How long does nicotine remain in your body after you quit smoking?

Answer 1

- I smoked for twenty-three years at one to three packs a day. I quit five years ago. I am just now getting my wind and stamina back. I do not believe that nicotine itself stays in your system for more than two months after you completely quit. Your body will purge the poisons out of itself rather quickly, but the effects of long term smoking will take longer. The less time you smoke the less damage you do to yourself. Extreme exercise (soldiers in Iraq, or basic training type exercise) will help offset or delay, the harmful effects. I am not a doctor and my opinion should not be taken as fact.

- My husband and I are setting ourselves up to quit smoking and the Internist my husband goes too suggested a good book by Allen Carr called, "Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking" and comes with 2 CDs. When I went to purchase this book I was shocked to see that there was a book for women by the same author! I was elated and bought the book. It's excellent and my husband loves the book he's reading. Smoking is addictive, but also we have many habits along with the smoking so they need to be broken in order to stay away from cigarettes. Women go through so many hormonal changes (women's smoking is increasing while men quitting smoking has gone down, and teen smoking has gone up in the U.S. and Canada.) There have been many books, TV ads with that magic pill to quit smoking, but the best way my husband and I find to tackle this is to read this book, break some bad habits, started going to the gym and to keep busy and quit smoking. There is just no easy way! We know we are in the battle for our lives and it's not going to be easy, but like anything else in life if you want it bad enough you can do it.

- In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal. In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal. In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.

- In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase. In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks. In three to nine months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%. In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half. In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker. In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker. In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

- I recently took part in medical trials using a drug called Champix. Whilst it does not make you give up smoking, what it does do is help relieve the cravings that go with it. The habits and routines of smoking are still down to will power. During the trials I attended regular clinics where carbon-monoxide levels were monitored. After approximately 72 hours your carbo-monoxide levels will have returned to that of a non-smoker of between 2 and 6. My regular reading now is 2. There will always be a trace of carbon-monoxide in the body but this is simply picked up in the atmosphere in day to day life.

The first guy who answered probably just sat on the couch after quitting smoking. It's only been 5 days for me and I've been exercising and running everyday. I've already gotten most of my stamina back.

- I believe the drug you are talking about is Chantix. It also makes you have ridiculous nightmares and suicidal thoughts. I have quit without assistance of any kind and am just fine. I have already started walking and bike riding again without difficulty. If you have problems getting your "wind" back it is most likely because you are not only a smoker but probably severely over weight as well.

In relation to Chantix (aka Champix) talk to your doctor. There have been links made to suicidal thoughts, depression and a range of other side effects, but importantly there is no clear data that rules out other significant contributing factors, mainly a predisposition or indeed preexisting condition, including depression and mania.

It is also accepted that quitting cigarettes can cause some of these symptoms in people with a predisposition or preexisting condition.

I have been taking Chantix for 5 weeks. To avoid insomnia, on my pharmacist's advice, I take my doses at 8am and 8pm, and so far have had no lost sleep. Equally, I have had no nightmares.

The tablets do lead to some naseau, but it's manageable if I take the pills after food and with lots of water.

I am off cigarette's since my quit date in week 2 of the treatment, I have not smoked any since. Most positively for me, these pills do not contain nicotine, so I am beating the addiction rather than supplementing it in another way.

Like all prescription medication, Chantix will suit some more than others, but I'd advise everyone to speak to their doctor in relation to it and see if it's something that might be suitable for you.

Yes it's medication and it contains chemicals, but far fewer and less destructive chemicals than found in cigarettes.

I am not a doctor.

Answer 2

After a person stops smoking, nicotine stays in the system for about three days. The symptoms of withdrawal typically last a good bit longer than three days.

Answer 3

It should be out of your system in 4 days max. However if they are not testing for it specifically don't worry about it showing up on a different blood test.

Answer 4

1 month

Answer 5

1 week