefore, nothing serious, 100%. The problem is-these symptoms are really boring and unpleasant, and you should try to alleviate them. You can do it with some home remedies and some over the counter medicine-drink a lot of fresh lemon juice, buy iodine solution and gargle your throat with it, and ask your GP to prescribe you nasal spray for the congestion (Nasonex or something else).

And, of course-tackling anxiety is in order too. That's the most important-remember, suffering from congestion and being anxious makes suffering from congestion ten times worse than suffering from congestion without being anxious. :)

[Fishmanpa]

Congrats on quitting. I've said more times than I can count that smoking and drinking is a BIG NO NO to anxiety sufferers. I

While Andrash is correct on many points, there are other indicators and procedures that definitively diagnose oral and head and neck cancers. I'm a survivor (9 months since end of treatment stage IV oropharyngeal cancer).

Yes, the scope will detect abnormalities. Yours indicated no red flags thus no reason to pursue any further investigation. In the vast majority of cases, there are no symptoms at all. Depending on the location and type, often there are no indicators either. Sometimes, a CAT or PET scan will show issues but again, when there are no indicators, there is no reason to pursue such tests. I cannot count the number of members who have had such fears, pushed and pushed for tests, only to be told all is well and it's anxiety. I've yet to see one's worst fears come true yet. The bottom line, the only way to definitively diagnose the cancer you fear is through biopsy of a suspicious node, area or lesion. If there's nothing to biopsy, then there's nothing to really be afraid of.

It takes a while for your body to really rid itself of all the crap you've been putting into it so symptoms like you describe are quite common and not unusual.

I agree with the assumption of sinus related issues along with my belief of how your body is getting rid of the toxins.

Again, congrats on quitting!! Perhaps some OTC remedies like Musinex or Dayquil would help alleviate your symptoms.

Positive thoughts

[j2]

Thanks for the level-headed responses and the encouragement. I just need to hear that this is probably OK from someone that isn't fighting both HA and nicotine addiction.

Thanks again