When you stop smoking there is a good chance you will experience a stop smoking symptom or two. These are caused by the withdrawal effects of nicotine and by the side effects of changes in your body from not inhaling the toxins in tobacco smoke.  The following are symptoms you may experience as you try to quit smoking and you might be tempted to use them as an excuse to start smoking again but don’t except that — just push through it and remember why you’re trying to quit.

Side Effect #1: Chesty Cough

When you stop smoking, your lungs are presented with an opportunity to clean themselves. As time passes, your chestyness should subside as your lungs overcome that first cleaning frenzy.

Side Effect #2: Sore Throat

When you stop smoking, the environment in your mouth and nose changes from what has been normal whilst you were smoking. When you smoke, there is a need for your mouth, nose and throat to be well lubricated to cope with the tobacco smoke. The result of this mucus production in an excessive post-nasal drip, which means mucus is falling into the back of your mouth and throat from your nose.

Side Effect #3: Coughs and Colds

The change in your mouth, nose, throat and lung environment from stopping smoking is considerable. The net result is an increased likelihood of suffering coughs, colds and sore-throats.

Side Effect #4: Headaches and Light-Headedness

When you stop smoking your blood’s ability to operate improves rapidly. When you smoked, your blood became handicapped from carbon monoxide but this handicapping passes very quickly once you stop. Your blood sugar levels will change too when you quit because the action of nicotine on insulin in your blood is no longer present.

Side Effect #5: Constipation

When you smoke, the nicotine in tobacco affects your intestines, relaxing the muscles. This helps your digestion and keeps you regular. When you quit smoking, this therapeutic effect of nicotine is no longer there and you may suffer from constipation.  Drink plenty of water and try to up the fiber in your diet to help the situation.

Side Effect #6: Mood Swings

Much as alcohol can change your behaviour, a lack of nicotine, more oxygen and less sugar can easily have you change your behaviour.

The most important thing to realize is that you can absolutely stop smoking.  Every person who wanted to stop and has kept at it, no matter how many times they might have slipped up, has succeeded in stopping.