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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Heavy Smoker. Quit Smoking. Taking Qvar, Albuterol. Experiencing Shortness Of Breath, Chest Pain. Withdrawal Symptoms?

Hello, A little background: I started smoking cigarettes and marijuana at the age of 15. Before I quit I was smoking about 15 cigarettes a day and also marijuana daily. During the 14 years of this I quit marijuana for a combined total of 3 years but when I did smoke I smoked daily. I had never quit cigarettes until July 4th 2012. In the past 4 months I have smoked a few cigars and a total of 3 cigarettes, I also have not smoked any marijuana. I have been having issues of shortness of breath starting around month 2 and still continuing today. I am currently using Qvar daily and Albuterol if needed. Im wondering if these symptoms are consistent with quitting smoking or if there is a more serious issue at play. When I take a deep breath I get kind of a pain in my lower to mid back and my chest feels kind of tight. When I was younger I had a breif bought of exercise astma but never anything serious. I turned 30 in September of this year.
Fri, 14 Jun 2013
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Addiction Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Hi,
You have been a heavy smoker for round 14 years. Both tobacco and marijuana are associated with a high risk of respiratory disorders like bronchitis and COPD. Many people feel chest discomfort after quitting smoking, but it gradually improves with time. However in your case, there has been no improvement and since the symptoms are severe enough to need using inhalers, I would suggest that you consult your doctor and get yourself evaluated for any respiratory disorder. If required, the dosage of your inhaler may be hiked.

Best wishes.
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Heavy Smoker. Quit Smoking. Taking Qvar, Albuterol. Experiencing Shortness Of Breath, Chest Pain. Withdrawal Symptoms?

Hi, You have been a heavy smoker for round 14 years. Both tobacco and marijuana are associated with a high risk of respiratory disorders like bronchitis and COPD. Many people feel chest discomfort after quitting smoking, but it gradually improves with time. However in your case, there has been no improvement and since the symptoms are severe enough to need using inhalers, I would suggest that you consult your doctor and get yourself evaluated for any respiratory disorder. If required, the dosage of your inhaler may be hiked. Best wishes.