Smoking and Circulation

[jillar]

Are your hands and feet always cold? Mine were. Until I quit smoking. 

I knew smoking affected my lungs and blood pressure. I've been on blood pressure medicine since my late 30's and instead of quitting smoking I chose to have tubal ligation surgery because my Dr wouldn't prescribe birth control after 40 years old IF I WAS A SMOKER.

But I never contributed my cold feet and hands to smoking until I quit. When you lose circulation to your extremities you risk the loss of limb.  I wish I remembered just how far into my quit I was before I noticed it but at the time I was too concerned about my bleeding gums to even notice. Turned out this too was the new flow of blood due to quitting and within a month or so my gums had color back to them. Many of our members have had tens of thousands of work done to restore their teeth after quitting.

As far as my hands and feet are concerned, they've never been warmer. So why am I bringing this up three years after quitting? Because I don't want to ever forget where I came from. 

So for anyone still on the fence about quitting, all you need to do is search our forum with the keyword circulation and you'll find many former smokers who had these issues too. And you'll also see how much better they got after they quit smoking.

 

 

[Doreensfree]

It's not just your lungs ,smoking effects every part of your body ...

Great post Jillar ...

My ankles were covered in black bruises...swollen and sore....they looked as if I had hit them with a baseball bat .

Walking was painful ...in bed they were sore and itchy ...but if I scratched it would hurt more ..

I had to make a choice ....Stop smoking or face amputation ....was it too late ...

I made the decision to quit .... Thankfully it wasn't too for me ...which I will be forever grateful..

I had a good outcome ...I kept my feet ....there are plenty who are not so lucky ...

I have a few battle wounds still there.....they are a great reminder ...

Never Take Another Puff...

[mightyboosh]

I've said this elsewhere but this is to reiterate for any wannabee quitter that may be reading. I was quite well read on the dangers of smoking but it took a nurse to say that the circulation in my leg was worsening for me to finally take notice and quit.

The problem started about four years ago whilst on holiday when my calf muscle started to ache after a few hundred yards of walking. I sort of shrugged it off for a while but I eventually went for circulation tests. I had narrowing of the artery in my right leg and it's efficiency was 80%. Did I give up smoking then? No, I didn't because I thought that being an ostrich may be the best way to deal with it.

I went yearly with the same results with the same resultant head burying approach. However, I went again on the 22/8/19 to hear that the efficiency in the leg was now 70%.

The nurse gave me a talking to and more or less said that I will eventually lose my leg at that rate.

Well, that was it folks, the penny finally dropped so I quit on the 23/8/19.

That advice from the nurse was a very good motivator I must admit.

[abbynormal]

I suffer from a condition called Raynaud's Syndrome, which impacts the blood flow to my fingers and toes. (I've actually gotten frostbite without ever leaving my house!) When I was diagnosed, my rheumatologist told me I absolutely had to quit smoking, because smoking constricts the blood flow even further and makes Raynaud's so much worse. I was in danger of losing fingers or toes! (I still am, but smoking greatly increased the risk.)

 

Incidentally, my rheumatologist was actually giddy when I told him I quit!

[notsmokinjo]

@abbynormal my mum, her sister, my 2 sisters and my cousin all have Raynaud's.... I am the only one who doesn't have it. Can I just say when its 42C and they are walking around with hands like ice I don't mind if they touch me. 

[Sazerac]

Here is a powerful video and text with pictures from Joel Spitzer,

 

Heart and Circulatory Diseases

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Sazerac

[abbynormal]

@notsmokinjo you are so lucky you don't have it. It's a real pain.As soon as the temp dips below 75 F my fingers and toes start losing circulation. I've had to take out stock in extra warm wool socks and lined boots.

[notsmokinjo]

My lot have it as CREST syndrome but only my Aunty and one of my sisters have all the crest conditions. My other sister, mum and cousin both have Reynaud's and Scerladerma. I did luck out big time by missing that little genetic gift. I keep my eyes on my daughter but considering she 'runs hot' hopefully she has missed out on this too. Its awful and I know they all suffer. We joke they have shares in ugg boots. Do you get the chilblains too? My pore aunty got one on her nose this winter. 

 

[abbynormal]

@notsmokinjo I have CREST/systemic scleroderma. I'm so sorry to hear it runs in your family. It's not a disease I would wish on anyone. Not even my worst enemy. I do get chillblains, as well. I got a particularly nasty one on my toe last year. I was afraid I'd lose the toe. I have to be so careful with my hands and feet. It's ridiculous!