5 years of smoking, how much damage?

[damachine]

I'm forever grateful that I discovered vaping which got me off cigs. Before that, I smoked for 5 years at a pack per day. I'm really regretful of taking that first puff of cigs due to peer pressure and I feel guilty all the time and am worried how much that 5 years of smoking has damaged my lungs permanently.

Are there any former smokers here that can shed light on the long term consequences of smoking for a few years?

Thanks

 

[NCC]

I smoked for 35-years and switched to vaping 11-years ago. A few years ago my doctor told me my lungs are nearly as clear as if I'd never smoked. They do heal, and the further out you go on the timeline the closer you get to normal...even if never quite getting there, pretty close.
The fastest improvement is relatively soon after giving up combustible tobacco, but it continues.

 

[damachine]

thanks, was it a chest x ray?

 

[NCC]

At the time, it was just her practiced ear and stethoscope. Since then, I have had chest X-rays that looked good too.
I'll tell you though, I knew much sooner that my lungs had greatly improved, from my own observations. At the time I switched I could hear my lungs gurgle when I laid in bed. That ended very quickly. And I did my own tests on lung function.
Not very scientific, but convincing to me. The old 'how long can you hold your breath after taking some deep inhales test', LOL. In the beginning, I struggled to make it just 20-seconds. After a year, it was a struggle to make it 60 seconds.
You 'only' smoked five years!

 

[DaveP]

My lungs 10 years out from my last cigarette (2010) were clear on a CT scan early this year. Before I began to vape and was still smoking my scans and X-rays showed a little clouding here and there. The techs and the doctors told me that haze was caused by smoking. That's all cleared up. Chest X-rays and CT scans I've had recently show the same: clear lungs.

I use a fingertip tester here and there to check Oxygen Saturation and it's usually 99%. I've had a mild chest cold lately and was down to 98%. Still good. 95 to 100 is the normal range.

 

[Katmar]

I'm forever grateful that I discovered vaping which got me off cigs. Before that, I smoked for 5 years at a pack per day. I'm really regretful of taking that first puff of cigs due to peer pressure and I feel guilty all the time and am worried how much that 5 years of smoking has damaged my lungs permanently.

Are there any former smokers here that can shed light on the long term consequences of smoking for a few years?

Thanks

It's VERY good that you quit so soon. Keep in mind, smoking is NOT the only cause of lung problems. And it is NOT the only thing that causes lung cancer.
Take care of your self, as you are and best of luck. You should do fine!

 

[damachine]

My lungs 10 years out from my last cigarette (2010) were clear on a CT scan early this year. Before I began to vape and was still smoking my scans and X-rays showed a little clouding here and there. The techs and the doctors told me that haze was caused by smoking. That's all cleared up. Chest X-rays and CT scans I've had recently show the same: clear lungs.

I use a fingertip tester here and there to check Oxygen Saturation and it's usually 99%. I've had a mild chest cold lately and was down to 98%. Still good. 95 to 100 is the normal range.

How many years did you smoke? (pack years)

 

[classwife]

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